led vs fluorescent lamps

LED vs. Fluorescent

An IP UtiliNET Energy Services White Paper Current generation lighting solutions are based on 200 year old technology that was invented to simulate a flame and are known to be as much as 80% inefficient. Until recently, the lighting industry has offered incremental choice while expanding the use of dangerous Mercury in major lighting technologies. This paper helps the reader to make an informed decision when considering Tubular LED Lamps.

The ROI Advantage

Reader ROI – Learn about:

A. Fluorescent as compared to LED Tube Lamps B. Energy and Environmental benefits of LED Tube Lamps C. The Long Term sustainable benefits of LED Tube Lamps D. Significant Fluorescent Price Increases – 2010/11

©2012 IP UtiliNET, LLC – All Rights Reserved 2

Executive Summary

Overview

The lighting industry and the people that it serves are undergoing disruptive change. The

technology that is leading this change is Solid State or Light Emitting Diode (LED)

technology. Beginning with the invention of the ARC lamp in 1809, there have been

three major inventions that have impacted the lighting systems that are in use today;

Platinum Filament/1820, Mercury Vapour/1901, and Tungsten Filament/1906.

Fluorescent lamps were patented in 1927 as a derivative of the 1906 invention of

Mercury Vapour lamps. From 1906 and through today, there has been an explosion of

lamp, fixture, and control systems that are based on these original inventions. Due to the

maturity of these systems, the light is effective and in most cases balanced.

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.

~James Thurber

The first silicon based LED or luminescent silicon was observed in 1907. It was not

commercialized until 1961 and was not commercially viable until 1962. Since then, as

with all technology innovations, adaptation has led to the expansion of technology.

Today, there are hundreds of emerging LED lamps, fixture options, dynamic and fixed

colour choices, and control systems that exceed much of the functional capability of 100

plus year old incandescent and mercury-vapour based technology. A new era of lighting

science is now a daily reality.

This paper focuses the reader on Fluorescent Tube Type or what are more commonly

recognized TX type lamps and presents a comparison for LED migration. This paper

also introduces the IP UtiliNET naming convention. We find this helpful when comparing

the T-Type Fluorescent, T-Type LED lamps, Fixtures, Power type, and control systems

many of which are evolving or not yet invented.

With the advent of LED lamp technologies, business leaders and consumers have a

critical opportunity and an environmental responsibility to make an informed decision

regarding the use of current and next generation LED lighting technology. This paper

discards fluff and industry bias so that an informed decision can be made.

Are LED Lamps Expensive? An investment of $30.00 that returns $221.00 is a 635% RETURN ON INVESTMENT or a 90% per year return.


Fluorescent Lamp 1927

Business Challenge – Fluorescent or LED?

Fluorescent Tube lamps, a type of Mercury Vapour lamp, are the

typical choice for industrial and commercial facility lighting solutions.

These lamps have improved incrementally with the latest innovation,

T5 coming to market in 1995. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury

atoms that must be ionized or “started” before they will produce light.

The starting ionization comes from an electrical arc which can be in the

thousands of volts and is produced by various types of starter or

ballast technologies.

Fluorescent lighting solutions have three main parts. They are the

Tube, the Fixture, and the Ballast. In this paper, we are contrasting

traditional fluorescent technology to LED and find that our customers

are confused by industry language so let’s clear that up;

The table below provides lamp information. For clarity, let’s first define “TX” technology

in terms of the original code and intended use. The letter T designates “Tubular” and the

following numeric character - X - indicates the diameter of a tube in eighths of an inch.

Efficiency and Cost are separate factors to consider and are part of lamp evaluation.

LAMP Thickness Efficiency Cost

T12 1 ½ inch thick or 12/8 of an inch in diameter

Least Efficient

Lowest Lamp, Ballast, and Fixture Cost

$1.25 to $2.00 per lamp

$1.63 Average cost

T8 1 inch thick or 8/8 of an inch in diameter

Better efficiency

40% as compared to T12 cost increases by 46%

$1.75 to $2.50 per lamp

$3.00 Avg / 46% over T12

T5

Requires dedicated lamp fixture and ballast

proprietary

5/8 inch thick or 12/8 of an inch in diameter

Highest efficiency

51% as compared to T12 Cost increases by 80%

$5.50 to $10.50 per lamp

$8.00 Avg / 80% over T12


The second factor to consider are fixtures (or troffers). A “TX” lamp gives off light in a

360 degree radius. This means that up to half of the light generated is reflected from the

fixture and is lost as heat versus used to efficiently light the space. When a lamp is

further away from a reflector, as is the case with T5, it will disperse light and reflect less

which leads to lower lighting values. This is one of the reasons that T5 lamps require

new fixtures. Fixtures are painted white due to the need to reflect light. Thus, various

manufacturers will offer lamps and troffers in various

wattages often matched to the actual lamp type.

