https://Lumight.com | LUMIGHT | When it comes to LED Lighting, having a full understanding of the terms used in today’s lighting is very important to electrical contractors. It will help you in the selection of product, buying LED fixtures, and securing business. When it comes time to speak with specifiers, end-users, and General Contractors, how well you understand the technology definitely plays a role in securing new business. To learn more about Lumight and LED lighting products visit our website at https://Lumight.com or connect with us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/Lumight-LLC-1950448561847686/ https://twitter.com/LumightSocial

1. Electrical Contractor's Guide to
LED Lighting
Lumight.com
The Contractors Guide to LED
Lighting part 2

2. • As discussed in part 1 of this guide to LED Lighting, having a
full understanding of the terms used in today’s lighting is
very important to electrical contractors. It will help you in
the selection of product, buying LED fixtures, and securing
business. When it comes time to speak with specifiers, end-
users, and General Contractors, how well you understand
the technology definitely plays a role in securing new
business.
• When you can make suggestions to improve the quality of
the job or reduce the cost, this will always make your firm a
top contender when it comes to bid time. It all comes down
to fully understanding the terms – and what they mean
today. Some of the meanings have definitely changed over
the last 5-10 years.

3. Learn LED Terms and Specifications
• Lumen – A lumen is a unit measuring the amount of visible
light emitted by a light source.
• Lux – A lux is a unit measuring luminance in an area; one lux is
equal to one lumen per square meter of space.
• Lumens Per Watt (LPW) – The LPW of a light source measures
how efficiently the source creates light given the amount of
wattage provided. In other words, the LPW measures how
many lumens are created for every watt consumed.

4. • Footcandle – A footcandle is a unit of luminance used widely
in the United States. One footcandle is equal to one lumen
per square foot, or about 10 lux (lumens/square meter).
• LED Wattage – The amount of power drawn solely by the
LEDs. LEDs are more energy efficient than traditional light
sources and require a lower wattage to produce the same
amount of lumens.
• System Wattage – The system wattage refers to the wattage
drawn by the entire fixture, including the LEDs and any
drivers/transformers that are part of the fixture.

5. • Color Temperature – The color of light generated.
• CCT (correlated color temperature) – The correlated color
temperature is the measurement of a light's relative coolness
(blues) or warmth (yellows). A light source's CCT refers to the
temperature (in degrees Kelvin, or 'K') that a blackbody would
have to be to radiate light of the same hue, or color. Imagine a
piece of metal thrown into your campfire—as it gets hotter, it
glows different colors. This is a rough approximation of how
CCT works.
• Blackbody – A blackbody is a theoretical or ideal object that
absorbs all electromagnetic radiation (EMR), thus appearing
black in color. As the blackbody heats up, it glows different
colors.

6. • CRI (Color Rendering Index) – CRI refers to the ability of a
lamp to accurately reproduce the colors of an object as they
would appear in noontime sunlight. It's measured on a scale
from 1 to 100, where 100 is the sunlight—the higher the
number, the better the light source renders colors.
• Rated Life – The rated life of an LED is the average amount of
time it takes for the lamp to generate 30% less light than it did
originally.
• DLC – DesignLights Consortium. DLC is a regional non-profit
with the intention of promoting energy efficiency. It publishes
the Qualified Products List (QPL) which lists certified product
information, including verified tested performance and rated
performance information.

7. • LM-79 – The LM-79 is a benchmark that shows consumers the
advantages of a LED fixtures/systems over other lighting
options. It measures an entire fixture's performance including
its total luminous flux, luminous intensity distribution,
electrical power, efficacy (lumens per watt delivered), and
color characteristics (chromaticity, CCT, and CRI).
• LM-80 – As LEDs have no filament to burn out, they reach the
end of their life span differently than incandescent, slowly
losing light quality until becoming unusable. The LM-80
measures an LED emitter's rate of lumen depreciation and
other general characteristics (only the emitter is measured,
not the fixture).

8. • Theoretical Life – While an LED's usable or rated life is
measured by how quickly it loses 30% of its luminosity, it will
rarely “die” and continues to produce some light almost
indefinitely. The theoretical life of properly maintained LEDs
with good thermal management can be as high as ~350,000
hours.
• Thermal Management – LEDs are more efficient than
traditional lamps, but to maintain their efficiency, long life,
and color temperature, they must be kept cool with good
thermal management. Many techniques (like utilizing heat
sinks or thermally conductive adhesives) exist to help wick the
heat away from the LED emitter.

9. • Driver – LEDs require a specific current at a specific voltage to
operate correctly; a driver is an electrical device which
maintains this. Typically, LEDs require DC and drivers also
provide the function of rectifying AC current into DC current.
• Emitter – An LED's emitter is, as one would expect, the part
that emits light. It is the “LED” only. In contrast to previous
forms of lighting, the LED emitter is not a bulb containing a
filament or gas, but a semiconductor diode.

10. • Dimming – LEDs can be dimmable light sources when paired
with an appropriate dimming driver. This is important to keep
in mind considering the increasing importance placed on
energy efficiency and “smart” controls.
• RGB – Some LEDs can change colors and are typically referred
to as RGB LEDs. The RGB model of color uses combinations
(and dimming) of Red, Green, and Blue light to create a wide
array (including white and 16 million+ others) of hues.
For more information on visit Lumight.com for all of your LED
needs.