Ex Linear Lighting: Make Sure Your LED is Retrofittable

You may be aware that upgrading existing fluorescent fittings to LED Linear luminaires delivers significant advantages; long operating life, a reduction in maintenance, and the availability of emergency variants to ensure output is maintained at times when you need it most.

However, there may still be a reluctance to move away from existing fluorescent fittings, even for those who already understand the benefits of LED – both the time and cost of installation can act as a deterrent to the newer technology. This is especially the case for larger applications such as drilling rigs or production platforms, where they may be hundreds of fittings to replace.

Upgrading to LED using a retrofittable luminaire can help to minimise a lot of the time and costs associated with replacing the existing units. This article looks at retrofittable luminaires more closely, and how their features increase the ease of installation and make the transition from fluorescent to LED smoother.

Easy Installation

Retrofittable luminaires, such as SPARTAN Linear, are designed to match the dimensions of traditional fluorescent fittings, while the fixing centres and gland entries are also compatible with the existing fluorescents to provide an easy, direct replacement. This means existing brackets and mounting accessories can be utilised in the installation of the new units – especially beneficial for larger applications where the cost of new mounting accessories alone can significantly drive up costs. This increased compatibility helps to streamline the installation process, making it quicker, less costly and also minimising the amount of disruption on-site while the new units are being fitted.

Equivalent Output

Being ‘retrofittable’ should also mean more than just making installation more straightforward; a true retrofittable unit, such as SPARTAN Linear, should also provide an equivalent level of light output to an existing fluorescent. Although LED technology can achieve a greater light output than fluorescent fittings, the temptation to drive the LEDs harder in a Linear fitting should be avoided. If lumen output is too high it may cause glare; a particular concern given that Linear fittings are commonly used as downlighting for general areas, where glare is detrimental to working conditions.

Retrofit solutions like SPARTAN Linear are therefore designed to deliver an even spread of light with multiple, small profile SMT LEDs used to provide a crisp, uniform illumination which is free from glare and exactly replicates traditional 2 x18W or 2x36W fluorescents.  Additionally, the improved colour rendition of white-light LEDs compared to fluorescent luminaires deliver a markedly better working environment for the human eye from the same lumen output.

So in summary, providing you use a luminaire which is retrofittable, the process of upgrading a site from existing fluorescent luminaires to LED is probably more straightforward than you had imagined. Considering the benefits of LED luminaires together; easy installation and drastically reduced maintenance costs, the decision to upgrade should be an easy one.

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For more information or to discuss your lighting requirements please contact us at sales@raytecled.com.