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, Technologies

Explaining the Color Rendering Index (CRI) and LEDs

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Microsoft Word - bae_3872_revised manuscriptCRI, or the Color Rending Index, refers to the quantitative measure of a light source’s ability to render known colors of materials as well as objects. The process entails measuring the light emanating from a test source and monitoring the appearance of reflected light as compared to 8 known color samples. The CRI is usually rated on a scale ranging from 0 to 100; the minimum index represents a light whose colors aren’t distinct while the latter corresponds to daylight or an ‘ideal’ white light.

Calculating CRI

The CRI of that particular source is calculated by measuring the difference between the actual color & the known color. The nature of the reference light source will also vary depending on the kind of light source that’s being tested. When it comes to testing sources featuring a correlated color temperature that’s less than 5000 0K (degrees Kelvin), it’s advisable that a blackbody radiator is utilized as the reference source. When dealing with test sources featuring a higher CCT, you should use a spectrum of daylight as the reference source. Regardless of the light source being tested, it’s always important to pick the right reference source so as to retrieve accurate CRI information from the sample colors.

For many decades, the Color Rending Index (CRI) scale has been considered as an accurate measure of how effective lighting is in reproducing expected colors through the spectrum. Regardless of which lighting type is being utilized, it’s essential that you measure the quantity of light before and after installation.

Unified Glare Rating (UGR) explained

Unified Glare Rating (abbreviated as UGR) is a measure of the amount of discomfort emitted by luminaries using a psychometric-based scale of discomfort. In other countries, UGR is used to represent VCP (an abbreviation for visual comfort probability). Glare, which can adversely affect your wellbeing as well as productivity at work, is common in settings featuring several computer monitors.

The Unified Glare Rating starts from 5 and goes all the way to 40. The lower numbers indicate less glare while the higher ones signify more glare. The UGR is usually calculated using the following strict formula:

UGR

Where,

  • Lb represents the background luminance in cd/m2
  • L represents the luminance of each part in the observer’s direction eye (cd/m2);
  • w represents the solid angle of the luminous parts( i.e. of each luminaire and it should be at the eye of the observer. It’s given in sr
  • r represents each luminaire’s Guth position index (i.e. the displacement from the sight line)

Factors that affect the UGR value

UGR 1When determining the Unified Glare Rating, factors such as measurement point, reflection, the location, as well as the lighting product operation are considered.

Quality classifications

UGR 3According to the UGR classification, there are 5 different quality based classes. They include 16, 19, 22, 25 and 28. 28 represents the maximum UGR value permissible in specific spaces. It’s also important to note that a luminaire featuring a UGR value of lower than 10 results in zero glare.

Summary of UGR values

  • Technical drawing requires a UGR value of less than16
  • Offices should have a UGR of less than 19
  • Reception areas should have a UGR value of less than 22
  • Archives, stairs as well as lifts should have a UGR value of less than 25
  • Corridors and passageways should have a UGR value of less than 28

 

 

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies

DMX Lighting Control

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DMX 1Previously, intelligent lighting systems were considered suitable for professionals only; however, the introduction of cheaper electronics as well as computer control systems, great lighting effects are now accessible to everyone. When it comes to Christmas, Halloween, or house party lighting, DMX systems can be an incredible option.

Intelligent Lighting; What Are They?

Intelligent lighting systems feature unique elements that can be controlled remotely. This may include a moving head, patterns, plus colors. Alternatively, you may just regulate the color with an LED strip or a dimmer. Whichever way you go about it, intelligent lighting is amazing.

When combined with a controller, you’ll be able to simultaneously send a signal to numerous devices.

Understanding What DMX is

DMX2DMX (Digital Multiplex) refers to a digital serial protocol that’s unidirectional and has no error checking. Though it’s highly reliable, DMX is subject to interference and unsuitable for harmful effects such as pyrotechnics.

The cable itself comprises 2 shielded twisted pairs, but only of them is utilized. Ideally, 5-pin DMX cabling ought to be used, but certain manufacturers have created 3-pin versions.

