Lighting Retrofits: Focus on T12 Lamps
Part 1: T12 Lamps: Strategies for Successful Retrofits
Part 2: How to Retrofit T12 Lamps with T8s, T5s
Part 3: Incentives for Lighting-System Upgrades
T12 Lamps: Strategies for Successful Retrofits
By James Piper, P.E. - April 2011 - Lighting
Lighting systems in new commercial and institutional facilities account for 25-30 percent of the building's total electricity use. Energy use by lighting systems in older facilities that have not been upgraded in the past 15-20 years is even higher — typically, 40 percent of total electricity use.
Maintenance and engineering managers who have upgraded their facilities' lighting systems report reductions in lighting energy of 25-35 percent, with a simple payback of two-three years.
Because lighting is such a large energy-conservation target with potentially high rewards, retrofits of lighting systems have been one of the most popular options for managers looking to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities. For those who have deferred such retrofits, now is the time to give the opportunity serious consideration.
Upcoming changes in federal regulations and incentive programs will have a major impact on the cost-effectiveness of retrofits. Managers who move aggressively can take advantage of these changes to minimize both the cost of implementing the retrofit and their lighting systems' energy use as utility rates climb. Those who adopt a wait-and-see attitude likely will incur increased costs in keeping existing lighting systems operating efficiently, and they will continue to miss the opportunity to realize significant energy savings.
The Future of T12 Lamps
The T12 lamp has been the most widely used fluorescent unit in commercial and institutional buildings over the past 60 years. Today, facilities are replacing T12s with T8 and T5 lamps. These lamps are smaller in diameter, but they can produce the same light output of a T12 lamp while using about 40 percent less energy. Purchased in bulk, there is little difference in cost between T12, T8, and T5 lamps.
Although T8s and T5s will fit in the same fixture as T12 lamps, both require a different type of ballast than facilities commonly use with T12s. This issue makes it necessary for managers to upgrade each fixture's ballast when retrofitting with T8 or T5 lamps.
Another issue likely to force managers to consider upgrades is a recent federal mandate. The U.S. Department of Energy has mandated the phaseout of T12 fluorescent lamps and magnetic ballasts. As of Jan. 1, 2010, production ended for magnetic ballasts, the most commonly used ballast for T12 lamps. Some ballasts still might be around, but when inventories run out, no more will be available.
The second part of the effort to move toward more widespread use of higher-efficiency T8 and T5 lamps takes place in July 2012 with the phaseout of production of most T12 lamps. Some T12 ballasts and lamps will be available for special applications, including those subjected to low temperatures, those that dim fixture light output by more than 50 percent, and those designed and labeled for use in residential applications. Beyond that, the T12 will be history.
With the phaseout, T12 lamps and ballasts will be more difficult to find as replacements for existing light-fixture maintenance. Decreased supply also likely will mean higher costs. This decreased supply is a particular concern for managers, given that nearly 30 percent of all fluorescent lamps sold in the United States are T12s.
With the July 2012 phaseout date nearing, managers need to start the transition to T8 and T5 lamps. Managers and lighting specifiers should require these lamps for future new construction projects and renovations.
Comments
Daniel Henderson wrote re: T12 Lamps: Strategies for Successful Retrofits
on 4/18/2011 2:35:00 PM
It cannot be denied that retrofitting T12's to T8's or T5's can result in excellent energy savings. Doing so is also better for the environment and often gives a better quality of light.
The major drawback to such a retrofit is the additional maintenance costs that are rarely discussed or even mentioned. Worse they are rarely included in ROI calculations. Many T12 fixtures use magnetic ballasts that seem to last a long, long time. We have seen some with date-stamps from the 1970's on them. The newer electronic ballasts have a much higher failure rate and are more expensive to begin with.
I found an online forum recently of electricians discussing this issue and the consensus was that they loved the retrofits because of all of the service-calls that were generated about a year and a half later. One commented that 50% of the T8 electronic ballasts in one job had to be replaced in under 2 years. The 20-30% electricity cost savings don't cover the additional labor costs.
The true answer lies in a better technologies. Fluorescent is a 100+ year old technology. Solid-State Lighting is the future and is starting to make a real play for retrofits. We have done T12 to LED retrofits that provide better quality of light, the ability to dim, use almost 50% less electricity and have an anticipated lifetime of over 50,000 hours. LED also run cool so that additional air-conditioning is not needed to offset their heat-output. In my opinion a T12 to T8 or T5 upgrade is just a stop-gap. The real upgrade is to LED!
Daniel Henderson
CEO
Relumination, LLC
www.relumination.com
