Lighting system a resounding success

Electrical solutions provider Magnet Group is seeing much success from its MARS light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting system since its launch in August 2015.

Magnet lighting solutions engineer and MARS product specialist Kaylen Reddy informs that the MARS LED lighting range is based on advanced European technology and focuses on the principles of being modular, adaptable, reconfigurable and serviceable, hence MARS.

This range has been designed for energy efficiency and optimum quality of light in commercial buildings, warehouses and distribution centres, as well as for parkades and retail installation.

Magnet announced last month that it had completed the installation of its recyclable fittings from the MARS LED range in more than 55 Boxer Superstores nationally. Supermarkets will benefit from an energy saving of between 50% and 60%. The installation also signifies the most successful execution of the company’s high-quality, energy efficient lighting solution.

Reddy notes that it is also a great solution for warehousing and distribution centres, with installations in such instances being similarly successful.

The fittings contain a colour rendering index (CRI) of more than 80, which will render products on shelves more natural than they would under sunlight because colours display brighter. He predicts that this will lead to an increase in sales, as items will look more appealing. Magnet can also provide lighting with a CRI of more than 95.

“It’s great that retailers are becoming more aware of how important good lighting can be,” Reddy enthuses.

Specifications

The MARS LED system is available exclusively from Magnet. The range has various mounting options, and the colours vary from 3 000 K to 6 500 K. For higher installations, the company can provide optics that range from 30º to 120º to ensure that light reaches the required areas where it will be the most effective.

Each unit comes standard with a 1 kV surge protection, upgradable to 10 kV if needed, and a five-year warranty. He says Magnet, together with Energywise, can tailor-make lighting solutions for clients.

The MARS LED system was preceded by 18 months of research and development (R&D) by energy efficiency and energy savings solutions contributor Energywise.

To adapt the European technology to South Africa, as Africa has higher ambient temperatures than Europe in general, the team conducted extensive R&D on this.

This comprised months of temperature tests to ensure all electronic components did not exceeded their maximum temperate rating.

“These high-performance fittings have undergone extensive testing in the Energywise lighting laboratory at Magnet’s KwaZulu-Natal head offices and boast key features that include enhanced aesthetics, extended lamp life of more than 50 000 hours and heat tolerance of up to 45º to ensure safe use in harsh environments,” Reddy elaborates.

He adds that precise analyses and defined performance parameters were conducted during laboratory testing, subsequently ensuring the highest levels of accuracy in every aspect of the lighting, including design and manufacture.

Reddy notes that the development of this system constituted consistent product innovation and a solution to a client’s needs that no current product at the time could meet.

The locally manufactured MARS LED lighting systems – designed for easy installation and simple retrofit projects – offer high-quality, low-glare light and are available in distributions from 30º, 60º to 120º. This customisable range is also available with dimmable functions, and carries a five-year guarantee.

While he notes the availability of many similar products on the market, the MARS LED system presents a high- quality design, which is easy to install.

Products in the range boast 160 lumens a watt effective output, says Reddy, stating that it is among the most efficient products currently available in South Africa. With more than 40 000 m of these systems having already been installed to date, these have saved the country more than 2 MW of energy.

Leveraging the success of the MARS LED range, the company will in the near future release its MARS 2 range as a continuation of its constant innovation development.

Owing to the success of the MARS LED range in retail, the MARS 2 range will include the launch of products specifically suited for illuminating bread, fish and red meat.