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Lighting Design for Low Light Levels

2014-05-03 2:21:00 AM

Studies on nighttime visibility demonstrate experimentally that the sensitivity of the human eye to different colors of light at various light levels determines the true, or effective, lumen output of a lamp. Recent research shows that the color output of the light source has a significant effect on nighttime visibility, which is important because road accidents occur mostly at night. Also, it is well known that the eye responds to color depending upon the amount of light availab

le.


Photopic, Scotopic And Mesopic Conditions
Lumens are the standard measure of light output, but light is actually defined as energy evaluated by the eye. Standard lumen measurements define the light output response of a person only during high light levels (called photopic light), typical of daylight and interior lighting. The light meter measures photopic light as seen by the central region of the eye.

When light levels are very low, like starlight, the viewing conditions are referred to as "scotopic." Under these conditions, the eye’s visual response changes dramatically. Sensitivity to yellow and red light is greatly reduced, while response to blue light is vastly increased. If lamp lumens under scotopic viewing conditions have been determined using photopic measurements, the lumen value does not accurately measure the true amount of light production as perceived by the human eye.

The eye response does not shift suddenly from high light levels to low light levels. A gradual change occurs as light levels are reduced in twilight and typical street lighting conditions. This is the "mesopic" condition in which the eye’s response lies somewhere between photopic and scotopic.

Rods And Cones
The change in the eye’s spectral response is due to the presence of two types of light receivers in the retina, called rods and cones. Rods are responsible for human vision at low light levels and are located in the peripheral field of view. Conversely, only objects viewed directly by the eye are seen by the cones. Rods are sensitive to scotopic light; cones react to photopic light. Therefore, as the light level is reduced, cones become less active and rods become more active. 

Eye Color Sensitivity And Lumens
The value of a lamp’s lumen output is different when considering the shifting color sensitivity of the eye at low light levels. The effective lumens will be different from the measured photopic lumens. As light diminishes from photopic to scotopic conditions, the effective lumens of yellow HPS light sources are reduced and the effective lumens of white light with blue/green content increases. 

This effect is dramatic for low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps. Almost all energy output from this lighting system is yellow, resulting in high photopic lumen output. At low light levels, the effectiveness of LPS lamps is drastically reduced.

 

 

Metal Halide Lamps For Low Light Levels
A typical metal halide lamp has strong light output in the blue, green and yellow areas, resulting in high lumen output at all light levels. The blue light output of metal halide is in the high sensitivity region of the eye for low light levels. This means that the effective lumens actually increase for a metal halide lamp as the light level reduces and the eye shifts to a blue/green peak sensitivity.
 

The ability to detect fine contrast is also significantly better under metal halide sources than sodium. Reaction time under LPS and HPS lighting is roughly 50% longer than for metal halide. Therefore, the color output of a light source has an important influence on safety. Studies have shown that metal halide lighting, in some circumstances, can be up to six times as effective as HPS. This can make a difference in peripheral viewing and dark areas where hidden hazards may be present.

Posted in Bulbs & Tubes By Bob

Proper Use of Metal Halide Lamps

2014-05-03 2:21:00 AM

Proper Use of Metal Halide Lamps
It is imperative that users adhere to specified luminaire and lamp operating positions and requirements. The operation of lamps in positions other than those specified can result in severe reductions in lamp performance, including lamp life, light output and color. Incorrect operating positions can also create the possibility of an early failure.

 

Refer to each lamp’s technical data specification sheet to determine correct operating position and luminaire requirements. Also, refer to the diagram in this section to determine allowable operating positions.

Correct Operation and Warnings For High Intensity Discharge Lamps:
High intensity discharge (HID) lamps require auxiliary equipment (ballasts, capacitors, ignitors or power supplies) to provide the correct electrical values for starting and operating. This auxiliary equipment must meet all electrical specifications outlined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Venture Lighting International will not be responsible for poor performance, personal injury, property damage, burns or fire from lamps operating on unapproved auxiliary equipment or from lamps being operated in a manner inconsistent with their design.

Power should always be turned off and preferably locked out in accordance with OSHA guidelines whenever installation, removal or maintenance is performed on lighting systems. Safety glasses and gloves should be used when installing or removing HID lamps. Lamps should be installed firmly into appropriate lamp sockets, without over tightening, to avoid loosening from vibration.

HID lamps and their arc tubes operate at extremely high temperatures and may shatter as a result of misapplication, system failure or other factors. Scratches on the outer bulb, direct contact with water or excessive installation pressure can also cause the lamps to break. Breakage may release extremely hot glass and lamp parts into the surrounding environment and raise the risk of fire, personal injury or property damage. Injury may also be caused by ultraviolet energy from an unjacketed HID lamp. If the outer jacket should break, immediately turn the power off. Do not remove a lamp until it has completely cooled; then replace it with a new Venture® lamp. In areas susceptible to contamination by flying glass, where flammable materials are present or where there is a possibility of personal injury, users should seek additional protective measures by using open fixture (O-rated) lamps and enclosed luminaires.

