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This information is in alphabetical order. Click on the initial of the subject you are interested in, for example, "F" for fixture. You may have to scroll to see the entry you want.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT - A legally binding contract between Simkar and the distributor which acknowledges the material ordered, the prices charged for the products, the promised ship date, and other pertinent information. The terms and conditions of sale are listed on the back of the acknowledgment. This is sent by mail from Simkar to the agency that placed the order and to the distributor.
ADDERS - Prices for options or accessories added to the basic fixture price.
AIR BOOT - An air diffusing device that fits over an air-handling troffer and allows air to be supplied into the room through the side slots of the fixture; usually manufactured by HVAC equipment manufacturers and supplied under the mechanical subcontract.
AIR HANDLING - A type of troffer that can either supply air (heating or air conditioning) to a room, remove air from a room, or do both. Air handling units incorporate a floating door appearance by use of black housing reveal.
A. I. E. C. A. - Abbreviation for American Independent Electrical Contractors Association a professional society for electrical contractors (most are nonunion).
ALZAK - A finish produced by electrochemically brightening and anodizing a special high purity aluminum alloy. It is used to provide reflectors with a high permanent reflectivity and a corrosion and abrasion resistant finish. It is a registered trademark of ALCOA.
AMP - (Also AMPERE) The standard unit of measuring an electric current that is equal to one coulomb per second. It defines the rate of flow or quantity of electrons, moving past a given point in a circuit
ANODIZED - An electrolytic process for converting an aluminum surface to aluminum oxide. Anodized coatings are transparent coatings that are physically part of the metal. They are generally colorless but may be dyed in a variety of colors. The coating is hard and highly resistant to corrosion.
ARC TUBE - A tube enclosed with an outer glass envelope of an HID lamp and made of clear quartz or ceramic that contains the are stream.
AREA/FIXTURE - The amount of square feet of coverage for which a particular lighting fixture will provide a given foot-candle level.
A.S.I.D. - American Society of Interior Designers.
BACK BOX - A bracket on a surface or wall mounted luminaire used to fasten the luminaire to the wall, to cover an outlet box or to allow for conduit feeds.
BAFFLE - A shield of metal, wood or plastic used to screen a light source. Aluminum baffles are commonly used in parabolic fixtures.
BALLAST - A device used in fluorescent and HID luminaires to provide the necessary starting voltage and to limit the lamp current during operation.
BALLAST, COLD WEATHER - A ballast designed to provide sufficient starting voltage for fluorescent lamps in cold weather, generally down to 20 degrees F.
BALLAST, DIMMING - Dimming ballasts are special ballasts which when used together with a dimmer control, will vary the light output of a lamp.
BALLAST, ELECTRONIC - A ballast which operates fluorescent lamps at high frequencies using semi-conductor components to increase the frequency in combination with smaller inductive components to provide the lamp current control.
BALLAST COVER - Component part of fixture. Installed to cover ballast and wiring harness; also referred to as a channel cover or wireway cover.
BALLAST FACTOR - A light loss factor that must be applied to lighting calculations for fluorescent lamps. It is the ratio of actual lumen output of a lamp operating with a commercial ballast to the rated lumen output operating with a laboratory reference ballast.
C&I - Abbreviation for commercial and industrial. Generally refers to the nonresidential products or the nonresidential market.
C.S.I. - Abbreviation for Construction Specifications Institute, an organization that works toward the uniformity and standardization of building plans and specifications.
CANDELA - Unit of luminous intensity. In a dark room a candle produces an intensity of 1 candela in all directions.
CANDLEPOWER - Older term for intensity, i.e., the intensity of a source in candelas of light.
CANOPY - A metal plate or dish on the ceiling which covers the outlet box and the wiring.
CHANNEL - A fluorescent fixture composed of only a channel to hold the ballast and sockets. Also called a "strip light."
CHANNEL COVER - See BALLAST COVER.
