Comprehensive Lighting Solutions for Electrical Contractors - Diana Lighting
Innovative LED Lighting Solutions: Revolutionizing Electrical Projects
How We Can Help
We offer a complete suite of services to electrical contractors from Custom Design and Manufacturing to Engineering Support for LED lighting solutions. This involves offering personalized design services and technical support to electrical contractors, ensuring that the lighting solutions that we manufacture are made to order and perfectly fit the specific requirements of your projects.
Some electrical contractors continue to take on the manufacturing aspect of LED lighting, often rushing to purchase the lighting components and assemble the products on site, consuming a lot of time and effort, essentially driving up their costs. More and more electrical contractors, however, have chosen to “leave it to the experts” and outsource the design and manufacturing of LED lighting for their projects to custom lighting manufacturers like Diana Lighting and Controls. This gives electrical contractors access to a more robust build through our proven and efficient manufacturing processes, better warranties and a headache-free experience. It eliminates all compatibility issues between drivers, lighting controls and the LED’s and gives you access to our breadth of knowledge, experience and supplier products and pricing. Just describe what you are looking for, share drawings if available and we will manufacture and deliver the LED lighting product directly to your job-site pre-wired and ready for installation.
Enough about how we can help and more about what you need to know to effectively navigate the transition to LED Lighting.
Navigating the Shift to LED Lighting: The Essential Guide for Electrical Contractors
As you continue to get accustomed to LED technology and its application in commercial and residential projects, there are several aspects that you should be familiar with. While there are a lot of advantages associated with LED lighting, there are also some drawbacks that you should be aware of.
Energy Efficiency of LED Lighting
LED lighting fixtures use significantly less energy compared to other more traditional light sources and therefore their efficacy is far superior. LEDs consume on average approximately 5-8 times less energy than regular incandescent lights for the same level of lumen output (brightness). Progress continues to be made in this area and we expect that lumen output will continue to increase beyond the current levels of 130 lumens per watt. Also, most of the energy consumed by LED lighting is directly converted to light while only very little energy is converted (lost) to heat.
Longevity and Durability
LED lights last longer than incandescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes. They do not burn out and, depending on the use, they can last on average 30,000 hours. That means LED lights can last up to 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs and four times longer than fluorescent tubes when designed properly with a good heat sink. That gives your customers more peace of mind and offers higher value for their money
Superior Light Quality
The amount of light that reaches the target area is significantly superior for LEDs compared to more traditional lighting and the light is also more uniformly distributed by LEDs
Customization and Flexibility
LEDs offer a wider spectrum of correlated colour temperatures (CCT) ranging from 1,000K to 7,000K while traditional lighting generally ranges between 2,000K and 4,000K. What does this mean? The CCT dictates the colour of the light emitted with higher CCT values giving a brighter, cooler light. Lower CCT values are associated with a warmer, more yellow light. Therefore, depending on the desired use and application, it may be easier to find a perfect fit in an LED product lineup than incandescent.
Due to the small shape of an individual LED, they can be arranged in various patterns and used to create a wider variety of lighting fixtures with various shapes that can fit a higher number of applications than traditional lighting. Examples include very thin under-cabinet lighting that can be unobtrusively installed in your kitchen, linear cove lighting fixtures that emit a perfect light with no darks spot, or custom linear lighting to elevate various design pieces in your home.
LEDs are also better suited for ambient lighting when different colour lighting is desired. RGB (red green blue) LEDs can emit any colour in the spectrum of colours and with the use of additional controllers can really elevate your home or office by matching the light colour to your mood or season.
Safety and Compliance
LED lighting fixtures run on low voltage and dissipate significantly less heat than traditional lighting when properly built using aluminum channels. This enhances safety and helps ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Environmental Impact
LEDs are significantly more ecofriendly than traditional lighting. They contain no mercury and therefore pose little risk to our health and the environment. They also consume significantly less energy and help lower carbon emissions.
Cost-Effectiveness
Depending on the size of your client’s home or business, converting to LEDs may result in significant savings and will help recover the upfront investment over a fairly short period of time. For those environmentally conscious clients LED lighting is a great alternative for home or business. The longer lifespan and lower maintenance that is characteristic to LED lighting will further lower costs.
