Timesaving Tips to Install Lamps
Replacing all the lamps in a facility has ups and downs like a roller coaster, but it’s a little more time consuming and not quite as thrilling. How can you quickly get the job done and save time on future maintenance? Use these timesaving tips on your next lighting project.
1. RESEARCH THE LAMPS YOU ARE REPLACING
While it seems like an extra step, doing your research before installation will save you time, money and energy in the long run. Do you know what types of lamps you are replacing? You can possibly look from the ground and tell whether it is a metal halide, fluorescent or LED lamp, but that’s not all you need to consider.
Two metal halide lamps might look identical, but do you need a pulse start or probe start? Does it have a medium or mogul base? If it’s a fluorescent lamp, is it a standard bi-pin tube, or is it a high output (HO) lamp? Before you climb your ladder with the wrong lamp, get it right the first time. Verify the part numbers you need by asking your customer what they have purchased in the past, or visit the jobsite and note the lamps that need replaced. When it comes to saving time, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
2. BYPASS THE BALLAST
When upgrading from fluorescent or HID lamps to LED, look for opportunities to bypass existing ballasts. It’s another extra step at first, but it can save you time when replacing lamps in the future and prevent lamps from failing.
Installing LED lamps isn’t necessarily a quicker process, but using LED lamps means you will have to replace lamps less often, as LED lights last 2-3 times longer than fluorescent or HID lamps and 10 times longer than incandescent, halogen or CFL lamps. Taking the ballast out of the equation removes one more point where lights can fail. Environmental conditions like heat, cold and moisture can cause ballasts to fail, resulting in dimming, flickering or no light. Replacing a ballast is expensive and time consuming, as it requires taking apart the entire fixture rather than simply swapping out a lamp.
On the flip side, if you are installing a fluorescent, HID or plug-and-play LED lamp that requires a ballast, you always need to make sure your replacement lamp is compatible with the existing ballast. Do you have replacement lamps for all makes and models of ballasts or a compatible ballast for all kinds of lamps? Most people don’t. Bypassing the ballast gives you more flexibility and when lights burn out, it’s much quicker to swap out a bulb than replace a ballast. It might not seem like a big deal for a single lamp or fixture, but in a large facility, the time savings add up..
3. RE-LAMP THE ENTIRE FACILITY
In a perfect world, all your lamps would have the same lifespan and need replaced at the same time. That’s almost never the case, but don’t let that stop you from replacing all your lamps at once. When one or two lamps start to die out, the rest are probably not too far behind.
Changing out all the lamps in a facility might seem like a daunting task on the surface, but think about the ways it will save time and expense down the road. Are you renting a lift to replace lamps? It doesn’t make sense to rent a lift to replace a few lamps at a time. Do you have the human resources to send a crew or even a single person out several times to change a few lamps? It’s more efficient to replace all the lamps while you are on site instead of making multiple trips. Get the most out of your equipment and workforce investments, and complete the job at one time.
4. RELY ON YOUR LIGHTING PARTNERS
You don’t have to do it all on your own. Are the lamps you need in stock? Is there a more efficient lamp or layout you can use? Do you have a place to store lamps for a large-scale project? Take advantage of your distributor resources. With a large in-stock inventory and the ability to stage products and perform lighting layouts, Van Meter has everything you need to succeed on your next lighting installation.
Ready to get started? Have questions? Reach out to your Van Meter account manager or call 1-800-247-1410 to connect with a lighting specialist and prepare for a successful project.
