They’re Just Lights…
Right?
How to avoid costly mistakes with
LED
www.energyficient.com
Choices at Home
If it fits it will work?
What’s the worst that can happen?
www.energyficient.com
Choices at Work
If it fits it will work?
What’s the worst that can happen?
www.energyficient.com
The Good ‘ol Days
Decisions were Simple
www.energyficient.com
Old Lighting Metrics
• Light Output –
Referred to as “Watts”
• Lamp Life -
“Average Hours of Life”
• Base SizeBayonet, Medium,
Candleabra, Intermediate, DC
and Mogul bases.
• Initial Lumens - Light output the first time you
turn on a lamp.
• Mean Lumens lamp life.
Light output at 40 or 50% of the
www.energyficient.com
New Lighting Metrics
• Light Output –
Lumens
• Beam Angle Distribution6°
• Kelvin Temp (CCT)
2700K, 3000K, 4000K, 5000K, 6500K
• Color Rendering (CRI)
• Glare source hinder
reduce safety?
120°, 180°, 280°, 360°,
60, 70, 80, 90
Will the direct glare of the light
your work or
• Temperature Ratings bulb was
The ambient temperature your LED
intended for.
• Rated Life When your LED will lose 30% of
it’s light output.
When used at
the specific temp and conditions it
is designed for.
• Certifications-
www.energyficient.com
Lighting 101
What makes lighting fail?
Vibration/Shoc
k
Voltage
Water
Heat
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
Typical Max Temp Ratings
25/77°C/F
25/77°C/F
70/158°C/F
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
Typical Max Temp Ratings
40/104°C/F
55/131°C/F
65/149°C/F
UL Listed for damp locations for locations not exceeding 40°C
(104°F) ambient temperatures
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
Typical Max Temp Ratings
• Advertised with 85+C max temp
• Has a fan – great idea, bad for
enclosed fixtures
• Air temp will climb over max in
enclosed fixture
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
READ the FINE PRINT
***In enclosed fixtures, ensure the lamp has enough space for heat dissipation. This will ensure
lumen maintenance and extend its working life. When products are used in outdoor fixtures,
ensure the space is waterproof and well ventilated. If there is a ballast in the existing fixture,
simply disconnect or bypass when installing Corncob LED retrofit lamps.
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
Rated Max Ambient Temps
10°C
18°F
Lose 50% of
Advertised Life
10°C
18°F
Gain 50% in
Advertised Life
Rise over Rating
Rise over Rating
www.energyficient.com
HEAT
The Math
25/77°C/F
65/149°C/F
+
=
35/95°C/F
95/203°C/F
Over Temp
70/126°C/F
Life Reduction
.0078 or
1/128th
www.energyficient.com
Heat
Applying The Math
Type
MAX Test
Temp Temp
Affect
On Life
Rated
Life
Actual Life
CFL Screw in
25
95
1/128th
10,000
78 Hrs
LED Screw in
25
95
1/128th
35,000
273 Hrs
Agrificient LED
70
35
+175%
60,000
135,000 Hrs
www.energyficient.com
What They Don’t Tell You
LED’s have a ballast! They have
cleverly disguised it with a new
name.
These “drivers” doesn’t last any
longer than the “ballasts” we are
all accustomed to.
Actual life
will vary based on ambient temps.
“Driver“ Life will
vary
based on ambient
temps.
Courtesy of Lighting Research Center research
paper “Accelerated Life-test Method for LED
Drivers (2011)”
www.energyficient.com
What They Don’t Tell You
Published light output is typically
based on 25°C.
The light output you see on the bench isn’t what you will
get in practice.
Courtesy Cree “LED Luminaire Design Guide”
www.energyficient.com
Today’s Decisions, Yesterdays Method
Your poor, poor maintenance
budget…
• New Product–
Introduced to sales through
brochure or maybe
a lunch and learn.
• Routine Visit Distributor sales person
introduces new product
to
maintenance staff.
• If it fits it works- No one is trained enough to be
certain the new
product will
actually do the job, so they do
trial install or worse, they plug it in on the
bench.
• Decision Made- Based on appearances, and light
output and
what the brochure says.
• Budget DrainedThis process slowly drains your
maintenance
budget of resources.
Trial and error is not the
way to
do this.
www.energyficient.com
Mistakes Are Easy to Make
Warehouse Application:
Which one do you choose?
$1100
$700
$300
$300
www.energyficient.com
Mistakes Are Easy to Make
Warehouse Application:
Which one do you choose?
$150
www.energyficient.com
Best Practice
Understand your application needs
Ambient Temperature
Environmental factors such as water, gases, vapors,
dust, etc.
Desired light levels, in FC (not in lumens or watts)
Hours of Operation
Difficulty of maintenance
Understand your goals and priorities
Energy savings
Improved safety
Glass removal mandate
Maintenance cost reductions
www.energyficient.com
Do’s and Don’t’s
Do:
•
•
•
•
Consider multiple designs and manufacturers
Use fixtures with replaceable LED boards/modules
Buy fixtures engineered for your specific application
Consider all available technology for your application, even
HPS!
• Read the fine print
Don’t:
• Choose LED fixtures with proprietary ballast designs unless
throwaway unit
• Use the trial and error method of choosing the right fixture or
tech
• Choose LED just for the sake of using LED
• Listen to sales people and marketing
• Leave it up to chance to spend your money wisely
www.energyficient.com
Other Considerations
• Ease of Installation?
How much trouble will it be to install?
•Safety Tested?
UL, ETL, etc
•Energy Star or Design Lights Certified?
•Ratings?
Indoor, Outdoor, Wet Location, Damp Location, NEMA 4X
•Durability?
Will it take a beating?
•Corrosion Resistance?
•Warranty?
www.energyficient.com