 

Federal Compliance - Metal Halide
Venture® lamps comply with USA Federal Standard 21 CFR 1040.30 and Canada Standard SOR/80-381.

"WARNING: This lamp can cause serious skin burn and eye inflammation from shortwave ultraviolet radiation if outer envelope of the lamp is broken or punctured and the arc tube continues to operate. Do not use where people will remain for more than a few minutes unless adequate shielding or other safety precautions are used. Lamps that will automatically extinguish when the outer envelope is broken or punctured are commercially available."

Careful adherence to the precautions mentioned above may not eliminate all possible risks associated with the use of metal halide lamps, but will reduce the likelihood of personal injury or property damage.

End-of-Life and Reduction of Risk
At end-of-life, the vast majority of metal halide lamps will fail simply by not reigniting. On rare occasions, metal halide lamps may fail in a violent manner. The possibility of this failure is significantly reduced by group relamping at or before the rated end of life. (see Group Relamping) In any application where lamps are operated continuously (24 hrs/day, seven days/week), the lamps should always be turned off for a period of at least 15 minutes once a week, a precaution that can reduce the possibility of violent failures. This procedure is not required when Venture’s open rated, shrouded lamps are used. These lamps are easily identified by the "MP" or "MPI" in the order code.

 

Starting and Restarting Characteristics
Probe start metal halide lamps will start at an ambient temperature of -30°C (-22°F) or higher. Full light output does not occur immediately when power is applied to any metal halide lamp; there is a time delay of at least two to four minutes after starting before lamps reach full light output. After lamps have started, a power interruption of 1/4 cycle (1/240th of a second) or more may cause the lamps to extinguish. Several minutes are required before an arc can be re-established by the ballast and full light output achieved. The exact time is dependent on a number of factors including lamp wattage, ballast and ignitor characteristics, ambient temperature, fixture dimensions and supply voltage. The time needed to establish full light output can be as short as three minutes and as long as 15 to 20 minutes. In general, pulse start technology dramatically decreases the time for hot restart. Venture’s exclusive Uni-Form pulse start formed body arc tube provides warm-up and hot restrike in up to 60% less time and allows better starting, even down to -40°C (-40°F).

 


Posted in Bulbs & Tubes By Bob

Lamp Life
Lamp life is an important consideration when purchasing a new, retrofit or replacement lamp. Two very different and distinct terms describe life: "rated life" and "economic life."

Rated Life

Rated, or average (median), life for metal halide lamps is a value of lamp life expectancy based on laboratory and field tests of representative lamps, operating on approved ballasts, with a burn cycle of at least 10 hours per start. The average life is determined when 50% of traditional metal halide lamps initially installed are still operating.

Various operating conditions affect lamp life. One key factor is operating position. Position-oriented lamps (designed to operate in one specific position) are tested and rated based on that designated position. Operating these lamps in any other positions can dramatically shorten life, reduce lumen output and cause color shift. Lamps designated universal can be operated in any position. However, life expectancy and lumen output are sacrificed in certain positions. Published "rated life" for universal lamps is based on operation in the vertical position. "Rated life" for universal lamps operated horizontally is 75% of the published rating.

Economic Life

Economic life refers to the hours of operation during which a lamp is designed to provide optimum light output and color quality as well as lowest replacement cost. Economic life describes actual lamp life better than rated life because rated life does not account for the lumen depreciation and color shift that occur as lamps age. The economic life of lamps is generally 60% to 75% of the lamp rated life. Though economic life is important when considering a lighting system, lamp data tables show rated life because they provide a comparison with other lamp manufacturers’ ratings.

Posted in Bulbs & Tubes By Bob

LED Lamp

2014-05-03 2:21:00 AM

An LED lamp is a light-emitting diode (LED) product that is assembled into a lamp (or light bulb) for use in lighting fixtures. LED lamps have a lifespan and electrical efficiency that is several times better than incandescent lamps, and significantly better than most fluorescent lamps, with some chips able to emit more than 100 lumens per watt. The LED lamp market is projected to grow more than 12-fold over the next decade, from $2 billion today to $25 billion in 2023, which is a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%.[1]

Like incandescent lamps and unlike most fluorescent lamps (e.g. tubes and CFL), LED lights come to full brightness without need for a warm-up time; the life of fluorescent lighting is also reduced by frequent switching on and off.[citation needed] Initial cost of LED is usually higher. Degradation of LED dye and packaging materials reduces light output to some extent over time.

