Maintenance of lighting systems
Correct, professional care and maintenance are decisive to getting the very best and longest service out of your luminaires.
To prevent lamps and luminaires losing performance, and to maintain optimum light quality, protective glass panels and optical controls should be checked and cleaned regularly. We recommend using pH-neutral cleaning agents and lint-free cloths for cleaning, and making use of a professional cleaning service provider to look after large lighting systems.
The accumulation of dirt and dust on luminaires makes a significant difference to lighting performance. Despite poorer performance, dirty luminaires used just as much energy.
Exchange not only defective luminaires, but also any luminaires whose luminous flux has diminished due to age. Ensuring good quality lighting also helps prevent industrial accidents, benefits productivity, creates a positive atmosphere and a good room climate, and promotes well-being. People are happy to stay where they feel comfortable and at ease – and this applies just as much to workplaces as to shopping malls.
Maintenance value and maintenance factor
The lighting requirement for any task or activity is defined in terms of the luminous flux maintenance factor:
Recommended illuminance according to DIN EN 12464-1 for internal rooms (PDF)
To compensate for diminishing illuminance due to ageing and dirt accumulation, the new system needs to have a higher illuminance. The new value is calculated by dividing the maintenance value by the maintenance factor.
The maintenance factor is specified in consideration of the following points: Dirt accumulation on the luminaire and on room surfaces, the life of lamps, diminished luminous flux.
It is the job of the planner to optimize the maintenance factor in line with the relevant lighting system and to draw up a maintenance plan. If there insufficient knowledge about subsequent influences on diminishing illuminance, we recommend using the reference values specified in the table:
Clean room, installations with low utilization factor such as sports halls (as per DIN EN 12193) Maintenance factor 0.8
Clean room atmosphere Maintenance factor 0.67
Exposure to high level of contamination, e.g. due to smoking Maintenance factor 0.5
(Basis: 3-year three-year maintenance intervals and use of advanced lamp ballasts and luminaire technology)
