LED Lighting Supply Blog
Damp Location vs Wet Location Rated Lighting Comparison Guide
Damp Location vs Wet Location Rated Lighting - Is There A Difference? Although in everyday conversation, we may use the words damp and wet interchangeably, when it comes to lighting, they mean very different things. And, understanding the difference between a damp...
LED Equivalent Chart
If you know anything about LED lighting, you likely know that LEDs are considered to be energy-efficient fixtures that help save money on electrical costs. And, although that is only one benefit of switching to LED lights, it is certainly a big one. For most people in the...
Buyers Guide to LED Low Bay Lights
What are Low Bay Lights? Before we get too deep into things, we want to make sure that we’re on the same page. So, first, we’ll discuss what exactly low bay lights are. Bay lights are light fixtures that have high power wattage requirements and cover relatively large...
Explosion Proof vs Intrinsically Safe Lighting
Intrinsically safe and explosions proof lights were both designed with safety front of mind. And, although both of these types of fixtures are for "hazardous" locations, they aren't the same type of light. In fact, they are quite different and offer varying levels of...
Guide to Exit Sign Requirements
They’re there when you need them most, but essentially unnoticeable otherwise. Exit signs are an essential component of a safe environment, and every industrial and commercial facility needs them. They’re typically only used during power outages or very poorly lit spaces,...
Sports Lighting Design Guide
Play Better With LEDs From soccer fields and baseball diamonds to tennis and basketball courts, lighting is used to promote safety and extend usable hours. This lighting needs to be adaptable and convenient, providing access to a variety of activities while offering...
Office Lighting Design Guide
Make Light Work of Office Lighting with LEDs Office lighting is more complicated than one may think at first glance. It needs to do the obvious, provide lighting, but it should also accomplish several other tasks as well. Properly designed office lighting provides visual...
NSF Rated Lighting Buyers Guide
Everything in the food and beverage manufacturing industry has to be tested and approved for safe use around the products we consume, even the lighting. But understanding the different certifying bodies and requirements that light fixtures are expected to meet can be...
Factory Lighting Guide
If you’re a facility manager in charge of a factory or a contracted commercial electrician, you know that lighting in these spaces is especially important. And, although lighting is always important, these environments are prone to accidents and are riddled with potential...
Commercial Natatorium (Pool) Lighting Design Guide
Navigating the Waters of Swimming Pool Lighting Any industrial or commercial facility presents its own unique challenges. But, perhaps one of the most interesting of all is the challenge of lighting natatoriums and indoor swimming pools. Not only do these types of...
Guide to California Lighting Regulations: Title 20 & Title 24
First established in 1974, by the Warren-Alquist Act, the California Energy Commission (CEC) was formed as the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, committed to reducing energy costs and the environmental impacts of energy use. And, they continue this mission...
Guide to LED Lighting Rebates By State
LEDs for Discounts As the world’s population continues to grow, so does its need for a power supply. This constant strain on resources has power companies turning to their patrons for help and even offering them money back for installing or using energy-efficient devices....
Recommended Foot Candle Chart
What is a Foot Candle?A great place to start is with the definition. For those of you who may not be familiar with them, a foot-candle is a measurement of light intensity. One foot-candle is defined as enough light to saturate a one-foot square with one lumen of light. If...
Industrial Lighting Design Guide
As any facility manager knows, industrial facilities pose very unique lighting challenges. From lumber and metal production to the aerospace industry, the term “industrial” encompasses many different businesses. Industrial buildings are often extremely large spaces with...
Guide to Explosion Proof Lighting Classification
HAZLOC Lighting Guide If you’ve shopped for residential or commercial lighting, chances are that you haven’t really considered proper personal and property safety measures. But, you should. And, as any facility manager knows, lighting can quickly become a potential hazard...
LED Tri Proof Lights Buyers Guide
Tri-proof lights are luminaries that are shock-proof, waterproof, and dustproof. They come in many different styles and varying levels of water and dust protection. An LED Tri-proof light takes this a step further with energy efficiency and a long lifespan to make a...
