Category Archives: Technologies

There are a spectrum of technologies used in energy saving light bulbs. This category looks at the technologies used today and for the future

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies

The advances in G9 LED capsules

Leave a comment

CAPSULE 1With the escalating need for new lighting systems, it seems you are living in the world of new trends, where the possibilities of emergent technologies are endless. New lighting systems like G9 capsules (popular lighting systems) have continued to rock the lighting industry. The G9 capsules are ideal in small spaced settings that require a higher amount of light. Since their discovery, these LED options have continued to be a whimsical alternative to ancient halogen capsules. The G9 LED capsules save energy, are cheaper to run, and do emit the same amount of light as ancient halogen capsules.

With that in mind, here is what you should know about the advances that have catapulted the LED revolution.

But, first get the basics right.

Why move from watts to lumens?
Watts is a measure of how much energy the light bulb uses, while lumens are used to measure the amount of light the lighting system gives out. Similar to watts, the higher the value of lumens, the brighter your light will be. For instance, a 1521 lumen bulb (which is a 100W equivalent) is brighter than an 800-lumen bulb (which is 60W equivalent).

G9 LED Capsules

G9 LED Lamps & Capsules can be direct replacements for G9 halogen capsules, however, they can be a lot larger than normal halogen capsules; so, it is important to check if they will fit into the fitting or not. It is also imperative to check that the LED G9’s have adequate ventilation because otherwise the LED’s or internal drivers can overheat resulting in failure.

G9 capsules are LED in nature. As such, they emit minimal heat, which makes G9 capsules efficient and energy-saving. In fact, they can save up to 88% amount of energy as compared to standard capsules.

Omni-directional

The Omni-directional G9 LED capsule is  indisputably effective due to the fact that they emit light equally, effectually as well as multi-directionally. Moreover, they do not heat up –which allows the LED capsules to be surprisingly efficient and reliable. Most G9 LED capsules feature a warm white color which perfectly suits interior living areas.

G vs. ES

The most common type of light bulb is indisputably the Edison Screw (ES) light bulb. Actually, ES is the threaded connector which Thomas Edison had patented and utilized. These types of bulbs are available in sizes like E11, E14, as well as E17. The numbers denote the base size. On the other hand, the “G” in G-type LED bulbs represents “glass,” from which they were initially made.

The G-Type revolution

CAPSULE 2Invented towards the end of the 19th century, the G-type bulbs offer a fantastic alternative to conventional bulbs to circumvent Edison’s patent. That is why they have a unique base shape. Similar to the Edison Screw bulb, the G bulb is manufactured in different sizes, the G9 light bulb being one of them. The “9” is meant to denote the actual number of millimeters in between the 2 adjacent pins.

1. Wider beam angle

With a 360° beam angle, the G9 capsule bulbs offer the widest beams you can find on the market today. So you only need a fewer number bulbs to light up larger spaces.

2. Durability boosted

They last over a decade.

G9 technology takes care of how long your LED lighting system will last. The technology ensures that your lighting system lasts for at least 25,000 hours, which is about 15 years (on average use) of service.

The bottom line

LEDs are ruling the lighting sphere. They are efficient and consume low energy. That is why, if you haven’t embraced this new trend, you are missing a lot. Try LED capsules today and redefine your living space!

Lighting Design, Technologies

Buying Exclusive LED Flat Panels: The Secrets

Leave a comment

PANEL FLAT 1With tens of thousands of LED panels manufacturers as well as suppliers in today’s marketplace, it might prove hard to choose the best ones. As such, you must be careful, especially if it is your first time with the LED revolution.A quick glance should offer you the LED insights so as you can pick exclusive LED products capable of saving a substantial amount of power and even last longer.So, the following factors should be of help to you in deciding the best LED panels that can serve you for many years to come.

Light guide plate plus its driver

The LED panel’s quality is dependent on the light guide plate along with its driver. The light guide plate determines the light transmittance as well as power conversion efficiency. The power factor and the life span of the whole light system are determined by the driver. As such, it’s vital to ensure that you don’t compromise on the quality of these two important factors when purchasing panels.For instance, the 600×600 led ceiling panel has been manufactured with precision to serve you for years to come.

