What is a ballast bypass?

Fluorescent and metal halide fixtures use a ballast to run their lamps. Some LED lamps are wired to skip it and run on line voltage, which takes out a part that would otherwise fail. The fixture is then marked, so the next person knows it no longer takes the original lamps.

Do lighting controls have to be part of the retrofit?

Controls carry much of the savings: photocells keep lot lights off in daylight, and occupancy sensors shut off aisles nobody is using. Altering a building's lighting can also bring energy code requirements for controls, so we plan them in from the start.

Can the retrofit be done without closing the business?

Yes. We plan around your hours: lot lighting from a lift once the cars are gone, and high bay work in the gaps between shifts. We take the building an area at a time, so the rest of it stays lit and working.

LED Lighting Retrofit San Antonio

Most of the buildings we retrofit run metal halide, high pressure sodium or fluorescent lighting. Those lamps draw more power for the light they give, lose output as they age, and need a lift or a ladder for every lamp and ballast change. Moving to LED cuts the draw and stretches the time between service calls, which matters most on poles and high ceilings, where every replacement is a small project.

There is more than one way to do it. LED lamps can go into some existing fixtures, either running on the old ballast or wired to bypass it. Retrofit kits replace the inside of a fixture and keep its housing. New fixtures replace the whole thing. We look at the age and condition of what is up there now and recommend the approach that suits how long you plan to keep the building.

What an LED lighting retrofit covers

Parking lot pole lights and wall packs
Warehouse high bay lighting
Office troffers and fluorescent fixtures
Storefront and canopy lighting
Photocells, timers and occupancy sensors
Circuits and controls labeled at the panel

How an LED lighting retrofit goes

1.You tell us about the building, how it is used and when it is open, and which areas are too dark or cost too much to light.
2.The electrician surveys the fixtures, the circuits and the controls, and notes any poles, bases or ballasts that need attention.
3.You get one flat price for the LED lighting retrofit and approve it before work starts.
4.The work is scheduled around your hours, each area is switched over and tested, and the controls are set so lights run only when they are needed.

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FAQ

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Straight answers. If you do not see yours, call us and ask.

It depends on the fixtures you have. Sound housings in good condition suit retrofit kits. Damaged or aging fixtures, or a layout that leaves dark spots, are better served by new fixtures. Lamps that bypass the ballast are a quick change, but they keep the old fixture and its wear.

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LED lighting retrofit in San Antonio