FAQ

No - Dimmers are designed with a minimum load requirement, hence when a sensor turns off the light, the load detected by the dimmer will be insufficient to maintain the control.

This event is not a safety issue and typically occurs when the LED Strip load falls below the threshold of the driver design limit, which will result in a minor capacitive discharge in the form of the LED strip momentarily "blinking" or "flickering" when the power is turned off. When cutting LED strips KITS, it is always important to calculate the remaining LED load to reconfirm its compatibility with the existing driver, as driver changes may be required with moderate reduction in loads, 

As there is no global performance standard for dimming devices (other than safety and EMC) it is important to consulate with your supplier the compatibility of the devices you propose to install. Minimum loads and dimming performance limits are critical ratings that must be considered when using such devices.

Simple answer is NO. Although documented as “hours” Lumen maintenance with LED products is calculated through the combination of LM79, LM80 and TM21 reporting methodologies and reflects as a guide “useful” time duration of the light source. Rated life on the other-hand (when stated) denotes the rated average LED failures over a given time, shown typically shown as rated survival hours.

Humidity can play havoc with electronic circuits (more commonly known in light as LED’s) This data can be found on SAL installation sheets and should be considered before installation of equipment.

IP (or Ingress and Protection) are an international standard reference which defines how well an electrical product seals itself against the intrusion of foreign bodies and moisture. The first digit I stands for intrusion of a solid object and the second digit P stands for the protection against moisture. In brief the higher the rating the more secure the product is against these elements.

As a guide IP20 is suitable for basic interior spaces eg: office areas, where IP55 and above would be suitable for exterior equipment such as floodlights.

For more information please refer to AS 60529. 
 

For the digital LED world L70 is simply a measure of time that the light source will be reduced to 70% of its original (or initial) output. You will also see documented L90, which represents the measure of time where the product is reduced to 90% of its original (or initial output).

In street terms LM79 is a set of methodologies for laboratory testing of solid state luminaires, which will result in CCT, CRI, system power, luminous flux and distribution being reported.

In street terms LM80 is the test method for measuring lumen maintenance for a LED light source at the actual component level ie the LED.

(thermal ambient) is the recommended maximum environmental thermal limit for the safe continued operation of an electrical device. The ta rating can be found on the rating label and installation sheet, which is located on the relevant product web page. Typically, you will find ta ratings of 25 degree C for Interior products, where ta ratings of up to 50 degree C can be found for exterior products. Operating products beyond their designed ta limit is not recommended as it will stress the product components beyond their rated limits, resulting in reduced product performance or premature failure.

In street terms TM21 is a method to extrapolate the LM80 lumen maintenance data beyond the actual test duration and determine a projection of lumen maintenance as referenced by L70 or L90 (70% or 90% of the initial light source output).

An IK rating of a lighting product is covered by EN 62262 and is a measure of the impact resistance of a product. In brief the test process measures a products mechanical impact (impact energy joules) limits against a known mass and varied distances. As a guide the higher the IK rating (limit 10) the higher the products ability to withstand impact force.

High IK rated products (IK10) would be seen used in environments such as vandal prone installations, prisons as a guide.
 

Earth leakage current is an important electrical safety measurement and care should be considered when calculating earth leakage values. This data can be found on SAL Commercial installation sheets or for more details on the calculating method go to AS/NZ 60598.1.2013 table 10.3.

Like traditional HID circuits, LED despite the smaller electrical loads has its own limits when it comes to in-rush currents, which must be considered with all electrical circuits. This data can be found on SAL Commercial installation sheets.

(CRI) in street talk is a measure of how an illuminated object appears to the eye.  As a guide the higher the CRI rating >85, the closer the illuminated object is when compared to standardized daylight. Typical CRI value available are: CRI70 for outdoor recreational sports, CRI80 for interior task areas, >CRI90 clinical observation tasks.

Si (k) denotes the colour temperature of a light source referenced against a black body radiator.

In street terms colour temperature is how warm or cool you see the light source.

eg : warm colours are typically 2700-3000k, which would generally be used in residential interior spaces.

cool colours are typically around 4000k, which would generally be used in office interior spaces.

cold colours (daylight) are typically 5000-6000k, which would generally be used in exterior spaces.

Lumen (lumen lm) is the total light out of a light source measured as (initial lumens) representing the base or NEW lamp source lumens. (Rated lumens) is then measured after 100 hours usage for traditional lamp sources and LED sources are represented by L70 or L90 ratings.

 

Lux (lx) is the unit measure for how much luminous flux (lumens lm), which in street terms is LIGHT falling on a given surface. Lux can be accurately measured by a calibrated Light meter