Compact Fluorescents
As with all fluorescent bulbs, they rely on ballasts inside of the fixtures or units to make them work. The ballast is important because it is specific for each type of lamp. You can't change from one type of fluorescent to another without changing the ballast in most cases. Many of you are probably familiar with the screw base that you would use a regular household light socket. On these, the ballast is an integral part of the lamp itself. Usually they are a one-piece unit and when you're done with it, you throw it away. This is good for home users because you don't have to determine what has gone bad when it finally does get to the end of its life. You simply replace it with a complete new bulb that you have.
High Pressure Sodium
The ballast must have significant output impedance that outweighs the "negative resistance" that the arc usually has for stable operation. The open circuit output voltage of the ballast, not including any starting pulses, needs to be well above the normal voltage across a warmed-up lamp for stable operation - at least 1.4 times as high for even somewhat reliable operation and preferably at least 1.6 times the normal arc voltage.
Linear Fluorescent
High efficiency, high frequency electronic ballasts offer superior lighting performance and energy savings making their use cost effective. A variety of lamp ignition methods can provide further energy efficiency and/or lamp life improvement. High frequency lamp operation produces light more efficiently while eliminating visible flicker and audible noise. Electronic ballasts are available in fixed light, as well as full range dimming models.
Electronic T8 and T5
Replacing standard magnetic fluorescent ballasts with more energy efficient ballasts can save both energy and money. Ballasts consume as much as 20% of the power of the lighting system. Therefore, improvements in ballasts can have a significant impact on overall energy consumption.
The ideal replacement for any magnetic ballast is the electronic ballast. Electronic ballasts are considerably more efficient than magnetic ballasts and produce much less heat. This reduced heat can further save money by reducing the load on the air conditioning equipment.
Electronic ballasts convert the 60 Hertz input current to a high frequency current of about 20 to 50 kilohertz. The higher frequency results in more efficient transfer of input power to the lamp, less energy dissipation in the ballast, and elimination of light decay during each cycle. Light flicker and ballast hum is reduced.
Some of these ballasts also have dimming capabilities. They have better ongoing maintenance of light output than other ballasts and provide good voltage and temperature regulation. Most have surge and thermal protection and high power factors.
Metal Halide
Metal halide electronic ballasts are lighter and smaller than their magnetic counterparts and require less power, but they cost more. Some electronic ballasts also provide continuous dimming capability down to about 50 percent of initial power; magnetic ballasts only offer step-dimming capabilities.
Pulse Start
Pulse-start ballasts have several advantages over conventional ballasts. First, the ballast allows for greater light output, meaning fewer lamps are needed. A installation that once needed 100 standard 400-watt metal halide fixtures only require 71 fixtures using pulse-start technology. Depending on energy prices and the hours of operation, that change can save as much as $7,000 annually
Manual dimming controls allow occupants of a space to adjust the light output or illuminance. This can result in energy savings through reductions in input power, as well as reductions in peak power demand, and enhanced lighting flexibility.
Slider switches allow the occupant to change the lighting over the complete output range. They're the simplest of the manual controls. Preset scene controls change the dimming settings for various lights all at once with the press of a button. You could also have different settings for the morning, afternoon, and evening. Remote control dimming is also available. This type of technology is well suited for retrofit projects, where it is useful to minimize rewiring.
Fluorescent lighting fixtures require special dimming ballasts and compatible control devices. Some dimming systems for high-intensity discharge lamps also require special dimming ballasts.
Compared to on-off controls, dimming controls generally increase energy savings, better align lighting with human needs, and extend lamp life. Dimming controls are also useful for spaces that have more artificial (electric) lighting than is currently needed, and have the added benefit of dimming lights further when natural light from outside is available. Such systems can also be used to dim lights for other reasons, such as for presentations. Dimming fixtures by as much as 50% may be barely noticeable to building occupants, unless they are involved in tasks requiring visual acuity.
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Centralized building controls or building automation systems can be used to automatically turn on, turn off, or dim electric lights around a building. In the morning, the centralized control system can be used to turn on the lights before employees arrive. During the day, a central control system can be used to dim the lights during periods of high power demand. And, at the end of the day, the lights can be turned off automatically. A centralized lighting control system can significantly reduce energy use in buildings where lights are left on when not needed.
Photo sensors automatically adjust the light output of a lighting system based on detected illuminance. The technology behind photo sensors is the photocell. A photocell is a light-responding silicon chip that converts incident radiant energy into electrical current.
While some photo sensors just turn lights off and on, others can also dim lights. Automatic dimming can help with lumen maintenance. Lumen maintenance involves dimming luminaries when they are new, which minimizes the wasteful effects of over-design. The power supplied to them is gradually increased to compensate for light loss over the life of the lamp.
Nearly all photo sensors are used to decrease the electric power demand for lighting. In addition to lowering the electric power demand, dimming the lights also reduces the thermal load on a building's cooling system. Any solar heat gain that occurs in a building during the day must be taken into account for a whole building energy usage analysis.
