WHY COMMERCIAL LED LIGHTING WON’T LAST IN INDUSTRIAL PLANTS

Standard Commercial LED High Bay Lights aren’t cut out for the tough, harsh environments found inside North America’s largest heavy industrial plants.

Commercial LED Lighting manufacturers have cut corners to bring prices down to increase sales volume in recent years. That means the average commercial LED high bay lights are built with the cheapest components found on the market.

This may be fine for a standard commercial warehouse. But for an industrial plant, this poor quality won’t last long.

Industrial plants and production facilities have high ambient temperature areas, heavy equipment and machinery that cause voltage spikes and vibration, higher than average ceiling heights, and are often dirty, dusty and wet. Cheap commercial LED fixtures will not be able to hold up in these types of environments.

The Problem with Commercial LED High Bay Lighting

When consumers look for standard LED lighting for a warehouse application, oftentimes, they are looking for the cheapest possible price.

Many have put up with poor HID lighting and the maintenance that comes along with it for years putting off buying a better LED light, just because they were waiting for prices to come down.

As such, LED manufacturers have cut corners on components, putting no-name drivers and chips into their lights. These components are the most susceptible to failures. With these cheap components, these lights aren’t cut out for industrial applications.

5 Common Lighting Challenges Found in Heavy Industrial Plants

Heavy industrial plants and facilities are commonly found on sites like mining, steel making, paper plants, and food processing facilities. The challenges in these plants are:

1. Heavy Vibration: Overhead travelling cranes and other big equipment can cause serious vibration, causing lighting to fail.2. Voltage Spikes: Machines and equipment demanding power and sending voltage spikes down the line. Heavier loads and “dirty” power from older buildings can cause voltage spikes resulting in outages or light failures.3. Hot Environments: Steel producers and other manufacturing plants are bound to have high ambient temperatures within the plants. Some of these areas in the plants are seeing up to 150 degrees temperatures regularly. Examples of these common areas are production areas, dryer hoods, cooling beds, furnaces and more.4. High Ceilings: Industrial plants have higher than average ceilings to fit large equipment and mining vehicles. The standard ceiling height is 15-18 feet. Industrial plant ceilings can be 60 feet, 90 feet, and up to 130 feet. Most of these bays are dark with poor lighting.5. Dirty, Dusty & Wet: Any facility with manufacturing and production usually has a lot of dirt, dust, and wet environments. The causes of these environments are wash down zones, dust from production areas, coal dust, and more.Below we dive into examples of problems that are found in most heavy industrial plants and how we can help you solve these challenges.

Overhead Cranes

There are thousands of overhead travelling cranes on the market.

PROBLEMS:

Travelling cranes block high bay lighting creating dangerous shadows for crane operators
The regeneration process causes voltage spikes
Lights falling because they’re not properly mounted is a serious safety issue
Cranes in high-temperature areas cause average light fixtures to fail
Cranes with high ceiling mounting heights

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS:

250 Vdc input voltage and 277Vac – 480Vac voltage for wide range flexible voltage
Light-weight fixtures are easy to handle and install
Heavy-duty custom brackets for easier installation and mounting
Safety cables for increased security
High-temperature modification packages available with 760 degrees lens to handle furnace blasts
Narrow beam spread and high wattage up to 600W to handle high applications of 60-80 feet

CASE STUDY:

When we first began offering crane lighting solutions, ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, was looking for a crane light that would last longer than nine months. Since our crane light solution lasted over the required nine months, the steel plant then converted over 300 overhead cranes to our LED lighting. We were able to provide the best solution with the fastest lead time for the company’s crane lighting problems and we are proud to say that our fixtures have lasted over nine years on the overhead cranes.

We sell thousands of lights every year for overhead cranes. We have provided lighting for some of the largest crane manufacturers in the world such as Konecranes and Zenar Crane. You can find our LED lights in many overhead crane factories such as:

John Deere
Ford Motors
US Steel
ArcelorMittal
Nucor
And many mining operations and paper plants across North America

High Temp

When you start looking at large industrial Lighting that produce steel, paper, and process raw material it’s almost a guarantee that it’s going to have areas where the temperature is so high that its light fixtures will not last.

These plants have hot environments and lighting is an ongoing challenge in these high production areas which leads to safety issues and production downtime.

PROBLEMS:

The electronic components within LED lighting are sensitive to heat. Due to this, LED fixtures have heat sinks to allow the heat to escape the fixture
Adding high ambient temperature creates an even bigger problem for light fixtures
All components in your LED light fixture need to have a high-temperature rating to withstand these hot environments

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS:

High-temperature modification package with a lens that protects the fixture components from temperature blasts up to 760 degrees
Remote mount fixtures that allow the driver (heat-sensitive component) to be mounted remotely up to 250 feet away from the high temperatures
Driverless LED fixtures that have a 100 degrees rating

CASE STUDY:

Domtar, the second-largest free-sheet paper producer in the world, makes cereal boxes, gum wrappers, cupcake wrappers and more. Since this manufacturer makes paper products for the food industry, it required a high-temperature fixture that was also NSF food-grade safe. To meet these unique requirements, we provided Domtar with our Food Processing Light and a remotely mounted driver that was kept in an air-conditioned box to keep the driver cool. Although this customer required a detailed customized solution specific to its challenges, setting up the fixtures the correct way the first time helps avoid countless hours of replacing lights and drivers for years to come.

High Ceiling / Voltage Issues

Many plants have high ceilings that are 60 feet, 90 feet, and up to 130 feet high.

