VANPLEX

1. What are LED Lights and do they save energy?

All our LED lights are energy saving that are designed to replace metal halide, high pressure sodium and halogen lights in your warehouse, facility, parking lot or garage. They will reduce your energy consumption by at least 50%, and as much as 80%, depending on the light you choose and the light we are replacing. With LEDs lasting up to 50,000 hours, we can also reduce your maintenance on your lighting. 

2. How do LEDs Work?

LEDs are comprised of 3 main components: the LED's (the chip set that produces light), the driver (converts AC to DC) and the heat sink (to keep everything cool). LEDs take DC power from the driver and create light. The heat sink captures heat from the LEDs and the drivers. Although LEDs produce significantly less heat than the light bulbs we have been used to over the past century, the heat they produce must be managed. The better this is done, the longer the life of the product. 

LED's also performs the job of converting electricity to light more efficiently than other light sources, that is why we can replace a 400W metal halide bulb with a LED 100W retrofit. 

3. What are the benefits of replacing your ordinary fixtures with the LED?

There are many benefits. Here is a list of a few:

a. An immediate reduction in your electricity bill. 
b. Less heat. LED fixtures are extremely efficient converting electricity into light. 
c. LED light last a very long time, typically 50,000 to 100,000 hours. 
d. They are virtually indestructible.
e. Environment friendly
f. Highly recyclable - with no hazardous parts, you can easily reclaim most of the parts in an environmentally safe way.

4. How much money can you save when converting to LED?

It all depends what you are converting. Fortunately, we built a very simple and information Energy savings calculator. Enter in a few fields or select one of our existing energy savings scenario, and let it calculate your energy savings. We tried to make it simple and easy to use. But it is common to see at least a 70%+ savings on your energy consumption.

5. Can LED fixtures be used with dimmer controls?

Yes and No. First, not all LEDs are dimmable. The driver must be designed to allow dimming. Secondly, you must purchase the right type of dimmer. Most retail stores now carry dimmers specifically designed for LED lights. Please note, if you purchase a non-dimmable LED bulb and try to dim it, it will cause the fixture to fail and also void the warranty. 

6. What color temperatures are available with LED lights?

Color temperature for LED lights is measured on the Kelvin scale. LED lights come in a variety of colors, but the most common are in a range from 2700K to 7500K. The unfortunate thing is that the only consistent measurement is the Kelvin scale, Many manufacturers like to use terms like Day White, Natural White, Warm White and Cool White, but there is not a standard that defines a Kelvin temperature to associate with those terms. The general rule is WARM (2700K) to COOL(6500K+). The warmer the light, the more yellow tones, the cooler the light, there are more blue tones.

Here are the typical range of color temperatures on MyLEDLightingGuide:

* 2700-3200 - WW - Warm White
* 4000-4500 - NW - Natural White
* 5000-5500 - DW - Day White
* 6500-7500 - CW - Cool White

7. Can LEDs be used in outside lights?

Yes. Some LED lights are designed with water-proof fittings. Others need to be kept in a water-tight fixture. Read all instructions and manuals before using a LED bulb outdoors. 

The specification you need to check for is IP Rating. A fixture IP65 or greater is considered acceptable to work in a wet environment.

8. Will the light levels decrease over the life of the bulb?

Yes. They will fade as the bulb gets near the end of its normal operating life. But it is very gradual and hardly noticeable. This is called Lumen Degradation and is denoted on the website as L70. L70 is the amount of time the light takes to get to 70% of the initial lumen output. 

9. How long do the bulbs last and what sort of warranty is associated with your LED lights?

We provide 5 to 10 year warranty for our products. Check the warranty with our sales for each product. Warranties only apply for normal use of lights and do not include misuse or usage for which the fixture was not intended to perform. All our warranties are parts-only warranty. We do not cover the cost of labor or shipping. All manufacturer installation instructions must be followed and the fixtures cannot be modified in any way.

10. How many lumens do I need to replace 400W Metal Halide fixture?

There is a lot that goes into answering this question. DesignLights Consortium has indicated in their specifications that you need at least 10,000 lumens to replace a 400W Metal Halide. Some other factors come into play, like surface reflectivity, obstructions and other source of light, such as natural light sources coming into the building. 

We will select the best product that meets your needs. So we have the ability to replace 400W Metal Halide with 10,000 lumens up to 30,000 lumens. We do find that you need more lumens indoors to do a proper replacement than you do outdoors. A lighting photometric analysis will determine how much you need to create the proper foot candles.

11. What is L70?

L70 is the amount of time it takes for a light to degrade to 70% of initial lumen output 

12. When I buy LED, should I buy based on watts or lumens?

Always buy based on lumens, watts is a number that is used to determine how much energy it takes to produce those lumens. It is important to pay attention to lumens per watt, or lm/w. The higher the number, the less energy you will need to produce the light. You will notice that some lights take less energy to produce the same amount of light, and this is something you should watch for. Typically, the higher the ratio, the better. 

13. What component of the LED system is typically the first to fail?

Almost always, it is the driver. That is why it is important to know who makes the driver in the LED fixture you purchase. Brand names like Meanwell, Sosen, Lifud, Inventronics are good.

14. What is the most common reason LEDs fail?

Heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics, the hotter it is, the shorter the light. However, with good design, you can create a light or fixture that can withstand some high heat environments. Typically a fixture or bulb with an external driver will last longer than an integrated fixture that has the LEDs and driver as one unit. 

15. What is CRI?

CRI is Color Rendering Index. It is a measurement of the quality of light. Where as lumens is a measurement of the quantity of light, CRI is the measurement of quality. It is a scale between 0 and 100. 0 is bad, 100 is great. LED's typically are in the 70-95 range. The higher the CRI, the more expensive the LED chip, and therefore the more expensive the product itself. 

16. What is DesignLights Consortium (DLC)?

DLC is DesignLights Consortium, the governing body that certifies the quality and efficiency of LED Lights. It is a standard similar to Energy Star. Where as Energy Star is for home owner type products, DLC is for commercial grade LED products. A DLC Qualified product may be eligible for rebates. Your local utility designates whether you are eligible for rebates or not, and it varies between utility companies. Currently there are two standard, DLC Standard and DLC Premium. DLC Premium is more efficient and will save you more money in terms of operating costs. 

Have Any More Unanswered Questions?

If you still have questions after reading this page, please contact us.