CLASS "P" - A ballast with a thermal disconnect switch that switches the ballast off if the ballast case temperature rises above 105 F. It is a safety feature.
COEFFICIENT OF UTILIZATION (CU) - A measure commonly applied to indicate the efficiency of a luminaire. The percent of bare lamp lumens reaching the work plane.
COLOR RENDERING INDEX (CRI) - A measure of the degree of color shift that an object undergoes when illuminated by a light source as compared with the color of the same object when illuminated by a referenced source of comparable color temperature.
COLOR TEMPERATURE - The "whiteness" of a light source indicated in degrees Kelvin, typically between 0 and 6000 degrees K. The lower the number, the "warmer" the light source.
COMPACT FLUORESCENT - Small twin-tube fluorescent lamp. Also referred to as "Twin Tube" or "PL" lamps.
CONDUIT - A metal tube or pipe used as an enclosure to protect electrical conductors.
CONTRAST - The relationship between the luminance or brightness of an object and its background.
CONVENIENCE OUTLET - Electrical outlet provided on some fixtures. A grounded convenience outlet accommodates 3-prong plus.
CORD SET - Electrical cord which is wired to a fixture so it can be plugged into a normal wall socket.
C.R.T. - Cathode ray tube; typically a monitor computer. Also referred to as a VDT.
CUTOFF ANGLE - The angle from vertical at which a reflector, louver, or other shielding device cuts off direct visibility of a lamp. It is the complimentary angle of shielding angle.
DAMP LOCATION FIXTURES - Fixtures suitable for installation in locations protected from weather, but subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as under partially protected canopies.
DIFFUSER - A translucent glass or plastic sheet that shields the light source in a fixture and redirects the light emitted from the luminaire.
DISTRIBUTION CURVE - A candela distribution pattern or graphic representation of the candela values shown in the photometric data.
EFFICACY - Expressed as lumens/watt. The total luminous flux divided by the total power input.
ETL - Abbreviation for Electrical Testing Laboratories; a lab used in the testing of lighting equipment.
EXTRUDED ALUMINUM DOOR - An aluminum door frame that has been extruded for greater strength.
EXTRUDED LENS - A lens that has been formed through a rolling process rather than in molds.
FIXTURE - In the lighting industry, any type of luminaire.
FIXTURE SCHEDULE - A form that lists all luminaires used on a particular job. The list typically includes fixture type, fixture catalog number, lamp catalog number, quantity of lamps per fixture, ballast information, voltage, and perhaps fixture quantity.
FLANGE - Overlapping metal portion of a recessed luminaire at the ceiling line. It serves to trim the ceiling opening around the luminaire.
FLANGE KIT - A kit used in the field to convert a standard grid troffer to a flanged troffer.
FLEX - Flexible metal conduit used to wire or pre-wire a fluorescent troffer.
FLOATING DOOR - A type of door on a fixture that appears to have no support because of a black reveal or a narrow band of metal that is painted black that surrounds it. Usually seen on airhandling fixtures.
FLOODLIGHTING - A type of outdoor lighting mainly used in parking lots or sports fields.
FLUORESCENT - A linear light source consisting of a tube filled with gas. When electrical current is applied, the resulting arc emits UV light that excites the phosphors on the inside of the lamp wall, causing them to radiate visible light.
F.O.B. - Abbreviation for Free on Board. A term of sale indicating the point at which title to the product transfers (When carrier sight the bill of lading).
FOOTCANDLE (FC) - The unit of measurement of the illuminance or light on a surface. One footcandle is equal to one lumen per square foot.
FOOTCANDLE, MAINTAINED - Footcandles calculated using light loss factors, which take into account the deterioration of lamp output, the accumulation of dirt on the fixture, and other factors which reduce the lighting levels over time.
FREIGHT ALLOWED - The freight charges are the responsibility of the shipper.
FUSE - An electrical safety device made of wire or thin metal, and usually enclosed in glass, that will melt and "break" the circuit in the event of a current overload.