With DMX programming, you can effectively control when your lights powered up, the colors they display, where they go, how bright/dim they are, plus so much more.

DMX for Beginners: It’s Now Within your Means

DMX software makes it possible for you to control lighting right from your laptop. You can readily find a simple controller for $50 to control 3-channel effect lighting and simple uplights. However, there are other expensive units that can be used to control up to 12 fixtures, each featuring 16 channels. The professional-grade controller can be quite expensive, but there are numerous affordable options for DMX beginners.

You can Easily Learn DMX Control

It may not take you 5 minutes to learn everything, but once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s all uphill. Don’t be startled by complex words like universe, daisy-chaining, and channels. They’ve very simple meanings. In DMX lighting control, programming isn’t considered as a computer term but a technical terminology for design. The technology is user-friendly and you don’t need to learn any codes or typed commands. Plus, there isn’t a DOS to use. So once you’ve grasped the basics, nothing will stop you from achieving the best results.

The Tips and Tricks

DMX4If you’re a beginner, you may want to check out the following tips as you dive into DMX control of lighting.

  • Two lighting units can be on one control channel, and they’ll serve the same purpose. This creates more space in your universe for additional lights.
  • Don’t install different lights on a single DMX channel because various lights have various operations on each channel.
  • It’s possible to control non-DMX components with DMX through a power pack.
  • Though 5-pin DMX cabling is the professional standard, some manufacturers have designed 3-pin DMX lighting, which is quite inexpensive.

While you may find it quite intimidating learning about DMX in the initial stages, you’ll come to realize that it’s an incredible upgrade to creating a show that’ll amaze your audience. Lights work like magic when under DMX control.

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies, The Environment

An update on the Light Bulb Ban

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Ban 1Conventional incandescent light bulbs are starting to vanish from the market. Some recently formulated energy-efficiency regulations intended to kick out old-fashioned bulbs from the lighting industry.

Though most bulb manufacturers are fighting hard to get a court order stopping the regulations from taking effect, it looks like customers will soon have to choose between sophisticated light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and those oddly shaped fluorescent lights. Of course, the bulbs won’t just vanish like that, it will take some time. Vendors will be allowed to finish off their old stock, but they won’t be in a position to sell any incandescent bulbs manufactured after 1st January 2018, that do not meet the current standards.

Back in 2007, George W. Bush approved an energy bill that strengthened lighting efficiency standards. By then, this wasn’t a big deal. What the bill meant then is that manufacturers would gradually need to phase out their traditional, power-hogging light bulbs and switch to something sleeker, like CFLs or fluorescent lamps, beginning 2012.

Ban1According to law, CFLs and LEDs plus other energy-efficient bulbs help minimize power-plant emissions and also saves consumers huge amounts of money. It’s estimated that if every American household swapped out one traditional bulb for a more advanced lighting fixture, it would be the same thing as removing 800,000 cars from the road. Perhaps there are numerous ways of reducing emissions, but most Republicans oppose the idea of carbon taxes and other related stuff, which means that inept regulations and guidelines are the only things which attract political support.

The new regulations required that the screw-based light bulbs should meet certain minimum energy-efficiency standards. This would make them 3 times more efficient than conventional bulbs as of 1st January in California. And there isn’t no halogen or incandescent bulb available on the market that meets that level.

LED and CFLs will be the only option

some led lamps blue light science technology backgroundConsumers will only be left with the option of choosing between LED and CFL lighting fixtures. After selling off their left stock, they’ll have no other choice but to stock their shelves with modern bulbs that meet the new and stricter environmental standards. Those designing and selling lighting fixtures have long known about this change and they have responded by offering an extensive range of energy-saving light bulbs which conform to the new standards. They are also finishing off their production of incandescent bulbs.