PROBLEMS:

Heavy fixtures that are hard to install
Poor foot-candle lighting levels on the working plane
Failing fixtures require a special high lift machine to replace
High production areas need to be shut down to fix or replace failing lights
Special crews and extra manpower are required when fixing or replacing failed lights
Due to the extra equipment and manpower in replacing failed lights, many fixtures do not get replaced which causes dark areas and unsafe work zones

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS:

We can provide a 300W LED fixture that can replace a 1000W fixture up to 60 feet
We can also provide a 450W and a 600W LED that can replace a 1000W fixture up to 130 feet
Our high ceiling fixtures work great on cranes and high-temperature areas
We have lighting solutions for any high bay application

CASE STUDY:

After years of our fixtures providing lighting solutions for high ceilings several plants, inducing US Steel, have committed to replacing all of its 1000W fixtures to our high ceiling fixtures. These fixtures have a surge suppressor in the light as well as an additional surge suppressor on the outside. Surge suppressors are also available for installation at the light control panel box which is a great solution for preventing power surges.

NSF Food Processing

Our favourite and fastest-growing category is the NSF food processing high bays for large meat and poultry plants. In 2017, the NSF and USDA increased its regulations including light fixture protocols that are mandatory in any area that comes in to contact with food or a food product.

At the time, we had already developed our NSF fixture which had exceeded the regulations, leaving a lot of the food light manufacturers scratching their heads and playing catch up.

PROBLEMS:

General food areas require a high CRI rating in inspection zones so that they can catch any contamination before the product leaves the plant
The highest IP rating is mandatory so that the light fixture is dust-proof, waterproof, and can handle high-pressure washing for wash down and bacteria cleaning
The light fixture also needs to be powder-coated so that it does not chip or peel leaving particles in the products

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS:

The Food Processing Light has an IP rating of 69K allowing the fixtures to be washed regularly to prevent the build-up of food and bacteria
The CRI rating of 90 not only meets the industry standard but it exceeds it with the highest CRI rating currently available in the industry
Our fixture is powder-coated to stop paint from chipping and to provide a corrosion-resistant coating
The Food Processing Light was specifically designed for the food processing industry – it is built without glass, has no exposed screws and has a streamlined body design to prevent the build-up of any liquids or particles

CASE STUDY:

The food processing plants that we work with normally have a quick turnaround time for products. One plant we work with does 8000 hogs per day with the whole process of going from a live hog to boxed food in the freezer ready to be shipped to a wholesaler only taking two days. With this quick turnaround time, plants want to be sure that their products are passing all inspection zones and tests. Poor lighting is the last thing they want to have to worry about and deal with. Our CRI 90 levels are fixtures that create the perfect lighting for inspection zones. We have worked with numerous big-name food processing plants in North America such as Cargill, Tyson Foods and Maple Leaf Foods.

Commercial Lighting Trends in 2021

2019 was the year of the LED retrofit. The 4 ft. LED Tube continues to be the number one selling bulb in America. Now that LED lighting is steadily becoming the norm, people are implementing even more ways to improve commercial lighting. With the year halfway gone, there are some very noticeable trends in the world of commercial lighting. From lights that change with the situation to smart lights, here are some popular lighting trends happening now.

Motion Sensors

One trend in commercial lighting is the addition of motion sensors, also known as occupancy and vacancy sensors. These handy devices allow offices, warehouses, or even public restrooms to lower energy costs without needing to change routines or fixtures. Occupancy sensors turn the lights on automatically when someone enters the room by detecting movement and back off when the room is vacant and no motion is detected. Vacancy sensors must be manually turned on when entering a room, but turn the lights off automatically after a programmed time of no detected movement.

Mobile Lighting

Yes, there is an app for that. In an age where you can order dinner, turn on the TV, and even close your window shades with your phone, why not control your lights as well? This trend first gained popularity in the residential market last year with the advent of products like the Philips Hue and the GE Link but has quickly caught on in the commercial world as well. Controlling lights via wifi or Bluetooth allows employers to quickly and easily customize lighting to fit the situation. Lights can be dimmed and faded to a warmer color temperature during a Kindergarten class naptime or the office Christmas party and made brighter with a cooler color temperature during work hours to help increase productivity.

Interactive Lighting

One recent design trend with a lot of potential is lights that allow individuals to interact with them. Using for this type of lighting can be practical and functional like LED modules in a dressing room that allow shoppers to see how their new outfit will look in daylight versus how it looks at night. They can also be just for fun like a wall of LEDs that follows passengers down the moving sidewalk in airports. Interactive lighting is sure to gain momentum in 2020.

Utilizing Daylight

Let’s face it, many of us spend most of our day indoors, but natural sunlight is proven to be healthier for us. We’re seeing more and more businesses utilizing large open windows to pull some of the outdoors inside. These rooms benefit greatly from the addition of vacancy sensors. That way the light is only turned on when needed and not when the room gets plenty of sunlight, but still turns off automatically to prevent wasted energy. Even spaces without windows are using LED technology to mimic color temperatures designed to resemble daylight.

LED Street Light Considerations

As LED technology continues to manifest in different facets of our daily lives, one place that they are becoming increasingly more popular are the streets. Traditionally, our streets have been illuminated by high-pressure sodium lamps, which utilize excited sodium particles to produce light. LED street lights have proven to have several benefits over these lamps, including producing more light per watt and sporting longer lifetimes; however, there are some drawbacks to these lights, such as glare. Let’s get a better understanding of LED street lights and how they are quickly becoming the new lights that guide our paths.