With research into organic LEDs (OLED) and polymer LEDs (PLED), cost per lumen and output per device have been improving rapidly according to what has been called Haitz's law, analogous to Moore's law for semiconductor devices.[citation needed]

Some LED lamps are made to be a directly compatible drop-in replacement for incandescent or fluorescent lamps. An LED lamp packaging may show the lumen output, power consumption in watts, color temperature in kelvins or description (e.g. "warm white") and sometimes the equivalent wattage of an incandescent lamp of similar luminous output.

LEDs do not emit light in all directions, and their directional characteristics affect the design of lamps. The light output of single LEDs is less than that of incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps; in most applications multiple LEDs are used to form a lamp, although high-power versions (see below) are becoming available.

LED chips need controlled direct current (DC) electrical power; an appropriate power supply is needed. LEDs are adversely affected by high temperature, so LED lamps typically include heat dissipation elements such as heat sinks and cooling fins.

* Above documents are from Wikipedia, if you like to get more details, please click here.

Posted in LED Lighting By Bob

NEVER IGNORE THE SOUND OF A SMOKE ALARM. If the smoke alarm is sounding its alarm, there is a reason. You and your family must be able to escape quickly and safely. Here are several steps your family can learn and rehearse for an emergency:

1. Have an escape plan. Discuss and practice your escape plans. Know two exits from any room in the house.

2. Feel if the door is hot. Always feel the door to see if it is hot before opening It to escape. If the doorknob or door is hot, do not use that exit. Use your alternate exit to escape.

3. Crawl on the floor. Smoke from a fire rises and so does the temperature. If you crawl on the floor there will be less smoke and the heat from the fire will be less severe.

4. Meet at a prearranged spot outside the home. If you clearly show where everyone is supposed to meet outside the home when there is a fire, it will be easier to know who is safe.

5. Call the fire department from a neighbor's home. Be prepared to give your full name and address to the operator at the other end of the line. Stay on the line until the operator has all of the information needed.

6. Never go inside a burning building. Never return inside the house for any reason. The firefighters will be there soon.

If you follow these basic fire safety tips, you will increase your family's chances for survival in a fire.

Posted in Safety Products By Tom

LED Lamp

2014-05-02 1:13:00 AM

An LED lamp is a light-emitting diode (LED) product that is assembled into a lamp (or light bulb) for use in lighting fixtures. LED lamps have a lifespan and electrical efficiency that is several times better than incandescent lamps, and significantly better than most fluorescent lamps, with some chips able to emit more than 100 lumens per watt. The LED lamp market is projected to grow more than 12-fold over the next decade, from $2 billion today to $25 billion in 2023, which is a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%.[1]

Like incandescent lamps and unlike most fluorescent lamps (e.g. tubes and CFL), LED lights come to full brightness without need for a warm-up time; the life of fluorescent lighting is also reduced by frequent switching on and off.[citation needed] Initial cost of LED is usually higher. Degradation of LED dye and packaging materials reduces light output to some extent over time.

With research into organic LEDs (OLED) and polymer LEDs (PLED), cost per lumen and output per device have been improving rapidly according to what has been called Haitz's law, analogous to Moore's law for semiconductor devices.[citation needed]

Some LED lamps are made to be a directly compatible drop-in replacement for incandescent or fluorescent lamps. An LED lamp packaging may show the lumen output, power consumption in watts, color temperature in kelvins or description (e.g. "warm white") and sometimes the equivalent wattage of an incandescent lamp of similar luminous output.

LEDs do not emit light in all directions, and their directional characteristics affect the design of lamps. The light output of single LEDs is less than that of incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps; in most applications multiple LEDs are used to form a lamp, although high-power versions (see below) are becoming available.

LED chips need controlled direct current (DC) electrical power; an appropriate power supply is needed. LEDs are adversely affected by high temperature, so LED lamps typically include heat dissipation elements such as heat sinks and cooling fins.

* Above documents are from Wikipedia, if you like to get more details, please click here.

Posted in Bulbs & Tubes By Bob

CO can be produced by the combustion that occurs from fossil fuel burning appliances like a furnace, clothes dryer, range, oven, water heater, or space heater. When appliances and vents work properly, and there is enough fresh air in your home to allow complete combustion, the trace amounts of CO produced are typically not dangerous. And normally, CO is safely vented outside your home.

Problems may arise when something goes wrong. An appliance can malfunction, a furnace heat exchanger can crack, vents can clog, or debris may block a chimney or flue. Fireplaces, wood burning stoves, gas heaters, charcoal grills, or gas logs can produce unsafe levels of CO if they are unvented or not properly vented. Exhaust can seep into the home from vehicles left running in an attached garage. All these things can cause a CO problem in the home.

