Warehouse Lighting Articles

Those long office meetings often stress on only one main point – productivity. People talk big when they talk about productivity. Number games and targets, and other jargons are given high importance. But do we realize that productivity is also very much dependent on little things? Like a proper working atmosphere for the employees.

Lighting the office in an apt manner could actually take you a step closer towards your achieving your productivity goals simply by elevating the psyche of your employees and lifting their spirits and motivation to work efficiently.

Let us explore how different can your office lighting be made and which type should you choose for your office

Troffers

A troffer is a light fixture that is rectangular in shape and can be fitted into a modular ceiling grid. They are classically built to fit fluorescent lamps of the standard size i.e. t12, t8 and t5 and also the recent ones that accommodate integral LED sources. They are recessed generally as above ceiling grid but can also be seen as surface mount. If you speak about commercial or industrial lightings, troffers are the most commonly used equipments.

T8 troffer

Proposed use:

Useful for all recessed general applications for illumination.

Construction:

Available in an innovative design for t8 lamps and electronic ballasts of low profiles. They have hemmed sides which allow smooth edges so installation can be done with ease. It has a steel door frame that is standard and consists of perfect flush mitered corners and spring action latches. It boasts of a distinctive design and an appearance which is extruded. It comes with a housing and door interface that provides an advanced mechanical light seal without having to really use foam gasketing. It comes with superior performance and therefore higher fixture efficiency. It also has connected T Bar safety clips and you need not install those separately. Most importantly, they are compatible with most of the ceiling types.

T5 troffer

Proposed use:

It provides illumination for indoor applications which are recessed. They are most suitable for plenum spaces.

Construction:

This is also available in innovative designs optimum for t5/t8 lamps and also t5 and t8 squashed sockets. Most other specifications are similar to the t8 troffer. It comes with a standard rotary cam latch. The door can latch and hinge from any side. Modification kits are also available.

New LED troffers

Proposed use:

It is an economical digital lighting platform built to provide basic ambient lighting for ceilings in schools, hospitals or offices. It is built on the tried and tested GT troffer. It gives you a steadfast color consistency and unmitigated service life of about 50000 hours.

Construction:

It comes with smooth sides that are hemmed and flanges at the end which are formed inward and allows easy installation. You can use a highly transmissive pattern 12 lens as it scatters LED light source without reducing the quality of output. Its drivers and internal components can be accessed from the floor. Poke – in connectors are present in LED boards which let you enjoy smooth servicing and repairing. It is also appropriate for direct insulation contact.

D-I-Y: How to Connect a Fluorescent Light Fixture

Installing fluorescent light fixtures is an inexpensive way to make a dark or dim space bright and cheery. These light fixtures offer great energy efficiency, low heat and a wide spread of lighting. Connecting a fluorescent light fixture is a straightforward process, with relatively few steps, simple tools, and just a small amount of time. Wiring your fluorescent fixture follows the same basic steps as most electrical fixtures.

Connection Instructions
1. Be safe – turn off the appropriate power switch at the circuit breaker. Test the circuit using an electrical tester to ensure the power is off. Clear the installation area of any old fixtures or hardware.
2. Using a stud finder, locate the studs to which you will mount your fluorescent light fixture. Identify the stud location with pencil marks spaced identically to the mounting holes in your fluorescent light fixture. If you cannot find a stud, you will need to use toggle bolts.
3. If your fixture has wiring knockouts, carefully open these with a screwdriver. Feed the existing ceiling wiring through the fixture's hole. If your light fixture includes a green (or bare) grounding wire and your existing ceiling wiring does not, you must firmly connect your own grounding wire to the metal ceiling electrical box or metal conduit. Make sure you mount the wire using proper mounting eyelets and a screw or bolt for a tight, reliable connection.
4. Place the light fixture against the ceiling and line up its mounting holes with your pencil marks. Drill appropriate length screws through the fixture's hood and into the studs. If you are using toggle bolts, drill the toggle bolt manufacturer's indicated hole size into the ceiling (NOT the fixture). You may need to remove the bolt from the toggle to pass through the fixture's mounting hole, then reconnect the toggle. Insert the toggle bolt through the ceiling hole, and tighten with a screwdriver or drill.
5. Twist the ends of the black ceiling wire to the black fixture wire. Cap off the ends using UL-approved plastic wire nuts. Do the same with the white wires.
6. If your fixture is equipped with a green (or bare) grounding wire, connect it to the existing ground wire from the ceiling wiring and make sure the connection is tight. Attach any reflector or diffusers that came with your fixture.
8. Restore power from the circuit breaker and turn on the light.

D-I-Y: How to Mount a Fluorescent Fixture

Fluorescent fixtures come in several shapes and sizes. Most warehouse or industrial applications use large rectangles, while residential fixture shapes include rectangular, square and round in a variety of sizes.

