Lighting Research Center: Are Super T-8s Really Super?

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A group of energy-efficient fluorescents have been dubbed "super T-8s."

The name implies something special. The Lighting Research Center recently covered whether they're really so super in a "LIVE! From the LRC" teleseminar.

Peter Morante, director of Energy Programs at the LRC, explained that Super T-8s have an alias: "High Performance T-8s."

"There are no standards to describe what a 'super' T-8 is, and each manufacturer describes the product differently," he said.

From LRC studies, the high performance T-8s have a:

• Mean system efficacy (mean lumens/watt) of greater than, or equal to 90, compared to 85-92 for a standard T-8;
• Color rendering index of greater than or equal to 81, compared to 75-82 for a standard T-8;
• Minimum initial lamp lumens greater than or equal to 3100, compared to 2800-2900 for a standard T-8;
• Lamp life (in hours) greater than or equal to 24,000, compared to 20,000 for a standard T-8;
• Lumen maintenance of greater than or equal to 94 percent, compared to 90-92 percent for a standard T-8.

In answer to the question, "where do I use Super T-8s," Morante recommended the following:

In a retrofit:

• As a one-for-one replacement of existing lamps, because it increases work surface illuminance;
• To replace a lamp and ballast with Super T-8 and low ballast factor ballast, which will maintain work surface illuminance and reduce energy requirements by 14 percent;
• In the redesign of a lighting system, to reduce the number of fixtures, so that work surface illuminance is maintained while energy requirements are reduced by 16 percent.

In new construction and remodeling, you can:

• Design a lighting system with Super T-8s to use fewer fixtures and less energy, assuming the necessary fixture spacing can be achieved to lower first cost and operating costs;
• Design a lighting system with Super T-8s and low ballast factor ballasts, which would use the same number of lighting fixtures, but reduce the energy needs by 14 percent, thereby lowering operating costs.