Michigan Green - Energy Act Outlaws Many Incandescent Reflector Lamps

Reflector lamp types are directional lamps—spots, floods, etc.—popular in recessed downlighting and track lighting applications, both residential and commercial.

While general-service incandescent lamps have received the most attention in media coverage of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, with provisions beginning to take effect in 2012, many popular incandescent reflector lamps are being outlawed this month.

A variety of proven substitutes is available for eliminated lamps, including halogen, compact fluorescent and incandescent exceptions.

What the Act requires: Minimum efficacy standards established for incandescent reflector lamps by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 now apply to a larger group of reflector lamps, creating a national standard matching stricter standards enacted by nine states since 2006.

In short, the Act covers incandescent and halogen reflector lamps greater than 2.25 inches in diameter, including R, PAR, BPAR, BR (BR30, BR40) and ER (ER30, ER40) lamps.

After the effective date (June 16, 2008 is the intended effective date, say manufacturers), these lamp types will have to demonstrate a minimum efficacy, expressed in lumens of light output per watt of electrical input (lumens/W) as shown in Table 1, or no longer be manufactured in the U.S.

Any product manufactured prior to the effective date, even if it does not meet the Act's requirements, may continue to be sold until inventories are depleted.

Table 1. EISA 2007 requirements for incandescent reflector lamps.

WattageRange	Minimum Lumens/W
40-50W	10.5
51-66W	11.0
67-85W	12.5
86-115W	14.0
116-155W	14.5
156-205W	15.0

Exceptions: Exemptions include <50W BR30, BR40, ER30, ER40; <45W R20; and 65W BR30, BR40 and ER40 lamps.

Analysis: According to Brian Vedder, product manager-halogen fro Philips Lighting, the most popular lamps being eliminated include 50W and 75W R20 and 85W BR30 lamps, and the most popular exceptions are 65W BR30 and BR40 lamps. According to Vedder, colored lamps and lamps designed for "vibration service" or "rough" applications are also exempt.

Lamp manufacturers have begun publishing substitution guides to help distributors navigate compliant alternatives for lamps being phased out. Substitutions include halogen, compact fluorescent and incandescent exceptions. Tables 2 and 3 provide several examples. Note, however, that dimmable compact fluorescent products available at the time of writing exhibited performance issues during dimming, which may disqualify compact fluorescent for applications involving dimming.

Table 2. Examples of substitutions recommended by GE Lighting.

Lamp Type

Eliminations

Substitutions

R20

50W and 75W R20

Halogen PAR20 and R20 or incandescent 45W R20

R40

90W and 120W R40

Halogen PAR38 (maintain same light output) or incandescent 65W R40 (less light output)

ER30

75W ER30

Halogen PAR30LN (maintain light output) or 50W ER30 (less light output)

ER40

120W ER40

Halogen PAR38

BPAR38

All single-piece blown PAR including 75W and 150W BPAR

Halogen PAR38

Table 3. Example: 75W BR40 incandescent reflector lamp and its nearest substitutions recommended by OSRAM SYLVANIA.

75W BR40

65W BR40

50W PAR38

50W PAR38 Soft White

75W PAR 38 Soft White

Type

Incandescent

Incandescent

Halogen

Halogen

Halogen

Act status

Eliminated

Exempted

Passes

Passes

Passes

Dimmable

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Power

75W

65W

50W

50W

75W

Relative power

100%

87%

67%

67%

100%

Approximate light output

680 lm

580 lm

650 lm

600 lm

980 lm

Relative light output

100%

85%

96%

88%

144%

Average rated life

2000 hrs

2000 hrs

2500 hrs

2500 hrs

2500 hrs

Relative rated life

100%

100%

125%

125%

125%

Beam type

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

by Craig DiLouie, Lighting Controls Association
Posted June 2008