Uncategorized Archives - Page 2 of 13 - Evitech
klkl

Category: Uncategorized

Savings in Air Conditioning with LED Lighting

Posted on by admin

Savings in Air Conditioning with LED Lighting

LED lighting offers attractive energy savings and air conditioning savings when used in climate-controlled spaces. As LED products reduce the heat emitted by the lighting system, they also reduce the workload on air conditioning equipment.

The same principle applies to LED lighting in cold rooms as the cooling load decreases. For example, if 10 450-watt HID fixtures are replaced with 150-watt LED fixtures, the heat released is reduced by 3,000 watts.

LED lighting also saves energy indirectly by reducing the load on the air conditioning or refrigeration equipment.

Savings in Air Conditioning with LED Lighting

The easiest way to explain this concept is with an example. Suppose a commercial building has 1,500 90-watt fluorescent fixtures, which are swapped out for their 50-watt LED equivalents. The direct savings is 40 watts per fixture, adding up to 60,000 watts for the entire building.

These 60,000 watts represent heat that will no longer be entering the building and must no longer be removed by the air conditioning system. 

Assuming that the AC equipment consumes one watt of electricity for every 5 watts of heat removed, 12,000 watts of air conditioning savings are achieved.

This saving must be multiplied by the total time of use in the month. The consumption reduction of 12 kW will result in 2,400 kilowatt-hours if it is 200 hours of use per month. This equates to $480 per month, assuming 20 cents per kilowatt-hour.

It is worth mentioning that the savings in air conditioning are in addition to the 60,000 watts of direct savings in lighting. Therefore, the total savings amount to 72,000 watts. Assuming 200 hours of usage per month and US$0.20/kWh, this equates to US$2,880/month in savings.

Cooling Savings with LED Lighting

The benefit of LED lighting is even greater in cold rooms, which typically operate 24 hours a day. In these cases, the same logic applies: by using bulbs that emit less heat, the load on the compressors of the refrigeration system is reduced.

An additional advantage of LED lighting in cold rooms is the tolerance to low temperatures. Other types of lamps, such as fluorescent and HID, suffer a drastic reduction in their useful life in sub-zero environments. However, there are LED products designed to operate for more than 50,000 hours in temperatures as low as -40°C.

LED lighting in cold rooms improves site safety, as a lamp is less likely to fail. The frequency with which bulbs need to be changed is also reduced, minimizing work at height for maintenance personnel.

Conclusions

LED lighting is recommended when constructing buildings with air conditioning or cold room areas. This provides direct lighting and indirect savings by reducing the cooling load.

LED lighting in a heated or refrigerated space achieves a higher return on investment with two types of savings.

It is also worth mentioning that LED products require less maintenance than other types of lighting.

Considering the difficulty of replacing lamps in cold rooms, this is a notable benefit.

Latest Post

Replacement of Halogen Spotlights by LED

Posted on by admin

Replacement of Halogen Spotlights by LED

Halogen spotlights are popular due to their high quality of lighting. However, although they are slightly more efficient than incandescent bulbs, they are still high-consumption bulbs. 

Therefore, replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs is a significant energy-saving opportunity.

There are LED bulbs that can mimic the warm light of halogen bulbs with only a fraction of their electricity consumption.

Energy Consumption Comparison

Typically, a 60-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced with a 45-watt halogen, achieving 25% energy savings. 

However, an equivalent LED bulb only consumes 10 watts:

  • Energy saving is 83% compared to a conventional incandescent bulb.
  • It saves 78% compared to the halogen bulb.

It is only necessary to verify that the LED bulb has a colour rendering index (CRI – Color Rendering Index) as high as possible. Both incandescent and halogen bulbs have a CRI of 100, the highest possible value, which means they mimic natural light sources like fire or the sun.

There are low-end LED products with poor CRI, sacrificing lighting quality for energy savings. Looking for an LED product with a CRI value of 90 or higher is recommended for best results. This way, lighting quality is not lost with halogen bulbs replaced with LED.

Shelf Life Comparison

In addition to offering significant energy savings, LED bulbs have a very long lifespan compared to incandescents and halogens.

  • Conventional incandescent – ​​1000 hours on average.
  • Halogen – 2000 hours average.
  • LED – 25,000 hours for a light bulb, 50,000 to 100,000 hours for commercial or industrial fixtures.

Therefore, LED bulbs save energy and you from buying many replacements and trips to the hardware store over their lifetime. An LED bulb is more expensive than a halogen bulb, but compared to the 12 halogen bulbs it replaces over its lifetime, it’s cheaper.

In addition to offering greater efficiency, LED bulbs have a longer lifespan than halogen bulbs.

General Recommendation

Replacing halogen bulbs with LED offers significant savings in energy and bulb replacement, but it is necessary to ensure that it is a quality LED product. 