The covered bulbs

These standards are mostly applicable to medium screw-based lighting bulbs that are commonly used in homes and business buildings, such as the pear-shaped bulbs utilized in tables as well as floor lamps, the candle-shaped lamps used in chandeliers/sconces, and the glob/round bulbs utilized in bathroom vanities.

Finding a replacement: Will it be easy?

Ban4A wide array of energy-saving light-emitting diodes (LED) bulbs that come in different shapes and light output levels are already available on most retail shops across the state. Such bulbs are manufactured by renowned lighting companies such as Sylvania, Philips, and GE plus other newer lighting firms like Cree, Maxlite, TCP, and Feit.  California’s regulations on light bulbs currently exempt certain bulb types, such as those commonly used in ovens.

CLICK HERE TO BUY LED BULBS

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies

An Introduction to DMX Lighting Control

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DMX1DMX lighting control is all about taking your lighting experience to another whole new level. It has revolutionized the lighting industry with intelligent technological advancements.

In the past, intelligent lighting domain was a preserve for those considered professionals. However, with the development and design of more affordable electrical, electronic, plus computer control systems, superior good lighting effects can now be realized.

Understanding Intelligent Lighting?

DMX2Intelligent lighting comprises unique elements that can be controlled remotely. At an intricate level, this might involve moving heads, patterns & colors. And on a simple level, only the color can be controlled with RGB LEDs or a dimmer. In short, intelligent lighting is amazing.

Integrating a controller, DMX lighting makes it possible for you to simultaneously send signals to multiple devices, sequencing them automatically with a pre-determined view or operating the effects live on-the-fly. If you have watched the popular Halloween house lights video set to thriller, you should know that it utilizes DMX intelligent lighting control.

So, What Is DMX?

DMX is a digital, unidirectional serial protocol without error checking capabilities. It’s very reliable but prone to interference, something which makes it unfit for hazardous effects like pyrotechnics. For instance, a stray signal/electrical interference might cause a flame tower. Like many digital cables, the quality of produced signals decreases over long distances & repeaters can be incorporated into the lighting system to increase the distance/split the signal using Ethernet switches. The DMX cabling itself comprises 2 shielded twisted pairs. Technically, 5-pin DMX wiring should be used, but certain manufacturers have designed 3-pin versions that can run over conventional microphone XLR cabling.

Are Your Lighting Fixtures DMX Capable?

DMX3A DMX-capable lighting fixture should have more than two XLR connectors (which must be marked as DMX IN / OUT) and a way to set the DMX address (i.e. either small switches arranged in a row or a control panel). Note that the XLR connectors can have three or five pins, but it depends on the manufacturer. Just refer to the fixture manual to establish the number of DMX channels the light uses.

Will your lighting system work with DMXIS or Even D-PRO?

DMX supported fixtures can be controlled using any DMX software /console. So, whether yours is a dimmer pack, a moonflower, or even a scanner, it can perfectly work with DIMXIS. Moreover, moving head, laser, and LED spot can work well with DMXIS. In fact, DMXIS & D-PRO are capable of controlling all lights, provided they have DMX connectors.

What About Sound Activated Light?

DMX4However, “sound activated” lights with no XLR connectors cannot be controlled by DMX. LED lighting has undergone massive technological advancements that have completely revolutionized the lighting industry, offering improved performance and highly efficient lighting options both for residential & commercial applications. The 0-10V and the DALI (digital addressable lighting interfaces) dimming modules are two unique components that provide true innovations for various dimming control projects. Working alongside these elements is the DMX control (digital multiplex), an important component often utilized in color mixing applications.

CLICK HERE TO BUY DMX Lighting Control

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies, Uncategorised

Why Light Output Should Be Measured In Lumens & Not Watts

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Lumens vs. Watts1As light emitting diodes become the standard lighting, it is important to understand the dissimilarities between watts and lumens, as well as how to establish the right amount of lumens for achieving optimum atmosphere in a space.

Lumens vs. Watts

Let’s get to understand what lumens are: The lumen is an international scientific measurement standard for the quantity of light generated by a specific light source or its measured brightness. On the other hand, Watts measure the required amount of energy necessary for operating a light source.