GASKET - A fibrous or rubber device used to form a seal between separate parts, used to limit light leaks or the penetration of dust, water, oil or other contaminants.
GLARE - The effect of brightness or brightness differences within the visual field that are sufficiently high to cause annoyance, discomfort or loss of visual performance.
GRID "T" CEILING - A modular ceiling type in which the supports are suspended directly from the building structure in a rectangular grid. The ceiling tiles and lighting fixtures lay into and are supported by this grid. The most common sizes of these ceiling tiles are 2' x 4' and 2' x 2'.
HEAT REMOVAL - A type of airhandling function in a fluorescent fixture designed to remove heat from within the luminaire. This prevents heat from building up inside the fixture prolonging lamp and ballast life and increasing fixture efficiency.
HID - Abbreviation for high intensity discharge. Generic term used to describe mercury vapor, metal halide and high pressure sodium light sources and fixtures.
HIGHBAY - Pertains to the type of lighting in a manufacturing area or warehouse where the ceiling is 20 feet or higher. Fixture is typically an open bottom HID unit.
HIGH OUTPUT (HO) - A lamp or ballast designed to operate at higher currents (800 MA) which also produces significantly higher lumens than rapid start or slimline lamps.
HIGH POWER FACTOR (HPF) - A ballast with a .90 or higher rating power factor, which is achieved by using a capacitor.
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM - A high intensity discharge (HID) lamp in which light is produced by radiation from sodium vapor. Light is slightly yellow in color unless color corrected.
HOUSING - The body of a fixture.
HPF - See HIGH POWER FACTOR.
I.A.L.D. - Abbreviation for International Association of Lighting Designers.
I.B.E.W. - Abbreviation for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. American union whose members work in many lighting manufacturing plants.
I. E. S. - Also IESNA. Abbreviation for Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
IGNITOR - A device that generates a voltage pulse to start discharge lamps without having to preheat the electrodes.
ILLUMINANCE - The amount of light in lumens on a surface. Technically defined as the amount of luminous flux incident on a surface.
INDUSTRIAL - A commonly used description of a fluorescent luminaire that is a combination of a strip light with an attached reflector to direct the light downward.
INJECTION MOLDED LENS - A lens that has been manufactured through a process by which hot liquid plastic is injected into a lens mold of desired shape and size. It is thought that this process provides sharper prisms and thus more accurate patterns of light than extruded lenses.
I.T.L. - Abbreviation for Independent Testing Laboratories. Lighting manufacturers use this laboratory to conduct photometric tests for luminaires.
NO ENTRIES
KELVIN - See COLOR TEMPERATURE.
KNOCKOUT - Also KO; a portion of the metal enclosure which has been partially cut out but remains in place. It can be easily removed or "knocked out" to permit an electrician to attach wires, convenience outlets, conduit fittings, etc.
LAY-IN TROFFER - A fluorescent fixture; usually a 2'x4' fixture, which "lays" into a grid "T" suspended ceiling.
LENS - Diffuser for a light fixture. Usually made of glass or plastic.
LER - Luminaire Efficacy Rating. A method of comparing fixtures for energy efficiency. LER = (Luminaire Efficiency x Total Rated Lamp Lumens x Ballast Factor) / Input Watts.
LIGHT LOSS - A multiplier that is applied to account for conditions that reduce light output over time. These include temperature and voltage variations, lamp aging, and dirt buildup on lamp, luminaire, and room surfaces. In common practice, light loss factors are applied to initial footcandles to determine the light level that will be maintained in a given area. (See also FOOTCANDLES, MAINTAINED.)
LOUVER - A series of baffles arranged in a geometric pattern used to shield a lamp from view at certain angles to avoid glare from the bare lamps.
LOWBAY - Pertains to the type of lighting in a manufacturing area or warehouse where the ceiling is 20 feet or lower. Fixture is typically an MD fixture with some sort of lens on the bottom.
