Draft Energy Star Specification for LED Luminaires

[Victor Roberts]

The US Department of Energy has posted a draft Energy Star
Specification for LED Luminaires. You can find a link at
this page:

http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/energy_star.html

or use this direct link to get a copy:

http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/PDFs/ENERGY STAR SSL Draft 12 20.pdf

The near-term goals seem rather modest, but the longer term
goals are better. By deciding to measure luminaire efficacy
instead of source efficacy the draft specification avoids
those pesky LED output vs. junction temperature problems we
have been discussing here.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
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[Victor Roberts]

As well as CRI.

At least it will help eliminate the worst of the inefficient lights from
the market, which is a very good thing, as well as requiring a 3 year
warranty.

I'm unsure how the 'LED useful life' tests can be done.
I suppose looking for 30 days for any terrible lumen depreciation on the
stock ballast and LED.

The better LED manufacturers do spec lumen depreciation, and
it is possible to do an accelerated test using higher
temperature. Current Energy Star specifications require
that CFLs be operated to 40% of rated life with a very low
failure rate, which does help confirm the life rating,
though not perfectly. The test method for determining LED
life, which is based on maintenance, will be discussed at
upcoming meetings, but I'm sure it will involve far more
than 30 days. The test could easily run a year or two.
These tests would be done after initial certification is
given, but, if the CFL standards can be used as a guide, the
certification would be withdrawn if the product fails the
life test.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
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This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.

 

[TKM]

The US Department of Energy has posted a draft Energy Star
Specification for LED Luminaires. You can find a link at
this page:

http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/energy_star.html

or use this direct link to get a copy:

http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/PDFs/ENERGY STAR SSL Draft 12 20.pdf

The near-term goals seem rather modest, but the longer term
goals are better. By deciding to measure luminaire efficacy
instead of source efficacy the draft specification avoids
those pesky LED output vs. junction temperature problems we
have been discussing here.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

For commercial/industrial fixtures where output performance is important and
photometry is normally done anyway, the proposed fixture efficacy test seems
O.K.; but I wonder if extending such testing to residential/decorative LED
fixtures makes sense. Not only do such fixtures have numerous shade, shape,
material and color options, which makes testing various models complicated;
but the cost of such testing will be an enormous burden on the small fixture
manufacturers who make and sell such fixtures for appearance rather than
lighting performance.

Yes, LEDs have to be tested in place with heat management systems in
operation; but it appears that DOE/Energy Star will be requiring immense
amounts of data without a good way to trace back to the efficacy of the LED
array. Imagine a small table lamp with an opaque shade, for example. What
does knowing the total output lumens per input wattage of that fixture tell
us?

Terry McGowan

 

[Victor Roberts]

For commercial/industrial fixtures where output performance is important and
photometry is normally done anyway, the proposed fixture efficacy test seems
O.K.; but I wonder if extending such testing to residential/decorative LED
fixtures makes sense. Not only do such fixtures have numerous shade, shape,
material and color options, which makes testing various models complicated;
but the cost of such testing will be an enormous burden on the small fixture
manufacturers who make and sell such fixtures for appearance rather than
lighting performance.

Yes, LEDs have to be tested in place with heat management systems in
operation; but it appears that DOE/Energy Star will be requiring immense
amounts of data without a good way to trace back to the efficacy of the LED
array. Imagine a small table lamp with an opaque shade, for example. What
does knowing the total output lumens per input wattage of that fixture tell
us?

Terry McGowan

Terry,

I don't disagree with anything you say, but the DOE
developed the fixture standard only after their efforts to
predict fixture efficacy by using LED array efficacy failed
terribly. Unless and until the DOE can find a way to set
the LED junction temperature at least close to the value it
will have in an application, they seem to have given up on
LED source efficacy as a measure of success in their
programs. At least that is what I took away from the
fixture workshop in October. I'll be attending the annual
LED workshop in Phoenix in about 1 1/2 weeks and will get a
better fix on the status of source.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.

 

[Victor Roberts]

For commercial/industrial fixtures where output performance is important and
photometry is normally done anyway, the proposed fixture efficacy test seems
O.K.; but I wonder if extending such testing to residential/decorative LED
fixtures makes sense. Not only do such fixtures have numerous shade, shape,
material and color options, which makes testing various models complicated;
but the cost of such testing will be an enormous burden on the small fixture
manufacturers who make and sell such fixtures for appearance rather than
lighting performance.

Yes, LEDs have to be tested in place with heat management systems in
operation; but it appears that DOE/Energy Star will be requiring immense
amounts of data without a good way to trace back to the efficacy of the LED
array. Imagine a small table lamp with an opaque shade, for example. What
does knowing the total output lumens per input wattage of that fixture tell
us?

Terry McGowan

Terry - I didn't respond to the last part of your message in
my first answer, so let me try that here.

The initial fixture program is looking at fixtures where the
output from the fixture is indeed relevant: downlights,
track lights, etc. In fact, I would argue that the output
from a small table LED-based lamp with an opaque shade is
also relevant, as long as the output is compared to the same
lamp with the same shade or one of equal opacity using an
incandescent or compact fluorescent lamp -- but I think we
can both agree that this type of fixture is not the concern
of the DOE.

At the fixture workshop we did raise the issue of LED-based
replacement lamps. To the extent that these are complete
systems withy their own built-in LED drivers, LED heat
sinks, and designed to be operated in free air, that is
devices intended to be screwed into an incandescent socket,
or perhaps plugged into a fluorescent socket, then we felt
these could be measured using the same procedures used for
incandescent lamps or CFLs. They are complete lighting
systems and not bare LEDs. The DOE agreed to consider this
type of "lamp" for their next round of "fixture"
specifications.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.