Ohio Manufacturing Facility Replaces Dated HPS Lamps with New Current LED HID Lamps Approved for Hazardous Locations

An Ohio-based company needed a solution for a dimly lit manufacturing plant, and GE Current, a Daintree company jumped at the opportunity to help. This wasn’t a normal lamp refit, but Current knew its expansive LED Lamp portfolio had a product up for the challenge.

From the outset of the project, it was apparent that the customer needed lamps that would fit into traditional hazardous rated High Pressure Sodium (HPS) fixtures. Installation needed to be quick to avoid downtime, and budgets were tight amid the realities of COVID-19, so bypassing significant renovations was preferred. The new LED HID replacement lamps needed to be approved for hazardous rated fixtures, as the plant deals with hazardous materials in its processes.

The Solution

Current recommended its new Hazardous LED HID Replacement Lamps. The new LED lamps are designed for those rugged environments where long lasting performance is a necessity. Current’s HID replacement lamps are approved for fixtures that are rated for Class 1, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D which classifies them for locations in which flammable gases or vapors are or may be present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures. These are environments that are not normally hazardous.

With a much longer life compared to a standard HID lamp, these LED lamps would provide consistent, dependable lighting in a facility that desperately needed it. The hazardous LED lamps require 50% less energy usage compared with their HPS counterparts. This not only saves money, but it also provides the facility with an improved temperature code. This is important as it reduces the ambient temperature of the fixture by an average of 95°C in the most commonly used fixtures. By lowering the temperature code, you decrease the air temperature around the fixture, which makes for a safer operating environment. This allows customers the ability to install higher lumen lamps in locations that they were previously only able to provide low wattage/lumen lamps.

Why Current’s Lamps

One consideration for this plant was ongoing maintenance. Its existing lighting was not easy to replace and required significant manpower to maintain or update. Current was able to give them a solution that would last 2.5 times longer while still delivering a more efficient and effective solution. At the beginning of the installation, the team quickly realized they had fixtures with both medium (E26) and mogul-based (E39) sockets, which posed an issue with managing multiple lamp designs for the installation. Current’s product team prepared for this exact scenario by including a mogul-base (E39) socket adapter with each lamp. Current’s product strategy eliminated the possibility of ordering a lamp with the wrong base and the installer having to come back at a later date at an additional charge. In addition, Current is able to reduce the SKU count for the end user.

In addition to the longer life of LEDs, the industrial plant was also drawn to the fact that Current’s lamps can go from a 250W HPS Lamp all the way down to 45W, which means increased savings in addition to longer life. The facility can increase energy savings while lowering the heat profile of the lamp, which equates to a lower overall temperature code. The plant is now realizing a $25,000 annual savings compared to their traditional lamps. Over the life of the lamp, they will save $125,000, and switching to Current’s Hazardous LED HID replacement lamps will help them achieve payback in just 9 months.

Many manufacturing areas face uneven light distribution and dark spots. Most common is burned out lamps that cost time and money to replace because operations have to stop while these are fixed. Current’s hazardous lamps offer a five-year/50,000-hour warranty to give the end user peace of mind and avoid these issues.

The Results

Installing the lamps was a smooth process. Once the new lights were turned on, the change was obvious: Areas are brighter.

The feedback from members working in the facility is overwhelmingly positive. They report that spaces are much brighter, it’s easier to see in places that used to be very dark, and it makes the plant look and feel like a better place to work. In fact, the facility has already requested additional refits in the plant due to the success and effectiveness they are witnessing after just a few weeks.

“The rooms look fantastic, it’s way easier to work and see, and instantly modernizes and brightens the entire area. It’s hard to believe, and somewhat embarrassing, that we lived with and just accepted the old lighting for so long,” the plant manager said.

Another worker added, “The new LED lamps make a drastic difference throughout our facility. With the new upgrade from the old yellow tinted HPS lights, some areas that once had a dark and gloomy feeling have now become areas where our employees want to work. It is amazing how something so little can improve the area and the site’s morale so much.”

Current’s Hazardous LED HID Replacement Lamps were the perfect solution for this manufacturing plant. Now, with better lighting, lower maintenance costs and reduced energy expenses, the facility can be safer and more productive—without expensive installation, downtime or extra product expenses.