The only challenge here is that there isn’t a mathematical formula to convert watts to lumens, like in converting kilograms (Kgs) to miles.

Think Lumens, and Not Watts

Lumens vs. Watts2The advent of LED technology (which is more energy efficient) has changed the lighting landscape. It has rendered the use of conventional bulbs meaningless. Unfortunately, this rapid change in technology has made the old-fashioned “Watt” light measurement less able to accurately indicate the bulb brightness. This does not allow for the different efficiency in conventional types of lights (i.e. filament bulbs, halogen & fluorescent) and LEDs.  This is why light output should be measured in Lumens and not watts.

Thus, the energy industry is now opting to use a more stable as well as widely-accurate unit to measure light intensity commonly known as Lumens.

Understanding Lumens

Lumens (abbreviated as lm) is a measure of light emitted by a lamp/ bulb (but it must be visible with the naked eye). The greater the Lumens number, the brighter the light.

Understanding Watts

On the other hand, watts don’t measure the brightness, rather the amount of electricity used.

Bulb Luminous Efficacy

Lumens vs. Watts3The effectiveness of bulbs is expressed in terms of the lumen-to-watt ratio. This is the number of lumens produced for each and every watt consumed.

The rate of conversion of watts to lumens by bulbs varies and is dependent on the technology used. Lighting bulbs producing more L/P (i.e. lumens-per-watt) are cheaper to run since they generate more light and use less power.

LEDs possess the highest L/W ratio—what this means is that they are capable of generating a higher amount of light (from the bulb in question) for relatively little energy.

Longer-Lasting and Energy-Saving LEDs

The introduction of LEDs tremendously reduced power parameter requirement for buyers. This is because you’ll be getting a bulb fixture that’ll cost you 90% less as far as your electricity bills are concerned. What’s more, these bulbs are likely to last longer. Producing less heat as compared to incandescent bulbs helps LEDs to realize a 50,000 hr. lifespan.

So, when shopping around for a replacement lighting bulb, think of lighting fixture that’s brighter, longer-lasting, as well as more energy-efficient—the LEDs.

CLICK HERE TO BUY LED Bulbs

Lumens vs. Watts4

Lumens vs. Candelas

The two measurements can be confusing and are similar. However, they have subtle differences. Lumens are used to measure the amount of light emitted (i.e. the total visible amount of lights from a given source). This is also known as its luminous flux. On the other hand, candelas are used to measure the luminous intensity. It is also important to note that candelas are more predominant in America, while the EU prefer lumens.

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies

IP Ratings Explained

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IP Ratings Explained111The IP ratings (an abbreviation for International Protection ratings) is a two-numbered representation for protection against solids and water. The first digit represents the protection rating against certain solid foreign objects (such as dust) while the second digit is the actual protection against water.

Understanding IP rating for lights

The IP rating (Ingress Protection) is an internationally recognized method utilized to describe and measure the level of protection of electrical appliances against water and other technical components. It’s always advisable to choose the right IP rating for your exterior lights plus ceiling fans so as to prevent hazardous accidents.

For enclosures, the emblematic “waterproof” IP ratings include IP67, IP66 & IP65 enclosures.  The table below explains the meaning of each of these ratings and how they’re arrived at.

IP Ratings Explained1

IP Rating The actual Protection offered Description of the offered protection Test Method
IP65 Enclosures These ones can protect against any water jets Water entry is projected by a nozzle (which is 6.3 mm long) against enclosures from all directions and must not have any harmful effect. Test duration: The test takes about 15 minutesWater volume: It requires about 12.5 liters of water per minutePressure: The test requires a pressure of 30 kPa at a 3m-distance
IP66 Enclosures This one can offer protection against water jets Water is projected in dominant jets (i.e. a 12.5 mmNozzle) against enclosures from all directions and shouldn’t have any harmful effects. Test duration: It requires about 3 minutesWater volume: The test requires 100 liters of water per minutePressure: The test must be done at a pressure of 100 kPa and at a 3m
IP67 Enclosures These ratings can protect against an Immersion of up to 1 m It protects entrance of large volume water and when the enclosure in question is immersed in water(but under pre-defined under pre-defined pressure and time conditions) Test duration is 30 minutes The immersion should be at a depth of more than 1 m measured from the  bottom of the device and more than 15 cm measured from the top of the device

 

IK Rating: What is it?

