Induction Lighting

Although induction lighting systems come in different shapes and sizes, the operating principles are essentially the same. They all include a ballast, a power coupling and a glass lamp housing which is called the discharge bulb.

The principle of INDUCTION was introduced to the world by the scientist Nicola TESLA in the
1800’s. TESLA once lit 200 lamps without wires from 25 miles away.
Induction lights are similar to fluorescent lights in that they use gasses, which once ‘excited’, react with the phosphor that coats the tubes to produce white light. Fluorescent lamps use electrodes to ‘excite’ the gasses inside of the tube. These electrodes degrade with time, eventually causing the light to fail. Unlike fluorescent lamps, Induction Lamps do not use electrodes but instead uses the principle of INDUCTION (the transmission of energy by way of magnetic field). Think of it as wireless lighting.

Characteristics of Induction Lighting
• Long Life - 100,000 hours
• Color rendering – 85 CRI
• Color Temperature – 2,700K-6,500K
• Energy Efficient – 85+ Lumens per Watt
• Lumen maintenance - 70% of its light output at 100,000 hours
• Maintenance costs – go 10 years with out a change out
• Instant on Capability – Can be used with photocell or motion sensor
• High Output – 70W to 400W
• No flickering, No Strobing, No Noise

Benefits of Induction Lighting

Energy Savings
In today's market, energy cost savings are probably the number one reason for business owners and facility managers to consider upgrading from inefficient HID type lighting. High intensity discharge fixtures were the fixtures of choice for more than 30 years and still continue to be installed in new construction because architects, specifiers, and end users have either not been aware of the long term costs associated with metal halide fixtures or simply did not care by focusing only on the initial fixture costs.

Maintenance Savings
In the long term, induction lamps and ballasts on average will outlast HID's by at least 400% and are
considerably cheaper to replace. One large drawback of HID systems is that they must be turned off to replace the bulb resulting in maintenance having to work after hours or alternatively shut down a whole circuit of lighting to simply replace a bulb. Fluorescent bulbs are often replaced with the power still on and there is no waiting for the fixtures to restart due to the instant re-strike.

mproved Lumen Maintenance
The Achilles heel of HID lighting is its poor lumen maintenance. The amount of light output produced by an HID lamp decreases dramatically with age. Standard metal halide lamps lose on average 55% of their lumen output by the time they reach their "rated lamp life". It is not uncommon to find HID lamps still operating well beyond their rated life producing only 15-25% of their original lumens. The newer style pulse-start lamps fair a little better by retaining around 57% of their lumens at end of lamp life. Regardless of how dim the HID lamps get over time they will still use the same amount of electricity as when they were new. If a building owner were to request a set level of light at the work plane he will only get that light level for the first few thousand hours of operation, after which time the facility will be perpetually under lit, and usually the lamp depreciation will go unnoticed until long after the lighting contractor is gone. Compare this lumen loss to induction lighting that retain up to 75% of their light output over their rated life of 100,000 hours.

Improved Lighting Quality
Workplace lighting is the least expensive and most important component influencing work place performance. This fact has been documented in numerous studies conducted by colleges and universities, private industry and federal governments around the globe. Numerous case histories illustrate dramatic increases in worker productivity when lighting is improved and equally dramatic worker productivity drop offs when lighting is downgraded. High workplace productivity is essential for the survival of just about every business and leads to an increased competitive edge and long term financial stability for the firm involved. Induction fixtures and lamps feature the highest color rendering of any fixture on the market with a natural 5,000 Kelvin color temperature. Induction Lights with their enhanced scotopic qualities have been shown to increase contrast recognition leading to lower error rates, increased safety and improved energy levels in a work environment.

Instant Re-Strike
All HID bulbs when shut off must cool in order to be restarted. This time is typically a minimum of 10-15 minutes making it difficult, if not impossible, to use occupancy sensors or even simply change a burnt out bulb quickly.  Induction fixtures offer instant re-striking with no waiting for the lamps to re-start and can easily accommodate occupancy or daylight sensors.

Reduced UV Emissions and Fire Risks
All HID bulbs produce a considerable amount of UV-A and some UV-B. The higher mounting heights help to mitigate its effects but UV emissions are still striking the surface of objects and employees. There have been instances where a cracked bulb has resulted in UV emissions great enough to sunburn large quantities of people at sporting events. HID arc tube ruptures have been known to cause fires in warehouses and industrial applications. The National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA) recommends that HID lights be switched off for 15-minute periods because the periodic cycling of the lamp, and the subsequent cooling and heating of the arc tube, allows for cracks to propagate while the internal arc tube pressure is low preventing a violent failure and fire (the bulb will burst during start up). In addition NEMA advise customers not to store flammable, combustible, or oxidizing materials beneath any HID luminaries.