Lighting Audit Checklist
If you’re a facilities manager, you likely do periodic checkups of the heavy machinery and other equipment that you use daily. But, there might be a large aspect of your daily operating equipment that you’ve unintentionally forgotten. In both commercial and industrial...
Industrial Energy Audit Checklist
In 2018, the Industrial sector was responsible for almost 32% of the total energy consumption in the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration. It consumed about 27,000 trillion Btu that year, the majority of which can be attributed to manufacturing...
Light Pole Buyer’s Guide
LED pole lights are energy-efficient alternatives to metal halide area lights and streetlights. They’re used for many different purposes, including for parks, pathways, sidewalks, streets, and pole lamps. But, they’re also frequently used in industrial sectors, like...
Round High Bays vs Linear High Bays
In both commercial and industrial settings, you’ll likely find some form of high bay lighting. A High Bay is a tall ceiling space, with a vast open area beneath it. The “bay” is any area with a ceiling that is 20 feet high and taller. Any light designed to be installed and...
Gymnasium Lighting Design Guide
There are many commercial and industrial settings that require specific types of lighting, and a gymnasium is one of those places. Gymnasium lighting is one of those things that usually goes unnoticed, unless you’re in charge of keeping it up and running, but it’s...
Commercial Lighting Design Guide
Today we’re talking about commercial lighting, and just to make sure you’re in the right place, we’ll give you a quick definition. Commercial lighting is a very general term that refers to all of the illumination methods for many different types of businesses like offices,...
Airport Lighting Guide
They often provide an impressive nocturnal backdrop: the lamps and lights at an airport. In professional terms, it’s known as airport beaconing, although airport lighting is certainly more common. Flying always poses some risk, and although you’re more likely to suffer a...
LED Spotlights vs Flood Lights
If you’re looking at LED spotlights and LED flood lights, chances are that you won’t see many differences. But, appearances can be deceiving, and in this case, they most certainly are. Oftentimes, light bulbs and fixtures look the same but when you turn them on, their beam...
How to Become an Electrician
A Trade With Power As one of the largest industries in the county, the electrical contracting industry is valued at more than $130 billion annually. There are more than 70,000 electrical contracting firms and more than 650,000 electrical workers who work every day to...
LED Stadium Light Buyer’s Guide
What are Stadium Lights? First and foremost, we need to determine what exactly stadium lights are. Stadium lights are both narrow and wide-angle lights, designed to illuminate large indoor and outdoor areas. You’ll most often see stadium lights in sports stadiums and...
Highway Lighting Guide
Lighting Up the Road to SomewhereHighway lighting plays an important role in ensuring that the roadways are safe for drivers by ensuring that the streets are visible, even at night. Highway lighting, although similar to street lighting, serves a much more vast purpose. You...
Lighting Plans – From Design to Finished Project
LED Lighting Supply has created 1000's of Lighting Plans. Here are a few examples of how a lighting plan turns into a successful LED conversion. Project 1: Outdoor Rodeo and Riding Arena In this particular case, we were asked to convert an existing rodeo ring from...
Buyers Guide – Choosing High Bay or Low Bay Lights
What is a Bay Light? Before we get into the differences between high and low bay lighting, you should first know what bay lighting is. Bay lights are light fixtures that have high power wattage requirements and cover relatively large areas. More often than not, bay lights...
5 Cost Effective Ways To Convert Fluorescents to LED
In This Matchup, LEDs Mop the Floor with Fluorescents When fluorescent lights first became available, they were touted as high-efficiency lighting. And, to be fair, compared to HID fixtures they are. But, they were quickly surpassed by LEDs. If you are currently using...
Color Rendering Index Explained
Shedding a Little Light on CRI If you’ve been shopping for LEDs, or any type of lighting recently, you may have come across the term “Color Rendering Index” or “CRI.” Knowing a lights CRI can help you make a better, informed purchase. But, this isn’t a household term, and...