First, a CRI index as high as possible should be sought, preferably greater than 90. It is also recommended to look for the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) seal on North American products and the CE (Conformité Européenne) seal on European products.

Latest Post

Recommendations when Buying LED Lights for Cars

Posted on by admin

Recommendations when Buying LED Lights for Cars

Artificial lighting is essential in homes and businesses but is not a critical problem if a lamp fails. However, in the case of car headlights, a sudden failure could cause accidents. LED car lights are already common, but their technology has been developed without clear rules regarding testing procedures and performance characteristics.

The LED light offers powerful illumination and can be designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Therefore, it was only time to use it in cars. However, there are two essential requirements that every lighthouse must meet:

· Visibility, providing good light on the road without exposing other drivers to glare.

· Reliability, since the failure of a headlight can have serious consequences, for example, when driving at night or in the rain.

Custom LED headlights do not always meet these requirements. For this reason, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has developed global standards for LED headlights.

Requirements for the proper functioning of LED headlights in automobiles

LED car lights are exposed to many harsh conditions. Therefore, when designing an LED headlamp, it is necessary to take into account:

  • Extreme temperatures. Given their high lighting output, headlights generate heat, and LED models are no exception. In addition, its design must consider the emanation of heat from the engine. Therefore, LED headlights must have efficient heat dissipation.
  • Vibration. The close location of the motor exposes the LEDs to constant vibrations. Considering this aspect during its design is essential, ensuring a long useful life.
  • Dust and moisture. LED headlights must be designed to withstand different types of debris such as Dust and other debris, as well as heavy rain, as these conditions can be found on any road.

Many customs LED headlights are manufactured without considering these factors, creating risks to the user and other drivers. This brings us to another important aspect of manufacturing LED headlamps: the optical design.

 LED headlights: optical design considerations and glare

LED lights are highly directional because they emit a narrower light than conventional lighting. This provides a high degree of control over the direction of the projected lighting, which can be positive or negative:

Positive: When LED lighting is directed where needed, it provides excellent Visibility from the front and side.

Negative: Many customs LED headlights cast their powerful beam of light straight ahead. This produces glare that impairs the Visibility of other drivers.

Why do LED headlights need standardization?

IEC standardization for LED headlamps is necessary by the various risk factors involved. 

A correct design offers safer driving and greater energy efficiency. These standards are achieved with the collaboration of companies and professionals in the lighting industry.

Latest Post

LED Lighting Connected to the Internet: A Promising Technology

Posted on by admin

LED Lighting Connected to the Internet: A Promising Technology

The possibilities of Internet-connected LED lighting go beyond energy savings. LED bulbs are expected to become a platform for various services and applications, as with smartphones.

Internet-connected LED spotlights may be the evolution of WiFi technology.

It can transmit encoded information as pulses of light, allowing LED spotlights to fulfil the same function as WiFi access points. This would enable the design and programming of applications for lighting systems.

Building Automation with Connected LED Spotlights

With lighting present in all buildings and a central automated system, some interesting possibilities arise:

  • Connected LED spotlights can function as a Visible Light Communication (VLC) platform, whose theoretical speed exceeds WiFi by more than 100 times.
  • Office appliances, HVAC systems and other installations can be equipped with VLC-compatible sensors and emitters.
  • You can monitor and control the energy consumption in the building and even use the same system for surveillance and security.

This is especially promising for new construction, as lighting circuits can take over the function of the Ethernet network. By consolidating two installations into one, the system’s initial cost is significantly reduced.

Inland Navigation Systems

If the LED spotlights interact with smartphones via VLC, they can be used to locate people in large buildings, such as businesses or health centres. 

By having an optical connection between the LED lighting and a mobile device, the control system can know a person’s location concerning the site they are looking for.

This concept can guide customers to specific products or discounts in shopping malls.

Inventory Control

Inventory control is an activity that represents many person-hours of work for any merchant. However, a warehouse with connected LED lighting can track SKUs and forklift or personnel movement within the store. This would not only make warehouses safer but also more efficient.

LED bulbs with VLC capabilities can track products and personnel, optimizing inventory management.

Personal Lighting

Some LED products with wireless capabilities allow control over light intensity or colour via a mobile app. Sylvania Lightify and Philips Hue are two product lines that work on this concept.

In residential applications and the hospitality industry, custom lighting provides added comfort. 

In office buildings, each employee can control the lighting at their desk, improving their comfort and, thus, their productivity.

Conclusion

Connected LED lighting with VLC capabilities can bring a similar technological revolution to smartphones. This concept offers a wide range of services for interior spaces and can create a new field of expertise for lighting professionals.