If lamps and fixtures were not confusing enough, the

industry has added various innovations in starting and

current limiting technology as shown by the drawing to the

left and below right.

The original starter was improved upon by a Semi-Resonant

Starter. A semi-resonant starter uses a double wound transformer to heat the Tube

electrodes via a capacitor. The capacitor is used to heat the powered end of the

fluorescent lamps which in turn excites the trapped gas in the

glass tube. This produces light in 3-5 seconds. This

technology is most often used in 5 ft. and longer tubes on 240

V power. They are generally incompatible with “better

efficiency” T8 tubes, because T8s actually have a higher

starting voltage than T12 and will not dependably start in low

temperatures. T12’s using semi-resonant starters are being

phased out in many countries.

Electronic Ballasts, the most common in US systems use an oscillator instead of a

starter or SRS and capacitor circuit. Ballast will adjust the main voltage AC to high

frequency AC while providing smooth current flow to the lamp, effectively regulating the

voltage for longer life. The T5 lamp uses a specially tuned ballast and lamp connectors

that render the fixture useless for anything but T5 lamps. Starters, Semi-Resonant

Starters, and Ballasts produce heat, require excess energy, and require periodic

replacement while adding another level of cost and confusion to lighting technology.


Current Generation LED Tube Lamps

LED tube lamps are disruptive to any of the existing fluorescent

technologies in the market today. The technology was first observed in

1907 and commercialized in 1962. The technology is well proven with

existing LED’s that were made in the 1970’s and 1980’s with some still

in service today. Current generation LED tube lamps are an effective

replacement for any of the T12 or T8 lamps and do not require a

complete fixture. T5 lamp migrations within the fluorescent family will

require a lamp, a fixture, and ballast. As those components fail, the

business will find itself locked into that and only that technology.

LED lamps reduce the total cost of operations, reduce the cost

of maintenance, reduce plant cooling requirements and

provide a next generation lighting solution that is typically

designed to integrate with current and future renewable energy

technologies.

The table on page 3 reflects a transition cost within the fluorescent

family. A T5 in a perfect environment may have a lifetime of 20,000

hours versus LED which are rated at 50,000 hours or 2.5 Times the life

expectancy of T5 lamps. Since fixture and ballast replacements are

required for T5 the net reality of a T5 decision leads to a scant 8%

improvement difference as compared to a T8 replacement. LED

replacement lamps snap right into T12 and T8 fixtures. When

considering the cost of the T5 lamp and the fact that more lamps are

needed in new fixtures, when T5 replaces either T12 or T8, does it

make sense to spend 50% more for the lamp, plus additional lamps,

plus the short and long term cost of new fixtures and ballast, plus the

added cost of EPA mandated commercial disposal?

LED replacement lamps are left standing when others fail and do not

require a special fixture, do not require ballast technology, and

therefore provide significant reduction in capital costs.


An LED solution will typically eliminate cyclical and expensive light,

light fixture, and cooling upgrades while providing luminosity that

exceeds the existing fluorescent or incandescent lamp solutions.

Environmental Considerations

LEDs offer innovation that leads to environmental consciousness

while providing reduced power consumption and environmentally

beneficial sustainability. LEDs do not use harmful mercury

and can be recycled in any form factor without special

handling and disposal fees. Lamps containing Mercury

require licensed disposal for commercial industries (US

EPA) as well as manifesting (US DOD) when transporting

expired lamps. Even some of the legacy ballasts contain

PCB’s which require additional safety procedures when

handling and disposing. Mercury based lamps come

under strict air quality rules per US EPA. Mercury is

hazardous to humans and when airborne in buildings it

constitutes a risk that causes EPA to recommend

evacuation of people and pets and subjects the business

to very specific handling procedures.

Of the Phosphor used in Fluorescent and Compact Fluorescent lamps, more than half is

derived from rare earths, with multiples up to 5 used to create a “white” light. These rare

earths are mined in China. Due to new tariffs and export quotas prices of rare earths

have shot up as much as 3500% since the first month of 2010. This is resulting in lamp

price increases of 25% to 38% in 2011/12.