Why Upgrade to LED Lighting?
LEDs The Leading LightAdvancements in technology across the board have let people live more efficient lives. Whether it be the accessibility of a smartphone or the fuel efficiency of a car, technology lets us do more with less. Switching to LEDs is just another way to...
LED Flood Light Buyers Guide
What are Flood Lights? First and foremost, we need to determine what exactly flood lights are. Flood lights are wide-angle lights, designed to illuminate large areas. They can be used indoors and outdoors in a variety of different applications. You’ll most often see flood...
Converting Fluorescent Shop Lights to LED
The Upgrade Everyone NeedsDo you still use fluorescent lights in your workshop? If so, you’re not alone. Many shops across the country use or have used fluorescent lighting. But, if you are still relying on fluorescents, it’s probably time to re-evaluate. Think to...
Buyers Guide to Commercial LED Shop Lights
[toc heading_levels="1,2,3,4,5,6"]There are certain settings that require special lighting setups. Workshops are one of those places. They need bright lighting for performing precision tasks. Tasks which are also often potentially dangerous. But, they also need a hardy,...
What to Look for When Comparing UV Sterilization Devices
Now, more than ever thanks to COVID-19, people and businesses are scrambling to find ways to incorporate medical-grade sterilization methods into their daily operating procedures. Once reserved for laboratories and hospitals, germicidal UV lights are offering a new way to...
Electrical Contractor Training Program
Are you an electrical contractor and looking to get classroom training? Get your certification? Upgrade your qualifications? LED Lighting Supply has partnered with the leading electrical contractor training company that provides online, dvd and in-person training to match...
Everything You Need to Know About LED Lumens
LED Lumens- Beyond CompareThese days, everyone is converting their lighting to LEDs. It’s not hard to understand why. LED lights offer numerous improvements over every other type of bulb on the market. That’s just the fact. They work better with smart home systems and...
The 5 Pitfalls of Buying LED and Fixing Bad LED Purchases
When you upgrade your lighting system to LED, there are many options. Some are riskier than others. Here are some of the pitfalls to avoid when making your purchase. The second part of this post relates to those who have made those mistakes, and what they can do....
LED Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about LEDAll our LED lights and bulbs are energy saving that are designed to replace incandescent, fluorescent, CFL, metal halide, high pressure sodium and halogen lights in your office, facility or business. They will reduce your energy...
Office Lighting- LED vs Fluorescent
What’s the Best Lighting for an Office Environment?Office lighting can be a little tricky. You’ll need to provide bright light to perform precision tasks, but the light can’t have a glare or be excessively bright because it will interfere with employee’s visual health....
Impact Rating IK01 to IK10 for LED Light Fixtures
IK Rating Level of Protection IK00 Not protected. IK01 Protected against an impact of 0.14 joules. This is equal to the impact of a 0.25-kg object dropped from 56 mm above the impacted surface IK02 Protected against an impact of 0.2 joules. This is equal to the impact of a...
IP Rating and LED Light Fixtures
Shopping for LED commercial and industrial lighting can be confusing. There are many different factors to consider, but the good news is that you’ve already made a good choice by deciding to switch to LED lights. They provide numerous benefits, like energy savings and...
Metal Halide Fixtures
What is a Metal Halide (HID) Fixture? A HID fixture is a lighting device that consists of a fixture, a HID bulb, a ballast, reflectors and a mount. HID is an acronym for High Intensity Discharge, and applies to a family of high lumen bulbs. Mercury Vapor, Metal...
LED vs Metal Halide Lighting: 9 Reasons LED Wins (Especially No. 3)
It’s 2021, so we all know that converting from Metal Halide (HID) lighting to LED lighting will save you money. The real question is how much money will it save you and why? The major and most well-known difference between metal halide bulbs and LED lights is that LEDs are...