Smart Lighting Options
LEDs gave rise to better technology around lighting controls and automations and enabled certain applications that were never possible before. Smart lighting features such as automation, remote control, and integration with other smart systems are very popular with LED’s for enhanced energy management and comfort. Motion sensors, dimmers and timers, while still popular with incandescent traditional lighting, are much more popular with LED lighting due to significantly less compatibility challenges and a more seamless integration. Another example of lighting control enabled by LED lighting is the correlation of lighting with the circadian rhythm which is especially beneficial in retirement homes, hospitals or other places inhabited by people with various disabilities. With proper lighting controls, some LED’s have the ability to adjust their correlated color temperature throughout the day, feature that has been proven beneficial from a medical standpoint for various conditions. Colder light colours have been proven to increase productivity while warmer light colours help us slow down and are more conducive to rest and relaxation.
Cost $$$
The cost to manufacture LEDs is higher and therefore LED’s are more expensive to purchase than incandescent or fluorescent lights. However, as discussed above, the cost savings generated by LED’s over time and their longer lifespan will help recover and compensate for their higher costs.
More susceptible to failure if improperly designed
In spite of the fact that LEDs generate significantly less heat than traditional lighting, they still require a good heat sink to function properly and let you enjoy the benefits of their longer life. This becomes especially important in applications where the LEDs are built into various lighting fixtures such as ceiling lamps, linear lighting modules or under-cabinet lighting, to name a few. An undersized heat sink or lack of one altogether will not allow the LEDs to properly dissipate the heat generated and will significantly shorten their lifespan. In other words, LEDs are more sensitive to an improper design and no money should be spared in this area if you want to be able to enjoy all the benefits of this technology. To mitigate the costs associated with a robust design we suggest you rely on a custom LED lighting manufacturer to supply you with product for your projects.
Incompatibility with traditional lighting controllers
LED light sources are often incompatible with controllers such as dimmers that were designed to operate with incandescent lighting. Due to a different dimming method used by LEDs, if your customer’s preference is to be able to dim your lighting fixture, you will require an additional investment in an LED-compatible dimmer. While this does not represent a large increment cost, it is definitely something to consider.
Built-in design
If you are considering the purchase of a complete LED lighting fixture and not just the replacement of a traditional light bulb with an LED light bulb, it is important to note that such lighting fixtures generally do not allow for the replacement of the light source if something goes wrong. The LEDs are built into the lighting fixture and any defects or issues that may arise in the future may result in the need to replace the complete lighting fixture or costly repairs such as the replacement of the driver(s). This will not only be inconvenient but may also be costly.
A roadmap for electrical contractors to transition to LED lighting solutions effectively
LED’s are here to stay and they will gradually replace all traditional lighting sources. To remain competitive on the market we recommend you take several steps as you transition to become a trusted provider of LED lighting solutions to your clients.
- If you haven’t already started, we suggest that you seek various resources to get familiar with and learn more about LED lighting. The above guide is a great starting point, but you may choose to dive deeper into certain technical aspects that we have not covered.
- Build a relationship with an LED lighting expert who specializes in LED lighting and has dealt with the various challenges that may arise in the implementation of the technology. It’s best to learn from someone else’s mistakes and avoid the cost of making your own.
- If you haven’t already done so, start introducing LED products with your existing customers, educate them about the benefits and features of LED lighting and start converting them to the new technology. Leverage your relationship with LED lighting experts along the way to answer any questions you may have.
- To differentiate yourself on the market start leveraging a custom LED lighting manufacturer to help you build custom lighting fixtures to the exact requirements of your customers’ applications.
We are happy to partner with you along your journey and answer any questions you may have about LED lighting and its versatile application in commercial, residential and hospitality settings.
FAQs
What Are the Key Benefits of LED Lighting for Commercial Electrical Projects?
LED lighting offers numerous advantages for commercial electrical projects, including significant energy savings, longer lifespan, reduced maintenance costs, and improved lighting quality. These benefits lead to lower operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint, making LED lighting an ideal choice for businesses looking to enhance efficiency and sustainability.
How Can Electrical Contractors Effectively Transition to LED Lighting Solutions?
Electrical contractors can smoothly transition to LED lighting by staying informed about the latest LED technologies, undergoing training for installation and maintenance, and understanding the specific lighting needs of different commercial spaces. Partnering with experienced LED lighting manufacturers like Diana Lighting and Controls can also offer valuable insights and support in implementing these advanced lighting solutions.
Why Should Electrical Contractors Consider LED Lighting for Their Clients?
LED lighting is not only energy-efficient but also offers superior lighting quality and design flexibility, which can significantly enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of commercial spaces. Additionally, the long-term cost savings and environmental benefits of LED lighting make it an attractive option for clients looking to invest in sustainable and cost-effective lighting solutions.