FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Plug ‘Em In, California: New JA8 Bulbs from EmeryAllen Raise the Bar on Compliance
Charleston, SC, 13th November, 2018 – Ever since the Western U.S. Energy Crisis of 2000 and 2001, California has worked hard to decrease their demand side of the energy equation. With the state’s Net Zero Energy goal of 2020 rapidly approaching, in 2016 the California Energy Commission (CEC) raised the bar on Title 24/JA8 requirements to make it technology neutral with regard to light sources.
“Although California represents only about 12% of the U.S. population, they influence lighting product designs nationally because manufacturers and retailers can’t control where their products will be installed. So, revising the lighting product performance requirements, such as efficiency, every three years in California’s Title 24 building code means that the industry is continuously challenged to supply products that meet stricter requirements,” says Terry McGowan, Director of Engineering at the American Lighting Association (ALA).
The JA8 2016 requirements start by allowing lamps to be considered “high efficacy” if they are equal to or greater than 45 lumens per Watt. The Color Rendering Index (CRI) must be 90 or above; inching closer and closer to colors under the light source appearing the same as those under natural sunlight. Other tests required are related to power factor, start time, lumen maintenance, rated life, survival rate, dimming, reduced flicker and audible noise.
“Of the 9 performance characteristics listed on our test report, the hardest to obtain is the combination of low flicker and high power factor. When you adjust one, it conversely affects the other. Our final results showed flicker less than 2% (passing is < 30%), while maintaining power factors of over .96 (passing is ≥ .70),” states Tom Garber, EmeryAllen’s founder.
After over 6,000 hours of third-party testing on both 4.5W and 5W bulbs, some other key results include lumen efficacies of ≥103 lumens/Watt (passing is ≥ 45 lm/W) and rated life of over 32,000 hours (passing is ≥ 15,000 hours). Full test results are available in the CEC’s MAEDBS.
According to Pat Slater, EmeryAllen’s Northern California sales rep, “Up until now, our lighting showroom and electrical distributor customers did not have options for JA8 compliant bulbs in G8, G9, BA15D, E11 and GU24 (5W) base types. Now they do; and EmeryAllen is the only place you can get them. And, best of all, they are affordable.”
EmeryAllen’s JA8 bulb line-up consists of twenty-six 120v bulbs, offered in 7 base configurations (BA15D, E11, E12, E26, G8, G9, and GU24), 2 wattages (4.5W and 5W), and 2 color temperatures (2700K and 3000K).
About EmeryAllen
Founded in 2015, EmeryAllen is the leader in the design, development and distribution of high performance, miniature LED replacement lamps. Their patented electronic technology goes into an impressive lineup of bulbs, which take the place of miniature halogen and incandescent light bulbs in residential, commercial and hospitality applications. Designed specifically for North American lighting applications, EmeryAllen’s products have the best lumen efficacy on the market (over 100lm/W). And, they meet or exceed the safety and energy requirements of UL, the National Electric Code of the State of California and the US Department of Energy.
