Replacing Mercury Vapour Ballast

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kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
When the job is large enough, you bet some financial guys will look at it.
doesn't matter how large the job is, it depends on the mentality of the person(s) responsible for budget decisions. There are people that will spend a dollar to save 50 cents out there because they will not look at the big picture.
 
doesn't matter how large the job is, it depends on the mentality of the person(s) responsible for budget decisions. There are people that will spend a dollar to save 50 cents out there because they will not look at the big picture.

It certainly does matter what size job it is. The level of financial scrutiny and the corresponding level of decision-making authority is linked with the $'s amounts at all Companies. Sometimes spending a dollar to save 50 cents DOES make financial sense, but you do have to have more than basic financial understanding to 'get' that.
 

TNBaer

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
No one really talks about the lumen maintenance curve of induction though. They lose a ton of light over time (And LED isn't much better. Don't tell anyone I told you.)

For highbays I'm still a fan of linear fluorescent. And in this instance, which sounds like it might be a large recessed housing, I'd go LED. CFLs can be a maintenance nightmare in these situations. Of course, a good EHID solution might be best.
 
No one really talks about the lumen maintenance curve of induction though. They lose a ton of light over time (And LED isn't much better. Don't tell anyone I told you.)

For highbays I'm still a fan of linear fluorescent. And in this instance, which sounds like it might be a large recessed housing, I'd go LED. CFLs can be a maintenance nightmare in these situations. Of course, a good EHID solution might be best.

Balderdash. Comparative analysis of LED versus induction is virtually nonexistent. Why, you wonder? Because LED always comes up just a wee bit short. OK, sometimes it is a lot shorter.
lumenmaintenancecurve.gif
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
Balderdash. Comparative analysis of LED versus induction is virtually nonexistent. Why, you wonder? Because LED always comes up just a wee bit short. OK, sometimes it is a lot shorter.
That chart is a great resource, thanks!
I wonder what the source was though? Independent research or a study by an induction lamp manufacturer?

I do find it interesting that the lumen maintenance of the LED is better out to ~20,000 hours, at which point the induction lamps take over. The induction curve also has a much flatter plateau after the initial rapid drop. You just size the fixtures a bit more conservatively to allow for that drop.
So you really need to look at the intended use in terms of hours per day as well as the length of time the facility will be in service.
Using them 8 hours a day, 5 days a week will only come up to ~2000 hours per year.
 

TNBaer

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
Balderdash. Comparative analysis of LED versus induction is virtually nonexistent. Why, you wonder? Because LED always comes up just a wee bit short. OK, sometimes it is a lot shorter.
lumenmaintenancecurve.gif

I'm not diggin' this chart. The "fluorescent" seems way too steep. It's not labeled "T12," "T8," "700 series," or anything else. T8 has an amazing track record that far surpasses this diagram, sometimes out past 50,000 hours.

SOmetimes I have to dig my nails into my palms when guys start spec'ing LED. I was on the phone with a housing authority engineer yesterday who was going on and on about how LED would save them all sorts of money over T8 and I just wanted to scream "T8 IS MORE EFFICIENT! T8 HAS A HIGHER CRI! T8 WILL PROBABLY LAST LONGER! T8 IS EASIER TO MAINTAIN! MY GOD, WHO SPIKED YOUR KOOL-AID!" But, you know, I couldn't.

http://www.gelighting.com/na/grainger/downloads/fluorescent/11-0102GraingerSS-LFL-4T8Ecolux-SXL-64403.pdf

L
ook at that, 90 low glare lumens per watt a fraction of the cost of LED with stellar CRI, and easy maintenance should anything go wrong. No one cares, they just ask for LED. If it says "LED" on the box they'll buy it even if it gets a paltry 40 LPW. Terrifying stuff is afoot in our industry.
 
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