LED Flood Lights: Beam Angle, NEMA Type and Wattage Explained

Pick a flood light by the area you need to cover and how far away the fixture sits from it. Distance and target size decide the beam angle. The beam angle and the light level you want decide the wattage. Everything else, like mounting and color, follows from there.

Beam angle and NEMA type

Flood lights are sorted by how wide the beam spreads. Manufacturers list either a beam angle in degrees or a NEMA type from 1 to 7. A narrow beam throws light a long way onto a small target. A wide beam covers a large area close to the fixture.

NEMA type	Beam spread	Typical use
NEMA 1	10 to 18 degrees	Flag poles, tall facades, long throw
NEMA 2	18 to 29 degrees	Signs and building faces from a distance
NEMA 3	29 to 46 degrees	Building faces, medium distance
NEMA 4	46 to 70 degrees	General area and yard lighting
NEMA 5	70 to 100 degrees	Wide areas close to the fixture
NEMA 6 and 7	100 degrees and wider	Very wide, short throw coverage

Rule of thumb: the farther the fixture is from what you are lighting, the narrower the beam you want. Most building mounted security floods and yard lights land in the NEMA 4 to 6 range.

What wattage replaces a metal halide flood?

Match light output, not watts. As a starting point, most 250W metal halide floods are replaced by LED floods in roughly the 80W to 100W range, 400W metal halide by about 120W to 150W, and 1000W metal halide by about 300W or more. Narrow optics put more of that light on target, so a well aimed LED can often go a step lower. Our metal halide to LED guide has the full table.

Mounting options

• Yoke or trunnion. A U bracket bolted to a wall, pole or crossarm. Easiest to aim, and the most flexible.
• Slip fitter. Slides over the top of a pole tenon. Common for sports and lot lighting.
• Knuckle. Threads onto a 1/2 inch conduit fitting or box. Typical on smaller floods.

Check the effective projected area (EPA) and weight on the spec sheet when mounting on a pole, so the pole is rated for the load and the wind in your area.

Aiming and glare

Aim the beam at the target, not the horizon. A flood aimed too high lights the sky, the neighbors and the drivers on the road, and many towns now restrict that. Visors and shields cut stray light, and some floods carry a BUG rating that tells you how much backlight, uplight and glare they produce.

What to check on the spec sheet

• Delivered lumens at the wattage you will run.
• Beam angle or NEMA type, and whether optics or lenses can be swapped.
• Wet location listing and an IP rating of 65 or higher.
• Photocell receptacle or photocell option for dusk to dawn use.
• Surge protection in kV, which matters on poles.
• Voltage. Parking lots and plants are often 277V or 480V.

Common questions

What beam angle do I need for a flood light?

It depends on distance to the target. Narrow beams (NEMA 1 to 3) throw light far onto a small area. Wide beams (NEMA 5 to 7) cover a large area close to the fixture. Building mounted security lighting usually uses NEMA 4 to 6.

What LED flood light replaces a 400W metal halide?

Most 400W metal halide floods are replaced by an LED flood of about 120W to 150W, depending on the optic and how far the target is.

Do LED flood lights need a photocell?

Only if you want them to turn on at dusk and off at dawn automatically. Many floods include a photocell or a receptacle for one.

Shop LED flood lights, area lights and dusk to dawn lights. Questions? Contact us or call 845-681-2684.