T8 Horizon™ High Bay Reaches New Heights

Unparalleled Performance

All The Bells and Whistles

• High polished 25 year reflector
• CEE rated high efficiency ballasts
• High Lumen Tri-Phosphor lamps
• Top side ballast doors for easy service or ballast replacement
• Instant on/off and re-strike
• Motion/Occupancy Sensor ready
• Bi-Level (Dual) Switching capable
• Quick Disconnect; fast electrical connection reduces labor
• Stainless Steel ZIP Cable; quick installation into any ceiling
• V-Hook support system perfectly levels fixtures perfectly
• 5 Year Warranty including ballasts
• 3 Year Free Lamp Replacement

In retail most business owners take careful planning into the walls, the floors, and how products are displayed. But often we find that smaller business neglect to recognize the need for good lighting. Often times business owners tell us that by the time they get the store up and running that a good lighting system is not in the budget. Great lighting doesn’t have to come from any large expense. This is a misconception and due to lack of knowledge.

Great Lighting Is Not Expensive

Great lighting can be created by simply selecting a fairly inexpensive light bulb that is appropriate for the type of products being displayed, or sold. Factors to consider are the primary colors of merchandise, reflectance of walls and floors as well as natural day lighting coming in through windows. When we look at a situation such as a Mattress Store, the primary color is white. Therefore having light bulbs that give the truest tone of white coloring, the mattresses will look whiter and brighter.

There Is No Excuse For Bad Lighting

On a visit to another local mattress store, the sales person informed us that they did not want bright white light bulbs in their ceiling because they did not want customers to lay down and stare into a bright light. However retail logic tells us that customers are not concerned with what is in the ceiling, just how great the product they are interested in buying appears. So when Land Of Sleep decided to purchase natural White Light Bulbs from Synergy Lighting, they did exactly what any great mattress store should do. Make their product look amazing!

Making The Change Is Easy

The change over to Natural White Lighting for this mattress retailer was inexpensive and resulted in a 40% energy savings over traditional 4 lamp fluorescent fixtures. No new fixtures or large expenses was needed, just a simple change of light bulbs to do the trick!  Not only was the change a dramatic effect, but it paid for itself from the energy savings. Now when customers come in to view a mattress, the product looks stunning, sales are increased and when laying down to try the matress out, customers can close their eyes and picture themselves in mattress heaven!

For more information on Natural White Light Bulbs, view our website and call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

With the economical crunch over the past few years and the ever growing popularity of going green, converting hid to CFL has become a growing trend. By simply by passing the HID ballast and screwing in a Compact Fluorescent Lamp, business have discovered that the S/P Ratio (Scotopic to Photopic Lumens) is great enough to be a viable option, providing adequate light.

Drawbacks of Retrofitting HID To CFL

As great of an option as this procedure is, many customers have found that the line voltage supplied to their HID fixtures is greater than 120 Volts, typically 208, 240 or 277 volt. In these cases, customer find themselves either not being able to find a CFL bulb in those voltages, with the exception of the TCP 277V spiral, or that the fixtures are too small to fit an equal wattage CFL bulb. For customers with 208, 240 volt system, the only option has been to pay large expenditures in order to convert electric panels, and rewire to accommodate lower voltages.

Litetronics New High Wattage CFL System Makes Retrofitting Affordable

Litetronics, a leading producer of innovative CFL products has introduced its full line of HID to CFL retrofit kits. These kits include a non-ballasted CFL high wattage lamp for easy screw in the socket installation with a remote multi-volt ballast capable of 120, 208, 240 or 277 Volt systems. Because these new CFL lamps are non-ballasted, the have a much smaller MOL (Maximum Overall Length), and can fit into virtually any HID fixture from wall packs, parking lot lights, high bays and parking garage canopy lights.

Benefits Include:

• 10,000-hour life
• 85 CRI, 5000k natural white
• 65 Up to 150 watts
• Excellent lumen maintenance
• Advanced Amalgam maintains optimal lumens
• Instant start and instant restrike
• Reduced color shift compared to metal halide
• External ballast reduces lamp replacement costs

Litetronics high watt compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) are designed to replace HID lamps in high bay applications for energy savings and higher ROI. They off er high 85 CRI for excellent color rendition, and they promise reliable operation with instant start and instant re-strike. Unlike HID lamps, Litetronics high watt CFLs have no color shift over time, and they have lower glare and higher lumen maintenance. With a lower system cost than HID, Litetronics high watt CFL’s are the best solution for high and low bay lighting.

