Shedding new light on the fluorescent versus LED debate

When it comes to selecting light fittings for use in hazardous areas, there is still some confusion over whether users should opt for the latest LED lamps or for the more conventional fluorescent lights. A recent independent report published by the US Department of Energy sheds some interesting light on the debate, says Willi Steckel of Cooper Crouse-Hinds.

For many companies, replacing traditional fluorescent light fittings with LED lamps is now a very real possibility. However, when it comes to replacing lamps installed in hazardous gas or dust areas, some of the 'facts' about LED lighting can be misleading, particularly in terms of a lamp's performance, reliability and the availability of replacements or spare parts. End users must therefore be extremely cautious when considering the replacement of conventional fluorescent lamps, particularly in hazardous zones.
 
For manufacturers of ATEX-certified light fittings, new product development cycles are relatively long. From initial product development through testing and certification and on to final product launch, the process can take anything from 9-24 months to complete. The testing phase alone - which for a light fitting involves extensive temperature, ultraviolet corrosion and impact resistance tests - can be as much as 60 per cent of the total time required to introduce a new product to the market.

To enable people to perform outdoor visual tasks efficiently and accurately, especially during the night, adequate and appropriate lighting has to be provided. The degree of visibility and comfort required is governed by the type of area and duration of activity.

Applying for the appropriate ATEX Zone 1 certification is a lengthy process, which requires an independent test body (such as SIRA or BASEEFA in the UK) to approve the application. The independent test body has to verify all the product's documentation and test reports, and will repeat the more critical product testing itself. Only then is a light fitting considered safe for use in a hazardous area and ready to be certified and launched into the market. For these reasons, any new technological advances that affect hazardous area light fittings should be treated with caution, since any technological advancement or change of component will require the lamp manufacturer to begin the testing and certification process again (or to apply for an amendment).
 
As a leading manufacturer of light fittings for use in hazardous gas and dust areas, Cooper Crouse-Hinds understands the product development phase better than most suppliers. The company has already invested millions of pounds in the construction of its own LED research and development centre in the USA. Built two years ago, this R&D centre combines the LED efforts of all the various Cooper lighting divisions into one common LED platform, using this know-how to build reliable LED lighting systems and to constantly remain on top of this emerging technology.
 
However, while LED technology has developed very rapidly and will continue to do so, there are certain areas in which LEDs or solid state lighting (SSL) products are not yet ready to replace all conventional light fittings, particularly when it comes to fluorescent tubes installed in hazardous areas.
 
A report published by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in October 2009 stated that when it came to 4' linear replacement lamps, solid-state lighting products "were still not competitive with T8 fluorescent lamps".
 
The report is based on Round 9 of the DOE's Solid State Lighting CALiPER (Commercially Available LED Product Evaluation and Reporting) program, conducted from June 2009 to September 2009. In Round 9, 30 products that represented a range of product types and technologies were tested using absolute photometry. All SSL products were tested following the IESNA LM-79-08 testing method. Testing also included measurements of surface temperatures, which were taken at the hottest accessible spots on the luminaire.
 
The four primary focus areas for testing were downlights; 2'x 2' recessed and flat panel luminaires; 4' linear replacements lamps (tested as bare lamps and in 2'x 4' recessed); and small replacement lamps including 1,000-hour continuous operation test. The report summarised the performance results for each product and discussed the results with respect to similar products that use traditional light sources.
 
In addition to basic photometric testing, CALiPER periodically performs additional testing that examines dimmability, reliability, thermal management, or in situ performance. Directly applicable published standards are not available for these additional tests, so CALiPER works with standards organisations, industry trade groups and independent test laboratories to explore and determine appropriate testing methods. For example, linear replacement lamps are tested using absolute photometry, both as bare lamps and in situ: installed in typical recesses to determine fixture losses and measured distribution. Also, a limited number of products were selected from each round of CALiPER testing to be subjected to long-term testing. Preliminary results from recent long-term tests are also included in the report.
 
According to Willi Steckel, Product Line Manager Lighting (IEC) at Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH, the DOE Round 9 report has important implications for developers and users of hazardous area fluorescent light fittings. "Over the last four years, there have been conflicting opinions in the press with regard to LED lamps and conventional fluorescent lights. The information being given to buyers ranged from fact to fiction. This is what prompted the US Department of Energy to investigate by starting its CALiPER testing program, which is purely independent and not influenced by any single light fitting manufacturer."
 
Aside from the DOE report, there are other barriers to companies investing in LED light fittings. Many end users, particularly those involved in hazardous area oil and gas installations, have already invested significant sums of money in conventional fluorescent or HID lamps, which have performed very well, often over many years without failure. For this reason alone, many end users are unlikely to switch to a relatively new technology such as LED straight away, particularly if budgets are tight and the purchase price is so high compared to fluorescent or HID.
 
"In hazardous areas, the cost of labour is very high," says Steckel. "So users need to make sure that the lighting they use is very reliable. The last thing they want is for a lamp to fail and to have to send in a maintenance engineer to replace or repair the problem. The customer may be very happy with the reliability of their existing T8 fluorescent light fittings and so the risk of changing to an LED version is deemed too high."
 
Another issue for some end users is simply that LEDs are a relatively new lighting technology, which could indicate a less reliable source of supply. As Steckel explains: "Four years ago, we started developing an LED exit light for hazardous areas. However, during the last four years, we were informed on three separate occasions that the LED components were no longer available due to further technological developments and improvements in solid-state devices. This meant we had to repeat our new product development, testing and certification process three times for the LED exit light."
 
