Table of Contents:

1. The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for Distributors
2. The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for Contractors
3. The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for End Users
4. Summary

Technological advances in LED lighting have made it possible for lighting OEMs to offer more flexible LED luminaires that are lumen adjustable and CCT selectable. The additional flexibility and convenience of these luminaires is not only beneficial to Electrical Distributors, but to Contractors, Building Managers, and End Users as well. Take a look below at some of the details we’ve discussed to learn about how adjustable lighting can be beneficial to you.

The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for Electrical Distributors

Reduced SKU Complexity

One Lumen Adjustable and CCT Selectable LED lighting SKU could replace many existing dedicated SKUs, thereby reducing the complexity that comes with ordering, managing, and database maintenance for multiple SKUs, as well as saving space in warehouses and showrooms for other products.

In the example below, a CCT Selectable sku brings the SKU count down from 3 to 1.

When we add Lumen adjustable luminaires to the equation, the SKU count is reduced even further from 6 SKUs in the dedicated option, to just one.

Easier to Satisfy Demand and Manage Inventory

To satisfy a diverse range of local demand for LED Luminaires, a typical electrical distributor would need to carry multiple wattage and CCT options for a product. With constantly changing customer needs, this can lead to dead inventory sitting on the shelves. You may be stocking lights that customers won’t want in the future.

With more flexible luminaires, an electrical distributor is able to satisfy demand for multiple jobs, meeting a variety of needs without taking on the additional risk of having dead inventory.

The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for Contractors 

Less Back and Forth

With a range of customer needs and opinions, a contractor needs to ensure that they are carrying a light with the exact voltage, wattage, and colour temperature that a customer is looking for. Once you arrive at a job with a luminaire to install, a customer may change their mind, and you deal with the problem of, “do I have the right sku they’re looking for in the truck with me?” or, “do I need to go back and order a different sku for this customer?”. It can be time consuming to worry about going back and forth to pick up a different sku. This is why, with an adjustable luminaire, back and forth is significantly reduced, as you have a large range of skus all in one fixture that you’re carrying.

On-The-Job Flexibility

Along with less back and forth when helping a customer, you also provide them with an exceptional range of flexibility while installing a fixture. This is helpful for customers that may not know exactly which specifications they need, or what would look ideal in a specific application. For example, look at lighting in kitchens. For kitchens with earthy, wooden tones, a warmer colour temperature works, while brighter primary colours and stainless steel appliances work well with a more natural white colour temperature. This is just one of the many details that a customer may know nothing about before you as a contractor arrives to install the lights.

Quick, Simple Fixes

Adjustable lighting also brings with it the benefit of less maintenance over time. As customers’ needs change, there’s no need to spend the time and money to replace full light fixtures with different ones. With adjustable lighting, while some fixtures require the contractor to switch these settings within the housing, others have it placed on the outside for quick, accessible changes, and both of these options have no need for a new luminaire. With a simple flip of a switch, you can adjust the wattage or colour temperature.

An Example from RAB Design 

RAB Design’s WP-LED Wall Pack series recently transitioned to offer adjustable “all-in-one” SKUs. With colour temperature options for 3000K, 4000K, and 5000K, as well as 5 different wattage settings (80W, 70W, 60W, 50W, 40W) all in one fixture, this single sku boasts 15 different combinations of settings. What would have been 15 different skus in the past is now offered conveniently in a single efficient luminaire.

The Benefits of Adjustable LED Lighting for End Users

These new and flexible lighting fixtures provide a range of benefits for both distributors and contractors, but how do they help end users – the people that see these lights above them everyday?

Less Maintenance For Building Managers

As the owner/operator of a building, lighting fixtures that provide various options for colour temperature and lumen output are key assets to reducing maintenance needs, saving you time and money for years to come.

This is most easily explained with an example. Say, as a building owner, you lease out a building that is used as a store. The most recent tenants used it as a clothing store mainly targeted at teenagers, so they wanted dimmer, warmer coloured lighting to create the atmosphere they were looking for. Now, new tenants have moved in who want to sell jewelry, so they need the brightest, whitest lighting possible to show off the sparkling diamonds. Instead of having to replace all of your store’s lighting with new, bright white lights, you simply need to adjust the switches inside each light fixture to match the new tenants’ preferences.

This essentially “future-proofs” your lighting, with no need to replace fixtures in order to meet different needs.

Adaptable to Different Ceiling Heights

In industrial buildings and office spaces with different ceiling heights, different light levels are required to maintain uniform light distribution throughout a specific space. In order to conserve a consistent look using the same fixture, you can adjust the lumen output in different areas. For example, in a lower ceiling area you would adjust the settings to a lower lumen output, in order to match the look of a higher ceiling area.

