LIGHTING ARTICLES


Lighting Terminology ...understanding lighting starts with understanding three key ideas: the quantity of light, is measured in lumens; the quality of light referred to as color temperature and color rendering; and the function of the light, which is either ambient, accent, or task.

Ampere/Current	- a unit expressing the rate of flow of electric current.

Binning	- a systematic process of dividing LED’s into smaller subgroups with similar brightness and color distribution.

Accent Lighting	- concentrated light on a subject which highlights it and caused it to stand out from its surrounding. Depending on degree of drama desired, accent light should minimally be 10x the general light or ambient light.

CD	- candela (Luminous Intensity): the intensity base unit for light. Intensity is the luminous flux emitted from a point per solid angle into a particular direction, regardless of distance.

CP	- candlepower: luminous intensity expressed in candelas.

Color Mixing	- the process of mixing red, blue and green LEDs to generate virtually any color. A combination of the three primary colors appears white to the human eye.

CRI	- color Rendering Index: a method for describing the effect of a light source on the color appearance of objects, compared to a reference source of the same color temperature (CCT). The highest CRI attainable is 100. Originally based on an eight standardized color comparison, it was later extended to fourteen colors.

CCT	- color Temperature or Correlated Color Temperature: the color temperature of a light emitter refers to the temperature to which one would have to heat a “blackbody” source (Planckian radiator) to produce light of similar overall appearance or chromaticity. A low color temperature implies warmer color (more yellow/red) light while high color temperature implies a cooler light (more blue). The standard unit for color temperature measurement is expressed in Kelvin (K).

DPIS	- dedicated, positive, interconnect system : provides small, fast and efficient connection from fixture to fixture utilizing a three cord, male and female connector.

Foot-candle	- the unit of measure for the density of light on a surface unique to the USA. One foot-candle is equal to one lumen per foot (lm/ft²). One foot-candle = 10.674 lux.

Green Lamp Technology	- this technology uses capsule dosing to precisely control the amount of mercury in each lamp. Long-life lamps such as the Philips ALTO further reduce the need to replace lamps and, as a result, decrease the amount of mercury used over life of any lighting installation.

Grounding	- all commercial fixtures are required to have a ground wire for a UL listing.

Initial vs. Mean Lumens	- the measured luminous output of a new light source versus the output at 40% of lamp life.

Inline Cord Set	- a switch that is wired onto the powder cord.

Kelvin	- the Kelvin unit is the basis of all temperature measurement. In lighting, Kelvin is the unit of measure for Color Temperature used to indicate the overall color of the light produced from a source.

Kilowatt Hour (kWh)	- the measure of electrical energy from which electricity billing is determined. For example, at the rate of $0.10 per kWh, a 100 watt lamp operating for 2000 hours will $20.00 (100 x 2000/1000 = 200 kWh x .10 = $20.00)

LED(Light emitting diode)	- a semiconductor that converts electrical energy into visible light.

Lumens (lm)	- a unit of luminous flux; overall light output; quantity of light, expressed in lumens. For example a dinner candle provides 12 lumens and a 60 watt incandescent lamp produces 840 lumens.

Luminaire	- light fixture - a complete lighting unit which consist of lamp(s), ballast(s) – if applicable – as well as mechanism for light distribution, lamp protection and alignment and connection to power.

LPW	- luminous efficacy - the expression of efficiency in converting power (watts) into light (lumens). Expressed as lumens per watt or l/w.

Rated Average Life	- the length of operation (in hours) at which point an average of 50% of a large sample of lamps will still be operational and 50% will not.

Task Lighting	- lighting designed for a specific visible operation which requires higher light levels; most often characterized by proximity to that task..

sources of light

Incandescent	- when a electric current passes through a filament wire(usually tungsten), the heated wire glows. They provide low initial cost, good color rendition and excellent optical control

Halogen	- high pressure tungsten filament lamps containing halogen gasses. The halogen gases allow the filaments to operate at higher efficacies then incandescent lamps. They provide brighter, whiter light with better color characteristics, longer service life and improved efficiency.

Fluorescent	- a low pressure mercury vapor discharge light source. The electric discharge generates ultra-violet energy, which is absorbed by a phosphor and converted to visible light.

HID	- high intensity discharge lamps: lamps in which an arc is passing between two electrodes in a pressurized tube causing various metallic additives to vaporize and release large amounts of light. All HID lamps have outstanding energy efficiency and service life.

