LED battens have advanced significantly over the past several years, and today there are numerous possibilities for batten lights as opposed to fluorescent battens being the only option. This is wonderful since 4 foot fluorescent battens are an eyesore, but with LED battens they can manipulate the fittings to provide a much cleaner, less industrial appearance. The nicest aspect about battens is that they are incredibly functional, with a very strong light and broad beam angles. When purchasing LED battens, there are a number of factors to take into account. In this article, I will discuss the questions you should ask before making a purchase, as well as our top-selling LED battens.

IP Rating - The IP rating indicates whether the lamp is intended for indoor or outdoor use. If your application is outside, use IP65, a high certification that protects against water and dust. If you are purchasing for indoor use, an IP65 rating will still protect against dust and physical impacts; otherwise, an IP20 rating would suffice with most battens remaining sealed.

LED - There are still many fluorescent battens and tubes in use, and people are still renewing the tubes and ballasts. This is a terrible idea, as T8 LED direct replacement tubes are now available for purchase. LED tubes consume 50 percent less energy and last five times longer than fluorescent tubes; they also perform better in terms of brightness and are virtually indistinguishable from fluorescent tubes. So, always choose for LED for the aforementioned reasons. LED tubes are also considerably safer and healthier for the environment than mercury-containing fluorescent tubes.

Integrated LED or LED Tubes - The majority of LED battens available today are integrated, which means that if the light batten dies, you will need to replace it and have an electrician return to repair it, which may cost approximately $200 with the call out charge. While there is a limit to how much technology can fit in a tube, when a manufacturer creates something that is integrated, they may improve it by adding heat sinks and increasing performance. Thus, always purchase LED integrated battens from reputable manufacturers, such as Trend Lighting, Domus Lighting, Atom Lighting, Sunny Lighting, or CLA Lighting. Purchasing from these names ensures that you are purchasing from a manufacturer with stringent quality control. Avoid low-quality products, since they will simply cause problems and may not even comply. When buying anything, i think practical and purchasing a batten with LED T8 tubes means you can always replace the tubes yourself so literally can't go wrong, however with T8 battens they look much more bulky and commercial, with LED integrated battens they much more slimlined.

Size - Battens come in many sizes such as 1 foot, 2 foot, 3 foot , 4 foot and 5 foot, always try and go with a 4 foot as this is the most common batten sold so it will be much easier and cheaper to replace as they are mass produced. If you want a shorter batten, search for two feet. 1, 3, and 5 foot lengths are difficult to locate and replace.

Colour Temperature - This is crucial to get right if you are installing LED battens in work environments such as garages, car parks, warehouses, workshops, kitchens etc, you should always look to use a temperature of a minimum 5000k as this colour spectrum reacts with the brain most in keeping alert and active. If your application needs to suit a heritage or traditional set up then you could look to use a 3000k or 4000k per fixture, which will soften the light to create more ambience and warmth.