Check size when replacing fluorescent lamps
“By far, the most popular energy-saving measure we see is replacement of old
fluorescent lights with new, more efficient ones,” said Rod Olsen, EWEB commercial
energy analyst. What’s not surprising is that this simple conservation measure
slashes energy consumption by 30 percent, while producing light that is better quality
than lamps and ballasts from the 1980s.
While all fluorescent tubes, properly called lamps, may look the same from a distance,
a close inspection shows that energy-saving T8 lamps are considerably thinner than
the old-style T12 lamps. The designation reflects the diameter of the lamp in eighths
of an inch. So, a T8 is one-inch, while the T12 is one-and-a-half inches (see the
illustration).
Over the past five years, EWEB has paid incentives to about 360 customers to “relamp”
their facilities by replacing T12 lamps and magnetic ballasts with T8 lamps and
electronic ballasts.
A typical fluorescent fixture with two T12 lamps uses 96 watts. An electronic ballast
with two T8 lamps uses only 62 watts while producing the same amount of light with
much better color rendition. (Newer “high-performance” T8s are described
in the sidebar below.) While T8 lamps have been available in the U.S. since 1981,
they may seem new to many building operators.
As the new lamps reach the end of their service life, it’s important to order
the correct T8 replacements. While the larger T12 lamps will fit into the fixture,
they are not compatible with the electronic ballast, and will fail long before their
rated life. To make matters worse, much of the energy savings will be lost.
To get the most from your previous investment, you need to replace T8s only with
T8s. Be sure to pass the word to the person responsible for purchasing replacement
lamps.
If you haven’t yet made the switch to T8s and electronic ballasts, contact
Energy Management Services to find out how EWEB can help.
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High-Performance Options Now Available
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If you are planning a lighting replacement or new lighting system, you now have
a choice of a “standard” T8 system or a “high-performance”
T8 system. Either way, you’ll enjoy significant savings and the improved performance
of electronic ballasts.
The standard system requires input power of about 62 watts for a pair of T8 lamps.
The high-performance T8 system requires less than 50 watts for savings of around
20 percent. Light output is about the same.
These high-performance T8 systems all use exciting trade names like “ultimate,”
“extreme” and “ultra.” In all cases, the boost in performance
comes from matching the right ballast with the right lamp.
Systems are available using products from GE, Osram/Sylvania, Phillips, Advance
and Howard. Your electrical contractor or supplier will be familiar with this system,
or you may contact EWEB for more information.
You’ll pay a little more for this system up front, but you’ll get the
money back in a few years through lower lighting energy use and less air conditioning.
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