As the phase-out of dichroic lights begins and consumers change over to modern/energy efficient lighting products, there is a unique opportunity for electricians to take full advantage of this market. Dimi Kyriakou reports.
The first stage of phasing out non-compliant extra low voltage halogen reflector lamps commenced on 1 October 2010. From this date, all halogen mirror reflector lamps such as the ubiquitous 12V 50W MR16 dichroic lamp must achieve the prescribed Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS).
“After 14 April this year the common 50W dichroic or mirror back reflector 12V halogen lamp used in many homes and commercial premises will begin to disappear,” Lighting Council Australia chief executive officer Bryan Douglas says.
“The lamp has been targeted for replacement due to its high energy usage and the large installed base. Replacing this lamp type will require use of alternative lamps and replacement luminaire technologies.”
Lighting Council estimates that there are some 300 million downlights in Australian homes and offices that use the MR16 lamp, with Australia having one of the highest – if not the highest – per capita penetration of these products in private dwellings in the world.
“A significant opportunity for electrical contractors will soon exist to provide replacement lamps or luminaires in applications where these lamps are used. However they need to understand the pros and cons of the alternative lamps and replacement luminaires available,” he says.
“What is loosely referred to as a low voltage luminaire is also mistakenly thought of as being low energy consumption. The 12V 50W luminaire is certainly not low wattage. Nor is it energy efficient – especially when compared to alternative technologies available today.
However, they are cheap, easy and profitable for electricians to install and many of them are required to illuminate a space.
“Being an incandescent technology, they are hot while illuminated and have been linked to many roof cavity insulation fires. They also increase the load on air conditioning systems, adding to their poor reputation for energy efficiency.”
Replacement options
According to Lighting Council, alternatives include using the same lamp shape and type with a 35W rating or a LED lamp technology. Another option is to replace the complete luminaire with either a mains voltage halogen 50W GU10 base reflector lamp, an efficient compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) or a LED luminaire.
“From 14 April the phase-out will see a ban on importation of the 50W MR16 lamp; however existing stock already in Australia may continue to be sold,” Bryan explains.
“The easiest option is to replace the 50W lamp with a 35W lamp. Fortunately, good quality 35W 12V halogen lamps can provide similar light output to the average 50W lamp and most consumers will have difficulty distinguishing between the two. Eventually Lighting Council expects that all halogen products will disappear and this may be as soon as 2016.”
Bryan says that GU10 reflector lamps will remain a viable option, but are likely to be phased out as well as it is an inefficient incandescent technology. It is also unlikely that consumers will replace their MR16 lamps with CFL luminaires.
“CFLs can provide sufficient light output; however, they are not considered sufficiently aesthetically pleasing to be a mainstream contender,” he explains.
“With its inherent qualities of energy efficiency, longevity and adaptability, the most likely replacement option is solid state lighting, or LEDs. Manufacturers around the world, assisted in many cases by their national governments, are pouring enormous resources into this technology. As a result, LEDs are developing rapidly and prices are coming down.”
Bryan warns, however, that there are many LEDs in the market that perform poorly or do not match the claims of their suppliers. For this reason buyers should beware.
He points out that Lighting Council has developed a labelling based certification scheme that provides confidence to the market that the product purchased meets the claims of its supplier in a number of critical areas such as energy consumption, light output, colour temperature and colour rendering. Lighting Council recommends that purchasers look for the SSL Quality Scheme Label when assessing LED products.
An industry perspective
The electrical industry widely appears to be in mutual agreement that LED technology will be the next big trend in lighting technology, and quite a favourable option during the phase-out of dichroics.
According to Clipsal senior offer manager Travis Algate, the company is preparing for the phase-out with a new portfolio of LED downlights as well as a range of CFL-based lamp technologies.
“We have seen a great uptake in mains voltage halogen lamps and CFLs. LED is an emerging trend that is gaining significant momentum in terms of meeting the relevant MEPS and lighting up the room adequately,” he says.
Travis says Clipsal has also catered its solution to suit the electrical contractor in terms of value-adding opportunities. His advice for electricians who choose to make the most of the phase-out is to do your research.
“Ensure that you have a good understanding of the impact that a lighting product will have to your wiring system and controls compatibility,” he says.
“Also, select lighting products from reputable suppliers who make genuine and proven claims in regards to the compatibility of the product. Then you can have confidence in those claims when you start to design and install a lighting system.”
This is a significant issue for CNW electrical wholesaler, as it often comes across lighting products that are of questionable quality and sometimes have not undertaken electromagnetic compliance (EMC) testing.
“For us it’s all about being associated with higher quality, industry-compliant products and not the making of a quick buck,” CNW Group commercial manager Robert Paterson says.
“We need to make sure that the products are going to last and provide the promised energy savings.”
Robert also says that LED technology has entered the market at a rapid pace and, due to this, many people don’t know the difference between a good and a bad LED light.
“The education process is an ongoing one. Electricians have to look after their reputation – if an LED fitting fails within a short period of time or doesn’t deliver the energy savings, it can certainly have a direct effect on the contractor’s business.
“Consumers don’t always blame the product; they look at the person providing the service or installation. There are a lot of challenges there and the education process is an ongoing one.”
Jason Gerard, of Gerard Lighting, agrees that the changeover to more energy efficient technology such as LEDs gives the contractor an opportunity to up-sell.
“The phase-out of dichroic lights means that a consumer will have to call on an electrician to assist in meeting the replacement requirements,” he says.
“We’re preparing for that with CFLs that are already on the market and the Pierlite Starburst, which is a MR16 replacement LED lamp and kit, has proven to be very popular.”
At the moment, one of the biggest challenges facing the manufacturer is making sure that lamps are compatible with dimming, as this makes up roughly 10% of the market.
“We’ve found that some commercial installations have been dimming the dichroic lights purely to save energy. When you retrofit a LED solution in this type of scenario, the dimmer on the circuit could cause some issues.”
OSRAM has also noticed compatibility issues with dimmers and warns electricians to check this before installation. Given the high demand for LED products, the company has introduced a 35W eco lamp that provides the same light output as a LED with reduced energy consumption.
“The LED is starting to broaden as far as the product offering is concerned and we’re seeing a very large uptake of LEDs. It’s good for the environment and it’s good for the consumer – even though the initial cost is higher, it saves energy in the long run,” OSRAM product manager John Pongrac says.
“People are moving away from halogen towards LED, just for the energy savings. We’re certainly heading down a greener path and electricians need to be prepared for that.”
Contact:
Clipsal by Schneider Electric
www.clipsal.com.au
CNW Electrical
www.cnw.com.au
Gerard Lighting
www.gerardlighting.com.au
OSRAM
www.osram.com.au