The right panel system

Flat LED PanelNow that you understand how crucial the two are, let’s deep dive into how you can select the right LED panel system:

• Selecting LED light guide plate: Go for panels that feature light guide plates and those with PMMA light guide plates after only half year of usage, such as the 600×600 led panel. Well, PS materials are popular in most countries across the globe, thanks to their affordability. However, it can easily turn yellow and get dark spots –something that can decrease the panel’s power conversion efficiency. Moreover, PMMA material has an ant-aging and possesses superior light transmittance capacity as compared to PS materials.

• Selecting LED light panel driver – Large driver cripples are the major cause of LED light flickers. Typically, a superior PF value must come with a flicker, which cannot be detected by a naked human eye but. Since a low PF value driver utilizes lots of energy as well as power, a predetermined PF value is needed on LED drivers (typically 10+w panel lights). Due to the high cost, existing drivers with high PF value mostly have flicker.

Other performance factors

The following factors should also be considered before purchasing LED panels for your specific needed.

Aluminum Frame

Go for LED flat panel lights (like the 600×600 led panel) that utilize aluminum housing (environmentally friendly) featuring rapid heat dissipation, anodized, as well as anti-corrosion properties since they are long lasting and have superior performance. Some of the shortcomings of inferior aluminum panels are low heat dissipation capacity, general weakness, reduced chip life and rapid fading light.

LED light panel driver temperature

PANEL FLAT CEILING 4You should ensure that your manufacturer has conducted aging and electronic load tests on the LED panels. This is to ascertain whether the panels can bear extreme temperatures (101℃-138℃). Panels that pass this test tend to perform better, are safer, and stable, which makes them long-lasting. You can count on panels like 600×600 led ceiling panel when it comes to bearing extreme temperatures.

Insurance and warranty

Insurance is meant to protect LED panels against manufacturing defects and assure you of the product warranty. The manufacturer in question must offer you full support when it comes to warranty claims and subsequent repairs/ replacements.

LED light luminous efficiency

Ensure that the luminous efficiency of your LED flat panel light is 120l+m/w. Also, check that it has no flicker and has a top power efficiency of 0.9+. Also ensure that:
• It has high CRI (Ra>80)
• The THD is less than15%
• The DLC is under 4.0 standards.

Lighting Design, Technologies

Varilight V-PRO Dimmers: Placing Timeless Possibility In Customer’s Hands!

Leave a comment

Vpro dimmer range

Vpro dimmer range

Varilight V-Pro series includes programmable intelligent dimmers and comes with an array of dimming modes for broader compatibility and adjustable min brightness setting. They are versatile and feature options of up to 300watts.Equipped with push on/off features, these products looks are set to guarantee you maximum safety, especially if you have playful children at your home. Varilight V-Pro dimmers are manufactured using superior dimming technology in order to achieve the finest dimming performance at a given load.

To optimize performance and compatibility with the ever-rising assortment of lighting options, Varilight V-Pro dimmers have been programmed, offering a choice of intelligent dimming modes. The technology allows users to set the minimum load level for their dimmer so as to optimize on the dimming range of a certain lighting load.

Functionality

Varilight standard V-Pro dimmers, such as Z0JP250-P , are outfitted with a push-on/push-off switching action plus rotary dimming. This is particularly important when it comes to changing the driving modes and adjusting the minimum brightness using the dimmer control’s pushes and the signals that come from the lamps.

Varilight have designed their V-Pro dimmers to control LED lighting loads that require trailing –edge/ leading-edge control featuring options of 0 to120W (maximum 10 LEDs) as well as of 10 to 300W (maximum 30 LEDs). The model for the 300 watts maximum load is the MJP300 .

