NEMA Beam Angle Types

Directional light fixtures such as floodlights can vary wildly in their beam spread and how they output their light. Whether you need a narrow angle to highlight a particular architectural feature or a wide angle to wash a large expanse of a façade, using the correct beam angles play a vital role in the appearance and successful implementation of your lighting.

In order to help organize and standardize the distribution of light from floodlights and similar directional luminaires, NEMA classification types were established.

NEMA distributions are typically described by both the horizontal and vertical beam spread of a fixture. That beam spread is indicative of two planes of light where the intensity is 10% of the maximum candlepower (near the center beam) of the light. This is also called the “field angle”. If only one number is given, then the distribution is considered symmetrical.