What Does it Take to Replace a 1000 Watt Metal Halide?
Before LED lighting became the powerhouse that it is today, the most common form of commercial lighting was metal halide lights. This is because metal halides are extremely bright lights that can be purchased for a relatively cheap price. Nowadays, however, metal halide...
What Does it Take to Replace a 250 Watt Metal Halide?
Although we’ve covered very similar topics in past blogs, like “How to Replace a 1,000 Watt Metal Halide,” we get questions all the time about replacing metal halide fixtures. And so, we’ve decided to answer some more specifics about this technique. There are a lot of...
What Does it Take to Replace a 400 Watt Metal Halide?
Although we’ve covered very similar topics in past blogs, like “How to Replace a 1,000 Watt Metal Halide,” we get questions all the time about replacing metal halide fixtures. And so, we’ve decided to answer some more specifics about this technique. There are a lot of...
15 Actionable Ways to Save Energy At School
Schools, whether they be colleges or elementary schools, are consuming energy 24/7. The costs of lighting, heating & cooling, powering electronics, and other necessities add up extremely quickly. Even at night when students and teachers are home, the building is...
Color Temperature Explained
Although it is often overlooked, the difference between LED color temperatures is one of the most important things to keep in mind when installing new fixtures.LED lights, or any lights for that matter, that run the same wattage and output the same lumen count can look...
LED Parking Lot Light Buyers Guide
All commercial property owners should be considering converting their existing lights to LEDs, but especially parking lots. There are many advantages that LEDs pose over more traditional parking lot lighting. Parking lot lights are constantly exposed to the elements and...
Extreme Application LED
Some facilities have extreme circumstances where typical LED lighting may not meet the special needs. This blog will cover 4 unique applications: high temperature, hazardous locations, food processing and extreme outdoors. If you find yourself evaluating lighting upgrades...
Lighting Guide for Education Institutions
Nowhere is good lighting needed as in educational institutions. It not only improves the concentration of the students, it also enhances safety for all the people in the institution. Research has shown that lighting can have a negative or a positive impact on...
How Lighting Controls Are Changing Lighting
As LED technology continues to grow by leaps and bounds, the world of lighting keeps on changing. And as more businesses and organizations embrace LED technology, they realize they can save even more money by installing automation and sensor technology in their spaces....
LED Lumens to Watts Conversion – NEVER buy based on Watts
This is a common message we try and teach our customers when they call us. For example, it is not uncommon for us to get a call to quote a price on a LED Product, and being told they need a price on a 150W LED Fixture. The most important thing we can do for our customers...
Converting to LED – S/P Ratios
A lot of time we are asked what is the equivalent LED to convert from Metal Halide. A lot of time, we have a product in mind that works based on previous experience. But how did we come up with that product, and how did we make the original decision on what was the proper...
How to Install An LED Dimmer
What is a dimmer switch? A dimmer switch for LED lights gives you the control through a simple panel to change the amount of light that a lighting fixture (or fixtures) produces. You can dim lights as low as you so desire or as high as your light was designed to allow. By...
How Many LED Watts Do I Need to Replace my Existing Lighting?
We hear this question all the time. The unfortunate reality is "watts" is the wrong way to shop when you are replacing your existing lighting. You need to be focusing on "lumens". In the world of LED Lighting, a watt is consumed by the LED product and light is produced,...
Lighting Maintenance Factor Explained
What is a Maintenance Factor? There are many, many things to consider when purchasing LED lighting for a commercial or industrial facility, and the Lighting Maintenance factor is an important one. A maintenance factor (otherwise known as MF) is applied to lighting design...
Lighting Language – Basics
Common Terms used in the Lighting Industry Light Light is visible radiation between 380 nm and 780 nm. Beyond this range the radiation is not visible for the human eye. It is radiation in infrared, ultraviolet or radio frequency. The visible light range is called...
What is LED?
