BlueSky Lighting

Frequently Asked Questions:


What is Induction Light and the difference compared to traditional Fluorescent Light technology?

An induction light is similar to a fluorescent light in that mercury in a gas fill inside the bulb is excited; emitting UV radiation that in turn is converted into visible white light by the phosphor coating on the bulb. At Blue Sky our researchers and designers specified phosphor combinations linked to chlorophyll uptake in plants.

Like fluorescent, the phosphor coating determines the color qualities of the light. Fluorescent lamps use electrodes to strike the arc and initiate the flow of current through the lamp, which excites the gas fill. Each time voltage is supplied by the ballast and the arc is struck, the electrodes degrade a little, eventually causing the lamp to fail. Induction lamps do not use electrodes. Instead of a ballast, the system uses a high-frequency generator with a power coupler.

The generator produces a radio frequency magnetic field to excite gas fill. With no electrodes, the lamp lasts longer. Induction lamps, in fact, last up to 100,000 hours, with the lamp producing 70% of its light output at 60,000 hours. In other words, their rated life is 5-13 times longer than metal halide (7,500 to 20,000 hours at 10 hours/start) and about seven times longer than T12HO fluorescent (at 10 hours/start).

How efficient is it compare to other lights in energy saving?

he Induction Light generates more lumens output with lesser energy consumed. Typically, a 200W low frequency Induction Light can produce similar brightness compared to a 500W Metal Halide, achieving 60% savings. Induction Light operates at a temperature of 26°C as compared to Metal Halide of above 90°C. In an A/C environment, the use of Induction Light will reduce the cooling load to the air-conditioning system, thus reducing energy costs.

What kind of application is Induction Lighting for?

Induction lamps are ideally suited for high-ceiling applications where the lamps are difficult, costly or hazardous to access. They are also ideally suited for such applications where the advantages of fluorescent lighting are sought but a light source is needed that can start and operate efficiently in extremely cold temperatures. As a result, induction lighting is a suitable for a wide range of applications, including not only warehouses, industrial buildings, cafeterias, gymnasiums, etc., but also signage, tunnels, bridges, roadways, outdoor area and security fixtures, parking garages, public spaces, and freezer and cold storage lighting.
For some applications, well-designed linear induction hi-bays are better than well-designed HID hi-bays with regard to glare, contrast ratios and vertical footcandles. With regard to the greenhouse or hydroponics applications, an induction source of light covers a wider and more even footprint on the plant canopy than does an HID source.

Is the cost of induction lighting system competitive to other source of lightings?

The increased costs occurs in the induction systems themselves – which could be 2-3 times more than metal halide systems, and also in new fixtures, which can inflate payback periods and reduce return on investment. But you also generally get more than 40% reduction in capital and operating costs immediately from the reduced number of fixtures made possible by the higher light output. You also get more efficiency in your energy consumption with not less than 50% savings in your electricity bills because the induction system (lamp and electronic ballast) is more efficient. Apply that over twenty five years plus replacement and maintenance costs and suddenly it makes a lot of sense to go into induction lighting systems.

What advantages are there for induction lights v. metal halide?

Induction lighting’s advantage over metal halide is lumen maintenance. Most significantly, at 40% of service life, metal halide’s light output and efficacy experience severe degradation. A 400W metal halide lamp, for example, may produce 36,000 lumens but 25,000 at 40% of life, a 30% decline. Therefore, unless the lamps are periodically grouped re-lamped, a large system’s “average” performance over time is much lower than its initial ratings. Tests on the 250W Agri gro® Induction lamps on the other side, retains 90% output after 20,000 hours (that’s already more than the rated hours on metal halides) and still puts out 80% after 60,000 hours. You would have replaced at least 6 metal halide bulbs by then and the last bulb will be running at 50% output.

How does induction light compare with T5?

The T5 is a very effective fluorescent light because it tops 100 lumens per watt whereas the Induction Lights generates between 80 and 85 lumens per watt. The only problem is T5 is not available in higher wattages – you can generally find a high output T5 tube up to 58W, but there is a German manufacturer that produces a 90W T5 at a relatively high price. When you are limited to small wattages, you have no choice but to use multiple tubes together to increase the total lumens output, hence increasing your material costs in terms of additional inventory and lighting fixtures.

Is LED more effective than Induction Light?

We all know that Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are not considered for general lighting purposes because of its limited spectrum, brightness and poor color rendering, but this is compensated by its high reliability and high color temperature. It is still a common mistake that many people make thinking that higher color temperature, say 6000k, means higher brightness.

LED however, does have the same theoretical lifespan of 100,000 plus hours as induction light, given that the integrated chip does not fail before the diode. Many LED manufacturers neglect to fit a decent high temperature IC or integrate some kind of heat dissipation device and their LEDs fail after only 10,000 hours.

Induction light on the other hand, offers the same stability and lifespan as LEDs but is available in much higher wattages and brightness that it can truly replace incandescent and discharge lamps as the next revolutionary lighting source. In the end, both are emerging technologies and are getting as much attention and improvements as the other so you can expect these problems to be corrected in the near future.

For use in the greenhouse or hydroponic application, Blue Sky is working with a major LED manufacturer to create controlled strips of blue and red LEDs to control plant physiology.