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LED Lighting Glossary
Lighting terms explained in plain language — from beam angle and CRI to DLC listings and emergency battery backup. Browse alphabetically or search for a term.
A17 terms
- AC
- AC is an abbreviation for alternating current. It refers to an electrical current whose direction reverses periodically, typically at a frequency of 50–60 Hz. Alternating current is commonly used in commercial buildings and homes and is often referred to as line voltage. In the U.S., common line voltages include 120 V and 240 V.
- ALA
- It is an abbreviation for the American Lighting Association, which focuses on the residential lighting trends. This trade organization has members from the US, Canada, and the Caribbean nations. ALA offers membership to event organizers, designers, as well as manufacturers from the said states. The organization member showrooms boast of providing the highest quality indoor and outdoor lighting solutions for new or retrofit projects.
- ANSI
- It is an abbreviation for the American National Standards Institute, which develops standards and voluntary guidelines for electrical industries.
- ANSI Ballast
- This term refers to a ballast that is ANSI compliant.
- ASHRAE
- This stands for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
- Accent Lighting
- A term for directional lighting. As the name suggests, this type of lighting is mainly used to focus on a particular object during the product display in the retail applications and galleries.
- Active Cooling
- A process of cooling where power is used to cool components. For instance, a fan is used to exhaust heat from components.
- Ambient Lighting
- The lighting that is widely used to improve the visibility of any built or well-designed environment. Ambient lighting may include natural and artificial lighting. However, this term is not suited for any accent or task lighting used in various open areas and industries.
- Amp Calculations
- As the name suggests, these are the calculations performed to determine the current required by a circuit comprising multiple lighting fixtures or a single lighting fixture. Once the current is analyzed, then it becomes easy to identify the right wiring needed for the lighting circuit, and other protection devices used in the circuit.
- Ampere or Amp
- This is the measurement for the electric current in the International System of Units. A current of one ampere is defined as one coulomb of charge in a second. It is expressed as 1 A= 1 C/s. During the lighting installations, the protection and wiring is mainly calculated on the basis of the ampere needed for the operation of the circuits. Along with the ampere, the voltage of these circuits is also taken into the account.
- Angle of Light
- This is the angle that is formed between the viewing direction, as well as a light source. For instance, the light angle will be high, if you are looking at it from the distance, however, it becomes zero, when you look at it from a nearby angle.
- Application
- It refers to the intended use of light in a particular environment. For instance, retail, residential, healthcare, hospitality, and high bay lighting are some examples of LED applications.
- Arc Lamp
- A light source that produces an arc between two electrodes. The light arc stimulates a gas, which produces a glow.
- Arc Tube
- A sealed ceramic or quartz tube where the light is produced through the electric discharge (arc).
- Architectural Lighting
- This refers to the decorative lighting used to light a building. Architectural lighting may also serve as ambient lighting.
- Argon
- It is one of the noble gases. Argon is used in the bulbs of traditional incandescent lights. The gas helps prevent oxidation of filaments made of metals. Argon gas is also used in gas discharge lamps that emit blue or the violet light on mixing with mercury.
- Average Rated Life
- Depicted in hours, the average rated life of a lamp is calculated through various lamp life testing procedures. This depicts the time of failure of a large group of lamps, when they are operated at nominal current and lamp voltage. Typically, manufacturers employ 10 hours and 3 hours per start for HID and fluorescent lamps while performing the tests on them. Every lamp has a mortality curve that provides information on its life expectancy.
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