They also manufacture a range of touch/ remote control dimmers.
Suitable loads

Varilight V-Pro series dimmers, including the Z0JP250-P, are compatible with LEDs and can work with almost all dimmable LEDs. Also, they are ideal for halogen /incandescent lighting and a good number of dimmable electronic transformers. Additionally, they can work well with electronic devices having no minimum load. They have been designed to work with dimmers with low energy lighting.
To achieve the best results with low voltage lighting, go for Varilight intelligent dimmer switches featuring Varilight electronic transformers. With Varilight V-Pro series, you don’t have to worry about the limit when it comes to the number of transformers you can use you can use since it is limitless. But, you must stay within the maximum rating of that particular dimmer.

Caution

Polished Brass Vpro
Polished Brass Vpro

Varilight electronic transformers are ideal for regulating 12V alternate current- rated LEDs (MR16). Don’t use V-Pro dimmers with wire-wound transformers.

Formats available in

Varilight V-Pro dimmers with a maximum load of 120W are available in 1-, 2-, 3- as well as 4-Gang Dimmers (decorative finishes) formats. They can also be in replacement modules and power grid modules. You can also buy them in formats such as multi-grid modules (Schneider/GET grid or for MK Crabtree)
VARILIGHT V-Pro dimmers (with high power of up to 300watts) are available in 1-, 2- as well as 3-Gang (decorative finishes) formats. You can still get them in replacement and power grid module formats.

Go for the best

The latest V-Pro series from Varilight are low profiled, light weight, made of stainless steel material, and use the contemporary solid state technology, which ensures that they serve you for years to come. This can be seen in dimmers like the Z0JP250-P . With these smart devices, multi-stage dimming of any load can be quickly accomplished, regardless of the source of light-LED, halogen, or lamp brand. They offer smooth dimming, from full bright to complete off.

To optimize performance and enhance functionality, they have been accessorized with adjustable astronomic timing, dual-zone output, and on-the-fly override. They have a user-friendly interface; this set-up is quick and easy. So, go for the best!

Lighting Design, Technologies, Uncategorised

Varilight Ranges: Transform Your Living Room Beyond Your Wildest Dreams!

Leave a comment
Varilght Pastel Colours
Varilght Pastel Colours

Varilight, the brand name of Doyle and Tratt Products Ltd., was established in 1973 with the main aim of manufacturing dimmer switches as well as decorative electrical accessories. Since then, the company has established itself as an industry leader in the manufacture of various electrical devices, thanks to its many years of experience in this field. In fact, Varilight products have managed to penetrate the market and gain an international reputation when it comes to quality, style as well as value. No wonder, Varilight was voted to be the winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise of 2006 (which was under the continuous innovation category).

The technology

Due to its vibrant and continual innovation in the field of electrical systems, Varilight was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2006. Varilight understands that innovative technical solutions are the only way they can give their products the edge. They have put in place a patented overload protection system (a cost effective solution) that can benefit even an entry-level dimmers. Moreover, the Varilight microprocessor intelligent dimmers are manufactured to allow for rotary, touch, as well as control dimming. The Varilight range has been made with diversity in mind. Also, they have been accessorized with security dimmers that can accurately simulate occupancy in case you aren’t around. Additionally, they include nursery dimmers. So, you only have to gently set them to glow during bedtime in your kid’s room. Varilight relies on the latest technological breakthrough in manufacturing the world’s best dimmable compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). To achieve exceptional energy-saving devices, Varilight combines CFL and dimmer.

The Varilight range has been made with diversity in mind. Also, they have been accessorized with security dimmers that can accurately simulate occupancy in case you aren’t around. Additionally, they include nursery dimmers. So, you only have to gently set them to glow during bedtime in your kid’s room. Varilight relies on the latest technological breakthrough in manufacturing the world’s best dimmable compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). To achieve exceptional energy-saving devices, Varilight combines CFL and dimmer.

The Varilight white dimmers

Varilight LogoVarilight uses superior technology that features executive dimming circuitry and design features.It also uses cost-effective white plastic and comes in an array of styles such as remote controlled and touch-sensitive dimming accessories. This range encompasses extremely intelligent dimming devices of the white finish.

