To strengthen user confidence in LED products, the Department of Energy established ENERGY STAR criteria for LED fixtures that went into effect last September. Recently, the first products were introduced. In this article I wrote for the July issue of TED magazine, the ENERGY STAR criteria are discussed along with several perspectives on its significance [...]
An article I wrote for TED Magazine recently describes the emergence of the NEMA Premium Ballast. Basically, this is a program, with a mark, that identifies the industry’s most efficient fluorescent electronic ballasts available for 4-ft. T8 lamps.
It’s a great idea, even if simply to avoid confusion. Everybody calls their electronic ballasts “high efficiency” products, [...]
I recently wrote an article for TED Magazine about load-shedding ballasts, available online here.
A building’s demand for electric power is the sum of the power required to run its electrical equipment in operation at any given time. Demand rises and falls as equipment is turned on and off. Peak demand is the highest level of [...]
I recently wrote an article for TED Magazine about extended-life linear 4-ft. fluorescent T8 lamps.
Industry averages:
* 20,000 hours at 3 hours/start on instant-start ballast (the most commonly installed electronic ballast)
* 24,000 hours at 12 hours/start on instant-start ballast
* 24,000 hours at 3 hours/start on a programmed-start ballast
* 30,000 hours at 12 hours/start on [...]
Last fall, TED Magazine published my column on fluorescent emergency ballasts, available here.
A fluorescent emergency ballast is basically a ballast with a built-in battery that senses when power is cut to the unit, resulting in relays inside the ballast switching to battery power to operate the lamp(s) and produce code-compliant illumination during an emergency.
The [...]
In March 2008, TED Magazine, the NAED publication for electrical distributors, published my column summarizing the lighting changes of the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 energy standard.
ASHRAE 90.1-2007 did not make power allowances more stringent, but did include a number of significant refinements.
Click here to read the article.
According to the Building Codes Assistance Project, as of January [...]
