FAQ – Answers to frequently asked questions

Our head office is situated in Bankeryd, Sweden, outside Jönköping, and our address is Tallvägen 5, SE-564 35 Bankeryd, Sweden. We also have sales offices in Denmark, Norway and Finland. Contact us for more information.

We’re open 07.30-16.30 Monday–Thursday and 07.30-16.00 Friday (CET). We’re closed for lunch 12.00-12.45. We’re also closed on public holidays.

Hide-a-lite is not a separate company, just a brand. Elektro Elco AB is the company that owns the Hide-a-lite brand. You can read more about Elektro Elco AB at http://www.elco.se

Lumen (lm) means light output and is a measure of how much light a light source emits in all directions.

Candela is a measure of the intensity (luminous intensity) in a certain direction (angle). One candela is the same amount of light that a wax candle emits in a certain direction at a distance of one metre.

Lumen is a measure of how much light a light source emits in all directions while candela is a measure of the brightness of the light emitted at a certain angle.

Luminous flux is the total light emitted by a light source in all directions. It’s measured in lm (lumen).

Luminous intensity specifies the intensity of the light emitted by a light source or a luminaire in a specific direction. If the angle is reduced, the intensity increases, and vice versa. Its unit is cd (candela).

Illuminance is the luminous flux that reaches each square metre of an illuminated surface. Its unit of measurement is lux. Illuminance is a quantifiable concept that is easily measured with a lux meter.

Wattage specifies the energy consumption of a light source but says nothing about the amount of light it produces. Specified in W (watts). Wattage (W) specifies the energy that the light source uses per unit of time. For fluorescent lamps, other discharge lamps, low-voltage halogen lamps and LED lamps, there is also the energy consumption and energy losses of the driver. The total wattage is often referred to as the system wattage.

Luminous efficacy is a measure of efficacy and describes the amount of light produced for each consumed watt, indicating how efficient the light source is. Expressed in lm/W (lumens per watt).

Wattage (W) specifies the energy that the light source uses per unit of time. Watts is the result of Volts times Amperes.

An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a relatively new light source in the market even though the technology itself is old, having been discovered at the beginning of the 1900s soon after Edison invented the light bulb. However, its significance wasn’t realised at the time. The 1960s saw the use of the first red diodes, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that we started using them as light sources on a large scale.

Light emitting diodes have no filament, gas, glass bulb or any moving parts, unlike other light sources. Light emitting diodes contain a special semiconductor that emits light when a current is passed through the diode.

Depending on which elements the semiconductor contains, it glows in different colours, red, green, yellow, ultraviolet and blue. To protect against external impingement, and to enable an electrical connection, the diode is sealed in a casing that provides an angle of illumination of 140–180 degrees.

White light is created using phosphor technology in the same way as for fluorescent lamps – a blue or ultraviolet diode is coated in a yellow or orange fluorescent powder (phosphor) that transforms some of the radiation into yellow light, so that the end result is a white light.

Small in size, develop little heat, extremely energy efficient and offer superior lifetimes. What’s more, LED lights contain absolutely no mercury or other heavy metals, making them unequivocally the most environmentally friendly light sources available today, as well as the safest.

LED lighting is highly energy efficient compared to conventional lighting and requires little maintenance.

LED lighting can cut energy consumption by up to 85% compared to incandescent light sources and by 50% compared to compact fluorescent lights (low energy). Moreover, LED lights have a lifetime that is 4–40 times longer than conventional light sources, which means fewer light sources need to be handled for recycling and we avoid difficult and costly light source replacements.

LED lights create new opportunities for lighting and you can place the lights where you most need them. Small luminaires with low power needs offer substantial design advantages and enable you to install lights in previously difficult locations, such as windows, alcoves and places that are hard to access.

LED lights deliver full brightness immediately and are easy to regulate and control to achieve the exact ambience you’re after for the moment. Nor are their lifetimes impaired by being switched on and off.

LED lights are not affected by knocks and vibrations as they do not contain any filaments or other parts that can break.