Cost Considerations

Currently there are a little over a dozen cities and states in the U.S. that have installed some form of LED street lighting. Although more cities and states are jumping on the LED bandwagon, much of the apprehension can be attributed to cost. The initial cost for installing LEDs can be 4-6 times more expensive than HPS lamps. For example, the cost to install 1000 new LED luminaires that is meant to replace 1000, 100 watt HPS street lamps is approximately $215,000; this amount includes the installation, cost of LED luminaries, and crew. However, the savings in energy and maintenance are around $55,000 annually.

The money it costs to retrofit street lights can come from a variety of sources. For example, some cities offer conversion programs, state government, and federal grants to pay for the lights. Another option is manufacturing programs where large street lighting manufacturers finance retrofitting, similar to a loan, and the money is paid back over a number of years.

HPS vs LED Street Lights

LED street lights offer a number of benefits. They have a longer lamp life than HPS lamps. The lights currently last between 10-15 years and, unlike HPS lamps, they do not experience lumen depreciation as sharply. Lumen depreciation is a process that occurs when the lumen output produced by a light source begins to diminish over time. HPS lamps experience quicker lumen depreciation after as little as 2,000 hours, creating higher maintenance costs.

As we have learned from numerous posts, LEDs are an incredibly energy-efficient light source. According to the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), after monitoring HPS street lights for a year and then retrofitting them with comparable LED street lights, they found that the LED system consumed around 75% less electricity than the previous HPS street lights. Another major benefit in LED street lights is they have a high light output regardless of temperature, as HPS lamps typically produce less visible light during colder temperatures. Not only is the light output of an LED street light better than an HPS lamp, but the CRI is much higher and light is spread more evenly with an LED. Most LEDs have a CRI rating between 70-92 whereas HPS lamps fall between 20-30 on the CRI scale. The scale measures light quality from 0-100. Lastly, it should be noted that HPS lamps do not start at full brightness. They slowly generate light after the preliminary ignition, whereas LEDs turn off and on without a ramping or light generating phase.

What are the Issues?

As we have already discussed, the initial cost of installing LED street lights is rather expensive, which is one of the issues many cities and states face when choosing to retrofit their street lights. Another major concern for these lights is their tendency to glare.

In some cities, overly bright LED’s are being installed as opposed to the warm glow that you’re used to seeing. The excessive glare and brightness produced from blue-white or uneven LED street lights can be disruptive to drivers, and even those walking at night or sleeping in nearby homes. The blue spectrum of light emitted by LEDs can also negatively affect your natural circadian rhythm, requiring an adjustment to daily life. In New York for example, there is a $75 million plan to change all street lights in the five boroughs to LEDs, a change many people are complaining about because the lights are too bright, and do not emit a warm glow, but rather a more stark white light. Citizens claim that the new lights are causing the streets to appear more like daytime than night.

Improvement

Even with some of the complaints surrounding LED street light, there are ways to combat these issues. Cities can choose to use more ambient toned LEDs or LEDs with lower illumination levels. Using street lights with a narrower field of illumination to maintain beam control may also be an option. Another possibility being considered is incorporating a special diffuser lens on the lights to reduce glare.

5 Lighting Hacks That Are Making Scottsdale Workplaces More Productive

In cities across the country, ambitious young companies are making extravagant investments in their employee wellness programs, installing things like coffee shops, gymnasiums, day-care centers, and even the occasional craft brewery. But according to a recent study from Future Workplace entitled “The Employee Experience”, what employees really want is far more simple, and lucky you, far less expensive.

Re-designing your workplace’s lighting system is not only an effective way to make your business more energy efficient ($$), but it is also one of the top things that employees consider when judging their overall happiness with a workspace.

Light can have a tremendous effect on us human beings. It tells us when it’s time to get up, when it is time to sleep, and even when it is time for our brains to be the most productive.

Here’s a few of the ways that the most innovative Scottsdale business are shining a new light on employee wellness.

Customizable Lighting Options

Most managers that you talk to will be wary about the concept of giving your employees control of their workspaces. While this kind of freedom might be common in Silicon Valley, it simply isn’t the way things are done in most commercial buildings.

However, providing your employees or tenants with a few different lighting options can increase job satisfaction by a significant amount. With today’s LED lighting options, it is possible to split your custom lighting into multiple zones that can operate at different settings of color, brightness, and intensity.

An Increase in Natural Light

According to a study from the UK company Staples, 80% of all office workers said that having access to good lighting in their workplace is “very important” to job satisfaction, and nearly 40% of all office

workers are already experiencing “uncomfortable” lighting conditions at their current job.

The cheapest way to alleviate the bad-light blues? Let the Sun In. By expanding or adding windows and skylights wherever possible, you can not only give your people access to the abundant, natural light that they are craving, but you are also likely to slash your energy bill in the process.

Outdoor Work Areas

When the sun is shining in Scottsdale, some of the city’s best professionals are getting their work done outside. Whether your building is located in a business park or in the hustle and bustle of downtown, taking advantage of any and all outdoor space you have is an easy way to make your employees or tenants more comfortable.

Simple patio-style work courtyards are an easy way to pull this off, but some downtown buildings are taking advantage of their most underused real-estate: the roof.

Re-Think Your Floor Plan

No one would argue that the best space in the office is along the windows, which is probably why so many executives and managers of yore would reserve this space for only their best, brightest, and highest-paid.

Leave it to Scottsdale innovators to break the mold: today, forward-thinking organizations are not blocking all their precious sunlight with office walls and cubicles. Instead, the spaces with the most natural light are being reserved for the people who are actually doing the work.

Switching to Dynamic-Control LED Light Bulbs

We already know that there are some wavelengths of light that are better for us than others, but what most companies can’t seem to get a grip on is the fact that with a minimal investment, we can put the full control of those wavelengths at our fingertips.

