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- August 03, 2023
Everything That You Need to Know about the Latest Light Bulb Efficiency Standards
As of August 1st, 2023, a new energy efficiency standard from the US Department of Energy took effect; banning the sale and manufacture of any light bulb that does not meet these standards. These new standards essentially ban almost all forms of incandescent bulbs - the once ubiquitous type of bulb which has been seen in popular culture since it was patented by Thomas Edison at the end of the 19th century. But before you throw out all of your old incandescents, here’s an explanation of what the new regulations really ban as well as the several exceptions to these new rules.
The new DOE standards only ban the sale and manufacture of less-energy efficient light bulbs, not the use of said bulbs. So while you may not be able to find these bulbs on store shelves anymore, don’t expect that the FBI will be kicking down your door just because you still had some old incandescents collecting dust in your closet.
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- May 04, 2023
LED Basics: Everything you need to know about LED Lighting for your home and business.
LED is an acronym meaning ‘Light Emitting Diode’. This diode turns electrical energy into light, a diode is an electrical component that only works in one direction. It emits light when electricity flows through in one direction, from the Anode (positive side) to the Cathode (negative side). Due to this uni-directional system, LED Bulbs require less electricity to light and are much more energy efficient at producing more lumens compared to conventional light bulbs. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs. LEDs typically do not “burn out” or fail. Instead, they experience ‘lumen depreciation’, wherein the brightness of the LED dims slowly over time. LED “lifetime” is established on a prediction of when the light output decreases by 30 percent. LEDs are “directional” light sources, which means they emit light in a specific direction, unlike incandescent
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- March 23, 2022
LED Tube Retrofits: The Benefits and Types
The Benefits of LED Tube Retrofits
As the technology of LEDs and their drivers have improved, lighting manufacturers have developed LED bulbs to replace older and less-efficient lighting types, known as LED retrofits. These days, LED retrofits can be found in all types of applications, from day-to-day residential and commercial lighting, to high-intensity outdoor and industrial lighting. The latter being where the endurance and consistent brightness of LEDs are crucial for safety. In nearly every setting, LED retrofits can be seen outperforming their counterparts in key aspects such as improved light-up time and longer lifespans.
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- February 14, 2022
New from Lutron: The RadioRA3
Lutron Electronics’ latest innovation in lighting control systems, the RadioRA3, was just released in January 2022. The RadioRA3 is a groundbreaking advancement in system controllers, utilizing Lutron’s new all-in-one processor. Features included in the RadioRA3 package are a wide range of controls using the latest in capacitive touch technology. This newest release is just another example of how Lutron has been on the cutting-edge of whole-home lighting systems.
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- January 31, 2022
LED Driver Basics: Choosing the Right One for You
LED drivers act in a similar fashion to how a traditional electrical ballast works for a fluorescent lamp. LED drivers convert electrical power into the voltage and current needed for the LED system. The power sent to the LED is regulated by the driver, which increases the efficiency and overall lifetime of the LEDs.
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- April 06, 2020
Dimming Basics
There are various controllable lighting options that will dim your lights for ambiance or energy efficiency. Dimming lights 20% saves approximately 20% in energy savings. Controllable lighting solutions can be pretty simple for a single room or complex for total building lighting control. There are several components in a controllable lighting system: a dimmable lamp, dimming ballast, dimming control including dimmer and an optional sensor.
Most types of lighting technologies can be dimmed including incandescent, fluorescent, compact fluorescent, LED and halogen lamps. In some cases, there are both dimmable and non-dimmable versions of a lamp.
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