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Throwing light on energy saving
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February 2008
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A retrofit solution is helping users convert to lower energy fluorescent lighting tubes.
There are currently around 68 million fluorescent lighting tubes in the UK and the quickest and most obvious way for the huge numbers of installations already in existence to achieve energy savings would be to switch from conventional electromagnetically ballasted lamps to the new generation of high frequency ballasted and more energy efficient triphosphor tubes.
To encourage sales of these new lamps they are being manufactured in a different size – now being shorter in length. This means, in theory, that in order to use the new lamps the ceiling battens (luminaries) also need to be replaced – a huge investment for those with multiple fittings.
A retrofit solution, seven years in development, has been designed to combat this huge outlay – a unit that connects the shorter lamp to the longer luminaire without compromising its efficiency in any way.
‘Save It Easy’ high frequency units plug directly on to the ends of T5 or T8 tubes, simultaneously providing appropriate ballast and increasing tube length to fit existing luminaires. UK supplier Energy Conservation Solutions Limited (ECSL) stresses that the range includes units able to convert every size of commonly encountered luminaire, including 2ft T8 and 8ft T12 units.
Combined circuit and lamp energy savings range from 26% to 56% depending on application and the simplicity of plug-in installation reduces down time, relinquishing the need for highly-qualified electricians and avoiding all the problems of new attachments and re-wiring including the issue of asbestos ceiling materials encountered in older buildings.
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Author
Chris Rowlands
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