Latest Post

Maintenance Savings by Using LED Lighting

Posted on by admin

Maintenance Savings by Using LED Lighting

LED products are regularly promoted based on energy savings. However, they are also characterized by long useful life and resistance, offering significant maintenance savings.

LED lamps can be made entirely of impact-resistant materials. This is not the case with incandescent, fluorescent and HID bulbs, all of which use fragile glass bulbs. It’s worth mentioning that some decorative LED bulbs use glass to replicate the look of incandescents. 

This makes the bulb physically more fragile, although a long service life is 

always obtained.

LED products are characterized by their long life and can be made resistant to impact.

Long Useful Life

An LED lamp lasts much longer than other types of lamps. An incandescent bulb, for example, offers approximately 1,000 hours of use, and a fluorescent one can exceed 10,000. However, equivalent LED bulbs provide up to 25,000 hours; that is, they have a useful life equivalent to 25 incandescent bulbs or 2-3 fluorescent ones, which is much cheaper.

Fluorescent tubes, normally used for office lighting, should also be mentioned. They boast nearly 20,000 hours, but they can be replaced with LED versions that last over 50,000 hours.

 A more extreme example is HID bulbs used for outdoor and industrial lighting, which last about 10,000 hours but lose more than 30% of their brightness in the first 5,000. Equivalent LED bulbs provide a lifespan between 50,000 and 100,000 hours.

Although LED products have higher prices, they offer great maintenance savings thanks to their long lifespan. This includes less bulb replacement and corresponding savings in labor.

LED Spotlights with Frequent On and Off

Most fluorescent and HID lamps experience a drastic reduction in lifespan by frequently switching on and off. In particular, HID luminaires also need a time of 2-10 min to reactivate, which is especially problematic in industrial or outdoor sites.

LED products can be turned on and off frequently without affecting their long lifespan, making them highly compatible with occupancy sensors, time controls, and other automation measures.

Since LED lighting tolerates frequent switching on and off, it is suitable for combination with automatic controls.

Vibration Resistance

Incandescent, fluorescent, and HID lamps have filaments and electrodes prone to damage from frequent vibrations, which is a problem for lamps near heavy machinery.

LED lighting is a solid-state technology that resists vibration. In addition to offering maintenance savings, its resistance makes installations safer. For example, there is less chance of a lamp failing during a critical activity.

In conclusion, LED lighting systems are more durable and resistant than other options, which translates into significant savings. Its resistance also provides greater security in places where light is heavily relied on, such as outdoor spaces at night.

Latest Post

LED Lights: Main Parts and Classification Standards

Posted on by admin

LED Lights: Main Parts and Classification Standards

In countries such as Canada, the United States, Mexico and members of the European community, there are some classification standards for LED lights. 

In other words, it is a group of specifications that allow compliance with all the safety, performance and electrical efficiency requirements of LED systems.

Although this technology offers countless advantages, it also contains some risks, such as light pollution. Similarly, its use can affect the balance in the population of some insects and birds and the life of some plants. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate its use.

Components of LED products

First, let’s classify the elements of an LED system, understood jointly or individually, that are evaluated to comply with the essential efficiency and safety requirements.

These elements can be classified into:

  • LED: An LED light is a device that incorporates semiconductors, which emit light when receiving electrical energy.
  • Modules: These are a set of LED lights that make up a unit and can have mechanical, optical or electronic components. Some of these models of LED systems can integrate a system controller.
  • Lamps: This LED luminaire can emit a directed lighting flow in all directions. The lamps have a base connected to the electrical network and an LED unit (module) that emits the luminous flux. In addition, a controller is integrated.
  • Luminaires are lighting equipment made up of a casing or “housing”, an LED module that emits the luminous flux, an LED controller and an optical controller to distribute the luminosity flux.
  • Standards that LED lights must meet.

A norm is a regulation established to regulate a given system’s behaviour or achieve a required order. In this sense, the standards in LED lighting systems seek to technically regulate the operation of these systems (individually or considering everything as a single device).

Below are the main factors for the optimal performance of LED products:

Energy Efficiency and Performance

These are the standard efficiency rules for LED systems. To comply with these specifications, the lamps must have the following characteristics:

  • Electrical: Consumption and power factor (kW).
  • Photometric and Radiometric: Luminous flux, performance index and colour temperature.

 

Security

Regarding safety, LED lights must comply with:

  • Mechanical and electrical characteristics: It is intended to be a safe product for handling, installation and removal.
  • Characteristics of chromaticity: colour uniformity and maintenance of this colour in the long term.

With all these classification standards for LED lights, what is sought is to control the impact of the use of this technology in people’s daily lives. 

It is notorious that its use is increasing; therefore, these standards seek the optimal integration of LED technology, reducing the adverse effects on our quality of life and the environment.

Latest Post