LED light is almost completely free of UV and IR radiation.

Yes, especially during use – they consume considerably less energy than conventional light sources, offering savings as high as 80–90%. They contain no mercury and their production has little environmental impact.

LED light sources are classed as electronics and as such must be taken to a recycling centre as scrap electronics!

Most of the contents of an LED lamp or luminaire can be recycled. They do not contain any mercury or other heavy metals, unlike most other light sources.

LED lights are more expensive to buy, but if you include the costs for maintenance (replacing light sources) and operation (energy consumption) and compare this to conventional light sources, investing in LED lights pays for itself pretty quickly.

Compared to mains voltage halogen, the investment pays for itself in just a few years in the average house, and after that you continue to save money during the years they remain in service.

LED lighting can cut energy consumption by up to 85% compared to incandescent light sources and by 50% compared to low energy lamps (compact fluorescent lights), all while lasting 4–40 times longer.

Yes, it’s true, but only if the electronics in the light source do not feature interference mitigation. It’s especially common with dimmable LED light sources because they also contain controllers that require particularly effective interference mitigation.

If the requirements established by the regulations and standards for CE marking are fulfilled, there shouldn’t be any problems. All of our products are tested for compliance with the requirements for so-called electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) to guarantee that they do not cause interference in electrical wiring or radio interference.

Good interference mitigation is expensive and takes up space, so this is worth considering when comparing products from different manufacturers.

An LED lamp is a complete replacement light source for conventional light bulbs, halogen lamps and compact fluorescent lights for standard sockets, such as E27, E14 and GU10. The light sources have the same shape and appearance as the lamps they replace and have built-in drivers. 

Lifetimes vary between manufacturers and lamp types, but are normally 15,000 to 35,000 hours. This is specified as an average lifetime and means that up to 50% of the light sources will have failed (B50) by this time and that the remaining light sources will continue to function with at least 70% of their original brightness (L70). The calculation assumes an ambient temperature of 25°C.

An LED luminaire is a complete luminaire (unit) that can be connected to the mains supply via an integrated or separate transformer (converter, driver, power supply). In addition to the housing, it contains an LED module and a reflector and/or lens, as well as a heat sink to transfer heat away from the diodes. The driver usually determines whether the brightness of the luminaire can be adjusted (dimmed). 

The lifetime varies between manufacturers and luminaire types. It’s most often specified as a usable lifetime, stating the number of hours with at least 70% of the original brightness (L70) and the number of hours after which only 10% of the luminaires have failed completely (B10).

Our products are sold via wholesalers and stores in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. See the Retailers tab to find more information.

When choosing a driver you need to consider how many luminaires you’ll be using and whether you want to use a dimmer. Our luminaires in the 12 series are powered by 350 mA. The driver’s specifications state its maximum load and whether it can be dimmed.

Converters should be placed in a ventilated area and not embedded in insulation or in other areas that can get hotter than normal. The total cable length in an installation with constant current diodes (350/700 mA) can be up to 30–40 m.

Both halogen and LED installations require preparations, primarily in insulated ceilings where insulation guards must be used. Since the installation procedure varies, you always need to consult an electrician, such as when routing cables.

Outdoor luminaires are best controlled with wireless remote and wall controls, such as our Garden Kit with wireless control from Teleco, 7985197. 

Contact your electrical fitter for help installing all lighting.

If the converter you’ve bought isn’t dimmable, you’ll have to replace it. Choose a converter that is dimmable based on the load you have and how the lamps are powered.

In your case, you need a 350 mA converter that can handle 4 x 1.2 W = 4.8 W.

For us, lighting is about emphasising the room and adapting the light to areas where it’s needed. In the case of a renovation/new build, the following points are worth considering to plan your lighting as effectively as possible.

What type of house is it? 
Choose facade lighting that matches the architectural style. A bungalow with a sleek facade and wall sections might be suited to roof base lighting while a house with features that jut out, such as wooden window cases, might be more difficult to light in this way as it can easily create too many harsh shadows. Placement is important – it’s better to only light the wall sections with an uneven cc distance than to ensure an even cc distance but with harsh shadows. Consider how the light falls.

