Outdoor LED Light Fixtures: Integrated vs. Interchangeable

Before 2010 if you hired a professional outdoor lighting company to install low voltage lighting around your house or yard there was some version of an interchangeable halogen fixture implemented into the system. If you were trying to light up a house, tree, statue, water feature, or pathway, the interchangeable halogen fixture was considered the industry standard. It was the “do all” type light bulb that could be used in so many ways and came in an assortment of variations from degree of spread to brightness. While the fixtures holding these bulbs came in hundreds of options the bulb stayed constant.

As technological advances began to develop in the outdoor lighting industry, it was clear that LED’s where going to be the future. LED’s did wonders for landscape lighting. The life expectancy of the lights went from 1 year to 10 years, one did not have to worry about glass bulbs or the filaments inside; insects would not be a concern anymore; the color would stay crisp and clean over years of usage unlike halogen that would tarnish over a few months from the heat and weather; less wire was needed to install LED outdoor lighting systems; and voltage drop would be virtually eliminated.

In addition, manufacturers began to make two different types of LED landscape lights; integrated and interchangeable. An integrated outdoor lighting fixture is a type of fixture that has the bulb built into it. This possesses a problem when maintenance needs to be done or if and when you want to upgrade your lighting system.  Neither can be done because the lamp and the fixture are one unit and if something breaks or technology brings about something better, which is happening every day, the whole fixture needs to be replaced. The big draw to interchangeable fixtures is how easy it is to install.

An interchangeable outdoor lighting fixture is a landscape light that has replaceable parts. The socket and bulb can be replaced when either broken or ready for an upgrade. When landscaping changes or moving to another house, different bulbs can be utilized to get the desired effect for the new project. This is extremely cheaper and more efficient than having to buy new fixtures.  With halogen systems already installed in hundreds of thousands of homes, being able to simply swap bulbs and lower voltage in the transformers is also a big plus for homeowners.

Whichever way you decide to go, having the right professional outdoor lighting company install and maintain your system is the most important. Houston Lightscapes uses only the highest quality fixtures and the longest lasting bulbs, with the industry leading warranty. To get more information please contact our office, we would love to answer any questions.  Let Houston Lightscapes help you take back the night!