The Challenge
The story of INFINITY® technology started in 2010 when GVA Lighting was approached with an unusual request to help delineate one of the tallest buildings in Toronto, standing 298 meters (978ft) tall. The project had strict requirements and limitations placed by the architect:
Fixtures had to be:
- Bright, visible from a long distance
- Small in size, clean looking
- Color changing
- Highly reliable
- Reasonable cost
As well as:
- No “spaghetti” wiring on the facade of the building
- No penetrations into the building
The Brainstorming
Our analysis, experiments and extensive engineering brainstorming revealed the following:
- 18 mid-power LEDs per 300mm/ft module with maximum power consumption of 5W per module creates desirable luminance and uniformity
- Low voltage design is not applicable: at 5W/ft Class 2 circuits can only power 20 linear feet of lighting and Class 1 with a reasonable cable gauge – up to 100ft (30 meters). Big electrical load with low voltage power requires large gauge wire/cables to handle high current and to minimize the voltage drop
- Fixtures with built-in AC/DC power supplies are close to the solution, however:
- they all have lifetime limiting, temperature sensitive electrolytic capacitors
- physical dimensions are larger than desirable
- length is still limited to approximately 300 feet (92 meters)
- The system’s components will determine the system size:
- cable
- connectors
- inductors
- electrolytic capacitors
- To meet size requirements, cable diameter should be 7~9mm (0.35”) or smaller
- To avoid excessive cabling we must transfer the current through the modules (through wiring)
- The light source must be modular and completely environmentally protected
- To create a reliable outdoor system, we must separate the light source and the optical system
- Acrylic (PMMA) materials must be used in the optical system rather than PC (Polycarbonate) to avoid yellowing in the sun
- A centralized remote power supply is ideal for system reliability and maintenance
The Success
We achieved:
- Long lighting circuits up to 300 meters (1,000 feet) can be fed from a single power and data input point.
- Compact size by eliminating bulky capacitors and inductors required for AC/DC converters
- Small cables and connectors
- Clean look from a small form factor and lack of visible fasteners
- Increased fixture reliability and lifespan by eliminating temperature sensitive electrolytic capacitors (typically rated for 4,000 hours @ 80°C)
- Increased fixture reliability and lifespan by separating light source (completely sealed) and optical system (diffuser)
- Compatibility with renewable energy sources (solar, wind)
- Energy saving by eliminating AC/DC conversion
- Ideal Power Factor 1.0 or 0.99 for AC/DC source
- Lower system cost with fewer, higher wattage power supplies
- Lower system cost with savings on cabling and connections with through wiring design
The Problem was solved! We can build very long lighting circuits fed from a single power and data input point*:
- Wall washing light @ 1,650lm/meter (500lm/ft) – STR9-MONO @ 5W/ft
- Exterior delineation light @ 4,000cd/m2 – HIGHLIGHTER HL-DL
- Cove lighting @ 1,500 lumens/meter (450lm/ft) – HIGHLIGHTER HL-COVE
* Some restrictions apply. Consult factory for maximum run length for your application.