LED lighting systems are capable of operating at different colors, wavelengths, and intensities. Not only can you use this to your advantage to emulate more natural decorative lighting , which results in more rested employees, but it has the added benefit of saving you money on your monthly energy bill.

5 Best LED Shop Lights 2020

Time after time, we come up with the best product lists for you to choose for yourself. This time we have shortlisted the best LED lights for you.

Our research always finds the best of the best and now finally after a lot of effort put together, we are here to lightened up your home, shop, and garage.

We have shortlisted some lights that will provide better illumination and are available with a wide variety of light outputs. These lights are perfect for any place in your home, shop or garage.

What you need to do is go through our buyer’s guide and then make a decision according to your needs and requirements.

Every light may work perfectly in some areas and may not be good at all in many areas as well. So you need to be very careful in selection.

How Important is To Have Proper Lighting

Proper lighting is important to any workplace, whether it is a shop, warehouse or workshop. Without proper lighting, your productivity will be worse.

Proper lighting not only improves the area but it also helps in setting up a good mood for work.

But overly bright lights may hamper any one’s vision as well. On the other hand, dim lighting may make one feel sleepy.So it is vital to have proper lighting at any place of work. The shop lights we have shortlisted for you have all the essential features that will fulfill the requirements according to your place of work.

Proper lighting will have two benefits: increased productivity and reduced accidents. Many studies prove this fact that productivity increases from 10 to 40 percent.

Effective lighting helps reduce eye strain and also reduces work stress. When you can see everything clearly, you will be able to work properly. Simple!

While in a garage or a workshop, work is being done using sharp and dangerous machinery and tools, so adequate lighting is very important. This increases workplace safety and productivity simultaneously.

There is a very thin line between different lights, so you need to be very careful at selecting because firstly you don’t want to waste your money and secondly you need results.

Buyers’ Guide for The Shop Lights

The right type and spectrum of light have a major influence on productivity and safety. This short buyer’s guide will help you select the best shop light that will serve you and your workplace right.

Level of Lighting

The right level of lighting is dependant on the type of workplace and nature of work. If your work is intricate and detailed, you need brighter light.

Similarly, if you are just unloading a truck in a garage, moderate level of light will work great. Age is also another factor.

If you are young, you may need less bright light than an older person. So level of lighting depends on age, nature of work and workplace.

Commercial Lighting Versus Personal Use Lighting

Buying the shop light for commercial use is much difficult than buying a light for personal use. When buying a light for personal use, its just you for whom the light will be used for, but for a commercial area, you need to think about others as well.

For commercial lighting, we recommend that you go through proper guidelines that will help you choose the best light according to workplace and requirements.

Things To Check For Before Buying

When you are finally going to buy shop lights, you need to see some basic things as well. Always do a short research on the brand. Check for the warranty and things that the company’s warranty will cover.

The lights that you buy must be easy to install and also they must have a good built quality. Lightings are always an essential part of any workplace so they must have a really long life.

Top 5 LED Shop Lights

Now let’s move forward and see what our research team has shortlisted for you. The best shop lights we reviewed will provide results and fulfill your requirements.

If you spend a lot of time in your workplace or garage, you know that good lighting is really very important.

And then on the other hand, if you work for extended hours and don’t have time, this list of shop lights will be great for you.

We have done the major part for you so your buyer’s decision-making process is done. All the information search has been done and now all you have to do is just buy!

1. Linkable LED Utility Shop Light

The FrenchMay linkable 4ft LED Utility is the best shop light that will light up your garage in the most efficient and cost-effective way. The light will give you brighter, healthier and cheaper lighting than any other fluorescent light.

The light is long lasting and durable as it lasts up to more than 20 years. The light is designed to be light in weight and can be installed by either hanging mounting or flush mounting.

The light comes with a hardware package that makes it easy to install as well. This shop light is only for garages, basements, game rooms and workshops.

Also, you can use these in utility rooms where you need ample lighting to find things and do your work.

The FrenchMay linkable LED light has high brightness with 4800 lumens output and 5000k natural white light giving you the best experience.

Pros:

Long lifespan.
Durable.
Cost-effective.
Energy efficient LED lighting.
Easy to install.
Lightweight.

Cons:

Not much to say, it’s perfect.

2. Hyperikon LED Shop Light, 4ft Utility Garage Light

Save up to 62% of your electric bills as this shop light by Hyperikon is highly efficient and uses minimum electricity to light up your garage. Hyperikon is a well-known brand and is highly reliable for its durable products.

This LED light has a lifespan of 45,000 hours. Energy consumption is only 38 watts. The LED light comes with a linkable pull chain that eases the function of switching the light on and off.

The lightweight and long lifespan make this light durable and effective for your workspace. The design provides 4 feet length, 6 inches in height and 12 inches’ width.

The LED light has a color temperature of 4000k neutral and daylight glow.

The Hyperikon LED shop light is one of the best shop lights for garage and has been one the bestseller among cost-effective garage lights.

Pros:

Easy to install.
UV Free.
Noise-free.
Energy efficient.
Long lifespan.
Lightweight.
Cheap.

Cons:

Traditional design.
The on-off switching mechanism is not effective in high ceiling workspaces.

3. HyperSelect 4FT Integrated LED Shop Light

The HyperSelect utility LED is another best shop light that comes with a pack of four. Replace your 100w lights with these 35w and save up to 60% of electricity bills.

This superior product by Hyperikon has a lifespan of over 45000 hours and that’s a huge. The color temperature of 5000k crystal white glow will brighten up your garage or workshop in an instant without any flicker.

The pack of 4 lights comes with cables and other hardware that make it easy to setup and install with multiple mounting options. You can install these as per requirements by adjusting the height as well.

