Brief Introduction to the lighting history of commercial refrigerated cabinets
With the development of led lighting, the light for commercial refrigerated showcase display/freezer also went through three stages.
1. The first stage: from 2000 to 2009, almost are used T8 fluorescent lamp.
In this stage, T8 fluorescent lamp was worked together with magnetic ballast or electronic ballast, T8 starter and G13 socket.
Below drawing for reference:
When we look back now, we can easy find the main problem as below for T8 t8 refrigeration fluorescent.----- Not waterproof, the defective rate is high and lifetime is short, normal 6 months.
----- Fragile, T8 fluorescent lamp is of glass house, it should be protected by special PC house outside inside the refrigerators. It effects the lighting output.
----- Installation is complicated as there are lots cables inside commercial refrigerators.
2. The second stage: from 2010 to 2015, the T8 LED lamps start to be used and become popular and popular.
After more than 10years developing, the LED T8 tube started to be used in cold chain lighting. It starts to do retrofitting for T8 fluorescent lamp. More and more supermarkets start to select T8 LED light.
Comparing T8 fluorescent lamp, LED T8 tube has below significant advantages:
A.High quality and good feature:
High reliability and long lifetime with very low light degradation makes our LED T8 to one of the best replacement products for conventional fluorescent lamps. The light output direction is adjustable on the lockable rotating end caps and blue shining ring. It is perfect choice for the replacement of all the traditional tubes.
B. Up to 70% Energy Saving Consumption:
For one 1200mm T8 fluorescent tube, it is min. 36W while T8 LED lamp is only of 20W or 18W.
For one such tube, it is working 15 hours each day, in one year, it can save about 100kwh min. one year. In 2012, Laidishine did test for the LUX comparison, pls refer below:
C.How to use LED T8 lamp to replace fluorescent tube?
—– When LED tubes are replaced in a standard fluorescent tube batten, the starter must be removed, and replaced by the enclosed fuse.
ATTENTION: Only suitable for battens with magnetic ballast, not for systems with electronic ballast.
------ Electronic or magnetic ballast can be by-passed by a registered electrician only. This can help to safe additional energy.
3. 2015 to now: Economic waterproof T8 tube was general used.
Around 2015, Laidishine found it is not easy to do waterproof between G13 socket to T8 connection pins and all cables installation are complicated.
So, based on this, Laidishine developed one led T8 tube which is waterproof and special used for commercial refrigerated showcase display. It is one big innovation based on T8 Fluorescent Bulb at that time. Laidishine is the innovator and leader for such T8 tube light which we got patent for invention in China. Below is the main advantages for reference:
A. Waterproof: the tube is of cable directly which can connect to socket of showcase’s backside. It is not only waterproof, but also save high installation energy.
B Cost down: it helps refrigerator manufacturer free from complex wiring harness connections and to do cost down.
Of course, any new innovation will meet difficulty. At the beginning, all customers are afraid how to do after sales especially for the oversea market, not dare to use such new light tube. The end users can’t use 4ft t8 fluorescent tubes to replace directly.
We joked “ The magnetic ballast will be canceled in the soon future. Lifetime of t8 fluorescent tube is only 6 to 12 months max, while with such new LED light, you can get 3 years warranty and much better brightness. And you can get more profit for the after sales replacements tubes….” It is funny thing, no need T8 starter ,electronic or magnetic ballast, no more lots cables.
4. Now to future: Lower power and 24VDC voltage with special lens.
At present, most refrigerated manufacturers are using IP65 led T8 bulb which is of 220VAC directly. In order to save cost, some small size tubes with smaller driver inside are also popular. But we will see, it is not the future products.
According to Kyoto Protocol / Kigali AmendmentGlobal Warming Concerns , HFC will be Phase-down. We should also consider how to save power and enhance product visibility and attract customers. Any light will generate heat, which will add extra work to the cooling system. Each one watt of lighting expends double power of cooling system.
In Europe and North American, the special light tube with lens and 24VDC are popular using. It can bring homogeneous brightness for whole display. For example, one 4ft such light is only of 5W, more than 140LM/W which was designed just based the showcase display or freezer shelves.
Some supermarkets have it’s own controller system which can send signal to light to get different color temperature based on existed light, still keep two cables not 4 cables. We say lighting can speak. Laidishine is focusing on such new development and tried his best to keep goods in the right light.