The Varilight ultra-flat

Featuring super-slim faceplates, Varilight products (which are super slim) offers a sleek classy look that can redefine conventional as well as modern interiors alike. Varilight understands the importance of attention to detail.As such; they have endeavored to pair metal faceplates with flawlessly coordinated metal switch rockers, well-designed toggles as well as control knobs.

The Varilight dimension screwless

The Varilight dimension screwless is ideal for those who want an ultimate style but low profile metal accessories. These products are coordinated with metal switch rockers, modern toggles as well as control knobs. To create a flawless finish, clip-on faceplates which hide the fixing screws for a simpler decoration has been incorporated.

Go for quality, style, and class

Varilight SwitchesGoing for Varilight products might be a deal maker. Consult an interior designer – and transform your living room beyond your wildest dreams! They are classy, durable, and designed using some of the best technologies around. They are flawlessly manufactured and cannot disappoint you. So, if class, style, and quality are what you have been looking for, then Varilight products might be great additions to your living room. Why not take a look at our Varilight Range

Technologies

The Development of the G9 LED

Leave a comment

The History and Uses of the G9 Halogen

The G9 lamp is used extensively in lighting these days. The real advantage of the G9 is the small size which can be a real benefit in decorative lighting. In the olden days the light source of chandeliers was wax candles and these were a real feature of the chandelier. This has now created a strong demand for decorative candle light bulbs but even these can be too obtrusive for modern lighting. If the beauty of a decorative light is in its design and artistic nature,  then the illumination then needs to be as discrete as possible and it was through this need that the G9 was created. With traditional filament light bulbs then it was not possible to create miniature lamps but with the advancement of halogen technology technology then tiny lamps were possible as shown here.halogen_energy_saving_capsule_g9
This is a G9 33w Halogen with a clear cover which is a very popular lamp. It produces a significant light output typically 350 lumens which for the miniature size has an excellent lumens to size ratio.

Whilst the halogen is functionally good is does have two major drawbacks. Firstly the nature of halogen lamp technology means that the lifetime is limited to a maximum of 2000 hours. Secondly they are inefficient as 90% or the electricity is converted to heat as opposed to light which is clearly what is needed from a light bulb.

The LED G9

The LED G9 has a number of major benefits over the Halogen G9. The main advantage is that it only uses 10% of the electricity of its predecessor. However the main issue with this technology is that they are significantly larger and this can often be problematic as often they will not fit into the lighting fixture.  As stated previously then the main reason for a lighting manufacturer to select these miniature capsules  is their compact size and this can be negated if the lamp is too large. The early LED G9s were all of quite large proportions as pictured here.

led_g9_4-5w_dimTypically this lamp would be 35mm in diameter which would mean that it is prohibitively large for a number of lighting applications. With the advancement of the LED technology then the size of the  lamps has reduced significantly and now it is possible to get a 5w LED G9 which is of much smaller proportions. The one shown here is 60mm in length but just 18mm diameter. led_g9_4-5w_slim_dim

Whilst this is not as small as the halogen G9 it is now of an acceptable size for a number of decorative lighting fixtures.  It is also possible to obtain LED filament versions and whilst these are quite small again then they are not inherently as reliable as the SMD LEDs. The other more recent development is to introduce dimmable technology. This was not important with the early LED G9 as they were not very bright and accordingly there was not a great necessity to dim the lamps. However with the brighter versions then the dimming capability can be very beneficial to create effective ambience in a room.

Lighting Design, Technologies

Rako Automation Systems Explained

Leave a comment

rako logo

Ever been to someone’s house where their lighting automatically comes on? Or their walls are free of switches? It is likely that they have Rako installed! You may or may not have heard of Rako before, but it is a system which allows you to create effects with systems you could only dream of or see in films.

