News

Joint research projects develop an online uncertainty evaluation tool for electrical measurements of solid-state lighting (SSL) products.

The current uncertainty evaluations for lighting are based on power and current components in fundamental frequency, and are insufficient for SSL. The electrical characterisation of SSL sources, which use LEDs, needs to take into account completely new causes of uncertainty compared to conventional lighting sources. Practical methods, guidance and tools for uncertainty evaluation of measurements were urgently needed by the SSL industry.

EMRP projects Metrology for Solid State Lighting (ENG05 Lighting) and Metrology for efficient and safe innovative lighting (ENG62 MeSail) determined new uncertainty sources associated with SSL and quantified their effects. The results have been published in Metrologia and used in an online uncertainty tool. EMPIR project Future photometry based on solid-state lighting products (15SIB07 PhotoLED) will utilise the information gained in measurements of electrical properties of SSL products studied in EMRP projects ENG05 and ENG62 by developing new white LED-based calibration sources with stable DC- and AC/DC- electronics for test laboratories and NMIs to complement conventional incandescent sources used in photometric calibrations and testing of SSL products coming to market.

More reliable measurement of the electrical parameters of SSL products means that consumers will have more confidence in the energy efficiency of this new greener technology.