Litetronics high watt CFL’s utilize an external ballast, which offers better heat management than self-ballasted high wattage CFL’s. When the lamp and ballast are together in a self-ballasted lamp, heat builds up in a condensed area, which leads to premature failures. Separating the lamp and ballast allows for better heat management, which translates into maximum life and lumen maintenance. The external ballast also reduces lamp replacement costs compared to self-ballasted CFLs because you only need to replace the lamp at end of life instead of the lamp and ballast. This means that Litetronics high watt CFL’s are more cost-effective and provide higher ROI than alternative high bay CFL lighting. Litetronics high watt CFL’s also have a smaller MOL than competing lamps, which provides better optics out of the fixture. For superior high bay lighting, Litetronics high watt CFL’s are the fi rst choice.

For more information view our website or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.  

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

Often we talk to customers about Scotopically Rich Lighting, and for those who have never heard the term before it can be a little confusing. Manufacturers have performed studies for year on the photopic lumens that are produced by a light source such as a light bulb. The photopic lumens are a measurement of brightness by a lumen meter. This measurement can be translated by how light is percieved the cones in the human eye. These light meters completely ignore the effect of rod activated vision (scotopic). As a result, lighting practice accepted this single sensitivity function because it was erroneously assumed that the more light sensitive rods only functioned at very dim light levels.

How the eye perceives light

Light arrives at our eye from all portions of an illuminated space. At the back of the eye there is a light sensitive membrane called the retina which contains millions of very tiny light receptors. These receptors convert light into electrified signals that are sent to the vision centers of the brain. The retina contains two major categories of light receptors (photoreceptors) called the cones and rods because of their geometric shapes. The central part of the retina, the fovea, contains only cones. In the rest of the retina there are both rods and cones, with the number of rods dominating the cones by about 10 to 1.

Scientists have recently discovered that the rods in the human eye can perform in dim light levels as well as interior lighting levels of those commonly found in office environments and stores.  These rods are sensitive to light sources that emit bluish-white color tones like those found in higher kelvin temperature fluorescent light bulbs.   Vision specialists put both functions of the rods and the cones together to measure a complete value of light sensitivity know as a Scotopic/Photopic (S/P) Ratio. The S/P Ratio of most fluorescent and incandescent lamps is very low. For example, a Warm White Bulb has an S/P Ratio of 1:14 while a full spectrum 5000K lamp lamp such as an Ultra 50 or Skybrite has a ration of 2:47.  These number can be hard to understand, so lets look at it in a more simple light.

Lamps that are in the yellow kelvin temperature range 2700-4200 use primarily the cones in the eye. The pupil becomes enlarged to allow more light to enter the eye, and therefore causing more muscles in the eye to work harder to provide visual clarity. Lamps in the 5000 Kelvin range allow the rods to work better, which in turn constricts the pupil and allows for easier visual clarity which is a scotopic response. In otherwords, thwo light sources can have the same photopic lumens, but the lamps with higher scotopic values will apear to the eye  as being percieved brighter. This scotopic response reduces visual fatigue, increase reading ability and reduces “disability glare”, especially in the electronic office.

Scotopically Rich Lighting Redues Fatigue and Glare

Disability glare is defined by the Illuminating Engineering Society as “glare resulting in reduced visual performance and visibility.” It is often accompanied by discomfort. Disability glare occurs as a result of “light scatter” in the eye. Light scatter is caused by imperfections in the optical media of the eye (the cornea & lens). These imperfections are common to some degree in everyone, and become more severe with age. The imperfections in the optical media cause a scattering of light rays coming from the non task area, causing undesirable light to fall on the central part of the retina (the fovea) where the task is focused. This causes a background haze of useless light on the central retina (the fovea) and reduces retinal contrast. Because the fovea contains only cones, just the photopic content of the ambient or general light is responsible for disability glare. Because people of age suffer from other conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts, one must understand that the visible spectrum of light becomes diminished.  In the case of a retail store or office, a customer may only see 60% of the visible light produced, therefore the increase of both photopic and scotopic light levels can be increasingly important to reduce glare and visual fatigue thus increasing productivity and sales.