"By establishing our LED research and development centre two years ago, Cooper Crouse-Hinds is now able to ensure that issues such as these never arise. Through the knowledge and experience gained and by using common LED development platforms, we can guarantee the future compatibility of our products, even as new SSL technologies are developed. On an oil platform or refinery, for example, where many of our CEAG fluorescent fittings are installed, having a future-proof light fitting with readily available replacements, is absolutely critical to the customer's operation."
 
 Relevant European Standards
BS EN 12464 is essential reference for all lighting designers and users. The BS EN 12464-2 is a new European standard that focuses on the recommendations for outdoor work places that are used at night. BS EN 12464-2 includes key recommendations on how obtrusive light can be limited, to keep our night sky free of light pollution. Part 2 of the standard provides lighting design criteria for 15 installation task groups and 97 task activities. It also defines the maintenance, energy efficiency and system verification procedures.

To enable people to perform outdoor visual tasks efficiently and accurately, especially during the night, adequate and appropriate lighting has to be provided. The degree of visibility and comfort required in a wide range of outdoor work places is governed by the type and duration of activity. BS EN 12464-2 is the standard that specifies the requirements for lighting of tasks in most outdoor work places and their associated areas in terms of quantity and quality of illumination.
 
In addition, recommendations are provided for good lighting practice. Lighting requirements for outdoor work places are specified to meet the needs for visual comfort and performance and all usual visual tasks are considered. The BS EN 12464-2 standard provides guidance rather than specific solutions, and so the designer will have free choice to explore new techniques and use innovative equipment.

For further information, view website: www.ceag.de or e-mail: Gordon.Low@CooperIndustries.com   Refer to page 69

SolarSpec panel-mount DC connectors and terminals from Molex

Molex Incorporated has expanded its range of SolarSpec™ products  with the development of pin (male) and socket (female) panel-mount DC connectors. The IP67-sealed, SolarSpec panel-mount DC connectors, with internal locking and touch-proof design for superior safety, feature an innovation nut mechanism for simple assembly to the panel and provide a durable connection for cable attachment to solar inverters.

"The addition of the panel-mount DC Connector for solar inverters complements the SolarSpec range, which now encompasses the junction box for silicon photovoltaic panels, crimp terminal DC connectors for direct attachment to solar junction boxes, field installations and photovoltaic grid wiring, and DC cable assemblies," says Peter Commane, product manager, Molex. "Our in-house design and manufacture of the SolarSpec range ensures high-quality levels and reliability during service, whilst at the same time being cost-competitive. Customers will also benefit from exclusive Molex design features, including moulded surface ribs and the industry's lowest contact resistance when compared to equivalent DC connectors."

Offering exceptional efficiency, the contact resistance of the SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connector remains below 0.5 milliohms. The contact can handle as much as 30.0A and accommodates 2.50mm² and 4.00 to 6.00mm² (14 AWG and 12 to 10 AWG) cable to meet a wide range of customer requirements. Polarised panel cut-outs help prevent rotation of the connectors and ensure no cross-assembly of male and female connectors on the panel.

Rugged and durable, the SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connectors are IP67-sealed to protect against the ingress of dust and water, and the housing body is resistant to UV and ozone damage. The touch-proof safety design protects installers and maintenance engineers from electrical current even during mating and decoupling operations. The connectors feature exclusive moulded surface ribs to allow secure gripping, especially while wearing work gloves.

The NEC 2008 (690.33) and NFPA 70 US code-compliant solution developed by Molex is an innovative interlocking mechanism that prevents accidental and unauthorised decoupling of the connector during service in the field and provides for reliable connection and safe handling. For ease of assembly, a simple nut mechanism on the SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connector is tightened using a standard wrench, to secure onto the bulkhead of the inverter panel - also for additional security a Molex field service tool is required to disengage the latch when unplugging.

Molex SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connectors are designed to connect to other products in the SolarSpec range ensuring global compatibility.

For further information about the SolarSpec range, view website: www.molex.com/link/solarjunctionbox.html  Refer to page 75

Ultra-bend, insensitive fibre standard
contact (SC) / angled physical contact (APC)
indoor- and outdoor-rated cable solutions are six
times more flexible than conventional optical cable

Molex Incorporated SC/APC indoor- and outdoor- rated cable assemblies and SC/APC 4.80mm connectors help customers and system integrators meet datacom and telecom design challenges, including adherence to industry standards and compatibility with standard cable sizes and fibre types.  Designed for "Fibre to the x" (FTTx) and industrial applications, Molex SC/APC connector assemblies offer up to a 5.00mm bend radius and deliver a high-performance optical return loss of -60 dB - ideal for transmitting large quantities of data and video signals.

Molex Incorporated SC/APC indoor- and outdoor- rated cable assemblies and SC/APC 4.80mm connectors.

"A logical alternative to standard SC/APC connector and cable assemblies, the ultra-bend insensitive fibre SC/APC cable assemblies seek to optimise signal transmission in applications where cable routing space is restrictive," explains Eve Leal, program manager, Molex.  "Much more flexible than conventional optical cable, our SC/APC connector assemblies come standard in a 4.80mm outer-diameter cable suitable for use in harsh indoor and outdoor environments."

All Molex SC/APC versions employ pre-radius precision ceramic ferrules and a one-piece body design that provide quick and economical terminations both in the factory and in the field.  The pre-polished ceramic ferrules minimise polishing time and maintain end-face geometry.  The SC connectors provide a push-pull coupling mechanism tested to the most rigorous industry standards.

A variety of simplex and duplex mating SC adapters is available, including snap- or screw- mount installation, as well as optional adapter shutters.  The adapters are equipped with a spring-loaded shutter that closes automatically when a connector is removed from the adapter to shield against exposure to laser radiation and dust contamination.  EMI shielded SC adapters are also available for applications where EMI or RFI emissions are a concern.

For further information, view website: www.molex.com/link/scconnectorsadapters.html  Refer to page 75