LIGHTING UP POLAND

LIGHTING MANUFACTURER

Luminaires from the Kaliope series respond to the evolution of street lighting and the changing needs of local government units. They are an energy-efficient solution for lighting roads, streets, highways and squares, supporting the sustainable and modern development of public space.

Key parameters

Efficiency and quality

Made in Poland
LED diodes with the longest service life, ensuring luminous efficacy up to 165 lm/W
LED modules and lenses compliant with the Zhaga standard
Minimization of losses thanks to the use of an Optiwhite tempered glass cover ensuring increased light transmission
PMMA lenses resistant to UV radiation, which prevents yellowing

Smart control:

Durability and reliability:

High resistance to outdoor conditions (IP66, IK09)
Separate chamber for the power supply and lighting system
Aluminum castings without thermal ribs enabling efficient heat dissipation
The minimal cross-section of the housing and structural paint coating guarantee optimal resistance to weather conditions
Tool-free access to the power supply chamber, ensuring safe service
A varied range of sizes and power ratings makes it possible to adapt the luminaires to different mounting conditions and the width of the illuminated area

LED – technology

LED technology is energy efficient (energy saving) and fits into government and EU climate protection programs through the reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. For most municipalities, the most important factor determining the replacement of an installation is energy savings and, consequently, lower electricity bills. Depending on the installed lighting system and luminaires, these savings range from 40% to as much as 80%. At the same time, however, we observe that municipalities face major difficulties in choosing LED lighting that meets the requirements of European Union standards and regulations.

Municipal and local governments, faced with rising energy prices, are looking for solutions that reduce expenditure in this area. The possibility of achieving this goal is provided by lighting technology using LED light-emitting diodes. Examples of municipalities that have carried out such modernization show that it is realistic to save 50–90% of electricity consumption, often with a return on investment within 1.5–2 years.

Using the advantages of LED technology requires investors to overcome technical challenges related to choosing the optimal offer. The entry of LED products onto the market created the need to define new evaluation criteria and measurement methods. As a result of the extremely rapid development of LED technology, technical standards for these products are published with delay. In market practice, there are many cases of LED luminaires being offered on the basis of hypothetical technical data that do not reflect the actual operating conditions of the luminaire.

In this bulletin, we present how the basic technical parameters of LED luminaires should be defined based on standards and regulations that have already been published or are ready for publication. We recommend that those selecting offers ensure that the data contained in the offer reflect the actual technical value of the luminaires.

BASIC TECHNICAL PARAMETERS OF LED LIGHTING LUMINAIRES

Rated luminous flux [lm].

This is the total luminous flux emitted by a luminaire operating under rated conditions. It is therefore the luminous flux emitted by the LED source installed in the luminaire, reduced by losses resulting from the luminaire design, mainly in the optics.

When assessing the parameters of luminaires from different manufacturers, always make sure that the rated luminous flux of the luminaire has been used for comparison. It happens that manufacturers provide the flux of the diodes installed in the luminaire instead of the rated luminous flux of the luminaire. Losses resulting from the luminaire design may amount to as much as 50% of the diode flux. In lighting calculations, the rated luminous flux of the luminaire is always used. If the flux emitted by the diodes were used in the calculations, the result would be distorted. The number of luminaires would be too low to ensure the required illuminance level.

Rated luminaire power [W].

This is the total power that can be measured at the luminaire supply terminals, being the sum of the power consumed by the light sources and the other electrical equipment of the luminaire (e.g. the power supply).

In lighting luminaires using conventional light sources such as linear fluorescent lamps, which required a separate power system and were subject to periodic replacement, the luminaire power was usually given as the catalog power of the light source(s) installed in that luminaire. Informed users were aware that the total power consumption of the luminaire is the sum of the power consumed by the light sources and the losses occurring in the power system. The standard of stating the power of light sources as the power of the luminaire was intended to make it easier for users to purchase the correct lamp series.

In the case of LED luminaires, we are dealing with a situation where LED light sources are usually non-replaceable components. Additionally, depending on the assumptions of the luminaire designer and the quality of the components used to build the luminaire, the power consumption of a given LED element may vary. To avoid misleading potential users, in the case of LED luminaires the rated power of the luminaire should be provided, which is the total power consumed by the luminaire. Rated power includes all losses resulting from the luminaire design and means the power drawn from the power grid. You should always make sure what type of power is given in the data sheet of a given product. It happens that a bidder presents only the catalog power of the LED sources used, misleading the consumer as to the actual power consumption of the luminaire.

Luminous efficacy [lm/W]

This is the ratio of the rated luminous flux emitted by the luminaire to the rated power of that luminaire.

To compare the energy efficiency of lighting luminaires, it is crucial to determine how much light (lm) is emitted by the luminaire per unit of power (W). For such a comparison to make sense, reference should be made to absolute values that include all losses, both in the optical system and the power supply. Make sure that the calculation uses the rated values of the luminous flux emitted by the luminaire and the rated power of the luminaire in accordance with the above definitions.

Ra (CRI) index

The color rendering index of the light emitted by the luminaire.

The color rendering index determines the ability of the light emitted by a given luminaire to correctly reproduce colors in its surroundings. The higher the index, the more faithfully the colors of illuminated objects will be rendered. The index reaches the highest value of 100 for white light with a continuous spectrum. For artificial light sources whose spectrum is not continuous, the index takes values below 100 and in extreme cases may even be negative (low-pressure sodium lamps emitting monochromatic light).

