The September Business of the Month has been a long-time Chamber member and the company just celebrated 75 years of business. Get to know more about Lubbock Electric in a Q&A  here and check out the informative article below.



A business can improve its net earnings by either increasing sales or decreasing expenses. A simple way to reduce operating costs at your facility is to replace conventional lighting fixtures with LED lighting. 

1.  LED Lighting Saves Money on Energy

Cut the Electric Bill

Of course, we have to begin our discussion with an analysis of how LED lights save your company money on your electric bill.  LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) produce the most cost-effective lighting of any light source.  But how do we measure energy efficiency?  In the past, most people understood wattage to be a measurement of the brightness of a bulb, but wattage is actually a measurement of the energy consumed by the bulb.  Lumens are the correct measurement of lamp brightness. 

When evaluating energy efficiency, we need to look at how many watts are required to produce the same level of light.  Let's start with a 150W incandescent light bulb, which produces 2,600 lumens.  To match that level of brightness, here is how much energy is required by other types of lighting:

 

 What does this difference in energy consumption amount to in dollars?  Consider this energy-savings analysis for a seed mill in West Texas with 62 400W Metal Halide HID lamps:




2.  LED Lighting Saves Money on Maintenance

How Many Employees Does It Take to Replace a Light Bulb?

LED lights also lead in operating longevity.  While the rated lamp life varies, here is a general breakdown of operational life cycles:



Let's go back to the seed mill.  Their HID high bay lamps had an estimated life of 20,000 hours.  Comparatively, our industrial-grade LED lamps boasted a rated lamp life of 75,000 hours.  This means that the 62 HID lights would each need to be replaced almost 4 times before the LED lights would need replacing. 

Out With Fragile Lights, In With Sturdy LEDs

Another advantage of LED lamps is their rugged durability.  No glass bulbs that easily shatter!  No delicate filaments that break from vibration!  LED bulbs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to vibration and breakage.  Plus, LED lights contain no mercury or dangerous chemicals and are easy to dispose of.

3.  LED Lighting Protects Employees

Brighter is Safer

With LED lighting, you can increase the brightness in your facility while decreasing your energy costs at the same time. This is important because insufficient lighting is often a contributing factor to workplace accidents, and it can cause eye strain and fatigue.  Poor lighting could also result in a costly citation from OSHA.  LED lighting helps businesses avoid potential injuries and unnecessary fines.

Say "Goodbye" to Flickering and Humming

LED lamps offer another advantage: no flickering.  HID and CFL lights are known to flicker when they reach the end of their useful life.  Flickering creates an additional safety hazard because it reduces visibility and exacerbates headaches and other ailments.  Conversely, LED lights offer a steady light throughout their operating life.

4.  LED Lighting Can Boost Productivity

LED Lights Are "Instant On"

Both HID and Fluorescent lamps require some time to "heat up" before reaching full brightness.  For high bay lighting, this could take 10 minutes or more.  LED lamps require no time to warm up.  This could mean a significant reduction in lost production time.  Plus, LED lights can be turned on and off freely without affecting the longevity of the bulb, whereas HID lamps need a "restrike" period of 10-15 minutes after being turned off before they can be turned on again.
 
Need More Information?
If you’re now thinking, “What will LED lighting do for my facility, and where do I start?” talk to Lubbock Electric.  We have a team of electricians who work in industrial and commercial applications.  We have removed ballasts and retrofitted low bay lighting, high bay lighting, and even parking lot lighting.  We can meet your challenge, and we will guarantee both the lights and the installation.  Call 806-744-2336 or email sales@lubbockelectric.com today, and we’ll put you in touch with an estimator who can evaluate your facility, advise you on lighting options, and perform a personalized savings analysis.