Occupancy sensors turn lights on and off based on their detection of motion within a space.
Some sensors can be also be used in conjunction with dimming controls to keep the lights from turning completely off when a space is unoccupied. This control scheme may be appropriate when occupancy sensors control separate zones in a large space, such as in a laboratory or in an open office area. In these situations, the lights can be dimmed to a predetermined level when the space is unoccupied. Sensors can also be used to enhance the efficiency of centralized controls by switching off lights in unoccupied areas during normal working hours as well as after hours.
Passive infrared (PIR) sensors react to the movement of a heat-emitting body through their field of view. Wall box-type PIR occupancy sensors are best suited for small, enclosed spaces such as private offices, where the sensor replaces the light switch on the wall and no extra wiring is required. They should not be used where walls, partitions, or other objects might block the sensors' ability to detect motion.
Ultrasonic sensors emit an inaudible sound pattern and re-read the reflection. They react to changes in the reflected sound pattern. These sensors detect very minor motion better than most infrared sensors. Therefore, they're good to use in spaces such as restrooms with stalls, which can block the field of view, since the hard surfaces will reflect the sound pattern.
Dual-technology occupancy sensors use both passive infrared and ultrasonic technologies to minimize the risk of false triggering (lights coming on when the space is unoccupied). They also tend to be more expensive.
Passive Infrared (PIR) wall switch occupancy sensors detect when a room becomes occupied, and turn on the controlled lighting automatically. If no occupancy is detected for five additional minutes, lighting automatically switches off.
Passive Infrared (PIR) vacancy sensors detect when a space becomes vacant, and turn lighting off automatically after a preset time delay elapses. Users can manually turn lights on or off at any time by operating the ON/OFF button.
Time switches are suitable choices in spaces where vacancy or occupancy sensors are inappropriate. Users can select from simple push-button timers for uncomplicated applications to LCD display programmable timers in spaces where more flexibility is desired.
Clock switches or timers control lighting for a preset period of time. They come equipped with an internal mechanical or digital clock, which will automatically adjust for the time of year. The user determines when the lights should be turned on and when they should be turned off. Clock switches can be used in conjunction with photo sensors.
Daylight must be properly integrated with the electric lighting system for its energy-savings potential to be realized. A primary strategy, called daylight harvesting, is to use lighting controls that switch or dim the lights either manually or automatically in response to available daylight.
Daylight harvesting takes advantage of available daylight to augment electric lighting systems. Dimming ballasts and photoreceptors can reduce electric lighting loads proportional to the amount of daylight that enters the space. The more usable daylight entering the space, the more the electric lights can be dimmed, resulting in significant energy savings, as much as 60 percent of the connected lighting load to the space. [Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of North America. Lighting Handbook, Reference & Application, 8th Edition. 1993.]
Safety, security and human factors are of the upmost importance to MAC Solutions, and are paramount in our lighting designs. We may incorporate some or all of the following lighting concepts into our overall design. Your total satisfaction and energy savings is our goal.
High performance lighting, lighting that's efficient and relates well to the design of the building, helps make the building look better, helps with visual tasks and also can reduce energy use.
To produce dramatic effects, design ambient, task and accent lighting. Ambient lighting provides general room illumination and may reduce the need for additional portable lighting. Task lighting helps you see better where you need it. Accent lighting adds sparkle by focusing on an architectural detail such as a fireplace or on photos or artwork.
It is a little known fact that safety devices such as exit signs and emergency lighting can draw a considerable amount of power over the course of a year. Many building managers and operations experts will tell you that incandescent exit signs that must be lit 24/7 can draw up to $50 a year in power costs. Needless to say, those figures can quickly add up.
The good news is that there are several ways to save power if you are interested in lowering those bills. Probably the most popular nowadays are LED lights, which tend to be brighter, cooler and longer lasting than traditional filament bulbs. Many signs that use such bulbs can reduce energy drain by up to 80 percent in a year.
Thankfully, LED's offer a number of other advantages as well so you never have to feel as if you are compromising on safety. Generally, the lights are tougher than traditional bulbs, meaning they can withstand greater stress in the form of heat or flooding. They also need replacing far less often than their filament counterparts, with some of the latest models lasting up to 10 years.
Modern emergency lighting is installed in virtually every commercial and high occupancy residential building. The lights consist of one or more incandescent bulbs or one or more clusters of high intensity light emitting diodes (LED). The emergency lighting heads are usually either PAR 36 sealed beams or wedge base lamps. All units have some sort of a reflector to focus and intensify the light they produce. This can either be in the form of a plastic cover over the fixture, or a reflector placed behind the light source. Most individual light sources can be rotated and aimed for where light is needed most in an emergency, such as toward fire exits. Modern fixtures usually have a test button of some sort which temporarily overrides the unit and causes it to switch on the lights and operate from battery power even if the main power is still on. Modern systems are operated with relatively low voltage, usually from 6 to 12 volts. This both reduces the size of the batteries required and reduces the load on the circuit to which the emergency light is wired. Modern fixtures include a small transformer in the base of the fixture which steps down the voltage from main current to the low power required by the lights. Batteries are commonly made of lead calcium, and can last for 10 years or more on continuous charge. Most emergency lights last for a minimum of 90 minutes on battery power during a power outage.