The light provides extra brightness and works well in garages, basements, utility rooms, patios, workshops, and porches. The light is also available as a single unit as well. So you have the option of buying up to four or a pack of four.

Pros:

Energy efficient.
Strong and durable.
3800-lumen output.
Easy to install.

Cons:

Extra bright for the eyes.

4. Light of America LED Utility Shoplight

If you need a LED shop light that will give your instant brightness with zero humming, then this light by Light of America is the best for your workspace.

This light is beautifully designed and can be directly hung on your ceiling or on the underside of your cabinet. This product is energy efficient and uses 40 watts.

It has a long lifespan of 50000 hours that means you can use it for 40 years straight t an average daily use of 3 hours.

We know that how important it is for you to save money and pay lower bills. So this product saves energy and helps you save some money on your bills.

This is a great replacement for your 100w lighting solutions. The light is perfect for shops, closets, utility rooms and even for garages.

Pros:

Instant on feature.
4200-lumen output.
Beautiful design.
Long lifespan.
Aluminum body.
Lightweight and durable.

Cons:

The fixture is not durable.
Some LEDs may stop working with time.

5. BWL Led Shop Light 4ft 42 Watt

Best World Led Shop Light is another energy saving shop light that can fulfill your lighting requirements. This light comes in the under low budget category.

This BWL Led Shop light is best for garages, basements, utility rooms and different workspaces. If you need high-quality lighting that does not hamper your work and increases productivity, then this is a perfect choice.

The light is light in weight and can be mounted easily using the chain included in the package. Easy installation and low operation costs help you save time and money.

The light uses 45watts of energy and can replace the 100w traditional bulb along with providing better lighting experience.

Pros:

Lightweight.
Durable.
Easy to install.
4500-lumen output.

Cons:

Short lifespan.

Smart Light Switches vs. Smart Light Bulbs: Which One Should You Buy?

If you want to control your lights from your phone or with your voice, you have two options to consider: buy smart bulbs or buy smart light switches. Here’s how to decide between those two options.

Smart Light Switches Are Cheaper

If you purely base the comparison on cost, smart light switches are likely to be far cheaper than smart bulbs, especially since one light switch can control multiple light fixtures, depending on how your house’s wiring is set up.

A smart light switch, like the Belkin WeMo Light Switch, can be bought for around $40-$50. A Philips Hue starter kit at its cheapest costs $70, and it only comes with two measly bulbs. Granted, the biggest cost of the starter kit is the Hue Bridge hub, and once you get past that, you can grab Hue bulbs for as low as $15 each. (You can also go without the Hue Bridge Hub if you only want to control the lights with Hue’s Dimmer Switch.)

However, if you want more than just soft white smart bulbs, you’ll be paying a bit more. Philips’ Hue White Ambiance bulbs can do soft white as well as a daylight color temperature, but you’ll pay $30 per bulb. Even more than that, you have the Hue White & Color bulbs, which can display pretty much any color imagineable, along with different temperatures of white. Those will set you back $50 a piece.

If there are three light fixtures in the living room, it would cost a minimum of $85 if you went the smart bulb route with Philips Hue, whereas it would only cost $45 to get a smart light switch like the WeMo Light Switch (assuming that one light switch controlled all three light fixtures).

Smart Bulbs Let You Create “Scenes”

While smart light switches may be cheaper, smart bulbs allow you to adjust brightness and change colors (if they support that). Granted, most smart light switches can dim the lights, but with smart bulbs, you can turn on your lights at a pre-defined brightness and even have one bulb brighter than another if you want—the world is your oyster with smart bulbs.

Plus, if you have a color-changing bulb, you can change its white color temperature from a soft white to a daylight color and then back again throughout the day to simulate natural light. And with apps like iConnectHue, you can create cool animations and light shows with your Hue bulbs, which can go great with any house party.

You Can Use Any Bulb with Smart Light Switches

With smart light switches, not only do you not need smart bulbs, but you can use just about any light bulb you have lying around, so if there’s a particular type of light bulb you’re loyal to, getting a smart light switch won’t affect that.

The Different Types of Light Bulbs You Can Buy, and How to Choose

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that if you want to use the smart light switch to dim your lights, you’ll want to make sure to get bulbs that are dimmable. Most high-end LED bulbs are, as well as a small handful of CFL bulbs, but make sure to look on the bulb’s packaging to make sure.

Smart Light Switches Require Specific Wiring

Unfortunately, a smart light switch won’t work in every house, while smart bulbs work in any house that has traditional light sockets. This is because most smart light switches need to be wired up to a neutral wire, whereas traditional light switches don’t.

In a lot of older homes, there aren’t any neutral wires in light switch boxes. Most new-ish homes (even going back to the 70s) will usually come with neutral wires in the light switch box, though. Most homeowners or renters shouldn’t have to worry about this, but if you’re not sure, it may be a good idea to check your wiring setup to see if it would support a smart light switch to begin with. If not, then smart bulbs may be in your future.

There are some smart light switches that don’t need neutral wires (like Lutron’s Caseta lineup), but your options are still severely limited.

Smart Bulbs Provide More Flexibility with Switches

When paired with the Hue Dimmer Switch, you can turn your smart bulbs on and off the old-fashioned way by using it just like you would a regular light switch. However, unlike standalone smart switches, smart bulbs let you program the switch to control whichever lights you want. A smart light switch can only control the lights that are wired to that switch.

How to Re-Program the Hue Dimmer Switch to Do Anything with Your Lights

This is particularly useful if, say, you have some hard-wired light fixtures, and some that are plugged into the wall (like a desk lamp or a standing lamp). With smart bulbs, you can turn them all on with the press of one button.

