Only 400 lumens+ bulbs allowed in new domestic builds????

[RRRRRR]

Just going a bit mad chasing all latest regs.:

Looking at domestic building services compliance guide on new and replacement lighting- 'low energy light fittings should have lamps with a luminous efficacy greater than 45 lamp lumens per circuit-watt and a total output greater than 400 lamp lumens.' Fine, but-

Looking at various LED downlights for example, and most seem to meet the minimum 45l per W, (e.g. a 3W LED at 210lm), but obviously 210 is well short of 400+. I'm a novice to all this, but am I missing the point? I'm assuming 'lamp lumens' is the 'lm' or 'l' abbreviation........? Have I got this wrong? These bulbs are quoted as equivalent to 40/60W halogen, so are they really no longer allowed if 210lm?

 

[mfarrow]

No you are reading that quite correctly.

The 400 lumens requirement is to try and cut down on the number of total luminaires required, as each contains a lot of 'stored' energy (the energy used to make it).

To be honest it only really makes sense if you're doing a proper lighting design, as most domestic installers or DIYers will just throw up whatever number feels right.

 

[RRRRRR]

Thanks very much for this. I don't feel as mad as I did last night. So in a new garage conversion, can I add say 8 LED downlights at the above rating, without being executed at dawn.......? Basically, are these rules for building control, or guidelines?

 

[mfarrow]

OK I've just come off the phone to my lighting specifier matey.

I got it wrong.

The reason 400 lumins is specified is very simple. The rules are that you must have a certain percentage of luminaires of the low energy variety. So, people were going out and buying cheap low-output 10x 1W LED lights (for instance) and then 4x 60W pendants to make up the difference. The light output of 1W LEDs is bu**er all, hence why the rule had to be introduced.

Apparently BCOs aren't too hot on Part L yet, so I wouldn't be surprised if the guy actually said low voltage! At least you've found one who has at least heard of it, rather than having complete Part L ignorance.

 

[mfarrow]

So in a new garage conversion, can I add say 8 LED downlights at the above rating, without being executed at dawn.......?

I would say that was fine - you've demonstrated that you're not installing a percentage of low energy 'because you have to' so as long as the BCO knows why the rule is there (if he even questions it) then he should be OK with it.

 

[Stoday]

The 400 lumens is per light fitting, not per lamp.

"Light Fitting" is defined in the Guide as a fixed lighting unit that can comprise one or more lamps and lampholders...

 

[mfarrow]

The 400 lumens is per light fitting, not per lamp.

Indeed, I'm not quite sure what they mean by '400 lamp lumens per fitting' unless they've heard of any other kind of lumen?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Looking at various LED downlights for example, and most seem to meet the minimum 45l per W, (e.g. a 3W LED at 210lm), but obviously 210 is well short of 400+. I'm a novice to all this, but am I missing the point? I'm assuming 'lamp lumens' is the 'lm' or 'l' abbreviation........? Have I got this wrong? These bulbs are quoted as equivalent to 40/60W halogen, so are they really no longer allowed if 210lm?

Welcome to the wild and wacky world of "equivalent to" descriptions which are lies and border on fraud.

400lm is not a lot.

Old fashioned incandescent lamps do about 10-15lm/w, so a 40W GLS would be about 400lm.

Halogen lamps come in at around 20+ per W, so a 20W MR16 would be about 400lm, or more.

If your 3W LED was the equivalent of a 40/60W halogen it would be producing 800 - 1200lm, or more.

As lumens can be measured and "equivalent" can't they have to tell the truth with the former. So if that 3W LED is producing 210lm (and 70lm/W for LEDs is a perfectly reasonable and respectable figure) it isn't equivalent to a 40/60W halogen - more like 10W. Or maybe 15 - I think the lower wattage ones are less efficient.

 

[RRRRRR]

This is most useful- thanks. A short time ago I wanted to light my kitchen. I had no idea I'd be entering such a minefield. It seems now that everywhere I look, LED equivalents are wrong or at least misleading. I'll reinvestigate with this knowledge......

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This is most useful- thanks. A short time ago I wanted to light my kitchen.

or any of a large number of similar lights using PL or TC lamps from all sorts of other manufacturers.

You can get them with HF ballasts for instant lighting and flicker-free operation, you can get them with emergency battery backup, you can get dimmable ones...