These fixtures provide an easy solution to bring plentiful, energy-efficient light into kitchens, bathrooms, workshops and garages. Residential fluorescent light fixtures usually feature a plastic diffuser that softens and more evenly disperses the light while shielding the fluorescent tubes. Large, industrial style fixtures for workshops and garages use aluminum reflectors and leave the tubes exposed to emit more light. Fortunately, installation is essentially the same for either type, and it's relatively simple.

Tools needed:
Stud finder
Drill and screwdriver

 Mounting Instructions
1. If you will be connecting the light fixture's wires to your building's wires, be sure to turn off the power at the circuit breaker before you begin.
2. Use a stud finder to locate a ceiling stud approximately where you plan to mount your fluorescent fixture. Fluorescent light fixtures tend to be rather heavy; if you cannot locate a stud, the fixture should be mounted into the ceiling using toggle bolts. Do not use wall anchors, as they are intended for horizontal applications and are likely to pull out of the ceiling if used. Mark the desired area where the screws will be installed.
3. If your light fixture includes a diffuser, remove it. Follow the light's wiring instructions. If it is a plug-in model, plug it directly into an outlet without using an extension cord. If hard wiring the fixture, match wire colors from your electrical source to the wires on the fixture (white to white, etc.). If your fixture features access covers where the screws pass through, open these now.
4. If your fixture is designated as hanging only, do not mount it flush with the ceiling. Use a small-link chain to suspend the fixture from screw-in hooks or eyelets. Otherwise, hold the fixture against the ceiling in the designated mounting location. Drill your holes into the ceiling and the studs or, if using toggle bolts, just through the ceiling.
5. Screw the fixture to the ceiling. Close any access covers over the screws.
6. Install your fluorescent light bulbs and replace the light diffuser cover if the fixture uses one.

Today's HID fluorescent fixtures designed for high-bay (high-ceiling) applications have many advantages over comparable HID fixtures:

·         reduced energy consumption

·         lower lumen depreciation rates

·         more dimming options

·         faster start-up / restrike

·         better color rendition

·         more pupil lumens

·         reduced glare

These benefits add up to real cost savings over the life of the product. As an added bonus, HID fluorescents do a tremendous job of lighting large spaces.

High-intensity fluorescent fixture designs

As you'll see below, the majority of today’s HIF fixtures employ T8 or high-output T5 linear fluorescent lamps. These tubes last longer, are most efficient and have lower lumen depreciation than twin-tube lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Their innovative reflector designs make HIFs ideal for any ceiling height, so they are an excellent replacement for HID lamps.

HIF fixtures are typically square or rectangular, although an alternative design has been shown to be effective for wide-open spaces. The “star” fixture uses CFLs or twin-tube T5s mounted to 2-foot extensions that radiate out from a central housing that usually contains the ballasts. Its circular light distribution successfully illuminates such applications as skating rinks.

Where HID technology once had a performance advantage with respect to wide temperature ranges, HIFs have caught up. Amalgam technology – where certain metals are mixed with the mercury inside the lamp – enables HIFs to sustain maximum output levels throughout temperature extremes. The one drawback is that amalgam lamps are not dimmable.

How to Make the Best Choice

The Color Rendering Index of fluorescent and HID lamps

The color rendering index (CRI) indicates a light's ability to accurately render a sample of eight standard colors relative to a standard source. Measured on a scale of 0 to 100, the higher the CRI value, the better a light will render color.

Lamp type                                               CRI

T8 fluorescent ..................................... 75–98

T5 fluorescent ..................................... 75–98

High-color-rendering metal halide....... 80–93

White high-pressure sodium ............... 60–85

Standard metal halide ......................... 60–70

Pulse-start metal halide ...................... 65–70

High-pressure sodium................................ 27

Low-pressure sodium ................................. 5 

Conversion factors for lumens to pupil lumens

Pupil lumens per watt measures how effectively the eye sees emitted light. We achieve this figure by applying correction factors to conventional lumens per watt values. Pupils are more receptive to light at the blue end of the spectrum.

How to calculate cost-effectiveness

Many factors determine the cost-effectiveness of fluorescent lighting as compared to HID, including:

·         hours of operation

·         cost per kilowatt-hour

·         lamp life

·         lumen depreciation

This lighting calculatorcan help you compare the costs of HID lighting to fluorescent alternatives. Choose alternatives that provide comparable amounts of light. The calculator corrects for pupil lumens. This factor is not universally accepted, so if you would prefer to perform the calculations without factoring in pupil lumens, input values of 1.0 in the conversion factor field.

Looking ahead

HID and HIF high-bay lighting technologies continue to advance. Expect to see higher efficacies, even lower lumen depreciation numbers and more dimming options to name a few. Higher lumen packages and lower sensitivity to temperature variations are likely for HIF lighting. Also, improved controls and wireless technology will improve the effectiveness of both HIF and HID systems into the future.

On the HID side, count on seeing advanced electronic ballasts and better color quality. While advancements in HID lamps and ballasts may eventually make these systems as energy efficient as HIFs, they may never match the warm-up and restrike times. These delays significantly limit the use of occupancy sensors and similar energy efficient switching methods. HID lighting also has significantly higher lumen depreciation values than T5 lamps. Until these shortcomings can be addressed, HIF remains the best choice for the majority of high-bay applications.