What does the garden look like? 
Is there greenery that could be illuminated? Trees, flower beds or perhaps a plank or wall. Make the most of vertical surfaces to “build a space” using light.

What materials have been chosen for the interior? Such as colours, walls and floors?
It can be handy to know that dark colours absorb light while light colours reflect it. A darkly coloured room will never be perceived to be as bright as a room painted white. If you have a dark floor, it can be a good idea to light the walls if they are light coloured, to ensure that the room still feels bright.

What type of ceiling (flat/sloping)? 
Remember that a flat ceiling makes it easier to adapt the lighting to walls or passages while a sloping ceiling is better suited to more even placement. With a sloping ceiling the downlights need to be tilted the same angle as the ceiling slope to get the lights to shine straight down.

What is the ceiling height in the room? 
With higher ceilings you may need a stronger downlight while with a really low ceiling, around 2 m in height, you may need a wider beam and/or a weaker downlight.

All of this affects the choice of lighting solution. In the next step it’s a good idea to consider the following:

What colour temperature do you want for the lighting (LED)?
3000K, which is similar to halogen lighting, or a slightly warmer tone, 2700K, which is similar to incandescent lighting?

What shape are the luminaires to have? 
Square, round or a mix?

What work lighting and general lighting do you need? 
Go through the rooms one by one and consider where lighting is needed.

Are there any details in the house you would like to light?
Go through the rooms one by one and consider whether there is anything in particular you’d like to emphasise with the lighting.

What type of control system do you want?
A simple one with push buttons/dimmers or something more advanced? When choosing a control system it’s important to check that the control system and lighting are compatible.

Not all luminaires are suitable for use in a sauna due to the high temperatures, but we have luminaries specially developed for saunas that you can use to achieve both cosy lighting for ambience and strong lighting for cleaning. We sell small LED downlights, as well as LED rails for behind the backrests and under the benches, all of which are great choices for a sauna. Remember that the drivers for LED rails must be installed in an adjacent room kept at normal room temperature.

In a bathroom you have to consider the wet room rating when planning your lighting. Some bathroom areas require an IP rating higher than IP21 and if the shelf is exposed to moisture the same applies here too. Take a look at our section on IP rating requirements under Knowledge/Concept/IP ratings and then choose a luminaire with the IP rating you need.

Which luminaires you can use naturally depends on how much space you have above the false ceiling. Many of our LED luminaires are low build and can fit in our plastic Spot Guard Gles, which has a height of 60 mm. 

If you don’t have 60 mm above the false ceiling, you can use a downlight that is approved for installing in furniture. That is, you don’t have to use a plastic guard (unless installing in an insulated ceiling, in which case a plastic guard is always a must).
Generally speaking, they have smaller diameters and emit less light, which means you need to use more if you want to achieve a certain light level compared to larger downlights.

Yes, we currently have two product series with motion sensors. It’s called Moon and Moon Pro and are excellent choices for bathrooms and toilets, storage rooms, garages, utility rooms, staircases and so on. Moon also has an IP54 rating and can be installed outdoors.

At present we don’t have a digital image bank of high-resolution images. If you need high-resolution product images, please contact our marketing department. See Contact us/Staff for contact details.

You can use our product images freely for private use. If you want to use our product images for commercial purposes, please contact our marketing department. Contact details can be found under Contact us/Staff. 

Our contextual images may under no circumstances be used without our permission.

Our logo can be downloaded under About us/Press. There you’ll find different versions of high-resolution logos.

Please contact our marketing department. See Contact us/Staff for contact details.

Please contact our marketing department. See Contact us/Staff for contact details.

You can always find the latest news on our website. You can also sign up for our newsletter, which you will then automatically receive on a regular basis. Our newsletter can be found in the menu under About us/Newsletter.

Why not follow us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/hidealite?