Furthermore, with the previously mentioned iConnectHue, you can customize the buttons on the Hue Dimmer Switch to pretty much do whatever you want with the lights, including holding down a button (instead of just tapping it) to turn on lights a different way.

Both Can Work with Alexa & Siri

Depending on what brand of smart light switch or smart bulbs you get, both can work with Alexa and/or Siri. For example, Belkin WeMo products work with Alexa, but not with Siri, while Philips Hue works with both voice assistants.

The Amazon Echo Is What Makes Smarthome Worthwhile

However, you can grab just about any Z-Wave light switch, connect it to SmartThings, and have it work with Alexa. Siri is a bit more restrictive, though, as the device needs to support HomeKit, and the support list isn’t that long right now. If voice control is something that’s important to you, then you’ll want to pay close attention to the brand that you’re getting, whether it’d be smart light switches or smart bulbs.

How to Choose Solar Lights for Your Home

Let’s talk about saving energy. Specifically, how to choose solar lights for your home. There are lots of reasons why you might want to choose solar, and the energy savings is only one of them. In addition to that (which is, of course, a pretty good reason on its own), solar lighting for outdoors is easy to install and maintenance-free, according to Energy.gov. In fact, more and more U.S. homeowners are installing solar power landscape lighting for pathways, freestanding lampposts, security lights and wall-mounted sconces and lights.

What are the best outdoor solar lights?

There are different types of solar lighting for outdoors, so you’ll want to evaluate your needs to determine which is right for you.

First, how do solar lighting systems work?

During the sunny time of the day, solar cells collect sunlight and inverters convert it into electricity.
That electricity is stored in a battery so that it can be used later (i.e. at night).
At night, the battery supplies the electricity to the light fixtures until the amount of stored energy is gone (i.e. it is used up).
This process repeats every day when sunlight is collected.

Although solar lighting can work in most of the U.S., the climate where you live should be a consideration. The solar cells need to receive a certain amount of sunlight in order to work. When you purchase solar lighting systems, check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the number of sunlight hours that would make it function optimally in order to see if it would be appropriate for your environment. Solar lighting systems include a “nightly run time” listing, which indicates what would be the longest-running and brightest solar lights, based on your sunlight conditions.

There are two main types of solar lighting for outdoors: self-contained units and solar cell panels. If you have a self-contained unit, it means that the lights need to be placed in a sunny area in order to get their benefits. If you use a system with solar panels, then just the panel needs to be somewhere sunny and the lights can be placed wherever you need them to be.

There are three basic functions or categories of solar lighting for outdoors:

Garden accent lights
Path lights
Task lights

The area in which you require lighting will determine whether you want to choose the brightest solar lights or some other solar power landscape lighting that meets your needs. Regardless of how many or few lights you require, you will likely see over time that solar lighting cost savings will add up when you receive your electric bill.

Choosing the brightest solar lights

Before you shop for the best outdoor solar lights, consider your goals for your own environment. Is your objective to add a decorative flair to your landscaping, or is it to be purely functional as a way to illuminate your home for guests on the walkway or security? Of course, solar power landscape lighting can do both, but if you have a strong preference for one or the other, that could affect how much you need the brightest solar lights on the market.

Solar spotlights (also called “task lights” or spotlights) are the brightest solar lights on the market. The best outdoor solar lights can give off illumination that is equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb. There are also solar LED bulbs that can illuminate more brightly, so if that’s your objective, you won’t have to double or triple up on the solar for the very brightest solar lights.

The best solar patio lighting

You might be going for something that’s more illuminating than ambient garden lights, but perhaps not as intense as security spotlights — if you’re just looking to provide light when you need it in a certain area, you could be interested in the best solar patio lighting. Whether you’re looking for the brightest solar lights will likely depend on how you use your patio. If it’s primarily for evening cocktails or parties, or for simply enjoying an outdoor night, you could get solar exterior lighting that is designed to create a “mood”, much like you could do with interior lights. For example, there are solar lights that intentionally flicker to appear like candles, and there are amber LED solar exterior lighting fixtures that are designed for a softer, yellower glow than your traditional white LEDs. The best solar patio lighting has a range of uses and possibilities, so determine your needs and decorating desires before you begin to shop.

In other words, you could still benefit from solar lighting cost savings if you’re not trying to illuminate your whole yard. You could purchase decorative lights like blown glass or string lights that provide a warm ambient glow, enough for even the best solar path lighting on a walkway, that would showcase your garden and landscaping, but might not be intended for security, for example.

The soft, ambient lights could be a perfect accent to your flower beds or even in mason jars on the table when you entertain, just to add some warm light to your next party.

The best solar path lighting

Path lighting can be purely functional, or it can be decorative. How do you select the best solar path lighting for your needs?

Consider what you need to light (walkway, driveway, etc.).
Decide how bright you need your solar exterior lighting in that area to be.
Determine which “features” are important to you:
- How would you position your lights? You could select ground stakes, flange mounts, hanging hooks or some other method for positioning.
- Do you need an on/off switch or automated timing? A manual switch can allow you to store the light energy for when you need it most. Many solar lights have a photo resister that turns the lights on when the sun sets and off when it rises. But, if you don’t need illumination during all hours of darkness, you can save the energy in the battery and use it another time by having lights with manual switching.
- Do you prefer bright, white light or muted colors?

These, and other options, can make a big difference when it comes to how to choose outdoor lights. Sometimes, the best solar path lighting is not the same choice as the best solar patio lighting, for example, so determining your specific needs should be the first part of lighting our outdoor area.