LED	- light emitting eiode: a semiconductor that converts electrical energy into visible light.

understanding the lamp part number It is easy to understand the part number of most lamp manufacturers. They use similar nomenclature.
	EX: F32T8/741 F = Fluorescent 32 = Watts T = Tubular 8 = equals 8 eights of an inch 7 = 75% CRI 41 = 4100K	EX: F21T5/830 F = Florescent 21 = Watts

LIGHTING ARTICLES

Lighting Terminology

...understanding lighting starts with understanding three key ideas: the quantity of light, is measured in lumens; the quality of light referred to as color temperature and color rendering; and the function of the light, which is either ambient, accent, or task.

Ampere/Current

- a unit expressing the rate of flow of electric current.

Binning

- a systematic process of dividing LED’s into smaller subgroups with similar brightness and color distribution.

Accent Lighting

- concentrated light on a subject which highlights it and caused it to stand out from its surrounding. Depending on degree of drama desired, accent light should minimally be 10x the general light or ambient light.

CD

- candela (Luminous Intensity): the intensity base unit for light. Intensity is the luminous flux emitted from a point per solid angle into a particular direction, regardless of distance.

CP

- candlepower: luminous intensity expressed in candelas.

Color Mixing

- the process of mixing red, blue and green LEDs to generate virtually any color. A combination of the three primary colors appears white to the human eye.

CRI

CCT

DPIS

- dedicated, positive, interconnect system : provides small, fast and efficient connection from fixture to fixture utilizing a three cord, male and female connector.

Foot-candle

- the unit of measure for the density of light on a surface unique to the USA. One foot-candle is equal to one lumen per foot (lm/ft²). One foot-candle = 10.674 lux.

Green Lamp Technology

- this technology uses capsule dosing to precisely control the amount of mercury in each lamp. Long-life lamps such as the Philips ALTO further reduce the need to replace lamps and, as a result, decrease the amount of mercury used over life of any lighting installation.

Grounding

- all commercial fixtures are required to have a ground wire for a UL listing.

Initial vs. Mean Lumens

- the measured luminous output of a new light source versus the output at 40% of lamp life.

Inline Cord Set

- a switch that is wired onto the powder cord.

Kelvin

- the Kelvin unit is the basis of all temperature measurement. In lighting, Kelvin is the unit of measure for Color Temperature used to indicate the overall color of the light produced from a source.

Kilowatt Hour (kWh)

- the measure of electrical energy from which electricity billing is determined. For example, at the rate of $0.10 per kWh, a 100 watt lamp operating for 2000 hours will $20.00 (100 x 2000/1000 = 200 kWh x .10 = $20.00)

LED(Light emitting diode)

- a semiconductor that converts electrical energy into visible light.

Lumens (lm)

- a unit of luminous flux; overall light output; quantity of light, expressed in lumens. For example a dinner candle provides 12 lumens and a 60 watt incandescent lamp produces 840 lumens.

Luminaire

- light fixture - a complete lighting unit which consist of lamp(s), ballast(s) – if applicable – as well as mechanism for light distribution, lamp protection and alignment and connection to power.

LPW

- luminous efficacy - the expression of efficiency in converting power (watts) into light (lumens). Expressed as lumens per watt or l/w.

Rated Average Life

- the length of operation (in hours) at which point an average of 50% of a large sample of lamps will still be operational and 50% will not.

Task Lighting

- lighting designed for a specific visible operation which requires higher light levels; most often characterized by proximity to that task..

sources of light

Incandescent

- when a electric current passes through a filament wire(usually tungsten), the heated wire glows. They provide low initial cost, good color rendition and excellent optical control

Halogen

- high pressure tungsten filament lamps containing halogen gasses. The halogen gases allow the filaments to operate at higher efficacies then incandescent lamps. They provide brighter, whiter light with better color characteristics, longer service life and improved efficiency.

Fluorescent

- a low pressure mercury vapor discharge light source. The electric discharge generates ultra-violet energy, which is absorbed by a phosphor and converted to visible light.

HID

- high intensity discharge lamps: lamps in which an arc is passing between two electrodes in a pressurized tube causing various metallic additives to vaporize and release large amounts of light. All HID lamps have outstanding energy efficiency and service life.

LED

- light emitting eiode: a semiconductor that converts electrical energy into visible light.

understanding the lamp part number

It is easy to understand the part number of most lamp manufacturers. They use similar nomenclature.

EX: F32T8/741 F = Fluorescent 32 = Watts T = Tubular 8 = equals 8 eights of an inch 7 = 75% CRI 41 = 4100K

EX: F21T5/830 F = Florescent 21 = Watts

EX: F32T8/741

F = Fluorescent
32 = Watts
T = Tubular
8 = equals 8 eights of an inch
7 = 75% CRI
41 = 4100K

EX: F21T5/830

F = Florescent
21 = Watts