The winter months are over and days are getting longer and longer. Also the temperature starts to get spring-like. The trees and plants will soon start blooming again and we will be outside more and more often. Yet we can't escape the fact that it still gets dark again at night. But we can do something about that. With LED outdoor lighting you can illuminate the garden, nature, terraces, paths, driveways and facades in every colour of the rainbow in an efficient and more environmentally friendly way. It can still rain outside. Therefore, outdoor lighting should always be water resistant. Waterproof LED lamps can be recognized by their IP value. We will explain more about this later in this article. 

What are waterproof LED lamps?

Waterproof LED lamps are designed in such a way that no water can penetrate. This is indicated by an IP value. IP stands for 'Ingress Protection'. It indicates the extent to which a lamp is protected against the ingress of substances and liquids from the outside. Before buying a waterproof LED lamp, always pay attention to the IP value you need for your environment. For outdoor lighting we always recommend an IP value of IP65 or higher. 
Which IP value do I need?

In order to be able to say what IP value you need, we first need to know where the lighting is placed. For example, do you want to place the lighting indoors or outdoors? And is the room where you place the lighting moist or not (such as a bathroom). We will first explain how to read the IP value. An IP value always contains 2 digits. The first digit stands for protection against solid objects and dust. The second digit stands for protection against liquids such as water.

You can see this in the table below. 

Types of LED Outdoor Lighting

Now that we know what kind of lighting we can and cannot use outdoors, we can look at what types of lamps are suitable for certain environments and applications. Below we discuss the possible application of the waterproof LED outdoor lighting and which IP value is often linked to it. 

Illuminating gardens and plants

LED Garden Spotlights and Outdoor Lights are suitable for decorative lighting of your gardens and plants. Think for example of tree lighting, hedge lighting or fence lighting. The garden spotlights are usually placed on the ground to shine upwards. In this way, certain objects can be highlighted. 

LED Garden Spotlights and Outdoor lamps have an IP value of IP66. This is necessary to be able to stand in the open air without a canopy. This allows these lamps to withstand the heaviest rain showers. 

Illuminating walls and facades

Illuminating walls and facades can create a beautiful effect that attracts the attention of passers-by. You can achieve this by directing an LED Wall Washer or coloured LED Floodlight to the wall you want to illuminate. These types of lamps are designed to illuminate large vertical surfaces. They can be mounted on the ground or on a wall so that they can shine up or down. 

The LED Wall Washers have an IP66 value and can therefore also be used in all weather conditions. The LED floodlights have an IP65 value. We recommend installing these lamps at least semi-sheltered.   

Illuminating paths, driveways and entrances

It is wise to illuminate paths well for the sake of safety. Paths can be well lit with LED floodlights. These can easily be directed where light is needed. It is even possible to turn on the lamp by means of a motion sensor. If your path has a canopy, it is also possible to install a waterproof LED TL tube. 

The LED floodlights have an IP65 value and should be installed at least half-sheltered. This also applies to the waterproof LED fluorescent tube.

Waterproof LED Strips

LED strips are an excellent way to illuminate your outdoor spaces in a creative way. Because the waterproof LED Strips can also be operated in colors, you can easily adjust the atmosphere. Waterproof LED Strips are IP67 and are therefore completely waterproof. So they can be used anywhere, even in aquariums, ponds and swimming pools.   

Connecting Waterproof LED Outdoor Lighting

LED lighting can be waterproof on its own. However, it is important to connect these lights waterproof as well. This can easily be done by using a waterproof connector. With this connector you can easily connect the power wires to each other without using a waterproof junction box. This saves time and money. 

Do you still have questions about waterproof LED outdoor lighting or what is best for your situation. Please respond below or contact our customer service directly. We will be happy to help you!