If you’re still undecided about whether this is right for you, don’t forget about the potential solar lighting cost savings. We’ve mentioned before how to choose between CFL vs. LED bulbs to save some money on energy, and also some tips for small businesses (which are also applicable at home) with respect to using dimmers, timers and other features to reduce the amount of energy you use on lights. By combining energy-efficient bulbs with using solar, lighting systems can be very efficient to run. And, we want to know what you think — share in the comments how you use solar exterior lighting and if you have any tips that help you save on energy!

5 Best LED Indoor Commercial Lighting Fixtures

Power saving indoor commercial lighting is the perfect solution for offices, commercial buildings, and corporate headquarters looking for sustainable, reliable and highly effective lighting. That’s why SeniorLED has designed the perfect indoor commercial lighting products and fixtures for businesses all over the world.

Since we focus on developing power saving and long lasting LED products, our indoor commercial lights experience a global demand. Here are 5 highly recommended indoor LED lights & fixtures for illuminating commercial spaces. Have a look at technical specifications and benefits to make a decision!

LED Panel lights

LED panel lights make the perfect sense for offices and commercial buildings because of lighting quality, design aesthetic, and lifespan. The benefits delivered by them are simply too good to ignore. Have a look at some of its benefits guaranteed by LED panel lights from SeniorLED:

1. High illumination power with efficiency of 125 lm/w

2. High energy savings of 30-50% in comparison to incandescent bulbs & tubes.

3. Average lifespan of 50,000 hours.

4. No flickering & high CRI in comparison to incandescent lights.

5. Zero environmental impact since these indoor commercial lighting fixtures contains no mercury.

6. Warranty of up to 5 years along with product liability insurance from AIG.

The LED panel lights from SeniorLED are available in different variants to fit multiple commercial settings. While smart LED panel lights are required for parking lots, panel lights with water resistance capabilities come handy in fishery industries, hotels, museums etc.

LED T8 Tubes

T8 LED tube is another revolutionary product from our indoor commercial lights catalogue. Used globally for lighting large commercial facilities, warehouses or establishments, it is the perfect replacement of old fluorescent tubes and lighting systems. Have look at some of its amazing benefits!

1. High illumination power efficiency of 120lm/w with 300 degrees beam angle.

2. Our indoor LED T8 tubes are up to 40% more energy efficient than fluorescent tube lights.

3. Amazing lifespan of up to 50,000 hours.

4. No flickering, no sound, high CRI and anti-shock commercial lighting product.

5. Because our T8 LED tubes have no mercury, they are considered safer than incandescent tubes.

6. Warranty of up to 3 years and secured with AIG insurance.

Multiple variants of LED T8 tubes are available in the market and being used for indoor commercial lighting. T8 tubes for freezers, T8 tube with emergency backup, and T8 tube with sensor are just few of them. Check out the best collection of T8 LED tubes to replace your old indoor commercial fixtures.

LED Corn Light

Corn lights are a great choice when it comes to commercial indoor lighting. Extremely versatile in nature, they can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings. Widely used for warehouse lighting, street lighting, and pole lighting, they are brighter and power efficient than traditional CFL bulbs. This makes them a great eco-friendly light choice that also saves money. Have look at some amazing benefits!

1. High illumination power of 100lm/w with 360 degrees beam angle.

2. Save up to 70-80 % of energy consumption.

3. Longer lifespan of up to 50,000 hours.

4. No mercury residue & hence environment friendly.

5. High CRI of 80+ due to which they are less bother to eyes.

6. Warranty up to 3 years and secured with AIG insurance during transit.

Available in different watt capacities, LED corn bulbs are a popular choice of commercial lighting fixtures. Check out this informative blog to learn more about the product offerings and capabilities.

UFO High Bay Light

The UFO High Bay light is an indoor commercial lighting fixture mainly used for large spaces that need to be brightened from one corner to the other with maximum efficiency. So, if you are looking for a LED lighting product for workshops, warehouses, industrial area or indoor stadiums, the UFO High Bay LED Lighting is the best option for you. It also has many benefits in comparison to CFL lighting. Have a look!

1. More brighter, dimmable and have illumination capacity of 130lm/w.

2. Works on multiple beam angles to lit every nook and corner.

3. Long lifespan of up to 55,000 hours comes with this commercial indoor lighting fixture.

4. Clean and clear light, meaning no flickering or annoying patterns that hurt the eyes.

5. Equipped with 7 reflectors and microwave sensors (optional).

No doubt, LED UFO light is the first choice of warehouse owners, factory owners, and corporate offices.

LED Troffer Lights

Eco-friendly with advanced power saving capabilities, the LED troffer from SeniorLED is another high-quality lighting solution for factories, supermarkets, libraries, schools, healthcare facilities, showrooms, and commercial spaces. The wider area of usage & demand makes it one of the best indoor commercial lighting fixtures available in the market. Have a look the popular benefits of troffer lights:

1. More brighter light and high illumination power of 130lm/w.

2. Longer lifespan of up to 50,000 hours.

3. Highly energy efficient and helps in reducing energy consumption by 70-80% every month.

4. Easy to install with virtually zero maintenance.

5. High CRI of 80+ and long warranty of 5 years.

The LED troffer light is available in two sizes (2×2 and 2×4) and watt ranges from 28 to 60 watts. Please note that the size and watt of light however depends upon the space to be lit.

Above indoor commercial light come with a lot of advantages. They are power efficient, reliable and highly environment friendly, which is also why they experience a global bulk demand.

Order indoor commercial lighting at bulk price

SeniorLED has emerged as the leading supplier of LED lighting in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. In addition to providing highest quality indoor and outdoor LED products, we also provide OEM and ODM products & services to established brands. Client case studies and success stories from all over the world prove why we are the leading bulk supplier of commercial LED lighting products. .

