What Does it Take to Replace a 250-Watt Metal Halide?

Difference Between LED and Metal Halide Lumens

First, let’s define exactly what a lumen is. A lumen is a measure of the total quantity of visible light emitted by a light fixture. So, lumens measure the amount of visible light that we can see. The way that LEDs and Metal Halides generate light is completely different, and because of this, LEDs can produce a much higher amount of lumens with a much lower wattage. This is the reason why we strongly suggest that you never buy new LED products based on the wattage of your metal halide lights.

So how do you know which LEDs are the best options for replacing your Metal Halide lights? With a photometric lighting plan. When we run a lighting-plan calculation, our software pulls all the information for a specific fixture and maps out the predicted lumens and foot candles for a specific area. This allows you to see how your new LEDs will look in your facility, which makes them essential for replacing lighting.  And, best of all, our photometric lighting calculations are free.

1. Light Loss from Reflection

There are many things that can affect the amount of light that reaches the ground, and reflections are one of those. Lumens are measured as the light leaves the fixture, but that doesn’t mean that you’re actually getting all of that light where it’s needed. In order to measure how much light actually reaches the surface, we use foot candles.

LEDs are unique in many ways, one of which is their directional shine. Unlike other types of bulbs, LEDs are a directional light source. This means that the light is emitted from the fixture in a specific direction. Metal Halides, on the other hand, are omnidirectional, and this means that they require some form of a reflector to direct their light. If you’re wondering why this is a big deal, you’re not alone. Many people don’t realize that every time light is reflected off a surface, lumens are lost.

If a Metal Halide bulb has 18,000 initial lumens, the loss accounted for reflected lumens drops the lumen output to around 12,600 lumens.

Yikes, that’s a lot of lost lumens, and in fact, studies have proven that you can lose up to 30% of the effective lumens in this reflective process. It’s important to be aware of this factor because if you’re using Metal Halide lighting, you’re not actually able to use all of the lumens the fixture produces. So, when you buy your LED lights, make sure that you lower the lumens to avoid an overly bright workplace.

2. Quality of Lumens – CRI

Color Rendering Index, or CRI, is the best way to compare the quality of light. Light with a higher CRI rating offers better visibility and a more accurate representation of colors. The higher the quality of light, the less quantity you need. How does this affect the replacement of a 250-Watt Metal Halide fixture? Well, more often than not, our customers find that 10,000 lumens of our high-quality LEDs are noticeably brighter than 18,000 lumens from other light sources, like HPS.

Replacing 250 Watt Metal Halide with LED

LED Wattage Equivalent to Metal Halide

What’s the first step to start a conversion to LED?

Without a doubt, the best first step is to ask us to perform a free lighting plan for you. Converting your facility (indoors or outdoors) to LED starts by deciding how many foot candles you need. Supply us with your project information, and we’ll take it from there.

And we do lighting plans for free for our commercial and industrial customers. Why? We know that a lighting plan will be the roadmap to a successful conversion to LED. And we want your project to be a success too!