Glossary of Terms
Colour Temperature
Light sources are characterized by their colour temperature, which creates a certain appearance and ambience. Warm white and cool white lights are named based on this measure. The colour temperature is determined by heating a black body and observing the colour produced. As the temperature increases, the black body emits first a reddish glow, followed by oranges and yellows, and finally blues.
The temperature is measured in Kelvin (K), with warm white being 3000K, neutral white 4000K, and cool white 6000K. Interestingly, 6000K is considered cool, even though it has a higher temperature because we associate red with warmth and blue with coolness.
CRI
The term CRI stands for Colour Rendering Index. It is a test that measures how accurately a light source represents the true colors of an object on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the CRI score, the more realistic the color appearance of an object. For instance, with high CRI, apples will appear as bright reds, and everything will look vibrant and crisp. On the other hand, low CRI scores give a washed-out appearance, and objects may appear dull and lifeless. Yellow sodium vapor street lights are notorious for their poor CRI score, and they even get a negative rating.
A CRI score of 80 or above is considered more than satisfactory and is suitable for retail applications. However, scores of 90 and above are reserved for specialized lighting applications such as museums and medical facilities where color accuracy is critical. At Haneco, we are proud to say that the vast majority of our lights score 80 or above in CRI, ensuring that you get the best color representation possible.
Lumen (lm)
Lumens are a measure of visible light emitted, whereas watts only measure the amount of energy consumed. Although people have been using watts as a measure of brightness, it is important to note that a 60W bulb is only brighter than a 40W bulb because it consumes more energy. With the advent of LEDs, the conversion of power (watts) into visible light (lumens) has improved drastically. In fact, a 60W LED emits at least five times more light than an old 60W incandescent bulb. An 800 lumen output is approximately equivalent to the light produced by an old 60W bulb, but a 9W LED is capable of producing this standard output. As the efficiency of LEDs continues to improve, it is more useful to look at the lumen output of light instead of its wattage.
Luminous Efficacy (lm/W)
Luminous efficacy is the measure of the number of lumens produced per watt. It is calculated by dividing lumen output by watts. LEDs usually produce between 70 and 100 lumens per watt, while a standard fluorescent yields 50 lumens per watt, and incandescent bulbs produce a pathetic 13 to 20 lumens per watt. A value exceeding 100 indicates an extremely efficient light source.
Lux and Illuminance
Lux is a unit of measurement that quantifies the amount of light that falls on a surface. It is a crucial metric used by lighting designers to ensure that spaces are adequately illuminated. A single lux is equivalent to one lumen per square metre. Therefore, if 1000 lumens are concentrated on a single square metre, the resultant lux would be 1000. Similarly, if the same amount of lumens is spread over 2 square metres, the lux value would be 500.
The lux measure of a light source varies depending on the distance between the light source and the surface it illuminates. As you move the light source away from the surface, the spread of light increases, and the lux value decreases. The term used to describe what is being measured is illuminance. For instance, the illuminance needed for a warehouse aisle can range from 80 to 200 lux, while that for an office is around 320 lux, depending on the task being performed.
IP Rating
IP stands for Ingress Protection, which rates how well-protected a device is against external elements.
It uses a two-figure system (e.g IP54), where the first number (5) denotes the level of protection against solid objects and dust, and the second number (4) represents the protection against water. The rating for solids ranges from 1 to 6, with 1 being an object slightly larger than 50mm, such as a hand, and 6 being completely dust-tight. The rating for water protection ranges from 1 to 8, with 1 indicating protection against slow-dripping water from above and 8 indicating the ability to be submerged. For instance, a device rated IP40 is not waterproof, but it is protected against wires and large insects. Refer to the table below for more information.