LOW POWER FACTOR - Essentially an uncorrected power factor of less than .90 (see NPF).
LOW PRESSURE SODIUM - An HID lamp in which light is produced by radiation from sodium vapor. Emits a very yellow light and is considered a monochromatic light source since most colors are rendered gray.
LUMEN - A measurement of light from a light source. Unit of luminous flux emitted within a unit solid angle (one steradian) by a point source having, a uniform luminous intensity of one candela.
LUMINAIRE - A complete lighting fixture including one or more lamps and a means for connection to a power source. Many luminaires also include one or more ballasts and elements to position and protect lamps and distribute their light.
LUMINAIRE EFFICIENCY - Total lumen output of a luminaire expressed as a percent of rated lamp lumens (as determined by photometric tests).
MASTER/SLAVE - Labor-saving, factory installed wiring option in which ballasts are shared by two luminaires, reducing installation labor and potential energy costs. The master unit contains a ballast that provides power to some or all of the lamps in the slave unit. The units are connected by a factory supplied flex that is normally prewired to plug the units together.
MERCURY LAMP - A type of HID lamp in which the major portion of the light is produced by radiation from mercury. Emits a light with a greenish cast.
METAL HALIDE - A type of HID lamp in which the major portion of the light is produced by radiation of metal halide and mercury vapors in the arc. Includes clear and phospor-coated lamps which differ in their color rendering characteristics.
METAL EGG CRATE - Metal louver available with various cell sizes that is typically used in fluorescent troffers.
MITERED CORNER - Refers to a fixture's door frame in which the comer pieces are joined together at a 45 degree angle, as opposed to square overlapping comers. A mitered comer is considered to be more architecturally pleasing.
MOUNTING HEIGHT -The distance from the bottom of the fixture to the floor. In lighting calculations, the distance from the bottom of the fixture to the work plane below.
MULTI-LEVEL SWITCHING - Applies to fixtures which have two or more ballasts, and thus have the ability to switch a multilamp fixture in such a way as to provide two or more levels of light.
MULTI-TAP BALLAST -A ballast (typically HID) with tapped leads (wires) on the primary side which enables the ballast to function on more than one supply voltage.
NADIR - The point directly below the luminaire (0' angle).
N.A.E.D. - Abbreviation for National Association of Electrical Distributors.
N. E. C. - Abbreviation for National Electrical Code. The document compiled by the National Fire Protection Association to provide guidelines for installation and application of electrical equipment.
N. E. C. A. - Abbreviation for National Electrical Contractors Association a professional society for electrical contractors (most are union).
N. E. M. A. - Abbreviation for National Electrical Manufacturer's Association.
N.E.M.R.A. - Abbreviation for National Electrical Manufacturer's Representative Association.
NOMENCLATURE - Manufacturer's derived product designation or catalog numbering system.
NPF (NORMAL POWER FACTOR) - A ballast/lamp combination in which no components have been have been added to correct the power factor; hence, normal (essentially low) power factor.
OCTRON - Trade name for Sylvania's T8 (1 inch diameter), 265 milliamp fluorescent lamp, which is a compact fluorescent lamp.
OHM - The unit used to measure electrical resistance in a circuit.
"ON CENTER" - The term used to describe the distance between the centers of luminaires. "8 feet on center" means that the distance, center to center of the luminaires, is 8 feet.
OVERLAY - A lens placed on top of a parabolic louver or over another lens to block visibility of the lamps or to diffuse the light.
PALLET - A wooden platform on which multiple packages are stacked to facilitate handling and storage.
PARABOLIC LUMINAIRE - A luminaire which has a louver composed of aluminum baffles that are curved in a parabolic shape. The resultant light distribution produced by this shape gives reduced glare and better light control.
PARACUBE - A metallic coated plastic louver made up of small squares. Often used to replace the lens in a troffer to enhance its appearance. They are used in rooms with computer screens because of their glare reducing qualities.
