INDUCTION
FULL CUT-OFF STREETLIGHTS, ETC.
Stan Walerczyk, CLEP, LC
Principal of Lighting Wizards
July 20, 2010 version
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Based on the research for this white paper, the latest generation of high performance LED street
and roadway lights, which the main type is commonly called cobraheads, is quickly becoming a
standard in street lighting and considered significantly better than the latest generation of induction
streetlights.
The recent evolution of LED street lights, including improvements in lumens, optical control, life,
wattage, and pricing is more rapid and pronounced than anything I have seen in 21 years of
experience.
Following shows the evolution of lumens per watt (LPW) of commercially available LED chips and
fixtures, with fixture performance including steady state temperature, driver losses and fixture
efficiency.
Not that long ago, LED chips at about 70 LPW and good fixtures at about 40 LPW
2009, LED chips at about 100 LPW and good fixtures at about 70 LPW
2010, LED chips at about 120 130 LPW and good fixtures at about 100 LPW
Right around the corner, LED chips at 150+ LPW and good fixtures at 120+ LPW
Although induction, which is very mature technology and probably soon to be obsolete, for most
applications, competed quite well against 70 LPW LED chips and 40 LPW LED fixtures, it does not
compete against anything better, especially when optical control is included.
Real useable life for induction lamps and generators is more like 60,000 70,000 hours, not the
100,000 hours listed in lamp catalogs. 50,000 70,000 hours is also a good rated life for LED
systems. 50,000 hour rated life divided by 4200 hours per year is 12 years. LEDs and other solid
state lighting will improve so much within 10 years, that it should be very cost effective to replace
or retrofit existing LED fixtures by then.
Specifiers are encouraged to properly examine the research presented and make their own
decisions for their specific applications and needs.
This white paper, which currently includes an executive summary and discussion, may be
expanded to include substantial detailed information. If anybody has substantiated additional or
conflicting information, please send it. With the on-going research, keep checking for updates of
this white paper.
DISCUSSION
Proponents of LED and induction are competing to replace millions of existing high pressure
sodium (HPS), metal halide (MH), mercury vapor (MV) and low pressure sodium (LPS) street
lighting fixtures in North America and beyond. Although this report focuses on street lighting, much
also applies to other exterior area and garage lighting.
Final decision makers, who are often specifiers, usually need to balance expectations of a variety
of stakeholders (local government, residents, environmental groups, etc.) and these expectations
can conflict. Following are just a few of the issues that need to be evaluated and prioritized in order
to make optimal decisions.
Lumens out of the fixture
Optical control (where those lumens are directed)
Wattage
Standardized reports from certified independent test labs
Kelvin, which ranges from warm white 3000K to bluish white 6000K
Color Rendering Index (CRI)
Control capabilities
Environmental concerns regarding materials, manufacturing, transportation & disposal
Fixture and installation costs
Stature of light source and fixture manufacturers
Where are products made and do they qualify for ARRA (a.k.a. stimulus) funds?
Rated useable life of components, lighting system and fixture
Parts and labor maintenance costs
Warranty (What is the credibility of 10 year warranty from a 2 year old company?)
Retrofitting or replacing down the road
OLD TECHNOLOGIES
HPS
HPS is by far the most common, due to good lumens per watt, 24,000+ hour rated lamp life, low
lamp cost, long ballast life and low magnetic ballast cost. But there are some significant downsides
of HPS, which include 20 CRI and yellow color. For lower wattage clear lamps, which have a
relatively small arc tube, optical control can be fairly decent. Optical control is not nearly as good
with higher wattage and/or coated lamps.
MH
There are probe and pulse start MH lamps and ballasts. Most MH in street lights is probably probe
start, which is not as good as pulse start. MH provides white light, typically 65 CRI. But it has lower
lumens per watt and shorter lamp life than HPS. So MH is not used for streetlights very much. For
lower wattage clear lamps, which have a relatively small arc tube, optical control can be fairly
decent. Optical control is not nearly as good with higher wattage and/or coated lamps.
MV
Mercury vapor was the first high intensity discharge (HID) lamp, and although it has 24,000+ hour
life, lumens per watt is only half of HPS & MH and CRI is only about 45 with coated lamps, which
are by far the most common. Coated lamps do not allow for very good optical control.
LPS
LPS is usually only used near observatories, because they can filter out the narrow band of yellow
light. Lumens per watt and lumen maintenance are quite good. But CRI is zero, lamp life is only
18,000 hours, and the long lamps do not allow for good optical control.
NEWER TECHNOLOGIES
Induction
Philips introduced induction in 1990, and Sylvania introduced their version in 1997. Although there
are several other manufacturers, they are not recommended for reasons listed later. Induction
provides long life, white light and good CRI. Lumens per watt is not that good, and since it is a
mature technology, very little improvement is forecast. Although the life of the lamp and generator
(induction version of a ballast) is typically considered as 100,000 hours, useable rated life is really
more like 60,000 70,000 hours. Since the lamps are coated and so large, they are nothing close
to being a point source, so there is very little optical control.
LED
Nick Holonyak at GE created the first Light emitting diode in 1962, with a whopping 0.001 lumens.
