Lighting Terms

Accent Lighting

Directional light used to focus attention on features such as paintings, special spaces or landscape. The intention is to add visual drame and interest and create contrast. Accent lighting is usually provided by recessed, tracked or wall-mounted spotlights.

Alternating Current (AC)

Normal home electricity is called Alternating Current because it changes direction 50 times a second.

Ambient Lighting

Also known as general lighting, ambient lighting provides an overall illumination without a specific direction, giving a comfortable level of brightness. Pendants lights are often used for ambience.

Ambient Temperature

The temperature range of the air when the product is tested to deliver the rated performance.

Amperes or amps

The unit of measurement of electrical current.

Architectural Lighting

Inbuilt lighting fixtures such as downlights that improves the architectural appearance of a place.

Average Rated Life

The number of hours in which half of a large group of lamps will burn out.

Baffle

A device that directs light downward and upward to reduce glare. Often used on shades with large top diameters.

Ballast

An electronic component used by fluorescent lamps to start.

Base

The end part of a lamp that has an electrical connection.

Beam Angle

This is the angle at which the light is distributed or emitted.

Bollard

A short post with a light at the top. Often used outdoors alongside paths and walkways.

Brushed Finish

A textured finish, usually on metal, produced by brushing or buffing.

Built-In Lighting

Lighting fixtures integrated into furniture and the architecture.

Candelabra Socket

Smaller size screw in socket typically found in chandeliers and lanterns.

Ceiling Canopy

The part of the light that is mounted tothe ceiling

Circuit

Path for electricity.

Circuit Breaker

Safety device to prevent excess current flow. A circuit breaker can normally be reset.

Colour Rendering Index (CRI)

A measure of the ability of a light source to reveal the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source.

Colour Temperature

How warm or cool the light is. Warm White is 2600K to 3200K, Cool White is 3200K to 4500K, Daylight is over 4500K.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)

Small fluorescent bulbs that use 20-40% less electricity than incandescent bulbs.

Cool White

A light colour temperature related to LED lighting. Warm white is another possible option.

Cove Lighting

Light built into a space at the upper part of a wall, used to illuminate the ceiling.

Current (AC/DC)

Types of current. Either alternating current or Direct Current.

Cutout

The minimum hole size that needs to be cut into a surface to recess a light.

Damp Location

Moist areas, such as a bathroom or outside in the rain.

Deck Lighting

Lights on the outside normally on the railing of a wooden decking.

Diffuser

Device that spreads light by scattering it. Opal glass, etched glass, fabric and paper shades act as diffusers.

Dimmable

Indicate sthat the light fitting can be dimmed.

Dimmer

Electronic device that varies the output of a light.

Drum-style Shade

The diameter of a drum lamp shade is the same at its top and bottom.

Direct Lighting

Lighting that casts nearly all of its light in one specific direction. Using intense beams, direct lighting can be very dramatic.

Efficiency

A measurement of how effective the light source is in converting electrical power into visible light.

Empire-style Shade

A lamp shade that is narrow on top and wider at the bottom.

Extended Life Lamp

An incandescent lamp with 2500+ hours of rated average life.

Filament

A tightly coiled tungsten wire inside an incandescent light bulb which glows when electricity flows through it.

Fill Gas

The gas inside incandescent lamps. Usually it is argon, krypton or halogen.

Finial

A decoration that fastens the lamp shade to the fixture.

Fitter

A prong in a ring where the lamp shade connects to the fixture. Also known as a spider.

Floor lamp

A lamp that stands on the floor.

Florescence

The ability to absorb short wave light in order to emit longer waves of light.

Fluorescent Lamp

A lamp which proviudes light by using an electric arc inside a gas filled tube.

Footcandles

The unit of illunimation.

Gallery

A decorative band around the perimeter of a lamp.<

General Lighting

See ambient lighting.

Glare

Bright lighting which causes discomfort and bad visibility.

Grounding

Connecting electrical components to earthed circuit for safety.

