No — the Ecopower lighting control makes your existing light fixtures dimmable.

 Metal halide, high pressure sodium, mercury vapor and low-pressure sodium HID lighting all respond very well to dimming.

 No — your lighting stays as it is. Nothing is added to or taken away from the light fixtures.

 No — there is no measurable change in lamp life. Ballast life is not shortened. In fact, reducing the voltage to a ballast reduces the amount of heat created in the coil; theory would suggest, then, that cooler running ballasts may even last longer.

 The system varies the voltage to the lighting panel. Dropping the voltage safely dims the light fixtures.

 No — light fixture warranty is not affected in any way. All major ballast manufacturers have approved the varying of voltage to ballasts for dimming. Lamp manufacturers warrant their lamps to be dimmed so long as a prescribed warm-up period is adhered to. The Ecopower system has circuitry built in to ensure compliance with all manufacturers' specifications.

 Typically, the lighting control is installed in the electrical room near the lighting panel. Our two-part system includes a wall-mounted control center and a floor-mounted voltage regulator. The system is designed for installation in separate areas where space is a consideration. The remote control is mounted in a location suitable for easy access.

 No — the Ecopower system does not change any of the wiring or components of a light fixture. Some "retrofit" systems alter the lighting fixture components, and thus may affect UL/CSA certification.

 Changes in light levels from low to high happen instantaneously. Changes from high to low are gradual, occurring over a period of two to three minutes.

 Ecopower has installed systems from coast to coast in North America, tailoring solutions for a broad range of facilities including ice arenas, airplane hangars, parking garages and industrial warehousing.

 The Ecopower system works very differently from hi/low lighting. We control the voltage to all fixtures from the main lighting panel; no circuitry is installed in the ceiling or at the fixtures. In the unlikely event of a problem, a manual bypass switch allows our unit to be completely removed from the electrical circuit to return the lighting to its original configuration.

Many facilities find that the low level is too low for most activities, and that the high level doesn’t offer any savings. The Ecopower system allows user-settable light levels from 100% down to 30%. This greater flexibility creates a system that will actually be used — not just left at the high level. The result is substantially greater electrical savings. 

Our changing energy-cost environment has created the need for greater lighting flexibility than hi/low systems can offer. Below is an explanation of some typical strategies and how they would benefit from variable dimming over hi/low: 

All lamps, HID in particular, have a higher light output when new. A good lighting design will take this into account, and be based on the future light level depreciation. The implication of this is simply that new fixtures shine more brightly than they need to — perhaps even more brightly than is comfortable on the eyes.

Therein exists an opportunity to 'harvest' this initial over-potential — to save that extra 10 to 20% that is available when the lamps are new. Variable dimming allows this surplus to be harvested invisibly and steplessly. After a photocell is installed in the area to be lit, the required light level is set and maintained by the lighting control for the life of the lamp. Hi/low systems just can’t compete with this, since the only choice they offer is either zero dimming (no savings) or maximum dimming (not enough light for any activity).

Energy usage in most facilities is typically highest during morning and midday. Fortunately, there is usually plenty of ambient outside light at this time. Any facility that utilizes HID lighting and has the benefit of daylight (ie via skylights, windows, or large open doors) can save energy through daylight harvesting. One or more photocells can be placed in an area that is monitored by a lighting control; these elements work in concert to maintain a constant interior light level.

Through daylight harvesting, a variable system provides invisible lighting control with no dramatic changes in light levels — just smooth transitions. This flexibility (having enough light for the job, yet still saving money) is beyond the scope of most hi/low systems, where 'enough light' usually means 100% — and no savings.

While energy deregulation has yielded a greater choice of sources from which to purchase electricity, it has also presented the new challenge of rates that can change daily or even hourly. As a result, managing the cost of that electricity represents a new profit opportunity for high consumption industry. By dimming the lights when electrical rates peak (thus staying beneath the higher demand-rate threshold), work can continue, boosting productivity. This is almost always a better alternative to shutting down, which is usually the only alternative that hi-low systems provide, since the 'low' setting usually fails to meet work requirements.

Fully variable dimming allows this to be done to the precise degree that is required. Furthermore, direct interfacing with an Energy Management System can produce a myriad of savings possibilities based on both work scheduling and energy costs. Hi/low systems just aren’t robust enough to meet the complex challenges of demand-side management.

How much savings can the system produce?
The amount of savings depends on usage patterns. Typically, an area with a mix of occupied and unoccupied scheduling can save from 25 to 38%. The strategies outlined above can have a great effect on the total savings number.

Yes — certification is available for all areas of North America.