IK ratings denote the European standard EN — the equivalent of IEC 62262 (2002) standards. This represents an international numeric classification concerning degrees of protection by enclosures for all electrical appliances against external mechanical forces/impacts.

IP rating in electrical appliances

The IP Code is an International Protection Marking that interprets the IP code as an Ingress Protection Marking. It also classifies & rates it as the level protection against intrusion, dust, unintentional contact, as well as water.

IP ratings brief history

IP Ratings Explained1111111IP ratings were first developed by the International Electro-technical Commission. They are mostly used in Europe & Asia, but find some adherents in parts of North America.  Since they’re international standards, testing and certification is done by the TUV and not UL.  Note: IP ratings were developed to address harsh environments and not ultraviolet rays (UV) protection. Thus, engineers should incorporate additional materials that offer UV protection.

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies

Color Characteristics of LEDs

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LED color 4There’s an array of different LEDs that are available in the lighting market today. The diverse LED characteristics comprise of light color or radiation wavelength and light intensity among other features.

These color characteristics are as a result of an assortment of factors during the manufacturing process. Factors such as semiconductor make-up, fabrication technology used, and encapsulation are also important in determining the LED color appearances.

Understanding LED colors

Color is a fundamental feature of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Initially, there were a limited number of colors available for these fixtures. You could only find red LEDs.

However, as technology advanced, there have been significant improvements in LED materials and colors.

Color Characteristics of LEDs: Color Temperature

One important aspect of color appearance is color temperature, which exemplifies how cool/bluish or how warm/yellowish technically white light appears. CCT Correlated Color Temperature (abbreviated as CCT), is actually a metric correlating the source of light appearance to a pre-heated theoretic dark/black body appearance. As a black-hued body gets hotter, it becomes red, orange, white, and ultimately blue. The CCT value of a light source, provided in Kelvin (K), represents the temperature at which a hot black body closely matches the light source color under investigation. It symbolizes the color of emitted light and not that of illuminated objects.

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What is Color Rendering Index (CRI)?

Metrics Color representation has numerous distinct forms, including reference based systems, gamut based systems, and systems which are built upon sophisticated color appearance models.

CRI refers to a measure of fidelity (that’s how ‘true’ a certain light source is when related to a reference source), but it doesn’t address the issue of color appeal and discrimination.

LEARN ABOUT COLOUR RENDERING INDEX

Chromaticity and LED Colors

LED colors1Chromaticity refers to an objective interpretation of the quality of color irrespective of its luminance. It consists of two distinct parameters, often described as colorfulness (s) and hue (h). For a specified CCT, a light source with a positive Duv value has a chromaticity which falls above the locus of the blackbody (appearing slightly greenish), while a source featuring a negative Duv value has a chromaticity which falls below the locus the blackbody (appearing slightly pinkish).

The Influence of LED voltage drops

The LED voltage drop often lies between 2 and 4 volts. The actual voltage that occurs across the two terminals is highly dependent on the type of LED/materials used and influences the color of LED in question.

As expected, the voltage curve of an LED broadly resembles that of a forward diode characteristic. But once the diode is switched on, the voltage becomes relatively flat for various forward current levels.

LED Characteristics: The Summary

The following table gives a summarized insight concerning LED color characteristics.