You are the Judge and the Jury

LED is a current enabling technology that will render fluorescent lamps obsolete over

time. Whether your view is from an energy savings perspective, a cooling and plant

operations perspective, a maintenance perspective, or an environmental perspective,

the leadership decision leads to LED. LEDs are not fixture dependent, do not require

ballasts, operate at 10-15 degrees above nominal temperature, have extremely long life

times and do not require specialized licensing and handling.


Solution Description

Congratulations, you’re either on the fence or moving forward with a decision. Our All-

Property LED solutions and e-lifecycle services will take you from planning through

execution and disposal. This paper is focused on the business case for Tube lamp

migration so we will spend some time in this section providing further detail. The scope

of work is similar to relamping with the exception of removing the ballast. The work

consists of assessing and documenting current state, removing the existing lamps,

elimination and removal of the ballast from the fixture, replacing the lamps with LED

tubes, and then turning the power back on. We provide disposal on-site or transport to

the recovery facility with EPA certificates of disposal for your mercury based lighting

solution.

IP UtiliNET naming conventions for LED Tube Lamps

Using the industry recognized rules for “TX”

lamps (page 3 of this document) and the known

thickness of our replacement LED lamp - .875

as illustrated in this picture the math provides a

T7 or 7/8 of an inch in size. It is highly likely that in the future other lamps will be

produced in sizes that equate to TX. IP UtiliNET has advanced the naming convention

by adding additional definition. Specifically:

T7s where s denotes Solid State Device (SSD) technology

T7sd where d denotes dimmable

T7s-A denotes AC based SSD lamp technology

T7s-G denotes DC based SSD lamp technology

The G stands for Galvanic Power which is the original name for DC. Operating like a

battery, the power does not fluctuate like AC. LEDs are natively powered by DC and

most of the heat is produced by the electronics that are used to convert AC to DC power.

DC powered LED lamps are expected to add up 35% to 50% more lifetime and remove

additional heat from the lamps. The industry is moving in this direction with wholly new

standards for control systems and emerging technologies.


Today, IP UtiliNET is leading with LED relamping and working with manufacturers and

industry associations to develop the next generation DC based control and distribution

systems.

Some points of light – LED vs. Fluorescent

Fluorescent lamps radiate their light output in equal amounts surrounding the body of the

lamp. This equates to wasted energy when placed in a fixture. While the lamp may

produce sufficient light, the optical efficiency is diluted to 85-90% or a loss of 15% of

generated light plus loss due to heat output from the fixture. LEDs by contrast provide

reduced reflected light and more linear efficiency when converting power to light.

T5 lamps are designed to operate within fairly narrow temperature ranges. At either end

of these ranges, the T5 output will degrade and the bulb will fail. LEDs are the only light

type that increase in efficiency when the temperature drops.

Fluorescent lamps without a phosphorescent coating to convert UV to visible light emit

ultraviolet light. A phosphorescent coating can be added, to produce a UVA, UVB, or

visible light spectrum. All fluorescent tubes that are used for domestic and commercial

lighting are mercury (Hg) UV emission bulbs at heart. LEDs produce no significant

amount of UV radiation.

The latest generations of premium LEDs have been tested to LM-79 specifications and

have proven that they will lose no more than 15% of the lumen output over a 50,000

hour rated lifetime. LEDs also handle on/off cycles better than other lamps such as T5.

An LED is instant on at maximum output while the T5 may take several minutes to get

up to its full operating level.

You are the Designer, Judge, and the Jury

LED technology makes much more sense when considering acquisition, operations,

maintenance, and replacement cost. As with any emerging technology there are

choices. LED is exciting technology that offers wholly new basic replacement capabilities

as well as an emerging range of fixtures, control systems, power choices, and endless

combinations of colors. To be sure, we are living in exciting times and for those

committed to making the journey, we are committed to serving you well.


Solution Benefits

A Migration to LED will provide the best Return on Investment as

compared to any type of Fluorescent.

LED Tube lamps will:

Reduce power consumption in ranges typically close to 78%

Provide a cost reduced migration plan from T12 and T8 without the need for a new fixture.

Dramatically reduce the operating temperature and reduce the effect of lighting on the cooling plant. This reduces power consumption, cost of operations, and cost of maintenance

Move to instant on bulbs, most of which are dimmable

Eliminate the power consuming, heat producing ballasts from the fixtures as these are no longer needed.

