What is a Kelvin?
A kelvin, quite simply, is an aesthetic measurement of a light source. Often referred to as warm light (yellow hues) or cool light (blue hues), a kelvin is a measurement of colour temperature and can also be referred to as CCT (Correlated Colour Temperature). The higher the kelvin (K) the cooler the colour temperature, and vice versa.
Invented in the 1800’s by physicist Lord Kelvin, the kelvin scale gives us a reference for the colour white, allowing us to communicate the different hues of a white light.
Sometimes people can mistake kelvin for a measure of brightness, however the brightness of a light is measured in lumens. Therefore, the level of Kelvin you choose should depend on the colour effect you are after, not your desired brightness.
The most common Kelvin in signage is 6500k – also known as Cool White. Other popular colours include 3000k (Warm White) and 10,000k (Cold White). You’ll find an array of different kelvins across the Bounce LED module range – from 2200k to 10,000k! Shop our full range of LEDs here.
Check out this YouTube video from our partners, Principal Sloan, for more information and examples.