All the products and systems Rako produces and manufactures are made in the UK which makes them local, and any technical support or advice you may need, they are only a phone call away! As a Rako supplier, we are also knowledgeable on Rako products and are aware of what system would work best where. We can’t recommend Rako enough, their systems are easy to use, can be installed easily, are cost effective and their product range is so wide they have solutions to a diverse range of applications.rako lighting

Do you have an idea of what you want? Or maybe you just don’t know how to create a specific system? There are so many different products on the Rako website you don’t know which one to use or where to use them? This article is designed to help make Rako clearer for you to understand what products you might need to fit your systems and create what you are hoping for.

There are three types of Rako systems which are available to you; these are wireless, wired or combined. The main reason for having different types are to ensure there is something suitable for everyone – regardless of what wiring you already have in your home.

Wireless – there is no need to rewire when you use the wireless system. It is cost effective as it eliminates expenses on cabling and redecoration.

Rako Wireless Control Panel RCM-070

Either individual modules or Rako’s RAK system can be used; the modules can be mounted in the ceiling or in the central cupboard which wire in-line with each lighting circuit. To have the option of feature lighting, splitting the lighting into circuits will allow different areas to be highlighted. Wall plates communicate wirelessly with the receiver modules meaning no cabling is required.

Worried the modules might not be able to take much? Don’t worry! They are available to suit different types of bulbs from incandescent to LED’s! The size of the circuit on the module can vary from one circuit to an entire home installation! And even if you think your circuit size could be too big, signal repeaters make wireless practical for the largest of products.

Wired – are for those who prefer a cabled network; it is wired as a daisy chain network or star arrangement with the use of the RAK-STAR box and CAT5 cabling. The circuits are wired to a central location or hubs and are linked together on the network.

Using a specific Rako pack (ask for more details depending on what you are wanting to do), you can even control blinds, curtains and change the colours. Tablets or computers can be used alongside this network to help control it or set up lighting profiles.

rako-app

Finally combined, is the best of both worlds, offers flexibility and allows you to basically have your own unique system. Features from both the wired and wireless can be combined to create a system that works best for your circuits. You can still have remote access to your system through a PC and can be used on your phone or Ipad.

There is a lot of technicalities involved in Rako which we know can be extremely confusing, but we are here to make it easier. If you have any questions or queries or would like advice on what system would be best to use with your design, please do get in touch. We hope this has helped with your Rako confusion.

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies

How do LED’s actually work?

Leave a comment

It is true, LED’s can save you a lot of money, but some of you might be wondering how LED’s actually work; this article is going to go into more detail about the technical side of LED’s and show you how they work. But be warned, it could get very scientific!

LED’s actually stand for Light Emitting Diodes; now diodes are the important factor in this. You may have heard of diodes before, they have actually been around for a long time, but their use with light is a newer development. A diode is an electrical component that allows electricity to flow through it in one direction only.

junction diode

A diode contains two types of silicon – a p type and an n type (if you look at the diagram above it identifies them as red or green). When you combine them this becomes a junction diode because the extra electrons and holes that both the p type and the n type contain, will swap so normal silicon can start forming again. There is a gap in the middle of these though which is called the depletion zone where no electrons or holes enter.

There are type types of junction diodes, a forward-bias or a reverse-bias. These different junction diodes occur when you attach a battery to the junction diode. When you attach the negative end of the battery to the n type silicon, the depletion zone between the p type and the n type shrinks, electrons and holes move across in opposite directions and a current flows; when this happens it is a forward-bias. The diagram below indicates some of the electrons from both the n type and p type have moved across.forward bias

The opposite current is when the negative battery is attached to the p type, when this happens the depletion zone gets wider and prevents current from flowing. This is called reverse-bias. The opposite of what happens in a forward-bias happens here (shown in the diagram below).reverse bias

It is only through a forward-bias current that LED’s actually light up; the light comes from the electrons and holes moving around – when an electron combines with a hole, it disappears but creates an atom which becomes stable and gives off a photon of light.