PARAHEX - A metallic coated plastic louver, similar to a paracube made up of small hexagons.
PENDANT - Method of mounting fluorescent luminaires. Mounting hardware consists of a stem and canopy set.
PHOTOCELL - A light sensitive switch that turns luminaires on or off based on ambient lighting
PL LAMP - A compact fluorescent source. PL, is Philips trade name for this lamp. The generic name is "twin tube." The lamp is made of two small tubes and is available in wattages from 5 to 39 watts and lengths from 4" to 24".
PLASTIC EGG CRATE -A type of plastic fixture lens which is usually made up of small squares of white plastic.
PLENUM - Space between the structural ceiling slab and the finished ceiling. It is the service area concealing the housing part of a recessed fixture as well as HVAC ductwork, electrical wiring, and plumbing, etc.
POWDER PAINT- A plastic paint in powder form that is sprayed on fixture parts. The paint and metal fixture parts are given opposite electrostatic charges, which causes the powder to adhere to the surface; then it goes through a baking process which melts the paint to form a resilient, durable finish.
PREHEAT - A type of ballast which uses a manual starter that heats up a fluorescent lamp before high voltage is applied to start the lamp.
R. C. R - Room cavity ratio; a ratio of room geometry used to quantify how light will interact with room surfaces. RCR = 5 x mounting ht. x (length + width) ÷ (length x width).
RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE (RFI) - Interference with the radio frequency band caused by high frequency equipment or devices in the immediate area.
RAPID START - The most popular fluorescent lamp/ballast combination used today.
REFLECTOR - A device used to redirect the light from a lamp or luminaire by the process of reflection.
REFRACTOR - A device used to redirect the light flow from a source, primarily by bending the waves of light.
REGRESSEDThe term used to describe the door frame of a troffer where the lens or louver lies above the surface of the ceiling.
RETROFIT - Refers to upgrading a fixture by furnishing new parts or equipment. Often today done by installing new ballasts, sockets, and an internal reflector.
R. F. I. - See RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE.
ROMEX - Trade name for plastic sheathed cable used in residential wiring.
SCREW-SLOT CEILING - A type of ceiling in which room partitions are screwed directly into the metal ceiling-mounted slotted grids, thereby making it easy to relocate partitions.
SEMI-SPECULAR - A semi-diffuse anodized aluminum most commonly used in standard parabolic louver blades.
SHIELDING ANGLE - The angle measured from the ceiling plane to the line of sight where the bare lamp in a luminaire becomes visible. The shielding angle affects direct glare.
SHRINK WRAP - Plastic film which has been wrapped around then heated and shrunk to secure products to a pallet for shipment. Also referred to as "stretch wrap."
SOCKET - Component that holds the lamp base and supplies electrical power.
SOCKET, MEDIUM BASE - A particular size socket that holds low wattage HID lamps.
SOCKET, MOGUL BASE - A particular size socket that holds high wattage HID lamps.
SOLID STATE ELECTRONIC BALLAST - Ballast composed of electronic circuitry. (SEE BALLAST.)
SPACING RATIO - The ratio of the distance between fixtures to the height of the fixtures above the work plane.
SPECULAR - Mirrored or polished surface. Used to describe the finish of a type of aluminum louver or internal reflectors used in some lighting fixtures.
STATIC - Refers to a troffer without airhandling capabilities.
STRIP FIXTURE - A fluorescent fixture composed of only a channel to hold the ballast and sockets. Also referred to as a "channel light."
SUSPENDED CEILING - A grid of connecting bars (inverted "T" is the most common shape) suspended from the structural ceiling by wires. Acoustical tiles and light fixtures rest on the grid.
SWING-GATE HANGER - Metal support attached to the fixture that swings out and over the structural member for support in certain types of ceilings such as plaster.
T8 LAMP - Industry standard fluorescent lamp commonly used with electronic ballasts. It is 8 eighths of an inch (1 inch) in diameter.
