CareNotes

5 Mistakes Facilities Make When Converting to LED

This guest blog post is written by Rob Wise of Go Creative Lighting, an exhibitor at the OHCA Annual Convention.

In this blog post, Rob addresses mistakes companies, including long term care facilities, often make when converting to LED lighting. Visit Go Creative Lighting at booth 310 at the Annual Convention Trade Show. 

If you haven’t already, take the time to register for the Annual Convention, September 18-19, in Portland, Oregon.

Upgrading to LED is not only about saving energy, but also preserving or improving lighting performance and putting less strain on the eyes of your caregivers and residents. Yet, with so many options, it is easy to choose the wrong LED for your facility.

1) Selecting the Wrong Luminous Output

When older lighting sources are upgraded to LED, it is important to provide the same lighting output. Of course, there are cases where the existing lighting is too bright or too dim, and an LED retrofit also provides a chance to correct the brightness level.
Wattage is commonly associated with brightness, but this relationship only applies when the bulbs being compared are of the same type. LED products offer superior efficiency, and as a result their rated wattage is lower than that of the products replaced.

The correct procedure is to compare lamps and fixtures based on their lighting output in
lumens, not their wattage. The lumen is a measurement unit that applies for all light sources, from candles to the most advanced LED fixtures.

2) Selecting the Wrong Color Temperature

The correlated color temperature (CCT) is a metric borrowed from physics to describe the color of light. Basically, the CCT is the value to which you would have to heat a black object to make it glow with a specific color. In the case of lighting products, it describes the color of the light produced, not the actual temperature of the bulb. The best color temperature for lighting depends on the application, and this is often overlooked when
upgrading to LED:

• Warm white (2700K) has a relaxing effect, making it suitable for bedrooms, but not for offices or conference rooms.
• Clear white (4000K) is neutral, providing a balance between relaxation and awareness, and is well-suited for applications where long-term concentration is required. Clear white is recommended for offices, activity rooms, and similar locations.
• Cool white (6500K) has a blue tinge and it enhances awareness. It is recommended in applications where visibility and attention to detail are of the highest importance.

3) Purchasing Products with a Poor Color Rendition

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a metric used to describe how well a light source
represents the colors of objects or surfaces. It should not be confused with the color
temperature, which describes the color of the light source itself.

LED products from reliable manufacturers typically have a CRI above 80, and premium products with a CRI above 95 are also available. However, the market is flooded with low-quality LED products that sacrifice color performance to achieve higher savings. The US Department of Energy has the LED Lighting Facts labeling program, and one of its requirements is that CRI be tested and reported in the product label. Be skeptical if an LED lamp does not display the CRI value – a manufacturer that offers high color rendition is unlikely to hide it!

4) Connecting LED Tubes Incorrectly

Fluorescent tubes are very common in commercial and industrial settings. Many manufacturers developed LED lamps with the same shape, with the goal of using the same fixtures and lampholders.

Most LED tubes have the same appearance and bases, and it is easy to get confused when
connecting them. In the best-case scenario, an LED tube with the wrong connection type will simply not activate; in the worst-case scenario, the product may be damaged permanently. If you are upgrading a lighting system that uses fluorescent tubes, make sure the LED upgrade is being connected properly. This should not be an issue if you are working with a qualified contractor.

5) Purchasing LED Products with the Wrong Beam Shape

There are many LED products that share a base type, but are designed for completely different applications. For example, A-type and parabolic bulbs both use medium screw bases, but their beam shapes are very different:

• A-type bulbs emit light in every direction, except the direction of the base.
• Parabolic bulbs concentrate their output in a narrow beam, and are designed to be used with spotlights or track lights.

Beam shape is important to consider and some shapes are better suited for resident rooms, hallways, or offices.