So to summarise, LED’s are diodes that are designed to emit light. At different wavelengths, LED’s can also be red or blue; for red LED’s you would need between 630-660 nanometres wavelength and for blue 430-500 nanometres wavelength. It was in these colours that LED’s were originally, but the technology has been developed for them to be available in white light now too. LED’s can also make infrared light so are often used in smoke detectors or intruder alarms.

red leds

LED’s have been designed and developed to be the better source of light in a variety of different ways;

They are:

  • Rounded plastic bulbs to make the light brighter and more concentrated.
  • Small and relatively inexpensive.
  • Easy to control electronically.
  • Long lasting.
  • Save a lot of energy because they don’t get hot.

What are you waiting for? You have learnt how they work, you know how much they can save you money, so why haven’t you converted yet?! For any more questions or more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

led

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies

LuxLive 2015

Leave a comment

luxlive logo

For the first time, SLB decided to be a part of the Lux Live exhibition which happens annually at the ExCel centre in London. It is Europe’s biggest lighting exhibition which attracts thousands of professionals who come to learn more, see more and get inspired! We thought that we had to partake in this exhibition at least once! And we are so glad we did; LuxLive 2015 resulted in being the biggest exhibition to date with over 300 exhibitors and at least 7000 attendees. The exhibition as a whole saw an increase of 5% on previous years! (… we’d like to think that’s because we were in attendance!).

LuxLive is an “an unrivalled showcase of the best the industry can offer in terms of the latest technology, developments and expert thinking”. It is an exhibition where people go to get better ideas, find out how they can save more energy and money and how best to make the most of lighting in their specific area of interest. It has been awarded the Best Trade Launch Show by the Association of Event Organisers, which just proves how successful and useful many find it!

DSC_6935

The great thing about the exhibition is that it tackles lighting issues that people in different sectors will be having difficulties with and wanting solutions for; there are people and exhibitors from all different sectors who represent lighting from areas such as retail, the workplace, hospitality and leisure, education, healthcare, industrial, outdoor and street, transport, residential developments and emergency lighting.

Within the days of the exhibition, there are also discussions that the attendees can participate in to get their ideas across while also hearing from other people’s ideas. Bigger companies who have previously experimented with ideas and lighting techniques will also present case studies to portray what worked well and what didn’t in putting some of these ideas to practice.

lux life

The exhibition gives many the opportunity to learn about the latest technologies that can be used in the different sectors, and hear about them from peers who have put it into practice and can tell you more about it! There is always the fear and concern that switching your lighting can change an atmosphere or lessen the desired effect of usage in the workplace, school or other areas which rely of lighting to function. This doesn’t have to be the case though and it is at LuxLive that you can find this out and learn so much more – widen the horizons so to speak.

It is an exhibition which gives! Gives information, helps you save money on your energy bill and simply wants to help give you the knowledge on how to better your lighting for your professional environment!

The exhibition also gives to the exhibitors as well as the attendees; as exhibitors, we too were also able to discover new and exciting developments that are happening in our area, see from competitors, how they do things differently, while also making connections with other people in the same sector to work together ensuring customers could get the best advice and products they were looking for. All in all, we realised why it is such a popular exhibition!

DSC_6932

We were fortunate in the positioning of our stand as it was a corner one which meant that attendees would often meander into our stand to see what we were advertising and keen to show off! Our sister company Classical Chandeliers were also with us to add some sparkle to our stand and show off what they also offer.

DSC_6943The main attraction was our lady; who sparkles and causes a stir wherever she goes! Especially to designers who are interested in something different which is unusual but at the same time mesmerising! We were very thankful to have her manning the stand with us at LuxLive!

 

Technologies

2D LED Emergency Light

Leave a comment

The 2D LED in more detail

The 2D CFL lamp has widespread use across a range of application primarily in commercial buildings. It is most generally used for functional lighting purposes where the decorative side is of little concern but good visibility and reliability is of paramount importance. One example is car park lighting where 247 illumination is important and also a high level of reliability. In this case the 2D LED  outperforms its predecessor the 2D CFL due to its very long life, typically over 30000 hours,  and also its high efficiency, using around half the energy of the CFL lamp.

