RAB Lighting has claimed that its previous 50,000 hour estimates for its LEDs have been too conservative,and based on the TM-21 standard it now says its LEDs should last 100,000 hours,the equivalent of using them 10 hours a day for 27 years.
The projection has relied partly on the use of the new TM-21 standard,which enables manufacturers to use L-80 data(the time taken for light output to reach 80 per cent of its original capacity)to calculate the lifespan of a fixture.
In this case,as with all projected lifespan,the estimate is a projection of how long the fixture will take to reach L70.This is the point of generating 70 per cent of the original output and the point at which studies have shown that people are able to perceive a difference.
These projections are based on the fact that RAB fixtures have now reached over 16,000 hours successfully without dipping below 80 per cent of original output.
Ross Barna,CEO of RAB Lighting explained,"TM-21 puts a stake in the ground and levels the playing field for LED fixture manufacturers[…]It was very gratifying to learn that our adherence to the strictest design standards and our LM-80 tests exceeding 10,000 hours have finally paid off."
It has however been highlighted that the TM-21 is a test specifically for components and does not take into account other potential areas of failure that can occur in a normal luminaire,such as electrical connections and drivers.