What To Consider When Installing LED Strip Lights In Mines
- What would be your advice to them when it comes to implementing LED strips in their operations?
With the evolution of LED Strip Lights as an underground lighting system, it’s changing the face of underground mining and setting new unsurpassed standards.
Time has shown that LEDS are not all made equal. It is imperative to choose LED Strip Lights from a reputable supplier or factory, that will provide backup service if needed.
The ingenious design has a feature which allows for the connection of a power supply on either end, or both ends of the strip lighting. In doing so the rated length effectively doubles and the lighting will continue to operate if completely severed or if one of the power supplies fails. The Strip Lights come in meter sections, and this means only the meter that break or fail will be affected and turned off, the rest of the strip lighting will still work.
All LEDs are not made equal. Be sure to buy only from a reputable supplier, from whom you know you will get backup service if required.
- What are key factors that mines should consider in implementing LED strips?
The following variables need to be determined when considering LED Strips:
Voltage of the mine’s power supply
Strip Lights are generally 12V – 24V, which require an external driver, or 110V – 240V, which has a much smaller inline driver.
Lengths required
12V - 24V LED Strips generally come in 5m lengths. They can often be cut into smaller pieces down to 10cm.
110V – 240V LED Strips generally come in 50m rolls. The smallest units for these are 1m pieces. They are better suited for large areas.
Quantity of light required
What are the Lumen or Lux requirements per meter of Strip Light? Different LED specification are available for different light outputs for different applications.
Waterproofing
Operating conditions determine the waterproof rating. Various options are available.
Mines can easily apply Strips to existing structures.
Due to the low energy consumption of Strip Lights, new installations require less cabling and switchgear, and can also be easily attached to existing infrastructures. and installation of the lighting itself, by means of PVC cable ties, can be done by simply strapping the rolled out LED strip lighting onto existing structures. No need for extra wiring and no fuss.
Strip Lights are Modular and Compatible
The lighting is completely modular with all solutions fully compatible, allowing for interjoining with each other. The lighting runs can be cut throughout the run with cutting intervals every 1m, depending on the solution used.
- What potential benefits it could add to their operations?
It would have a major impact on the mining industry’s safety features.
LED Strip Lights is a safe and efficient alternative to complex infrastructures that needs constant maintenance and replacements. Implementing Strips in the underground tunnels will add to the following unique safety features:
Safe working environment –
Improved visibility is critical in maintaining a safe working environment underground, with poor lighting cited as a contributing factor in many underground accidents
The Strip Lights illuminates potential dangers by providing a complete flood of light from floor to ceiling, as opposed to any globe configuration where these spaced lights can blow or get damaged. This can substantially boost the efficiency of workers.
Fast and safe repairs - Repairs can be carried out safely and quickly under live conditions, by only replacing the section that failed. The ingenious ring feed design, guarantees perfectly functioning lighting even when severed, further reducing the need for repairs.
Easier installation
LED Strip Lights are much lighter weight to carry and work with compared to conventional lighting. A Female individual can easily carry up to 150 meters or more and can install or maintain sections singlehandedly.
Less downtime
Strip Ligts do not typically fail catastrophically, as is usually the case with fluorescent lighting, but rather the light output generally decreases over time. This allows for a regular maintenance schedule and replacement prior to failure, maintaining consistency of lighting and improving safety underground.
Financial Benefit
Low maintenance in direct contrast to short lifespan and high cost of conventional lighting systems due to the continuous need for replacement of components.
Energy – Efficient
LED lights use significantly less electricity and result in immediate and ongoing savings in running costs when compared to conventional lighting solutions such as incadescent globes or neon tubes. Generally, LEDS use about 10% of the enery of a conventional Incadescent bulb resulting in a 90% energy saving.
- Share some of the new technological features that have optimized LED lighting?
LEDs now cover the entire light spectrum, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and white, white light remains the holy grail of LED technology.
Another shortcoming of early LED designs was light output, so researchers have been working on several methods for increasing lumens per watt.
LEDS now offer higher Lumen outputs per watt, as well as increased lifespans.
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