The case then becomes stronger when considering applications like corridor lighting in residential homes where illumination is key but to save energy  the majority of the lights are switched on movement of heat activated sensors to light up on demand. This is an excellent way  to use 2D energy saving light bulbs but one problem with the CFL is it does not react well with repeated switching which will invariably lead to premature lamp failure. For this reason the 2D LED is often selected which is far more tolerant to repeated switching and this does not effect the expected life span.

The 2D Emergency Lamp

2D LED Emergency

The other key factor about a high number of applications for 2D lamps is that it is critical that there is level of illumination in the area for safety reasons in all situations. This means that it is critical to have an adequate level of light emitted in the eventuality of a power cut. It is no good if you are trying to negotiate a corridor in the middle of the night in pitch darkness! For this reasons the regulations for commercial buildings often stipulate that an emergency back up light is needed which will operate for a period of 4 hours. In order to satisfy this criteria the lamp must detect the loss of power and then switch over automatically to the emergency back up.

This is another area where the 2D LED Emergency Lamp scores very high as it only consumes around half the power of the CFL lamp and accordingly only needs half the ampere hour rating for the battery back up system. The way this 2D LED emergency light works is to have a set of 6 dedicated LED’s in the centre of the lamp which are lit under battery power in the event of a power failure. The lamp has a small external driver system and a separate battery unit which is supplied with the system which can both be fitted into a normal 2D lamp fitting. This way somewhat unreliable 2D CFL lamp can be revitalised to perform as a highly efficient, 2D LED Emergency Light with an exceedingly long life. Even with continuous operation the expected life is 3-4 years!

It has been possible previously to utilise an emergency backup LED driver to drive a conventional 2D LED in emergency situations.  However, this can be a very expensive solution so the emergence of this fully integrated system is a real plus from a total cost of ownership perspective.

Technologies

Advice on dimmable LED drivers

2 Comments

Do you need LED Drivers?

If you are changing your MR16 12volt halogen lamps to MR16 LEDs then you will undoubtedly wonder whether you need to buy specialist drivers. The LED driver suppliers will most probably say you do but clearly they have a vested interest in making a sale, but the answer lies in the technology inside your LEDs. If the LED MR16 has an internal driver that can accept both AC and DC input of 12 volts then you do not need the LED driver however conversely if it does not have the internal driver it will normally work with a standard halogen transformer but you will see inefficiencies and a reduction in lifespan. To add more the reduction in life is normally quite drastic, of the order of 50% so do check the specification of the LED MR16s ideally before you purchase them. LED drivers are not cheap so it is always worth purchasing LEDs with internal drivers as the overall cost of service will be lower. However this is just the case for non-dimmable MR16 LEDs and the dimmable variety are more complex so please read on.

Dimmable LED Drivers

If you are investing in the dimmable LED MR16 then these are far more sensitive to the choice of driver and indeed the dimming switch. LED lamps use very low currents and accordingly the drivers need to operate at very low wattage which generally requires a specialist driver. If you run a dimmable LED of a standard halogen dimmable driver then the chances are it will flicker which you turn it down and it will not operate smooth whilst you dim the lamp. This is primarily because the halogen dimmer is designed to operate at higher wattage so one way to overcome this issue is to put a dummy lamp or resistance in parallel to the LED so increase the load. This can often work but then you are burning energy to run the dummy lamp which is then negating the benefit that you would have  accrued by moving to LEDs in the first place!

So the best solution is to use a specialist dimmable LED driver and compatible dimmer switch.  The best way to go about this is to actually purchase drivers and dimmers that are compatible and tested with the lamps as this way you can be assured that the operation will be satisfactory. However if this is not possible then there are some steps worth taking. Firstly, check the VA rating of the dimmer and try to make sure that the total loading from your LEDs is just less than this rating. For instance if you have a 20VA LED driver and 6W LED MR16s then it would be best to use 3 lamps. The second step is to ensure that you use a dimmer switch which can operate in the range of the total loading of the sum of the LED wattage that it is controlling. So these are 2 good guidelines but I would still recommend that you do a test before investing or check there is a return policy.

For these reasons we have elected to offer a dimmable LED driver which is compatible with our MR16 LEDs as this can save a lot of pain.