Posted in Safety Products By Luke

What is carbon monoxide?

2014-05-01 9:06:00 PM

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas. It is a common by-product of incomplete combustion, produced when fossil fuels (like oil, gas or coal) burn. Because you can't see, taste or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there. Exposure to lower levels over time can make you sick.

Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous?

Carbon Monoxide robs you of what you need most: oxygen, which is carried to your cells and tissue by the hemoglobin in your blood. If you inhale CO, it quickly bonds with hemoglobin and displaces oxygen. This produces a toxic compound in your blood called carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Carboxyhemoglobin produces flu-like symptoms, for example: headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, confusion, and irritability. Since symptoms are similar to the flu, carbon monoxide poisoning can be misdiagnosed. As levels of COHb rise, victims suffer vomiting, loss of consciousness, and eventually brain damage or death.

Who is at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning?

Everyone is at risk because everyone needs oxygen to survive. Medical experts believe some people maybe more vulnerable to CO poisoning: unborn babies, infants, children, seniors, and people with heart and lung problems due to higher metabolic rates.

Posted in Safety Products By Luke

How can I help protect against carbon monoxide poisoning?

Early warning is important: Install one or more alarms The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home have at least one carbon monoxide alarm with an audible warning signal installed near the sleeping area. Choose a CO alarm that is tested and listed by a Nationally Accredited Lab such as ETL or UL.

Have your appliances checked regularly. Have a qualified appliance technician check all fossil fuel burning appliances, venting and chimney systems at least once a year, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Where should I look for potential sources of carbon monoxide in the home?

A forced air furnace is frequently the source of leaks and should be carefully inspected by a professional.

• Have a professional measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the flue gases.

Have a professional do the following:

• Check furnace connections to the flue pipes and venting systems.

• Check furnace filters and filtering systems.

• Check forced air fans for proper installation and to assure correct air flow of flue gases.

• Check the combustion chamber and internal heat exchanger for cracks, holes, corrosion or dirt/debris.

• Check burners and ignition systems and pilot lights.

• Check fireplaces for closed, blocked or bent flues, soot and debris.

• Check all venting systems to the outside of your home. This includes checking flues and chimneys for cracks, corrosion, holes, debris or blockage. Animals and birds can build nests in chimneys, preventing gases from escaping. Vibrations can shake vent pipes loose from gas dryers or water heaters, preventing CO from being vented properly outside.

• Check all other appliances in the home that use fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene. Appliances include water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges, gas heaters, ovens or cooktops, wood-burning stoves, gas refrigerators or alternative power sources such as generators.

• Be sure space heaters are vented properly. Unvented space heaters that use a fossil fuel such as kerosene or propane can release carbon monoxide into the home.

• Barbecue grills should never be operated indoors under any circumstances.

• Stove tops or ovens that operate on fossil fuels should never be used to heat a residence.

• Check the clothes dryer vent opening. Lint may block proper venting outside the house

.

Posted in Safety Products By Luke

Never ignore an alarm! It is very possible that you won't be experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning when the alarm sounds. That doesn't mean there is no carbon monoxide present. The alarm is designed to go off before may you feel sick, so you have time to react and take action.

Don't panic. Press the Mute Button to temporarily quiet the alarm, then call 911 or the Fire Department. Immediately move everyone to a source of fresh air. Moving outside is the safest solution.

Leave the CO alarm where it is (The emergency responders will want to check it when they arrive). Do not re-enter your home until the emergency responder has arrived, your home is aired out, and your CO alarm returns to normal operation.

Have the problem corrected as soon as possible. Keep your home well ventilated until the problem has been fixed.

In some cases, problems can occur even if all appliances are working properly:

• If appliances, flues and chimneys are confirmed to be in good working order, the source of carbon monoxide may be from backdrafting. This condition exists primarily in newer, more energy efficient, "airtight" homes. Flue gases normally vent to the outside through flues and chimneys. As temperatures drop at night, air pressure inside an airtight home may become lower than outside, causing flue gases that normally exit the house to turn around and flow back down the pipes.

• Inadequate air supply in a room where two or more combustion-driven appliances share the same air source, such as a water heater and furnace in a utility closet, can create a more complicated form of backdrafting called reverse stacking. This occurs when one appliance turns on, such as the furnace, and is unable to get adequate fresh air. When the furnace operates, it draws contaminated air from the water heater exhaust, and spreads polluted air throughout the house.

• A broken thermostat can keep the furnace running continuously, depleting the oxygen supply inside the house. This may lead to backdrafting.

• In multiple family dwellings like apartments or townhouses, where living spaces share walls and pipes, carbon monoxide from one unit may go into a neighboring space through floorboards, cracks, or underneath doors.

Posted in Safety Products By Bob
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