Skip to main content

Report finds LED replacement lamps don’t meet criteria

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been conducting evaluations of LED replacement lamps, most recently those with a mogul base. Its report on phase 1 of the project, Mogul based LED replacement lamps, provides details of the market characterisation and pilot photometric testing of 18 representative mogul base LED lamps alone and in luminaires. LRC found that only four of the 18 lamps met the minimum DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List criteria for retro
January 13, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been conducting evaluations of LED replacement lamps, most recently those with a mogul base. Its report on phase 1 of the project, Mogul based LED replacement lamps, provides details of the market characterisation and pilot photometric testing of 18 representative mogul base LED lamps alone and in luminaires.

LRC found that only four of the 18 lamps met the minimum DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List criteria for retrofit kits when the lamps were placed in area lighting and roadway luminaires. The lamps tested in wall pack and high bay luminaires did not meet the applicable minimum efficacy criteria for retrofit kits.

LRC also conducted a comprehensive survey of specifiers to identify key considerations for lamp selection and relevant luminaire performance characteristics for various lighting applications, such as light output, intensity distribution, size, to support the development of a performance testing plan, the results of which are also included in the report.

Phase 2 is now underway, consisting of additional performance testing of mogul base LED lamps in representative luminaire types. The results of Phase 2 testing will be released as they become available.

The report was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as an assessment of the state of technology development and the potential for emerging technologies to increase the efficiency of electricity use. BPA is undertaking a multi-year effort to identify, assess and develop emerging technologies with significant potential for contributing to efficient use of electric power resources in the Northwest.

“The market is changing so rapidly—and with any new product, it’s important to understand the full range of quality and performance available to consumers,” said John Wilson, Commercial and Industrial Lighting program manager at the Bonneville Power Administration. “This research will help utilities in the Pacific Northwest to make smart and reliable investments in energy efficiency.”

Related Content

  • USDOT releases connected vehicle program synopsis
    December 23, 2014
    The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued the synopsis of its connected vehicles pilot deployment program notice of Phase 1: Concept Development under the solicitation number DTFH6115R00003. Connected vehicle research is being sponsored by the USDOT and others to leverage the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless technology to make surface transportation safer, smarter, and greener.
  • New ITS America report examines the shared-use mobility sector
    September 29, 2015
    A new report by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), in conjunction with AT&T, investigates how evolving mobile technology and changing demands of the traveling public are shaping the future of transportation in a more connected world. This report, entitled Rise of the Real-Time Traveler, examines the public’s changing demographics and purchasing behaviors while focusing on shared-use mobility in an increasingly connected world. Utilizing a broad array of research, this report
  • ‘One-Watt’ traffic signals from Siemens
    April 6, 2016
    Small is big news on the Siemens stand as the company unveils its ultra-low consumption One-Watt technology for traffic lights. The move from incandescent bulbs to 230V LED lamp heads had seen an enormous reduction in power consumption (down from 60Watts per head to around 15W) but means the load resistors and switching elements in the signal units are often the biggest energy consumers.
  • People to power reporting of weather-related road conditions
    November 28, 2013
    Citizen reporting offers the potential of gathering timely information about road conditions without the need to invest heavily in equipment or to dispatch inordinate numbers of staff to visit and report from various locations. What could be better than an army of motorists and other road users sending in reports of conditions they encounter on their journeys? Back in 2003, Wyoming DOT set up a system of enhanced citizen-assisted reporting as a way of gathering weather-related information on road conditi