LED is the acronym for “Light Emitting Diode”. LEDs are semiconductor devices that produce light. These were initially used as indicator lights but are now used extensively for indoor and outdoor lighting. LED Lighting Supply specializes in commercial and industrial LED...
Pupil Lumens and their impact on choosing lights
A warehouse facility recently upgraded its lighting. Before the lighting improvement project, it was illuminated by low CRI HPS lamps which were replaced with higher CRI lights. The luminous intensity before the retrofit was 35 foot candles which fell to only 25 foot...
Buyers Guide to LED Wall Packs
The term “wall pack lights” describes the outdoor lighting that is commonly mounted on the outside facing walls of buildings. Wall pack lights are generally used to provide a wide swath of illumination to high-traffic ground areas. But, they also function well as an added...
LED High Bay Buyer’s Guide
Commercial and industrial facilities all over the country are realizing that switching to LED lighting can greatly reduce their energy costs and improve employee efficiency. And, between the increasing cost of electricity and the negative impact of greenhouse gas...
LED Warehouse Lighting Buyer’s Guide
Warehouse lighting should be able to accomplish two things: enhance safety and increase productivity. The most common industry accidents, according to the Department of Labor, are trips, falls, and slips. Having good warehouse lighting is the best way to reduce the risk of...
Active Cooling Versus Passive Cooling for LED
LED Light is efficient. Far more efficient than the HID, fluorescent or incandescent bulbs they replace. But not all energy LED consumes is converted to light. Some of the energy is used to create heat. And while LED is far more efficient than the other light sources at...
The Cost of Not Converting to LED
Thinking about converting to LED? Not sure if the benefits of the conversion outweigh the cost of conversion? We put this post together to help you work through the costs and benefits of making the conversion. 1. How much money will you save when you convert to LED?...
50 Best Electrical Apps in 2020
Enabling electricians and students to have access to easy and affordable electrical apps is a great way to improve workflow, productivity, knowledge, and accuracy. We’ve put together this list of 50 (and growing) best electrical apps to help people of all skills levels, on...
5+ Best Electrician Blogs & Websites in 2020
Finding quality information around electrical work and electrical contractors can be tricky, that's exactly why we've decided to put together a list of all the best electrician blog sites in one place. Previously, we put together a list of the top electrical forums where...
12 Best Electricians Forum Sites in 2020
We've collected the best LED lighting blogs, facility manager blogs; but we've yet to put together anything for electrical contractors. We know from experience and electrical contractors that we've interacted with that forums are a great way for any electrical contractor...
3 Reasons a Dark Outdoor Lot Can be Dangerous (and how to fix it)
Visitors, potential customers, and employees shouldn't have to be in fear while going shopping, parking for an event, going to the beach, or even going to work. For this reason, we find that the outdoor lot can lead to many potential hazards.. if the outdoor lot owner...
23 Ways to Improve Office Productivity Levels
Any business knows that productivity is key to growth, let alone staying afloat. Whether you are talking about a production line, a traveling salesperson, and yes even your office space; productivity is going to be the main driving factor which will allow your business to...
14 Facility Management Blogs All FM’s Should Follow
A hefty amount of our readers here on the LED Lighting Supply's official blog consists of facility managers (along with contractors, government employees, and other decision makers). This post is made specifically for the facility managers and building owners out there to...
Buyers Guide to LED Street Lights
On Easy Street With LED Street Lights The purpose of street lights is obvious, to illuminate the roadway and surrounding areas so that drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can function safely in the same space. Street lights should allow you to clearly see any obstructions...
Busting Electricity Myths
In the world of electricity, the myths that are passed around are occurring far too often without any evidence that they are the truth. So, with this post we are busting these common electricity myths and putting a end to them once and for all. Before we start with myth...
Why is my Electricity Bill so High: Answered
"High" is always relative. It is prudent to keep in mind that the phrase ‘high electricity bill’ is always relative. A typical American household with 3 members consumes around 850 kWh of electricity per month. One’s consumption could be different because of many factors –...