Low wattage and low lumen colored indicator LEDs have been widespread for decades. But white
light LEDs for general illumination has only been cost effective for a few years and is getting better
all of the time. Lumens per watt may increase 20% each year for at least the next five years, and
pricing may come down 20% per year. The three main benefits of LEDs for street lighting are low
wattage, great optical control and long life. LEDs can be aimed to provide light only where it is
needed. Being conservative, an LED fixture, without having to replace LEDs or drivers, should last
50,000+ hours. When doing life cycle cost comparisons, 50,000 70,000 hours can be used for
both induction and LED.
qualifier
lamp
wattage
HPS
clear
lamp
100
Sylvania
70
Philips
85
Sylvania
100
Sylvania
150
Induction
LED
(100 LPW
chips)
Philips
165
4000K
350ma
4000K
530ma
40 1W
LEDs
40 1W
LEDs
rated life
hours
initial
lumens
24,000 9,500
40,000
60,000 6,500
100,000
60,000 6,000
100,000
60,000 8,000
100,000
60,000 12,000
100,000
60,000 12,000
100,000
50,000+
NA
100,000
50,000+
NA
100,000
EOL lumen
maintenance
EOL
lumens
(approx.)
system
initial
wattage lumens per
(277V)
watt
EOL
lumens
per watt
fixture
efficiency
(approx.)
initial fixture
lumens per
watt
initial
fixture
lumens
75%
7125
130
64%
4160
77
70%
4200
64%
64%
EOL fixture
EOL fixture
lumens
lumens
per watt
73
55
75%
55
7125
41
5344
84
54
70%
59
4550
38
2912
85
71
49
70%
49
4200
35
2940
5120
103
78
50
70%
54
5600
35
3584
7680
156
77
49
70%
54
8400
34
5376
70%
8400
165
73
51
70%
51
8400
36
5880
70%
NA
46
NA
NA
NA
64
2932
45
2052
70%
NA
68
NA
NA
NA
58
3972
41
2780
notes
EOL is end of life. NA is not applicable. Real rated life is discussed in related white paper. HPS and LED info is generic. Induction fixture info is also generic.
100W generator is used with Sylvania 70W induction lamp. For induction EOL numbers are based on 100,000 hours, and EOL numbers would be better at 60,000.
Listed induction fixture efficiency is better than most IES files, because includes when lamps are properly prepared and some recent fixture improvements.
LED fixtures are tested as complete units, not based on components.
4000K includes 4000 - 4500 Kelvin. Although 6000K LEDs would have more lumens, 4000K may be more acceptable. 350ma would provide longer life than 530ma.
Table does NOT include where the available lumens out of the fixture are directed. LED fixtures direct light where necessary, so fewer lumens are required.
Since Induction lamps have same or worse optical control as HPS, their EOL fixture lumens should match HPS EOL fixture lumens.
350ma 4000K LED fixture data should be sufficient for minimum footcandles between fixtures and around designated perimeters, but not for average footcandles.
Stan Walerczyk of Lighting Wizards www.lightingwizards.com 3/1/10 version
Footcandles, especially minimum or between fixtures, per watt is really more important than
lumens per watt. Although following table is based on 100 LPW LED chips and 70 LPW LED
fixtures, performance would be at 30% better with newer and better LEDs.
units
feet
feet
feet
maintained fc
maintained fc
maintained fc
watts
85W induction
28
40
120
0.64
1.6
0.1
6.4
85
7.5
1.2
100W HPS
28
40
120
0.78
2.3
0.3
2.6
130
6.0
2.3
60 LEDs
28
40
120
0.69
1.3
0.4
1.7
71
9.7
5.6
Following are late 2009 isolux diagrams from a utility for a small city comparing HPS, induction
and LED in typical Type II street lighting distribution patterns. Each of these diagrams should be
considered generic. Specific fixtures could be better or worse, but general distribution patterns and
footcandles would apply for each technology. HPS and induction fixtures have flat bottom lenses.
For these fixtures drop or sag lenses can increase footcandles between fixtures and to designated
perimeters, but since they are not good for dark sky or light trespass, they are not recommended.
85W Induction
70W LED
The above diagrams show that the 70W LED cobrahead has about the same distribution and
footcandles on the road as the 100W HPS cobrahead, but the 85W induction cobrahead does not
provide enough light between fixtures.
LED cobraheads that were tested before fall of 2009 may not have compared so well to HPS or
induction. Since LED chips, fixtures and pricing are improving so rapidly, it is recommended to
evaluate new LED fixtures every six months or at least once a year. For example, Los Angeles has
decided to replace 140,000 HPS cobraheads over five years. Each year the city plans to test new
fixtures from various manufacturers, so the city does not get stuck with old technology.
Before fall of 2009 cobraheads with Philips or Sylvania induction lamps and generators cost
considerably less than LED cobraheads. But now the pricing can be very similar. For example,
LED cobraheads to replace 100 150W HPS, may only cost $300 each, based on an order of at
least 1000. LED fixture pricing should continue to come down.
In June of 2010 the DOE released a gateway study comparing HPS, LED and induction street
lighting in Palo Alto, CA. This and other gateway studies are available at
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/gatewaydemos_results.html.
There is a push to reduce light levels in the middle of the night when there is less vehicle and
people traffic. This is quite easy to do with LEDs. If and when dimming or bi-level drivers become
commonly available, induction could also do this.
Induction is less glary than LED, but that is usually not a major issue.
Although there needs to more details and more issues covered, hopefully sufficient information has
been provided for you to make good general decisions regarding HPS, induction and LED street
lights for typical Type II street lighting requirements.
This document will be expanded to detail issues and will delve into additional issues. Here are
some samples:
40,000 hour rated dual arc tube or non-cycling HPS lamps
Non-street lighting applications where induction may be better than LED
Evolution from average footcandles to minimum footcandles
Light trespass and dark skies
Electronically ballasted pulse start MH
Light emitting plasma
Real rated lives of complete induction and LED fixtures
Other brand Induction compared to Philips and Sylvania
Environmental impacts of various technologies
International Dark-Sky Associations concerns about Kelvin
o Bottom line is that its credibility on this issue is severely questioned