A Low-Cost Lighting Controls System

Dimmers and other controls can add additional cost to your project and that can be a huge financial burden for many end users. However, once you go with a lumen and CCT adjustable product, it acts as an efficient and inexpensive lighting control system and you can throw all of your previous dimmers and high-cost lighting controls out the window. End users would now have full control over their luminaires, at a significantly lower entry cost. 

Flexibility for Residents

As the tenant of a home or employee in an office, although you may not deal with purchasing lighting yourself, adjustable fixtures can still help to provide you flexibility and convenience on a day-to-day basis.

First of all, similar to the contractor’s side of things, when a fixture is being installed, you have the opportunity to see all your options and select which wattage and colour temperatures you prefer in a specific setting.

Additionally, if you are looking to lower electric consumption to save on costs, you can simply have the lumen settings adjusted on the already-installed lights. Similarly, if you are redecorating and would like a light’s colour temperature to compliment a new paint colour, this is a simple adjustment to be made, rather than a full replacement.

Summary

So, why now? With constantly improving technology and cost-effective LED lighting, the question is why not now? Adjustable lighting is able to benefit every party involved in a number of ways, without increased costs or negative impacts on the environment.

In the end, regardless of who you are and when you use it, adjustable lighting provides the benefit of doing more with less. For distributors, this means reducing skus needed, which provides simpler management of inventory and demand. For a contractor, this means less back and forth and improved on-the-job flexibility, along with less maintenance in the long run. Overall, customers are provided with more flexibility in their lighting, while using less products.

Check out a few of our adjustable lights that we are proud to offer at RAB Design!

NMV-LED Non-Metallic Vapourproof Luminaire 

Selecting appropriate hazardous LED lighting that meets specific certifications is not only important for properly illuminating a space, but also for the safety of yourself and others using that space. Each environment comes with different challenges, so we would like to walk you through some tips to take into consideration when looking at luminaires for farms, marine, and mine applications.

• • Contents

  • Lighting Challenges in Agricultural Applications
  • Lighting Challenges in Marine and Offshore Applications
  • Lighting Challenges in Mine Applications
  • Our Recommendation: The NMV-LED Non-Metallic Vapourproof Luminaire

Lighting Challenges in Agricultural Applications

Many agricultural lighting applications contain hazards that require a special type of luminaire. Here are some of the key challenges and specs to look for in a luminaire for these applications.

Dust Explosions

Agricultural applications, like grain elevators, are a high risk for explosions given the right ingredients. These enclosed spaces are prone to the buildup of large amounts of dust suspended in the air. For example, grain produces dust when it moves. This combination of dust and air in an enclosed space creates a combustible mix that is flammable. When combined with an ignition source, an explosion can occur. Ignition sources could be anything from static electricity to a light switch, so using the wrong luminaire could easily have devastating consequences.

Hog Barns

With minimal ventilation and corrosive gases in the air, hog barns are also at risk for explosions or significant deterioration of materials within the building. As discussed in the Canadian Hog Journal, most of these buildings are completely enclosed for the pigs’ comfort, with a negative pressure ventilation system. Ventilation is decreased even further in winter months for warmth. This therefore increases a luminaire’s exposure to moisture and corrosive gases within the facility, pushing its limits to properly function.

Poultry Barns

Poultry barns are another environment in which you should carefully consider your lighting choice. Not only are they prone to buildups of dust like the previously mentioned applications, but they are also often steam cleaned to remove bacteria and viruses. So, you need a luminaire that can withstand this high pressure cleaning without issue.

There are many factors to consider in different agricultural spaces that could pose a danger, so this is why selecting a specific group of hazardous LED light fixtures for them holds a high importance in terms of your safety and others.

Hazardous LED Lighting Requirements

To greatly reduce the risk of dust explosion and provide peace of mind to your client, look for a fixture with the following certifications:

Hazardous Location Rated

We highly recommend using a Hazardous Location rated vaporproof – that is, completely sealed – luminaire, to prevent dust and dirt materials from entering and causing malfunctions or explosions.

UL844 Class II Div 2

One certification to look out for is UL844, specifically Class II Div 2 Groups F and G. This indicates that a luminaire has been evaluated and proven to safely withstand explosive dust atmospheres. By using a properly installed hazardous-rated LED fixture, you mitigate the presence of a potential ignition source that could cause an explosion in these environments.