It should also be noted that although the color of different light sources may appear the same, this does not always mean that colored objects illuminated by them look the same. Two light sources that seem to produce light with a comparable shade of white may differ in the share of waves of different lengths in the radiation spectrum. Therefore, the color of an illuminated object may appear different depending on the light source, because its surface reflects to varying degrees the different waves that make up the luminous flux. Color rendering is an important criterion when selecting LED light sources for lighting applications. In the case of a luminaire, the type of cover, lens or reflector may affect the color rendering index of the light produced by the luminaire, as it can influence the change in the value of the color rendering index of the light emitted by the LED sources installed in the luminaire. Depending on the value of Ra (CRI), we determine the quality of color rendering. The standard defines the required Ra index for different rooms, e.g. in office interiors where people are present, Ra >80 is required.

Tc (CCT) – light color temperature

Light color temperature is expressed on the Kelvin scale [K]. The definition of light color temperature refers to white light. The higher the light color temperature, the greater the admixture of blue, giving the light a cooler shade. Typical light color temperatures produced by LEDs range from 2700 K (warm white) to 6500 K (cool white).

The color temperature of the light emitted by an LED luminaire may differ from the color temperature of the LED sources used in it, because the optical elements of the luminaire such as the cover, lenses and reflector elements may affect the spectral distribution of light and thus the value of the color temperature. For luminaires emitting colored light (other than white), the color temperature is not given, but the dominant wavelength.

Certificates: ENEC/ENEC+

Do the ENEC and ENEC PLUS certificates confirm the high quality of the product?

The ENEC association is formed by 25 testing bodies from across Europe (including two bodies located in Poland). A license to use the ENEC mark is proof of very high product quality while meeting all standards required within the European Union. It is also an objective certificate confirming the use of high-quality components in the production process. A very important element of the ENEC license is an annex in the form of a list of the components of the luminaires tested in the certification process. The certificates are public, and their numbers are published on the website www.enec.com, which makes it possible to verify them. An additional certificate is ENEC PLUS, which confirms specific photometric and electrical parameters of luminaires (ENEC confirms compliance with applicable standards). This is particularly important because public procurement procedures require specific values, for example power or luminous flux. These parameters can be objectively confirmed by means of the ENEC PLUS certificate, rather than relying solely on the manufacturer’s declarations.

WHAT DOES THE DURABILITY OF LED LUMINAIRES DEPEND ON

We have become accustomed to light source manufacturers providing the so-called rated life for their products, i.e. the economically justified average service life of lamps. The service life of a bulb or other lamp was usually shorter than the service life of a suitably matched luminaire, and this was given as the critical element of the system.

LED technology has reversed the previous standards. It is now assumed that LED modules can operate for many thousands of hours, while electronic power supplies or other components of the luminaire structure may wear out sooner.

To facilitate the assessment of offers, we present the factors affecting the durability of LED luminaires and the indicators defining durability that you may encounter in the documentation of various manufacturers. Due to the unfinished process of developing technical standards, the explanations below are for information purposes and are intended to provide a general orientation on the issue and on the way durability is presented by different manufacturers.

1. LED power supplies (drivers) The durability of electronic devices affects the durability of the luminaire. Damage to the power supply or driver results in damage to the entire luminaire. Therefore, the quality of devices powering the diodes, as well as the ease of their replacement, is important.

2. Ambient temperature Ta. Ambient temperature affects the operation of the luminaire. Luminaire testing takes place at a temperature specified by standards (the standard is 25°C). This is the ambient temperature serving as a reference for determining durability. LED luminaires operating at lower or higher ambient temperatures than normal (as stated in data sheets) are exposed to damage and their operating time is shortened. The extent of these changes depends on the technology. No methods are currently defined to calculate these effects.

3. Lx – rated lifetime that is, a declaration of luminous flux maintenance. L70 at 50,000 hours means that the luminaire was designed so that after 50,000 hours of operation it produces at least 70% of the rated luminous flux value.

4. By – this symbol means gradual loss of luminous flux (degradation). The value B50 means that 50 percent of LED luminaires of the same type exceed the declared share of luminous flux “x” at the end of the rated lifetime “L”.

STREET LIGHTING MODERNIZATION – KEY ASPECTS

When deciding to implement a modern road lighting installation, one should not take into account only its performance in terms of energy-efficient fulfillment of the required lighting parameters in the context of the financial outlays necessary for such an investment, because this should only be part of the conclusions drawn from the prepared lighting design. To derive full satisfaction from using such an installation, make sure that the design balances the quality of the lighting produced, functionality in terms of operation and maintenance, and economic aspects in terms of the real costs over the life cycle of the installation. Even very carefully prepared design documentation, however, is only a promise of the final effect and cannot be fulfilled without the use of hardware solutions of proven high quality and due diligence at the stage of executing the lighting installation.

A municipality using government programs co-financing the replacement of conventional lighting with LED lighting should pay particular attention to choosing a high-quality product that meets EU standards and regulations. One of the more important parameters confirming the high quality of LED luminaires is the results of tests carried out in accredited laboratories.

The municipality can also carry out post-completion measurements with specialized companies.

Post-completion measurements provide assurance that the parameters indicated by the bidder in the procurement documentation are consistent with the parameters after the modernization has been completed.

Authorities representing the municipality, district or city should pay close attention to the parameters specified in the specific offer and require the above-mentioned test reports.

Only on the basis of reliable knowledge supported by test results from independent, accredited laboratories, research institutes or university laboratories should decisions be made on the selection of high-quality LED products. Let us also remember that price should not be the only determinant of offer selection, as this may lead to unplanned increased costs in the future. Choosing a proven supplier who places high-quality products compliant with standards on the market will save time and money for the future authorities of our cities, municipalities and districts.