Though recessed fixtures are most easily installed between ceiling joists of new building or major remodeling projects, some recessed fixtures are designed specifically for retrofit applications and can slip into an existing ceiling space through holes made to accommodate wiring; however, the fixtures you choose must be rated for use near insulation (IC housing rated) whenever ceiling insulation is present. Shown here in a commercial setting, the lighting provides dramatic effects with the architecture of the building.
Specialty lighting is a generic term which has been used to describe fancy, party or decorative lighting such as LED Rope Lights. There are many different types of specialty lighting. Specialty lighting is used both indoors and outdoors.
Specialty lighting can be used to make everyday tasks simpler, nightlife safer and create stunning and dramatic lighting effects. A popular type of specialty lighting is a green exit sign which we all come face to face with daily.
Specialty lights can be put into place throughout your landscaping to create a personalized touch. This well defined type of lighting also gives you great opportunity to create a style and taste of your own, whether it's a night safe light or a colorful and attention seeking lighting fixture.
Versatile and adaptable, track lighting allows you to configure a lighting scheme that's custom made to meet your unique, individual needs. Track lighting is perfect for highlighting artwork, collections or architectural details, and it can also provide general or task illumination for an entire room.
In addition to simply making things a good deal brighter, well-designed lighting plays an important role in composing a comfortable atmosphere. However, solving your lighting problems doesn't just mean shedding more light on the subject. In many cases, rearranging the placement and intensity of the light sources provides a new look and increases functionality.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology replaces the filament of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light is emitted from an arc discharge between two closely spaced electrodes hermetically sealed inside a small quartz glass tubular envelope capsule. To operate, they require ballasts, which supply proper voltage and control current. The amount of light produced is greater than a standard halogen bulb, while consuming less power, and more closely approximating the color temperature of natural daylight.
Outdoor and warehouse commercial lighting should be durable, long-lasting and efficient. While the purpose of commercial lighting tends to be more utilitarian than aesthetic, it is nonetheless important to choose the type of bulb that is appropriate to your task. Even with commercial warehouse lighting applications, it is often important for handlers and receivers to inspect the products that enter and leave the warehouse. If color trueness is an important consideration, for example, then metal halide would be a good choice due to its ability to render colors as they would appear in daylight. If, on the other hand, you are exploring a commercial outdoor lighting application where sheer efficiency is most important, you might consider a high pressure sodium bulb. While the light tends to be orange gold in color, high pressure sodium bulbs tend to be more efficient and therefore longer lasting than metal halide.
Engineering
The Engineering Design Process has eight basic steps. These include :
1. Identify the need or problem
2. Research the need or problem
3. Develop possible solutions
4. Select the best possible solution(s)
5. Construct a prototype
6. Test and evaluate the solution
7. Communicate the solution
8. Redesign to improve your original design
MAC Solutions will devise several energy efficient recommendations based on results from our lighting audit and the current utility rate. We provide a comprehensive report that encompasses: potential lighting solutions, lighting layouts, installation, maintenance costs and an itemized recoupment on investment analysis. Rest assured that we advocate strict lighting parameters that are endorsed by The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).
Information & Training
Installation
When the project is ready to be put into action, the installation phase begins with a pre-construction meeting. During this meeting we address critical details, such as: scheduling of the lighting project, storage, disposal and mandatory safety procedures. This meeting is also the perfect time for your staff to voice any questions or concerns that they may have. Your new lighting project will be expedited as quickly as possible, ensuring that your facility's lighting upgrade is painless.
Once the lighting upgrade is completed, MAC Solutions will provide an operational and maintenance manual. This manual will allow you to easily maintain or replenish any electrical products or equipment. We also provide easy to read diagrams that indicate precisely where each product is located within your facility, cut sheets for future orders and warranty information.
Maintenance
For a minimal fee, we will gladly maintain your new lighting system to ensure its optimal performance. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our qualified sales representatives to learn more about this maintenance program.
Lighting Audit
MAC Solutions qualified lighting professionals will gladly perform a lighting system audit or survey your facility. Utilizing a Measurement & Verification (M & V) procedure, we manually inspect every lighting fixture to determine accurate levels of output. Thereafter, we provide a comprehensive lighting system analysis of your facility's existing lighting system, pinpointing precisely where energy consumption can be reduced and/or optimized. It is important to remember that each facility's potential savings with energy efficient lighting is different and is ultimately influenced by a number of factors, including energy management. To learn more about lighting audits click here.
Recycling & Diposal
MAC Solutions makes every effort to recycle the following items: aluminum, paper, boxes, cardboard, glass, metal, paper and plastic.
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