NEMA 4X

In terms of highly corrosive environments, like hog barns, or extreme conditions, like high pressure steam cleaning in a poultry barn, we recommend a luminaire that is NEMA 4X rated. This means that it has been evaluated and rated to withstand corrosion and extreme environments, preventing unnecessary problems with your lighting in the future.

Lighting Challenges in Marine and Offshore Applications

Lighting in Marine and Offshore environments comes with a whole set of different challenges that only specialized luminaires are ready to tackle.

Corrosion

Not every luminaire can withstand the tough conditions present in a marina, or beach and lake environments. Both freshwater and saltwater corrodes metal over time, but saltwater expedites this process roughly 5 times faster than freshwater. Even if the luminaire is not directly exposed to water, the humidity of ocean air can cause metals to rust 10 times faster than in air with normal humidity levels. Corrosion can lead to malfunctions, frequent replacements, and unsightly luminaires.

Water Ingress

Water ingress is another issue that arises when waves and storms cause large amounts of water to frequently hit the luminaire. The combination of water ingress and rust on a luminaire will significantly increase the risk of premature failure and cause a need for frequent and costly replacements. Choosing the right luminaire for a marine application will ensure it has the necessary durability and reliability, which saves you maintenance and replacement costs in the long run.

Lighting Requirements

To combat the harsh marine environments, you should look for a luminaire with the following requirements to ensure long-lasting performance with low maintenance.

Non-Metallic

A non-metallic luminaire is excellent at resisting corrosion, making it ideal for Marine environments. These luminaires typically have reinforced polycarbonate housing rather than metal.

UL Marine Listed

You will also want a UL Marine Listed mark on your luminaire. The UL Marine Listing guarantees that the luminaire has been rigorously tested and approved specifically for marine use. For these harsher environments, a luminaire needs more than standard wet location features to guarantee protection from moisture. A UL Marine Listed luminaire will ensure the fixture can withstand harsh marine conditions such as vibration, impact, water ingress, and salt-spray corrosion¹.

¹UL Standard for Safety for Supplemental Requirements for Luminaires for Installation on Marine Vessels. ANSI/UL, December 4, 2000.

NEMA 4X

Type 4X offers a superior level of protection from corrosion and extreme environments and is tested to withstand hose-directed water. With a Type 4X certification you can be sure you’re getting a corrosion-resistant luminaire that provides protection against windblown dust and rain.

Lighting Challenges in Mine Applications

With over 200 active mines, Canada is one of the world’s leading countries in minerals and metals mining. Luminaires play a critical role in assisting mine workers to perform their work safely by providing visibility of workspace tripping hazards.

Shock, Heat, and Vibration

Mining environments are not friendly for your typical luminaire, spaces are tight, and vibrations are frequent. Luminaires in mining applications must be tough, compact, and durable. Additionally, temperatures in mines can often reach over 40℃ when ventilation is not present. Hazardous-rated LED fixture is well-suited to reliably perform in extreme temperatures.

Explosions

The most common cause of a mine explosion is a buildup of methane gas combined with a heat source. Methane is a highly combustible gas and depending on how much of it is present in the air, it will only require a small source of heat to spark an explosion. This makes it especially important to have reliable luminaires in mine applications, so a faulty circuit does not spark a chain reaction.

Lighting Requirements

Due to the dangerous nature of mining, there are regulations in place to specify the requirements of a hazardous location approved LED fixture. Look for luminaires with the following certifications:

Class I and Class II UL Hazardous Location Ratings.

Class I covers Explosive Gas Atmospheres and Class II covers Explosive Dust Atmospheres – both are present in mining applications. Each class is divided into divisions which are then further segmented into Groups. For mining environments, pay close attention to Class I Div 2 Groups B, C, and D (Atmosphere containing flammable gas), as well as Group A (Atmosphere containing Acetylene – a gas used in welding). A luminaire with these ratings has been rigorously tested to be safe to use in Explosive Gas Atmospheres (Class I) as well as Explosive Dust Atmospheres (Class II).

Our Recommendation – RAB Design’s Solution
The NMV-LED Non-Metallic Vapourproof Luminaire

RAB Design’s NMV-LED Non-Metallic Vapourproof Luminaire was designed with all these severe environments in mind. This uniquely versatile and energy-efficient luminaire is the perfect solution where vapour and dust-proof, explosion-proof, hazardous, or marine-rated lighting is needed. Its durable, but hardy design ensures safe usage in a diverse range of applications, including the previously mentioned grain elevators, marine settings, mining applications, and more.

Click on the link below to head to our Infographic for more information and a breakdown of our recommendations!

RAB_NMV_Infograph_2021