Benfits of Scotopically Rich Lighting

• Reduces visual fatigue
• Elliminates disability glare
• Improved visual clarity
• Makes products appear more appealing
• Increased safety
• Objects appear much brighter
• Shows colors more accurately
• Greater energy efficiency

For more information on Scotopically Rich Lighting, view our website or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

The customers experience at night begins in the parking lot, making Parking Lot Lighting the most valuable tool for a business at night. If a parking lot is poorly lit, customers will not stop, park, or shop. When a potential customer or client is considering visiting a store, shopping center or dealership, light can create a great sense of curb appeal attracting potential buyers or shoppers. A Well illuminated facility sends a clear message to customers that your business is open, ready to conduct business, and represents a more inviting, safer place to shop.

Making a good first impression!

Making this first impression a good one is vital to the success of any business. It is human nature to subconsciously be attracted to well illuminated areas, and thus increases traffic flow. Recently we received a call from a National Store Chain that the parking lot lighting was poor and needed to be improved. The concern was that most shoppers at night were female, and the lack of good, bright lighting made the store look unattractive to these potential shoppers. This is not just an assumption. As stores and shopping centers become larger in today’s real estate world, the walking distance from store to car becomes larger. Men have a tendency to not think about safety as much as women, so business owners must cater their lighting to the concerns of most women.

Poorly illuminated areas provide drastically increased potential risks, ranging from theft or purse-snatching to assault, rape, an even kidnapping. Women feel especially at risk walking to their car alone after dark. Few people realize the dangers inherent in this commonplace activity, but the fear alone may prevent potential customers from shopping at stores or centers with lower light levels. The criminal element is more likely to strike in these areas because the lack of Parking Lot Lighting allows the element of surprise and reduced visual acuity and increasing premise liability.

Target Corporation prides itself in offering more for less. Target Corporation operates Target stores, a chain of large, general merchandise discount stores, The company currently operates 1,272 Target stores in 47 states, all of which are required to maintain a pristine, warm atmosphere for shoppers. Target established a corporate policy to maintain standards for light levels for its stores’ main parking, peripheral parking and front drive areas. As part of their store maintenance program, Target periodically evaluates the light levels of each of its store location’s parking lots. That’s why when Target believed its parking lot light levels at a popular location were not meeting its corporate standards, they called in the lighting experts to measure light levels, and take corrective action.

How much light should a parking lot have?

First we must understand that there is no such thing as too much light in a parking lot. Most often we find that retailers do not put a focus on parking lot lighting fixtures due to high costs of repair and energy consumption. There are many alternatives such as LED and Induction lighting that can reduce these costs while providing high levels of light. The Illumination Engineering Society in Partnership with Nema, the Nations leading authorities on parking lot lighting standards, has determined that the most appropriate light level for a business at night is 4.0 foot candles or greater. Local ordinances controlling light pollution may require lower levels, however meeting a maximum light level is most beneficial. This foot candle recommendation is both vertically and horizontally across the plane. Some businesses or centers that just measure light levels directly beneath a light pole may have inadequate lighting across the parking lot.

How can parking lot lighting be improved affordable?

Synergy Lighting offers a wide variety of HID, LED and Induction based lighting products that can improve parking lot lighting design scotopically, without requiring additional expenses of poles and wiring to be added. The human eye responds to brighter whiter light on a scotopic level with increased see-ability or visual acuity. Any of the following tips can improve a lighting system on an affordable basis:

• Convert High Pressure Sodium HID, to Metal Halide
• Use Natural White Lamps whenever possible
• Convert HID to LED or Induction which provides improved see-ability and scotopically rich lighting
• Change older fixture heads to newer heads with type III polished reflectors
• Replace hard mounted fixtures with adjustable angle fixtures

Why use LED or Induction for Parking Lot Lighting

With vast improvements in efficiency and affordability, the LED Parking Lot Lighting and Induction Parking Lot Lighting alternatives are an excellent choice. Both of these options offer over a 50% savings on energy waste while providing some of the brightest white light in today’s market. The ratio of light measured photopically (standard light meter), and scotopically (human eye), this is known as the S/P Ratio. The S/P Ratio for a 5000K natural white light source is 2.1. Standard metal halide light bulbs are 4000K cool white and have a S/P ratio of 1.65.  where as a High Pressure Sodium system has an S/P ratio of 0.64 with the same photopic luminance as metal halide. This means that Metal Halide is twice as effective as HPS, while LED and Induction which are standard at 5000K are three times more effective while reducing electricity costs by 50% or greater.

For more information on Parking Lot Lighting Systems, view our website or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com