Fluorescent vs LED T-Bar Fixture Test

[Erik Sine]

This is going to be a short test, done with both video & still frame and thrown into the mix of other comparison light tests housed in the Tutorial & Article section of this site for all to see who are interested

I'm going to suspend a 2-4'lamp fixture, 9' into the air to simulate the average T-Bar ceiling that is installed in both retail & office space. We will test to following light sources.

1. T12 Lamps
   
2. T8 Lamps
   
3. T8 Triphosphor lamps
   
4. LED retrofit kits & similar
   

What we will measure and record is the initial light output and energy consumption of each light source. We will take measurements all taken from the same location, ground directly beneath averaged out over a specified space and side measurements for light dispersal.

This will be a small, simple fast project.

We'll grab the usual suspects from the vendor list that we have been using for our other projects. Some will be volunteered, and others we'll have to go out and grab from the market place because, well, hey just don't want to take part.

What I'm going to do also to ride along this project is build a small cabinet and run all the T lamps 24/7 on a timer which interrupts and gets the starts going with the fluorescent system. Well do all the same measuring as we have done with the other light projects. Well do this because we know how long ot have an idea by now how long the LED's last and degrade over time, but we don't know about fluorescent lamps yet. These lamps will be 4 footers and two each.

At end we will see what we see to date, and update it once a year with newer light sources

[HansonSigns]

Great! I've been so curious about using LEDs for office lighting.

[apaulling]

Great! I've been so curious about using LEDs for office lighting.

The Pentagon recently changed over to LED for general interior office lighting.

massive contract - saw an article, beleive a north carolina outfit handled,

used a mix of white/red/green that gave a "pleasing" effect.

[LiteGirl]

I agree, I think this one is going to be pretty fun to see the results

[TecnoluxMan]

What Temperature lamps are you using?

[Erik Sine]

I'd like to start by mid month August. What no vendors here taking interest???

[YYZ]

Erik - I have several products I could send - but we don't really offer a retrofit kit. I assume you want to use products that are actually going to be available, no?

If we went to market with a 2x2 or 2x4 fluorescent replacement product, it wouldn't be some stick-in retrofit kit, but a full fixture that does a better job with the LED light sources than just sticking them behind the same lenses. It's a whole lot more involved and expensive for us to do this, though, which is why it's not on the immediate road map.

We've done some IP rated fixtures for mining and factory projects where 2 x 48" lamps were used, but that's different than what you're doing.

[manuellynch]

I will arrange for Dane Cardone, CEO of our AoTuroaLED USA group, send you a sample of our 5000 Kelvin 24x48 LED Retrofit kit.

You should make sure to get a bunch of really bad LED tubes from the host of Chinese imports - they color shift so fast and light quality is horrible.

We had a Dept of Energy approved LM79 test done on our systems - they meet and exceed typical fluorescent.

On the North Carolina Company - it is CREE LED - their fixtures cost about $350.00 each in high volume - they are 2ftx2ft. Our product is less than $200 in low volume and has same or higher output.

Sorry for delay in answering - this is a standard product we offer - we will be introducing 2 new versions later this year that are 1) even lower cost ~ $125, and 2) lower cost ~$100 and brighter ~20%.

Eric - I have sent a discount coupon code to you that you can use to logon on our online store and purchase the kit free of charge. Email on its way.

[manuellynch]

Erik - this is the type of test results that people are wanting to see for LED retrofit kits of T-Bar replacement fixtures - designers, architects, etc like to have this type of spatial testing results to measure foot candle levels on various surfaces in a room, hallway, or auditorium.

So - when you do your test I suggest mounting the fixture center in the room and provide a map of measurements that covers directly under the fixture - a few feet to the right, a few feet to the left, a few feet forward, backwards, on the left wall at the floor, on the left wall at 30" (table height) , on the left wall at 5 ft (art height), on the left wall at 8.6 ft (ceiling height)...etc...I think you probably get what I mean.

The reason I would suggest doing this is precisely why a lot of the LED Tubes out there are doing horribly in installed applications - they use narrow beam angle LEDs instead of wide angle LEDs so they change the "optics" of a fluorescent fixture.

I spoke with a "lighting expert" in Plimmerton New Zealand yesterday who has worked around the world (Canada, USA, Europe, New Zealand) and he said that fluorescent lighting usually captures 64% of the total light output in a ceiling fixture... it doesnt mean that someone should use 60 degree viewing angle LEDs!

Anyway - you will see what I mean - here is a Department of Energy "approved" report http://www.aoturoaled.com/docs/aoturoaLEDsw50.pdf

And here are the type of photos people want to see http://aoturoaled.shutterfly.com/pictures