Halogen Light

An incandescent lamp filled with halogen and a quartz glass capsule. They operate at high internal temperatures and produce more brightness per watt than ordinary incandescent lamps.

Harp

The mechanism used to secure a lamp shade to its base.

Heat Ratings

Rating to ensure that lighting such as downlights do not affect combustible ceiling materials.

Incandescence

Light produced by heating material such as filaments so it glows.

Incandescent Lamp

Lamps that produce light with electricity passing through a wire filament.

Illuminance / Luminance

The amount of luminous coverage of an area. Related to the non-specific term 'brightness'.

Indirect Lighting

Lighting that directs most of the light upward for ambient or general illumination.

IP Rating (Ingress Protection)

International standard that tells you how resistant a device is to solids and liquids. First digit defines protection from dust, the second digit defines protection from water.

Jack

Plug-in stem used for low voltage fixtures.

Kelvin

Scientific unit of temperature. 1 degree Kelvin is the same as 1 degree Centigrade.

Kilowatt Hour

Unit of measurement for electrical energy.

Lamp Holder

A socket which holds the lamp in place.

LED

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. It is a small electronic device which emits lights.

Life Span

Aberage number of hours a light fitting is epxected to last.

Light Distribution

The pattern of light produced by a light.

Low Voltage Fixtures

A fixture for low voltage lamps.

Low Voltage Lamps

Incandescent lamps that operate at low (6, 12 or 24) volts.

Lumen

A scientific unit of lighting output, equal to the total quantity of visible light emitted by a source per unit of time.

Luminaire

Technical term for a complete electrical light fixture.

Lux

Unit of illuminance and is equal to one lumen per square metre.

Motion Detector

A control using infrared or ultrasonic waves to sense whether someone is moving in the vicinity of the sensor. Often used to turn a light on or off.

Nominal Watts

The power rating of a lamp published by its manufacturer.

Outdoor Lighting

A lighting system that is used in an exterior space.

Pendant

A lighting feature hanging from the ceiling by a chain, cord or rod. Multiple pendants can be fitted in groups to form a system of track lighting.

Photocell

A light-sensitive device used to electrical and solar lights on and off at dusk and dawn.

Power Factor (PF)

A measure between 0 and 1 of how well the electrical active power is transformed into mechanical power, heat or light.

Quartz Lamp

The quartz glass on the outside of the halogen lamp that transmits UV radiation.

Reflectance

A measurement of the proportion of light reflected when the light hits a surface and is reflected off it.

Reflector

A surface that reflects light in a desired direction to increase illumination to that space.

Scallop

The arch or scallop-shaped pattern from a light.

Sconce

A light holder that is attached to a wall. Originally used to describe candle holders.

Silhouetting

Accent lighting technique that creates a very interesting and dramatic effect by back lighting.

Specular Finish

Polished and mirror-like.

Step Lights

Lights ecessed into stairs to illuminate the treads of the stairs.

Suspension

The cord or chain holding a light.

Task Lighting

Lighting that provides illumination for tasks such as reading and cooking.

Timer

A programmed device that turns lights on and off at specific times.

Torchiere

A floor lamp that sends most of its light upward.

Track Lighting

A system of interior lights fitted to run along a track.

Transformer

A device used to raise or lower the electric voltage.

Trim

The edge of a recessed downlight or other lighting fixture.

Troffer

A recessed fluorescent light used in suspended ceilings.

Tungsten-Halogen Lamp

A gas filled tungsten incandescent lamp. Commonly referred to as Halogen lighting.

Undercabinet Lighting

A fixtures placed under a cabinet to provide task and accent lighting.

Valance Lighting

A light installed behind a horizontal shield over a window or a wall which sends the light up and down.

Volt

A unit of electrical force. In Australia household voltage is 240V. Garden lights generally run on 12V

Watt

A unit of electrical power.

Wattage

The quantity of electricity consumed by a light bulb.