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The lighting industry is ever evolving and ever changing as new technologies with improvements and benefits comes in and take the place of older lighting solutions. Such is the case with fluorescent lighting. Since the invention of the modern fluorescent lamp 80 years ago by a group of scientists from GE, fluorescent lighting has been a mainstay in our lives by lighting where we work, where we go to school, where we shop, and where we go for medical care due to its energy efficiency, overall cost savings, and long light life.
However, with the pros also come the cons, and fluorescent lighting has those as well. Fluorescent lighting gets a bad wrap for the fact it contains a small amount of mercury for it to work, which makes it an environmentally-unfriendly product that is not easily disposed of. Plus if a fluorescent lamp is not being used with a proper ballast, it can emit an annoying buzzing sound when on and light can flicker.
As everyone today is moving towards both a greater environmental consciousness and need for increased overall cost savings, it is really no surprise that many project managers and lighting system designers are beginning to look at replacing fluorescent lighting with LEDs. Although LEDs have a larger initial investment, many are willing to put in the extra dollars due to what LEDs offer -- more energy efficiency, more cost savings, more light life, and a safer product that is environmentally friendly.
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Plus with the newer LED technologies products out there today, some offer such a substantial amount of energy and upkeep savings that investors are finding they are getting an ROI quicker than they thought possible. For instance, CREE's UR Series of LED upgrade kits offers energy savings of more than 50% when used to replace existing T8/T12 linear fluorescent lamps. Because of that, customers report they have been able to receive a return on their investment in less than two years!
The UR Series is designed for easy installation as it is lightweight and made to fit into existing T8/T12 linear fluorescent fixtures, including those with uncommon specifications such as parabolic, surface-mount, and volumetric wraps. Available in both 2 foot and 4 foot lengths, the LED upgrade kit is also compatible with most existing fixtures, meaning the included LED lightbar and driver can be used in a current fluorescent fixture without needing to use the ballasts and sockets. The upgrade kit is installed through the use of plastic magnetic mounting clips on the lightbar that literally allows it to snap into place, and electrical quick connects on the driver that are virtually error-proof.
When it comes to quality of light, CREE's UR Series does not disappoint as it provides more than 100 lumens per watt of neutral or cool color temperature light for an amazing 50,000 hours, thanks to its use of advanced LEDs, drivers, and optics. The UR Series 2ft emits 3,600 lumens of either 3500K or 4000K light with an 80 CRI while only using 36 watts of power. This LED upgrade kit also offers dimming options for even great energy savings -- step level dimming down to 50% or 0-10V dimming down to 5%.
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Each kit comes complete with LED lightbars, LED driver, mounting clips, self-tapping screws, driver screw, installation instructions and relamping label, with quantities depending on which size product you choose. The UR Series LED upgrade kits feature a shatterproof design, helping to keep the LEDs inside protected. The kit also uses a specially-designed lens to help make light distribution even and smooth.
Additionally, it features a lightweight aluminum heat sink housing for extra durability, and to keep operating temperatures low and LEDs operating well for the long haul. Designed for indoor use -- such as in hospitals, schools, offices, and hotels -- the UR Series is UL Listed, can be used in damp locations, and is product qualified on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List. It is also made to meet the usual IES footcandle requirements you will encounter for offices and other commercial spaces. Plus the UR Series comes with a seven year warranty from the manufacturer, and emergency back-up options are available.
ShineRetrofits.com is proud to offer its customers outstanding LED lighting solutions produced by CREE. Since 1987, CREE has continued to lead the way when it comes to LED lighting innovation in their ever-striving quest to oust hazardous an environmentally unfriendly lighting systems with solutions that are safe, powerful, and do not harm our world.
If you would like assistance with saving energy through lighting retrofits, please give us a call or send us an email at
[email protected].