DOE CALiPER Results on LED AR111s Disappointing
The US Department of Energy has completed Series 17 of testing through the DOE Solid-State Lighting CALiPER program. Report 17 analyzes the performance of a group of only six LED products labeled as AR111 lamps, a niche product. Results indicate that this product category is lagging behind other types of directional LED lamps: the products tested “are unlikely to be effective replacements for halogen AR111 lamps.”
Disappointing LED lamp attributes, as compared to halogen, included lower efficacies than similar LED lamp categories (though still better than halogen); poor color attributes; and insufficient beam intensity. In some applications, LED AR111 lamps may perform acceptably and provide some energy savings, but continued improvement in this market category is warranted, the report concludes.
Beginning in 2012, each CALiPER summary report focuses on a single product type or application. Products are selected with the intent of capturing the current state of the market – a cross section ranging from expected low- to high-performing products – with the bulk characterizing the average of the range.
The Department allows detailed test results from CALiPER testing to be distributed in the public interest for noncommercial, educational purposes only. Detailed test results for Series 17 will be available soon through the searchable online CALiPER system: www.ssl.energy.gov/search.html.
A summary of the results is now available for download on the DOE SSL website at www.ssl.energy.gov/reports.html.
Photo caption: Products in this series of CALiPER testing, including the halogen benchmark (12-22) and the CMH benchmark (12-05).