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5 Things You Should Know When Changing to LED Technology

It is no secret that LEDs are much better for the environment than their HID counterparts. But some companies and manufacturers still haven’t made the switch because of the associated costs. Others are sitting on the fence as they decide whether LED technology is the best option.

Since there are a lot of untruths being peddled about LEDs, we’ve decided to address them all today. Here are the 5 most important things you should know when converting to LED technology.

1. Don’t Look at The Lumens, Look at The Watts

In order to determine the brightness of a LED fixture, most people look at the watts, which is actually the last thing they should be looking at.

Lumens are what determine the brightness of a LED because they accurately measure the amount of light a bulb produces. When changing to LED technology, consider the amount of lumens you need each fixture to produce for your environment to be well-lit. The total lumens each fixture produces will contribute to the foot candle reading of the space. Foot candles measure the intensity of light.

So, where do watts come in?

Watts refer to the energy each LED fixture consumes. A LED driver regulates the power (total watts) to the LED diodes. But LED drivers are not equal, some are more efficient than others. This is why each fixture has an efficiency rating.

The energy efficiency of LEDs is usually measured in lumens per watt (lm/W), referring to the amount of light discharged for each watt consumed. The technical term for this is luminous efficacy. LED fixtures that produce more lumens per watt are of better quality.

The best way to determine how many lumens your space needs is by getting a foot candle reading. After you know the exact amount, get LED fixtures that consume the least amount of watts to emit those lumens.

A photometric analysis can tell you exactly how many foot candles you need. TheLightingCenter offers FREE photometric evaluations for added convenience.

Never buy a LED fixture based on the watts.

2. Don’t Believe Dishonest Claims

When shopping for LED fixtures online, you’ll come across many manufacturers – some reputable, some not. When dealing with some manufacturers, you may be told that only the fixtures they sell will be ideal for your space. This may be nothing more than a sales gimmick.

Another lie you may be told is that new LED fixtures are much better than LED retrofits. Do not believe this lie. The truth is that retrofits are just as good as new fixtures, it all depends on who you buy them from.

The last thing you want is to experience buyer’s remorse after getting LED fixtures for a facility, big-box store, or a warehouse. Our company takes pride in offering extensive knowledge before trying to make a sale.

3. Don’t Be Quick to Buy LED Fixtures, Get to Know the Manufacturer or Brand

As LED lighting increases in popularity, so do its vendors. Try doing a quick search online and you’ll see countless companies selling LED fixtures. Even the largest e-commerce sites in the world sell these fixtures. But the thing is, if you’re not familiar with a manufacturer or a brand, you can never be sure what you’re buying.

To make matters worse, some manufacturers do not offer lengthy warranties, which means if your fixtures malfunction you have no one to turn to. The problem with buying heavily discounted fixtures with short warranties is that the manufacturer could be trying to get rid of old inventory. Since LED fixtures are not cheap, don’t make a decision you will regret down the line.

We always recommend doing a little research before settling on a manufacturer or a brand. This way, you can easily access them when a problem crops up.

4. Know Your Specific Needs

Let us tell you a little secret about the reason why we don’t have a shopping cart on our website. People used to come to our site, buy LED fixtures, and then return after a short while to purchase different fixtures. All this could have been avoided if they had made an informed decision during the first purchase.

We focus on education-based selling.  We make sure we understand your needs first before offering you a solution. We determine the lumens your space needs, the best replacement option, and the most ideal fixtures (whether UFO, classic, or linear).

Before you make a purchase, talk to us first. We have more than 10 years’ experience in LED lighting and will recommend the best option.

5. Inquire About the Warranty

A reputable LED company will always honor a warranty as long as the warranty period hasn’t expired. Disreputable companies may do the following things when it comes to warranties.

  • Refuse to process warranty claims citing installation error
  • Use small print or unclear language that makes it difficult for customers to understand the warranty terms
  • Ask that the product be sent back in the original shipping materials in order for them to honor the claim

We’ve only looked at five of the most important things you should do when converting to LED technology, there are many more. The takeaway here is, get to know a manufacturer first before doing any business with them.

Some of our LED products come with a 10-year warranty and we are quick to honor any warranty claim. While we manufacture high-quality products and get very few claims, we are always here if you have a problem – which is why we have thousands of loyal customers. The best way a company can prove its credibility to its clients is by honoring warranties.

 



Article Source : www.thelightingcenter.com/5...
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