Go through case studies to discover how our indoor LED lighting products are helping international businesses, commercial centres, and local brands with their lighting requirements.

6 Things You Should Know About Street Light Poles

Developers, municipalities, architects, and so forth, are tasked with finding the appropriate street light poles for roadways, sidewalks, neighborhoods, and parking lots. Street light poles grant a sense of safety and security that is important to anyone who lives, works, or travels in the area.

Street lights do not guide auto traffic, the headlights on automobiles take care of that. Although, they do offer extra illumination to help drivers recognize their surroundings, navigate areas, and notice potential hazards on the sides of roadways. All in all, they offer an important feature to any roadway.

6 Things to Consider When Installing Street Light Poles

Pole Height

Pole height is an important factor when it comes to street light poles. The height of a pole will alter how it distributes light. The job of a transportation engineer is to configure lights for a street for the best possible light distribution. A road with a higher speed limit generally requires higher-mounted street lights.

Light Consistency

Furthermore, the consistency of lighting is very important. Think about when you walk into a dark room, it takes at least several seconds for your eyes to adjust. The same is true if you’re driving down a well-lit street and then suddenly all goes dark. By placing street light poles at consistently spaced intervals, you can create consistent lighting. It also helps if lights are mounted higher up. Therefore, drivers don’t deal with their eyes constantly adjusting, potentially impairing their ability to see the road clearly.

Don’t Forget About Pedestrians

For pedestrians, it’s important that sidewalks are properly lit up. There are a variety of factors that can create dark spots in an otherwise well-lit street. For instance, trees, large rows of shrubs, odd street angles, parking patterns, or an extra-large building feature. These shadow-makers can appear on residential streets as well as public walkways. It’s important to keep these features in mind when designing lighting fixture placement. The goal is to have as few dark shadowy spots as possible.

As gas prices rise and the push to reduce carbon footprint continues, more people are biking instead of driving. It’s important to focus on the presence or absence of lighting and how it will impact bikers and their ability to safely navigate roadways after dark.

Aesthetic Street Pole Lighting

Street lights can also offer ambiance, adding more beauty and appeal to a space. Say for instance, a well-lit patio where people can dine on delicious food. Or, a pretty and well-lit street lined with trees, homes and gates. Street lighting can be used to accent a historic district, business area, or residential neighborhood. The poles themselves can add a nice touch too. Also, lighting can be used to highlight aesthetic features such as a fountain, garden, statue—you name it.

Street Lighting That Increases Safety & Avoids Glare

In areas that experience high crime, residents and business owners often request additional street lighting to improve safety and deter criminals. Researchers have yet to prove that additional street lights really reduce crime rates. Still, the presence of lighting tends to make people feel safer. While the intentions of lighting are to improve safety, it is possible that too much lighting at high levels can create glare and make people less safe. To prevent glare, use fewer lighting poles that are consistently spaced apart.

Maintaining LED Street Lights

LED lighting is becoming increasingly popular for street lights, as are photocells that turn on and off according to the amount of available daylight. These types of features help save money and power.

The average LED street light runs for 10 to 12 hours a day, and the bulb lasts around 50,000 hours. It’s important to change bulbs as needed. The good thing about installing all light poles at once is that you know to change them all at once.

Check over the actual street poles as well during routine maintenance. It is not unheard of for a light pole to come crashing down unexpectedly due to wear and tear of materials overtime. Many lights poles are made of corrosive materials that slowly break down due to dog urine, high-salinity, and so forth.

You can reduce light pole maintenance significantly by investing in TerraCast lighting fixtures. Our special materials and manufacturing processes (which occur right here in the USA) produce a high-quality light pole that is resistant to corrosion, rust, graffiti, and more.

Old light poles breaking down near the base? This is a very common issue. There’s no need to replace when you can rebase! Our unique bases fit around most standard-sized light poles. Offering a clean and updated look for a fraction of the cost compared to replacing the entire pole. Plus, it provides extra protection to the existing pole so that it lasts longer.

The benefits of switching your HID high mast luminaires to HighFocus LED

Can you reduce the number of high mast fixtures by up to 50% without compromising light output just by switching to LED?

Yes, when you use the new Philips Lumec HighFocus LED high mast luminaires.

With up to 103 lumens per watt, and 32,000-97,000 delivered lumens, it is possible to reduce the overall number of luminaires needed per high mast setup when compared to traditional HID technologies. This not only reduces energy-related costs but maintenance and initial project costs as well.

The Philips Lumec HighFocus high masts can reduce energy usage by up to 58% annually compared to typical HID installations and substantial CO2 savings as well.* This can make a significant impact on your bottom line.

The HighFocus high masts are also backed by a 10-year limited warranty so your crews aren’t burdened by endless and labor-intensive re-lamping cycles. Unlike many manufacturers, the life rating is based on the luminaire useful life, meaning that all LED lumen maintenance, as well as LED life, driver life, on/off cycles, burn hours, corrosion considerations, light engine PCB substrate, solder joints and more, are accounted for when determining the long-lasting power of the luminaire. This provides you with the confidence that the entire HighFocus luminaire will consistently perform today and far into the future.

Plus, by switching your Bajaj high mast light to HighFocus LED, you can achieve comparable photometric performance while cutting your luminaire quantity in half.** This means you have fewer luminaires to maintain, allowing you to do more with less!

The long LED life also means that motorists and others within the space aren’t frequently inconvenienced by maintenance-related lane or area closures. Consistent and uniform light levels from HighFocus’s specially-designed discrete LED optics also mean that anyone can confidently navigate the well-lit area with ease.