Migrate from an expected lifetime (T5) of 20,000 hours to a rated lifetime (LED) of 50, 000 hours.

Eliminate the ballast replacement technology and related labour costs forever

Eliminate as much as 2.5X the labour cost when LED relamping is eventually required

Eliminate the current environmental risk and avoid “Mercury” lamp based EPA and DOD scrutiny and threat of fines

Choose dimmable when required

Choose colours when specified

More useful and tested in harsh environments, unlike T5 lamps

As standards continue to evolve choose to implement DC based fixtures with control systems that lead to “all property”, individual room, and individual fixture controls

Introduce many types of sensors that are just not possible with fluorescent

Fluorescent or LED?

More Choice with LED:

Color Tuning?

AC or DC Power?

Policy Based Controls?

Analytics?


Technical Specifications

For the purpose of this paper, we used Cardinal lighting solutions for T8 and T12

replacements. These lamps can use the same fixtures when replacing with LED.

Cardinal™ Linear Lights

Cardinal Linear lights are high quality replacements of standard fluorescent tubes (T8 and T12) and provide electrical savings of 35% to 50%. Installation is easy, these linear lights use the same terminal connections as fluorescent tubes, and a universal power supply inside the light eliminates the need for ballast. Super High Output surface mount device LEDs are employed to provide 50,000+ hours of lifetime at high-efficacy of >100lms/watt. Exceptional thermal management is achieved with an aluminium core LED PCB which is thermally bonded to the ribbed aluminium heat sink with a ‘D’ channel extrusion. The outer shell is a robust design with a shatterproof polycarbonate lens available in clear, ribbed or frosted. Solid brass, nickel-plated terminal pins are installed in tough polycarbonate end-caps that are fastened with screws to the aluminium core.

Measured Lamp Electrical Values

Measured Lamp Photometric Values

Voltage: 120.0 V Current: 0.174 A Watts: 18.03 W Power Factor: 0.903 Temperature: 25.0 °C

Radiant Flux: 4749 mW Luminous Flux: 1778 Lumens Lamp Efficacy: 98.6 Lumens per Watt CCT: 4154 K CRI (Ra): 81.2 Chromaticity (x): 0.3763 Chromaticity (y): 0.3829 Chromaticity (u'): 0.2200 Chromaticity (v'): 0.5037 Duv: 0.0037


Target Market

IP UtiliNET Energy Services provides LED relamping and custom

lighting services to individual site and campus customers who seek to

reduce acquisition, operations, and maintenance costs. In an era of

budgetary consciousness, our team is focused on solutions that reduce

budgetary consumption.

We are focused on solutions at the campus and individual building

level. With a widening range of Federal, State & Local, and Enterprise

customers we continue to excel through focused services to our

customer base.

Our customers use our factual data and professional evaluations to

make LED migration decisions. Our assessments and

recommendations are property inclusive. In all cases, we carefully

evaluate our customers’ existing facility, external, and parking lot

lighting needs. We then issue a detailed financial summary with

supporting work detail for comparative purposes. With a GO decision,

we conduct the work and remove the excess for environmentally

beneficial disposal.

Simple, Sustainable, Smart


Summary

LED technology is the next generation of lighting technology and

delivers significant energy and environmental benefit to customers.

We are helping to address the question of how to move forward, while

our customers make decisions on when.

In creating this paper, we wanted to clarify some of the decision points

regarding fluorescent versus LED tube lamps. This is especially

important for the customer who is considering proprietary and

dedicated T5 replacement. We recommend that our customers also

closely examine the current and expected price increases that are

resulting from Rare Earth price increases.

The economic and environmental choice is clearly LED. Many of the

lighting manufacturers and service providers are fighting this

technology as it will affect their business and industry. They will yield

over time, especially as the informed buyer is armed with facts that

lead to a decision to move forward. Soon, and driven by decision

makers armed with factual data, the services industry will realize that

LED solutions offer wholly new opportunities to create more ergonomic

and efficient workplaces.

We would appreciate the opportunity to serve you well

IP UtiliNET Energy Services PO Box 1802 Buford, GA 30519 USA

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.iputilinet.com

Tel: 877-901-6947

Fax: 678-954-6915

http://www.iputilinet.com/

led vs fluorescent lamps

Technology

fluorescent lamps

tubular led lamps

fluorescent tube lamps

led lamps expensive

ttype led lamps

led migration

hundreds of emerging

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