T12 LAMP - Industry standard for a fluorescent lamp that is 12 eighths of an inch (1 1/2 inches) in diameter.
TAMPERPROOF SCREW - Used on door frames and other appropriate fixture parts to prevent vandalism. A special screwdriver is required to remove these screws.
TANDEM INLINE WIRING - Fixtures wired together in pairs so they can share ballasts for switching lamps in separate rows instead of switching individual fixtures.
T-BAR CEILING - Metal cross sections in a standard grid ceiling used to support lighting fixtures air diffusers or tiles.
THERMAL FACTORA factor which compensates for the change in relative light output of a fluorescent lamp due to a change in bulb wall temperature when using energy saving products. This thermal effect is caused by the operating temperature differences of the lamp/ballast/fixture combination.
THERMAL PROTECTION - Protection against ballast overheating by opening the ballast circuitry when the ballast case temperature reaches 90 degrees C.
TRIGGER START - Type of ballast used with 15 watt and 20 watt fluorescent lamps.
TROFFER - The term used to refer to a recessed fluorescent light fixture.
UNIT PACK - One fixture per carton.
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY(UL) - An independent organization whose responsibilities include rigorous testing of electrical products. When products pass these tests, they can be labeled as "UL listed".
U. V. - Abbreviation for ultraviolet (literally beyond the violet) light that is shorter in wavelength and higher in frequency than visible violet, light.
VEILING REFLECTION - Also known as reflected glare. A reflection of a light source that partially or totally obscures details by reducing the contrast between task details and their background.
VHO - Very High Output. A lamp that operates at a "very high" current (1500 MA), producing more light output than a "high output" lamp (800 MA).
VOLT - The unit for measuring electrical potential. It defines the force or pressure of electricity for the satisfactory operation of an electrical device.
VANDAL RESISTANT - Fixtures with rugged housings, break-resistant type shielding and tamper-proof screws.
V. C. P. - Visual Comfort Probability. A rating system for evaluating discomfort glare. This method is a subjective evaluation of visual comfort expressed as the percent of occupants of a space who will be bothered by direct glare. VCP takes into account luminaire luminances (or brightness) at different angles of view, luminaire size, room size, luminaire mounting height, illumination and room surface reflectiveness. VCP tables are published as part of the photometric tests.
V.D.T. - Abbreviation for Video Display Terminal, or computer terminal.
VOLTAGE - Electrical potential or potential difference expressed in volts.
WALL BRACKET - A type of wall-mounted fluorescent fixture used in both commercial and residential markets. Often used in corridors, lavatories, and hospital rooms.
WALL PACK - A wall-mounted HID light fixture which is often used for outdoor security lighting and small general lighting.
WALLWASHER - A fixture used to illuminate vertical surfaces from ceiling to floor without shadows or hot spots.
WATT - The unit for measuring electrical power. It defines the energy consumed by an electrical device when it is in operation. It is related to volts and amps by the formula: Power in Watts (P) = Voltage (E) x Current in Amperes (I).
WET LOCATION FIXTURE - Fixture suitable for installation in underground areas, concrete stabs or masonry locations subject to rain or noncorrosive spray.
WHIP - A prewired cable assembly used to connect the fixture to the building's circuit wiring.
WILL CALL - An order picked up from a warehouse by the customer instead of being delivered.
WIREGUARD - An assembly made of heavy gauge wire and usually mounted over the face of a fixture to protect the housing or lamps.
WIREWAY COVER - (Also CHANNEL COVER) Piece of metal used to enclose and cover the wireway.
WORK PLANE - The level at which work is done, and at which illumination is specified and measured. For office applications, this is typically a horizontal plan 30 inches above the floor. This measurement is important in all calculations determining foot-candle levels.
WRAPAROUND - A surface mounted fixture that has a plastic tens that "wraps" around the fluorescent lamp.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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