There are a lot of LED lights in the market right now and many people are overawed with the options they have when upgrading to more energy efficient lighting solutions. Due to VEET and Energy Savings scheme incentives, LED lights have become cheaper and more and more businesses are looking to make the change.
So what should you look for when upgrading to LED? What are the key attributes a light should have for your space and how much should you spend in order to make the change?
The right LED lights for your space
Importantly, you first need to start with the space that you work in. Is it aisled? How high is your ceiling? Where does the light need to be directed? Will remote sensoring work for your space? This can be quite complicated for industrial environments and has a real impact on the type of light that you choose. The best way around this is by getting a reputable company such as Shine On to do a detailed lighting assessment, to ensure that the replacement LED lights will give you a better quality of light than what you currently have and with savings of up to 80%.
The LED light’s efficiency or luminous efficacy
We have gone into detail on lighting efficiency in a previous blog, but it’s important to mention again here. Basically luminous efficacy is the efficiency with which a light source provides visible light from for the amount of power used. Most businesses want maximum light at minimum number of kilojoules used, or money spent. What you should look for then is a light with a higher efficiency, and the right output levels for your space – this is achieved through a detailed lighting assessment (see above).
LED light life expectancy and warranty
With all the cheap LED lights currently in circulation the life expectancy of the lights is critical. Some companies are claiming free product under the VEET scheme. It’s important to remember however that it’s not in fact free if the light breaks at the three-year mark and you have to replace it, without the VEET incentives. The two things to then look at are:
- The lifetime rating of the product, which should be performance tested by independent NATA certified laboratories.
- Product warranties – If an LED supplier promises a five-year lifetime rating, then their corresponding warranties should align. You should also do your due-diligence to make sure the company will still be operating until the end of the warranty period.
Return on investment (ROI)
Companies are turning to LED in their droves because LED lights so clearly show a return on investment, with some more so than others. The higher the percent ROI, the faster the payback. However, do make sure that the LED lights being recommended have a great ROI, but they are also right for your space as discussed earlier. You can quickly see a high ROI with a low wattage LED light replacement but it may not give you the lighting levels that you require.
The conclusion
No two LED lights are created equal. There are some essential things you should look for in the light, but just as importantly, you need to go with a reputable and experienced LED company that will make sure you are retrofitted with the right light for your space and will honour their warranty – someone like Shine On.
Contact one our lighting specialists today for more information.
