Metering lamps

According to the supplier's specifications lamps in a supplemental lighting system should last for approximately 10,000/12,000 hours depending on type. However, it’s often the case that these hours aren’t achieved. This can be put down to a variety of reasons such as the quality of the power supply, turning the supplemental lighting installation on and off regularly or the quality of the lamps themselves. When you don’t have the efficiency measured by a specialist on a regular base you are unaware of this and a lot of cultivation can go wrong. In the Raymax laboratory the lamps are tested in a conditioned room in the Ulbricht Sphere for ųmol output, energy consumption and lamp voltage. These three factors influence the efficiency of your lamps. The results of the tests are analysed by a special technology department at Raymax. Here it is established if the lamps still meet the specifications given by the manufacturer. This results in advice concerning any steps that may have to be taken. 

Metering reflectors

The reflectors in a supplemental lighting installation become filthy due to the effects of dust, moisture and crop protection agents such as sulphur for example. These cause a decrease in light output returns which negatively affects production. This contamination may be difficult to see with the naked eye but it can be measured and Raymax has its own Goniomobiel for this purpose. Raymax has a reference for every type of reflector to which the customers’ reflectors are compared. In order to maintain the installation’s optimum efficiency the advice may be to clean, anodise or even replace the reflectors.

The reflector# metering will, of course, be carried out in accordance with the Metering Protocol as agreed for horticultural lighting installations.