Frequently Asked Questions
It is the process of upgrading your lighting system with a new light source all while maintaining the integrity of your existing fixture itself. In better terms, it’s basically like replacing an old light source with a new one without getting rid of the entire fixture it is housed in.
Yes, you can dim LED retrofits if desired. By dimming, you opt-in for the exact illumination that you want, while reducing your energy cost even more!
While a full replacement of an entire is fixture is very valid to do, especially when they are outdated or literally falling apart, often times you can avoid that by retrofitting your fixtures. With retrofitting you get to keep your old fixture but just replace the light source in it with a new one. This will allow you to reduce the costs associated with the lighting upgrade tremendously, which will allow you to realize a much larger ROI. Although there are benefits of both, you should consider your facility or buildings own situation and go from there. To recap, retrofitting is great if you can keep your old fixtures, but if you can’t, (due to reasons like outdated or near falling apart), then a full replacement is probably the better option.
Heat is the enemy of electronics. The hotter it is, the shorter the light life can be. However, with good design, you can create a light or fixture that can withstand some high heat environments. MagMann fixtures run at about 40c, and use the troffer itself as a thermal heatsink to dissipate the heat.
CRI is Color Rendering Index. It is a measurement of the quality of light. Whereas lumens are a measurement of the quantity of light, CRI is the measurement of quality. It is a scale between 0 and 100. 0 is poor, 100 is great. LED’s typically are in the 70-95 range. The higher the CRI, the more expensive the LED chip, and therefore the more expensive the LED product will be. (MagMann Kits are standard at 80 to 83 CRI.)
Typically, it takes a qualified electrician about 4 to 6 minutes to install a MagMann kit in an average fixture.
DLC is DesignLights Consortium, the governing body that certifies the quality and efficiency of LED Lights. It is a standard similar to Energy Star. Whereas Energy Star is for homeowner type products, DLC is for commercial grade LED products. A DLC Qualified product may be eligible for rebates. Your local utility designates whether you are eligible for rebates or not, and it varies between utility companies. Currently there are two standards, DLC Standard and DLC Premium. DLC Premium is more efficient and will save you more money in terms of operating costs.
The short answer is no, unless you are required to by your local electrical codes. The LED light bars are purposely designed to be shorter than tombstone fixtures for ease of installation.
MagMann is not made for wet locations. However, with a cover/diffusor installed, some customers have used the product successfully in damp locations.