Sparks Electrical News March 2021

LIGHTING

14

SHEDDING LIGHT WITH PHILIP HAMMOND

LED highbay lighting for manufacturing plant

Procrastination and its detrimental effect on the lighting industry

I t is hard to believe that the first month of 2021 has gone, and by the time this article is published, February will also have flashed by. This surely bears out the old proverb, ‘Time and tidewait for noman’. And, of course, for those who continually delay or put off doing some- thing positive, there is the wonderful expression by Edward Young, an English poet (1683 -1765): ‘Procrastination is the thief of time’. When I was preparing the content for my column using mind-mapping, a technique that I teach every student to use for study purposes, but which can also be used for any form of planning to be done, I researched what the effect of procrastination was. Most procras- tinators probably selfishly think that that are the only ones affected. It often affects those around them too. What does procrastination actually mean? It means to intentionally and habitually delay or put off doing something to some later time, which in most cases never eventualises. Some of the reasons researchers have found, include: • The task is too long, complicated, boring, not important enough or not likeable. • Preference for one’s own pleasurable activi- ties. • Over-confidence that there is a lot of time, or over-rating one’s competency to complete the task. • A ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. • Pure laziness. • A ‘know it all’ attitude. With that said, I continue to be astounded by the complete lack of detailed knowledge about the technical aspects of lighting, new lighting tech- nologies and other associated technologies and controls in South Africa. The general attitude to- wards these aspects in South Africa is very poor compared to the attitude of our international students. In fact, my associates and colleagues from the Institution of Lighting Professionals in the United Kingdom and of those at the Inter- national Association of Lighting Designers in the

USA and throughout the world, are so far ahead that I am continually inspired by them, but I am also frequently asked to share my knowledge with them. My students, most of whom are profession- als from the built environment and lighting industry, are often required to write about the new technologies in lighting and controls as ap- plied in South Africa that they know about. They regularly answer that they do not know about any cases in South Africa where new lighting technologies and controls have been used. It is no wonder that the adoption of these advances and new technologies is so slow or even non- existent in South Africa. The CIE (Commission Internationale De l’Eclairage or, in English, the International Com- mission on Illumination) regularly publishes directives, which those in the lighting industry -- lighting designers and consulting electrical engineers -- should know, understand and im- plement. In addition, there are many changes in the methodology of lighting design, including lighting in the COVID-19 era. I have not found any other lighting design in South Africa that includes any of the changes, methodologies or directives. I do not wish to be critical of our professional colleagues, but I urge them to take huge positive steps to gain the required knowledge. South Af- rica, your clients and, in fact, the success of your practices in the field of lighting and the technol- ogies referred to, also cannot delay. Attend our webinars, those of your own insti- tutions and organisations such as IESSA and others. Enrol for courses, read lighting journals and newsletters. There are so many ways in which to gain good knowledge. Readers are welcome to contact me for a chat to learn more. I am always willing to assist you to improve your knowledge and lighting designs with no obligation whatsoever.

The locally designed and manufactured ECOBAY illuminates Strado Truck & Trailer Remanufacturers’ new manufacturing plant.

BEKA Schréder is proud to have supplied the LED highbay lighting solution for Strado Truck & Trailer Remanufactur- ers’ new manufacturing plant in Bloemfontein. The recently launched ECOBAY, an LED lowbay and highbay lighting range, was the luminaire of choice due to its reliable performance, low dust accumulation, ver- satility and the fact that no relamping or regular mainte- nance is required. The ECOBAY has been designed and manufactured in South Africa and is the ideal luminaire for lighting in- dustrial facilities at optimised light levels. The ECOBAY offers substantial energy savings, high performance and is able to operate at high ambient temperatures. Avail- able with four typical lumen packages and various light distributions, the ECOBAY is perfectly suited for multiple indoor lighting applications. The ECOBAY not only lowers your initial investment; it maximises it by providing a comfortable environment for your staff while limiting energy consumption to what is absolutely necessary.

ers, operators, and managers of industrial facilities need to cut costs and improve employee productivity. BEKA Schréder’s LED lighting solutions enable you to transform your lighting from a necessary expense to a strategic as- set by: • Reducing energy and operating costs considerably. • Complying with health and safety standard light level requirements. • Creating a comfortable working environment for bet- ter productivity and quality of work. • Providing a quick return of investment. Strado Truck & Trailer Remanufacturers were left satis- fied with a fast turnaround time from the design stage to installation. The result has exceeded everyone’s expecta- tions. BEKA Schréder locally develops and manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting products, designed and suitable for local conditions. We are very proud to be as- sociated with Strado Truck & Trailer Remanufacturers in providing a successful highbay lighting solution for this project.

The right lighting makes the difference As the average annual energy bill continues to rise, own-

Enquiries: phil@bhalighting.co.za

Enquiries: www.beka-schreder.co.za

Tips for setting up a motion sensor floodlight

A floodlight is a broad-beamed, high-intensity light traditionally used to illuminate large outdoor spaces such as car parks, sports fields and event arenas. However, thanks to technological advancements and the di- versity of this fixture, the use of floodlights in a residential setting has increased over the years. Robust and durable, a floodlight is gen- erally installed for two reasons – large-ra- dius night-time illumination and security. Some of the newer designs come with a built-in motion sensor so that they only switch on when triggered by movement. This is often preferred for residential ap- plications where a constant flood of light would be unpleasant for both homeowner and surrounding neighbours. 1. Select the settings You can change the sensitivity of the sen- sor on your motion sensor floodlights. This means you can choose whether you want the light to only come on when mo- tion is detected at a distance or if you would rather it came on when motion is detected closeby. To select the right set- tings for your home, you need to test the sensitivity of the sensor. The settings will vary among different models, but your fixtures should have set- If you are installing a motion sensor flood- light, keep these three points in mind:

tings similar to the following: Timer: This setting dictates how long the light will stay on after activation. It can range anywhere from 10 seconds to eight minutes. Lux: This setting is used to select when you want the sensor to work. Do you want the sensor to work day and night, or just at night? Sens: This setting allows you to choose the distance at which motion should be detected. Play around with the various settings to select the combination that is right for your home and what you are trying to achieve. 2. Pick a position Floodlights positioned on the exterior of the home are a great deterrent for would- be intruders. But they have to be posi- tioned correctly in order to be effective. If you’re installing a floodlight as a secu- rity measure, then make sure all potential dark corners are illuminated. To eliminate blind spots, install floodlights on each corner of the building or at the very least, on each side of the building. Installing a floodlight close to the roof may require some effort but it is worth it – a floodlight placed high above the ground results in a larger spread of light. Another point to keep in mind when se- lecting the location and position is the di- rection of movement. You want to ensure

that most movement will occur across the sensitivity zone as opposed to directly towards it.

floodlights to turn on. The motion detectors in the sensor have small electronic eyes that detect infrared waves from moving objects. When an object crosses the sensor’s field of view, the lights turn on automatically.

3. Understand how the sensor works Passing cars, people approaching your home and even bugs crawling across the sensors can trigger your motion sensor

Enquiries: www.eurolux.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MARCH 2021