Wavelength Range In NM Color Of the LED Voltage(V) at 20MA The Type of Material
Below 400 UV(Ultraviolent) 3.1 to 4.4 AIN, AlGaN, AlGalnP
400 to 450 Violet 2.8 to 4.0 GaP,AlGalnP
450 to 500 Blue 2.5 to 3.7 lnGaN
500 to 570 Green 1.9 to 4.0 GaP, AlGalnP
570 to 590 Yellow 2.1 to 2.2 GaAsP, AlGalnP
590 to 610 Orange or Amber 2.0 to 2.1 GaAsP, AlGalnP
610 to 760 Red 1.6 to 2.0 AlGaAs, GaAsP, AlGalnP

 

Below 760 Infrared Below 1.9 GaAs, AlGaAs

 

Besides LED color, the following are other major LED specifications:

  • Light intensity value( denoted as Iv)
  • Current vs. voltage specification
  • Reverse voltage
  • Angle of view

LED Specifications for Operational Life

LED colors2LED’s light intensity doesn’t diminish with time. What this implies is that LEDs have a specific operational life. This specification helps determine the application of different kinds of LEDs. LED specifications are determined by the following formulas.

L70% = The time taken for a 70 percent illumination (this is also known as lumen maintenance)

L50% = The time taken for a 50 percent illumination (also known as lumen maintenance)

Note: According to LED standards, your LEDs shouldn’t exhibit any major shift in chromaticity.

These figures’ rationale is that 70 percent lumen maintenance is equated to a 30 percent light output reduction. This’s an approximate threshold figure required to detect to gradual light output reductions.

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies, The Environment

A Guide to LUX Levels

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LUX 1Light Level, also referred to as Illuminance, represents the amount of light that is measured on a surface (which is plane). Or, it can be described as the total luminous flux incident that strikes on a plane surface. It is measured per unit area and is commonly known as LUX.

Understanding LUX

LUX, also called DIALux is increasingly becoming popular in the modern world. You can now plan in DIALux with great luminaires from the world’s most renowned manufacturers and enjoy ultimate freedom in the lighting design process.

Benefits of LUX

Featuring professional light planning, LUX is extremely simple and effective. It utilizes the latest luminaire data and state-of-the-art software that’s always available for free. The colored light scenes with light emitting diodes (LED) are energy efficient and guarantee excellent illumination for all your buildings including outdoor spaces.

Recommended LUX Levels

The level of lighting in the outdoor is approximated to be 10,000 lux, albeit on a normal, clear day. However, for a building, especially in the areas that are closer to windows, the LUX levels may possibly be reduced to 1,000 lux. On the other hand, the middle area may register a 25 – 50 lux. Consequently, you may need additional lighting equipment to compensate for these low levels. For precision & detailed works, the level of light may range between 1500 to 2000 lux.

LUX 2In homes- The recommended illumination levels for homes is often 150 lux. The living and dining rooms may work pretty well with about 25 to 50 lux.

Supermarkets- Working spaces like supermarkets and mechanical rooms require light levels of about 750 lux.

In offices- The normal workstation requires 500 LUX while the ADP area and conference rooms require 500 LUX and 300LUX respectively. The auditorium requires 150-200 LUX while the training room and internal corridors should be supplied with 500 LUX and 200 LUX respectively.

The table below represents the light levels for different workspaces.

 

Activity

Illumination

(Lux, lumen/m2)

Public areas featuring dark surroundings

recommended

20-50

Warehouses, theaters, homes, archives

150

Simple orientation meant for short visits

50-100

Working areas involving occasional visual tasks

100-150

Easy classes

250

Showrooms, normal office work, a study library, PC works

500

Detailed drawing and mechanical work, operation theaters

1,000

Supermarkets, office landscapes

750

Performance of prolonged & exacting visual tasks

5000-10000

Performance of extremely special visual activities of very low contrast & small size

10000-20000

 

Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Illumination

The effectiveness of illumination is usually affected by several factors, including light quantity & quality, contrast, amount of flicker, shadows, and intensity of glare. To optimize illumination in security, emergency, and safety situations, consider adjusting each factor differently. Lighting standards also play an important role in the design, installation, durability, and efficient distribution of illumination.