| First number | SOLIDS | Second number | WATER |
| 0 | Not protected | 0 | Not protected |
| 1 | Protected against objects larger than 50mm | 1 | Protected against dripping water |
| 2 | Protected against objects larger than 12.5mm | 2 | Protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15° |
| 3 | Protected against objects larger than 2.5mm | 3 | Protected against spraying water at an angle of up to 60° |
| 4 | Protected against objects larger than 1mm | 4 | Protected against splashing water from any direction |
| 5 | Dust protected | 5 | Protected against jets of water from any direction |
| 6 | Dust tight | 6 | Protected against heavy seas and powerful jets of water |
| 7 | Can be submerged for a limited time between 15cm and 1m | ||
| 8 | Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure |
IK Rating
The IK rating is a measure of impact protection, rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A higher number indicates a more durable product that can withstand a greater impact. The impact being tested is not as intense as that of a sledgehammer, but rather a drop from a certain height. For example, an IK08 rating means that a product can resist up to 5 joules of impact without damage, which is equivalent to a 1.7 kg object dropped from a height of 300mm. While this may not seem like a lot, it is still a good indication of a product’s resilience and durability. It’s important to note that this rating system doesn’t measure a product’s ability to withstand more vigorous hammer blows.
| Impact Protection (Ik) Classifications | |
| IK00 | Not protected |
| IK01 | Protected against the impact of 0.25 kg dropped from 56mm (0.14 joules) |
| IK02 | Protected against the impact of 0.25kg dropped from 80mm (0.2 joules) |
| IK03 | Protected against the impact of 0.25kg dropped from 140mm (0.35 joules) |
| IK04 | Protected against the impact of 0.25kg dropped from 200mm (0.5 joules) |
| IK05 | Protected against the impact of 0.25kg dropped from 280mm (0.7 joules) |
| IK06 | Protected against the impact of 0.25kg dropped from 400mm (1 joule) |
| IK07 | Protected against the impact of 0.5kg dropped from 400mm (2 joules) |
| IK08 | Protected against the impact of 1.7kg dropped from 300mm (5 joules) |
| IK09 | Protected against the impact of 5kg dropped from 200mm (10 joules) |
| IK10 | Protected against the impact of 5kg dropped from 400mm (20 joules) |
Beam Angle
The beam angle refers to the spread of light that is useful from the luminaire. It is measured from the point of maximum intensity that is directly under the light to the point where the light reduces to half of that intensity. Any light beyond this point is referred to as spill light and the entire distribution of light is called the field angle.
Expected Lifetime
LED lights have a calculated lifetime, which is determined by the time it takes for the light to diminish to 70% of its original brightness. This phenomenon is called lumen depreciation. For example, if a light originally emitted 1000 lumens, after 50,000 hours (which is equivalent to more than 13 years if the light is on for 10 hours a day), it will only emit 700 lumens.
IC Rating
IC is an abbreviation for ‘insulation contact’ which is used to determine whether downlights can safely come into contact with flammable material or any covering that could interfere with the luminaire’s cooling system. If a downlight has an IC or IC-4 rating, it means that it can be covered with insulation. A CA90 rating indicates that insulation can abut but not cover the fixture. On the other hand, if a downlight is non-IC rated, it means that insulation must be kept clear of the fixture.
HACCP Food Safe
HACCP Australia is a prominent food science organization that certifies food products as safe and appropriate for use in food handling and production areas. Their slogan “eliminate the hazard – reduce the risk” reflects their commitment to ensuring food safety. To obtain certification, products undergo a thorough assessment and physical examination. For lighting products to meet their standards, they must be non-toxic, easy to clean and capable of reducing the risk of contamination. This certificate lists the Haneco products that have been certified as food-safe by HACCP Australia..
DIM
It’s important to note that not all LED luminaires are compatible with existing dimming systems or come with dimmable drivers. There are three types of dimming systems available – DALI, 1-10V and phase cut. Phase cut includes both leading and trailing edge dimming, and a combination of both is called universal. To ensure smooth dimming, it’s crucial to have the appropriate driver and dimmer. DALI and 1-10V dimming are considered to be the most reliable methods as the dimming is controlled by the driver itself and not by changing the input voltage as phase cut does. However, phase cut remains the most cost-effective option.