High-ceiling applications such as warehouses, big-box retail spaces and gymnasiums are often referred to as "high-bay" spaces. Commonly, these spaces are lit with high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources, including metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps. We have seen improvement in both high-intensity fluorescent (HIF) and HID technologies. That said, HIF technology has grown to be a more popular choice as it offers slightly better performance.

Fluorescent lighting has become quite advanced, and with it, a growing number of HIF fixtures have come to market. These superior HIF lighting systems are better for the environment than their HID counterparts and feature:

• cost-effective performance
• fast startup and restrike
• low lumen depreciation curve
• improved dimming options
• better color rendering
• reduced glare

Choosing the right lighting technology

Fluorescent lamps. Known for emitting uniform, diffuse light along varying lengths, fluorescent fixtures have been the standard for lighting workspaces with relatively low ceilings. Today's high-intensity fluorescent lamps paired with optimized reflecting fixtures have extended the fluorescent light's utility to high indoor ceilings – those above 20 feet. They make a compelling alternative to HID lamps and most rapid-start models now can start at temperatures as low as 0°F.

HID lamps. Unlike the broad coverage of a fluorescent lamp, HID lighting produces intense light on a small area. Therefore, they are often paired with parabolic reflector fixtures.

You can choose from many different types of HID lamps. Metal halide and high-pressure sodium remain most popular for indoor spaces. The main distinction between these two is the type of vaporized metal used for the gas inside the inner glass chamber of the lamp. The more versatile of the two is metal halide. This technology offers a high-quality light, a more efficient lamp/ballast system and plenty of size options. Ballasts for metal halide lamps will start at extremely low temperatures – all the way down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (F).

Metal halide performance has improved with recent advancements. Pulse-start metal halide lamps that incorporate ceramic tubes with electronic ballasts provide outstanding results in situations where color quality, fixture appearance and uniform uplighting are desired, particularly in facilities exposed to high and/or low temperature extremes.

HID installations typically call for fewer fixtures, offering great cost advantages over older types of installations. These lamps perform exceptionally well where distant fixtures must provide light over great distances, such as street lighting, indoor and outdoor athletic facilities and any large space  with high ceilings.

Induction lighting and electrodeless lamps. Inductive fluorescents provide exceptional long life and coldstart performance (up to 100,000 hours at –40°F). They can also instantly restrike. However, their efficacy falls short of metal halide and conventional fluorescent lamps. They also have high lumen depreciation (about 40 percent). Further, these lamps produce light utilizing radio frequency energy rather than an electric arc, so in certain applications, they could negatively affect nearby electrical equipment.

T5HO VS T8 Lighting Fixture? Because this questions is asked so much I will try and explain it as best as I can. I will explain size of lamp (Bulb), wattage of each lamp, lumen output, energy savings and equivalent lighting fixture “i.e. how many lamps are equal to same output.

First, size of lamp T5′s range in size as well as do T8′s, but for this article I will be discussing T5HO’s and T8′s for 4 foot fluorescent  fixtures.  T5 or T5ho’s are measure in metrics and are slightly shorts then 4 feet or about 46 inches long. When buying a T5 fixture usually the fixture will measure 4 feet and the difference in size of the lamp will be made up by a extended sockets.  On T 8 lamps the lamp measures from end of the pins 48 inches altogether and will fit a 4 foot fixture perfectly.  The diameter of the lamps very  T5 are 5 tenths of any hence the 5 in t5 and t8s are 8t tenth of an inch.

Next  wattage, again several T5s out there  varying in sizes which also vary the wattages for the lamps.  T5 4 foot lamps vary from 28 watt non high output to 54 watt High output  and the new 49 watt t5  or T5HO lamp. T8 lamps also vary wattages from length.  Lamps for a 4 foot light fixture  range from 24, 26 watt reduced energy bulb to 32 watt standard output which lumen output is controlled by the ballast.

This brings us to lumen output

T5 28 watt lamp equals about 2800 Lumens per lamp position

T5ho  54 watt lamp equals about 5000 Lumens per lamp position

T8 32 watt with a low power factor ballast equals about 2100 to 2300 lumens per lamp position

T8 32 watt with a normal ballast factor ballast equals about 2500 to 2700 lumens per lamp position

T8 32 watt with a high ballast factor ballast equals about 2800 to 3000 lumens per lamp position

To answer the energy savings question from the research that I have see, head to head, lumen to lumen equality vs. watts output the t8 fixture for the same amount of lumen is more efficient by about 3 percent .

So with this all said here is your fixture break down:

4 lamp 54 watt T5HO fixture equals 20,000 lumen output one to one swap with a 6 Lamp high ballast factor  T8 32 which equals  18000 lumens watt fixture this is comparing a high bay fixture. 6 lamps T5ho fixture approximately equals the output of a 400 watt metal halide when new before the 3 year diminish.

Please Let me know if this helps clarify this!

James Abraham

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