Measuring and stimulating Light Level – Illuminance

Illuminance is measured in foot candles (ftcd, fc, fcd) or lux (in the metric SI system). A foot candle is actually one lumen of light density per square foot; one lux is one lumen per square meter.

•        1 lux = 1 lumen / sq. meter = 0.0001 phot = 0.0929 foot candle (ftcd, fcd)

•        1 phot = 1 lumen / sq. centimeter = 10000 lumens / sq. meter = 10000 lux

•        1 foot candle (ftcd, fcd) = 1 lumen / sq. ft. = 10.752 lux

Calculating Illumination

Illumination is calculated using the formula = Ll Cu LLF / Al (1). In this formula, I denotes illumination (measured in lux, i.e. lumen per m2), Ll represents lumens/ lamp (i.e. lumen), Cu is the coefficient of utilization, while LLF is light loss factor and Al is the area/ lamp (measured in m2).

Light Planning: The Steps

Light planning is a five-step process. The actual process involves:

  • Planning objective analysis
  • Planning conditions analyses
  • Overall planning
  • Detailed planning
  • Documentation

Understanding Glare

Glare can be categorized into two groups: discomfort and disability glare. The level of discomfort glare can be measured by determining the glare index in accordance to the UGR method. This is often graded on a scale, which ranges between 13 and 28 where the greater the glare index the greater the degree of glare. The smallest variation in the glare index designating a significant difference is three.

Reflections from reflective glare or materials can usually be avoided by adopting the following strategies:

·         Choosing convenient luminaire positioning

·         Using materials for all reflective surfaces

·         Selecting fixture with effective screening and low luminous intensity

·         Picking out luminaires with a bigger surface area

·         Choosing light colors for your ceilings and walls

Balance is key

LUX3A well-balanced luminance is essential to boost visual clarity, effectiveness of the ocular functions of the eye, and contrast sensitivity. You should always avoid high luminance which can cause glare, intense luminance contrasts that may cause visual tiredness, and low luminance contrasts, which trigger a staid atmosphere that doesn’t stimulate.

Light Bulb General Information, Lighting Design, Technologies

LED Drivers : All You Need To Know

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An LED driver refers to an electrical device that regulates the power supply to a string or LED. It responds to the changing needs of the LED device by providing a consistent amount of power as its electrical properties vary with temperature.
IP67 driver
With outputs that are compatible with the electrical features of the LED, a LED driver may offer dimming through pulse width modulation circuits and may include several channels for separate control of various LEDs/LED arrays. Without the right drivers, LED fixtures may become extremely hot and unstable, thus causing poor performance or even permanent failure.

LED Drivers: The Different Types

There are many different types of LED drivers categorized by the output voltage, output current, maximum switching frequency, form of packaging, and supply voltage.

Each channel’s output can range between 250 µA and 50 A, with common chips carrying an output current of 20, 25, and 100 mA per channel. The commonly available voltage sizes are 2.3 to 5.5 V and 3 to 5.5 V. However, you can readily find LED drivers bearing a supply voltage of up to 630 V.

  1. Constant Voltage

Constant voltage LED drivers can be obtained in numerous manufacturing standards and are designed to meet high specifications for quality and efficiency.

  1. Dimmable LED Drivers

By dimming your LED lights, you get the freedom to enjoy different scenes. You can create a romantic atmosphere in the dining room, or establish a spectacular viewing experience for your guests during office presentations. You need a dependable LED driver that meets all electrical requirements if you want to dim your LED lighting system.

Dimmable LED Drivers: Understanding LED Driver Dimmer Controls

LED drivers with dimming capability offer the flexibility of dimming the lights from 0-100% while maintaining color and temperature. Remember, dimming an LED light can also reduce the operating temperature of your fixture, ultimately boosting LED efficacy as well as lamp life.

In the olden days, LEDs and dimmers weren’t always so expedient. But as technology advanced, powerful dimming controls entered the market to add more definition to their performance. To effectively control your LED light intensities, you’ll need to fix a dimmer that’s compatible with the LED driver you intend to use.

