LED step lights for stairs and outdoor steps
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LED step lights are small fittings set into a stair riser or the wall beside a flight to light the treads after dark. Cooper Lighting's HALO HSL, for example, fits a single-gang junction box, draws 3.8 W for 150 lumens and is rated IP65 for outdoor steps once sealed.
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What an LED step light is
A step light sits low — in the riser of a stair or in the wall just above the treads — so that each step edge can be seen at night without lighting the whole stairwell.
As a worked example, this page uses the HALO HSL spec sheet from Cooper Lighting Solutions. The fitting goes into a standard single-gang junction box, and its LED engine turns so the same unit can be mounted upright or on its side, indoors or out.
Reading a step light spec sheet
Each line of a spec sheet answers a buying question. For the HALO HSL in its white finish:
| Line on the sheet | HALO HSL value | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Input power | 3.8 W | running cost and load on the circuit |
| Light output | 150 lm at 3000K; 170 lm at 4000K and 5000K | how bright the treads will be |
| Efficacy | 39.5 lm/W | light per watt drawn |
| Colour temperature | switchable: 2700, 3000, 3500, 4000, 5000K | warm (low K) to cool (high K) light |
| Colour rendering | CRI 90 or more | how true colours of tiles and stone look |
| Protection | IP65 with sealant, IK08 impact | fit for wet and exposed steps |
| Operating temperature | −30°C to +50°C | range the fitting is rated for |
| Rated life | 50,000 hours | how long the maker rates the LEDs to run |
| Supply | 120 V, 60 Hz | the mains it is built for |
Two lines need care. The finish changes the output: the same unit in matte black gives 101 lm and in bronze 139 lm, against 150 lm in white. And the supply line matters most of all: a 120 V fitting is made for North American mains, so check that any LED step light you buy is rated for the voltage it will actually run on.
IP rating for outdoor steps
The IP code comes from IEC 60529. In the summary published by the component maker SCHURTER, the first digit covers solids — 5 is dust-protected, 6 is dust-tight — and the second covers water: 4 splashing, 5 jetting, 6 powerful jetting, 7 temporary immersion and 8 continuous immersion.
So IP65 reads as dust-tight and protected against jets of water. Note the condition on the HALO sheet: the fitting reaches IP65 only when sealant, not supplied, is applied at installation. An LED step light set in an outdoor wall without that seal does not carry the rating.
Faceplates and finish
The HSL takes five faceplate inserts — a marker face in soft or diffuse versions, a louvre, a cutoff and a hood — each giving a different light distribution and look. The sheet’s photometric page shows how each one spreads light, so compare them there before choosing. Finishes are matte white, matte black and bronze.
Other lights on this site
Lights for porches, gates and garden walls are covered under outdoor lights; fittings for interior walls under wall lights. For how LED lamps are rated in general — lumens, watts and colour temperature — see LED lights. Lights that keep a stair or exit lit when the power fails are covered under emergency lamps.