3.0-10V Dimming Drivers

LED technology is virtually taking the market by storm. Complimenting a 0-10V dimmer with an already power-efficient LED lighting is not only efficient but also effective. A LED lighting high-quality dimmer (powered by ERP LED driver) can help users save big on costs associated with energy consumption. Moreover, they assume a superior control capability when compared to other lighting applications.

LED Drivers: Their Applications

LED drivers can be used as:

  • Industrial, outdoor, residential, and commercial lighting
  • Automotive interior, tail lights, and portable flashlight
  • Signage and LED backlighting
  • Garden and elevator lighting

LED drivers: How to Select the Right LED Driver

When you’re searching for reliable LED drivers, you should take into consideration several attributes, including Output Voltage, Supply Voltage (-0.3 to 20 V, 2.7 to 5.5 V, and 3 to 5.5), as well as Maximum Switching Frequency ( between 200 Hz and 200GHz). You’ll be able to get the right chip that’s suitable for use as a high-power LED driver, dimmable LED driver, constant current LED driver, RGB driver or 24v LED driver on an integrated circuit or any other circuits that might require such driver chips.

Light Bulb General Information, Technologies

The benefits of LED tubes over fluorescent tubes

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Incandescent Vs. LEDFor years, lighting up commercial spaces and residential homes was a no-brainer. It involved a lot of planning. Most folks simply stuck with linear fluorescent lights (abbreviated as LFLs) — and for some good reasons. First, they offer quality light output; they are efficient and have a fantastic lifespan. In fact, the T8 lamps used about 40 percent less energy as compared to their older counterparts T12 lamps, which are now phased-out. Now, comes a new player in the commercial lighting area, which has great promises of offering better efficiency: the linearT8 LED tube.

The big question

 So the question is; does the T8 LED tubes have what it takes to swap out your tried-and-true linear fluorescent lights (LFLs)? To help you make an informed decision, this article is going to walk you through the benefits of T8 LEDs:

 Mercury Free – The absence of mercury-free is a big plus. Unlike fluorescents, light-emitting diodes contain no mercury, making them some of the safest lighting systems for the environment in the market today.

 Dimmable – Most LED lighting systems possess full dimming capabilities, while fluorescents are very expensive when it comes to dimming them and perform so poorly.

 Directional Lighting – With LEDs, you can achieve directional light (i.e. they can illuminate exactly where you need them to). But fluorescents are characterized by multi-directional lighting. This means that some light is likely to get lost in the fixture as well as other unnecessary places.

Works fine with controls – Most fluorescent lighting systems tend to burn out quicker even when integrated with common occupancy sensors as well as other controls. On the contrary, LED lighting systems work perfectly with all control systems, thanks to the fact that their life is not dependent on turning them on or off.

 Superior efficiency – The newest LED Tubes are about 30 percent more efficient their LFLs counterparts.

 Quality light ­- Today’s LED lighting systems can output light in an assortment of color temperatures that are similar to fluorescent but do not experience any flickering issue that is common with most fluorescents.

Lifespan – On average, the life of a LED lighting system is 50,000 hours, while that of LFL is about 30,000 hours.

I Vs. LED Shatterproof (potentially) – Most LED tubes have been designed with a shatterproof coating. However, with linear fluorescent, one had to either order a specific shatterproof fluorescent lamp or utilize a tube guard which can be very costly.

The only issue with LEDs is the initial upfront cost. However, with rebates, several tax incentives, as well as huge energy saving capabilities, you are likely to see a high ROI faster than you would expect.

The golden advice

It is vital that you first crunch the numbers (that applies to your particular situation) to determine whether that initial expense really makes sense as far as your business is concerned. You should conduct a thorough cost/benefit analysis and consider all factors when choosing between LFL and LED. Also, do your research.  Ask the experts. But, one thing for sure is that LEDs are better than LFLs.