In an effort to reduce electrical consumption and to help our members to reduce their associated electric bills, Flathead Electric Cooperative and Bonneville Power Administration have jointly developed a commercial lighting retro-fit rebate program.
When certain fixtures and/or bulbs are replaced with more efficient ones, you may be eligible for a rebate that will help to offset the cost of the change-out. In most cases the rebate will cover a significant portion of the initial cost. In addition, the overall wattage reduction may mean a considerable savings on your monthly electric bill.
The process is fairly simple but certain requirements do have to be met. In a nutshell, the most important points are as follows:
| Electronic Ballasts for Full Size Fluorescent Lamps | |
| 1 | Listing: The ballast must be listed on the most current Lighting Design Lab Specification Committee's Electronic Ballast List for Full Size Fluorescent Lamps. |
| 2 | General: All electronic ballasts shall meet the requirements of Underwriters Laboratory (U.L.) 935 and shall bear the appropriate U.L. label. |
| 3 | Warranty: The electronic ballast shall be warranted against defects in material and workmanship for three years. The warranty shall include either a $10 replacement labor allowance or complete replacement including labor by an agent of the manufacturer. |
| 4 | Mechanical Characteristics: Electronic ballasts shall have the same physical dimensions and mounting arrangements as those of their core and coil counterparts. |
| 5 | Electrical Characteristics: The electronic ballast shall withstand input power line transients as defined in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C62.41. The ballast shall tolerate a line voltage variation of +/- 10 percent. |
| 6 | The power factor shall be 95 percent or higher. The lamp crest factor shall measure 1.7 or less for rapid start ballasts and 1.85 or less for instant start ballasts. |
| 7 | Total harmonic distortion of the input current to the electronic ballast shall not exceed 20 percent of the input current. |
| 8 | The electronic ballast shall be Class "A" sound rated and U.L. Class "P" thermally protected. |
| 9 | The electronic ballast shall comply with FCC rules and regulations Part 18 concerning the generation of both EMI (electromagnetic interference) and RFI (radio frequency interference). |
| 10 | Electronic ballasts shall operate the lamp at a frequency of 20 kilohertz (kHz) or greater. |
| 11 | The ballasts shall start and operate standard lamps at 50 degrees F and energy savings lamps at 60 degrees F. Ballast case temperature shall not exceed 25 degrees C rise above a 40 degrees C ambient temperature. |
| 12 | The ballast shall be provided with an internal fuse to protect the electrical power supply from internal component failure. The ballast shall also be short-circuit protected in the event of mis-wiring. |
| Compact Fluorescent Low Wattage Fluorescent Ballasts | |
| This specification applies to magnetic and electronic ballasts of either integral or modular configuration operating 5 to 30 watt fluorescent lamps, regardless of shape or number of driven lamps. This specification does not apply to ballasts operating fluorescent lamps 2'and longer. | |
| 1 | Listing The ballast must be listed on the most current Lighting Design Lab Specification Committee’s Electronic Ballast List for Low Wattage Fluorescent Lamps. |
| 2 | All ballasts shall comply with U.L. requirements and shall bear the appropriate labels. |
| 3 | The power factor for all ballasts shall be 90 percent or higher. |
| 4 | Total harmonic distortion (THD) of the input current shall not exceed 33 percent of the fundamental 60 Hz current. |
| 5 | Electronic Ballasts shall comply with FCC rules and regulations Part 18, concerning EMI and RFI. |
| 6 | Electronic ballasts covered by this specification shall withstand input power line transients as defined in ANSI C62.41. |
| 7 | All equipment covered by the specification shall be Class "P" thermally protected where required by Code. |
| 8 | For all modular ballasts, the lamp current crest factor (ratio of peak current to RMS current of the modulated waveform) shall not exceed 1.7 for rapid start ballasts or 1.85 for instant start ballasts. |
| 9 | The ballast shall be capable of starting the designated lamp at the minimum temperature established by the lamp manufacturer. Integral units shall state minimum starting temperature. |
| 10 | All ballasts shall be Class "A" sound rated. |
| Full Size Fluorescent Lamps | |
| 1 | Lamps shall be 1" in diameter T8. |
| 2 | Lamps shall have Rare Earth phosphor coating and have a minimum CRI of 80. |
| Fluorescent Luminaries | |
| 1 | Components or luminaries shall be U.L. listed or classified. |
| Compact Fluorescent Lamps | |
| 1 | Lamps shall have Rare Earth phosphor coating having a minimum CRI of 80. |
| Screw-in Compact Fluorescent | |
| 1 | THD of the input current shall not exceed 33 percent of the fundamental 60 Hz current. |
| 2 | Lamps shall meet Energy Star requirements. No equivalents allowed. |
| Compact Fluorescent Fixtures | |
| 1 | Components or luminaries shall be U.L. listed or classified. |
| 2 | Recessed down lights shall have a reflector specifically designed for the lamps. |
| 3 | Recessed down lights shall be vented to provide convective cooling to the lamp. |
| HID Lighting | |
| 1 | Luminaries and retrofit kits shall be U.L. listed or classified per specific application, (e.g., exterior luminaries to carry a U.L. wet or damp label designation). |
| Occupancy Sensors | |
| 1 | Occupancy sensors shall be U.L. listed or classified. |
| 2 | Controlled luminaries wattage shall not exceed occupancy sensor electrical load capacity. |
| 3 | Occupancy sensors shall be provided with manual sensitivity adjustment or and an adjustable or fixed time delay during which controlled luminaries remain on after the space is vacated. Fixed time delay shall be at least 30 seconds and no more than 20 minutes. |
| 4 | Occupancy sensors shall be provided with a minimum 3 year manufacturer warranty. |
| Day lighting Controls | |
| 1 | Electronic ballasts shall control the light output of the lamps continuously between 25 percent and 100 percent of full light output. |
| 2 | Electronic ballast shall meet all other Fluorescent Ballast Specifications. |
| Programmable Thermostats | |
| 1 | Programmable thermostat shall have dead band and 7-day setback capabilities; heat pump thermostats shall also have optimal start and emergency heat lockout features. |
| 2 | Programmable thermostats shall include a switch to manually activate the fan. The fan shall run continuously when this switch is on. The fan shall run only when the thermostat calls for heating or cooling when this switch is off. |
| 3 | Programmable thermostats shall be provided with a battery back up |
General Equipment Requirements
Rebate Item Requirements
1. High Performance T8 Fluorescent Lamps and Electronic Ballasts
- Includes fixture retrofits and new fixtures.
- This category is primarily intended for 4-foot T8 lamps, but includes T8 and T5 linear fluorescent lamps, 2 feet to 8 feet in length, with ballast input watts from 15 to 114 watts, that meet the 95 lumens per watt requirement.
- Lamps shall have a CRI equal to or greater than 85, lumen maintenance equal to or greater than 95 percent, and lamp life equal to or greater than 24,000 hours (at 40 percent of rated life, 3 hours per start). Four-foot F32T8 lamps shall have initial output equal to or greater than 3,100 lumens.
- Ballasts shall meet the requirements of the Lighting Design Lab T8 & T5 Fluorescent Lamp Electronic Ballast Specifications current at the time of ballast installation.
- Lamp/ballast combination shall have an efficacy of equal to or greater than 95 lumens per watt:
Lamp/Ballast Efficacy = (Initial Lamp Lumens x No. of Lamps x Ballast Factor)/Ballast Input Watts.- For this "High Performance" rebate, the application must include either the manufactures specification sheet documenting Initial Lamp Lumens, Lamp Lumen Maintenance, Ballast Factor and Ballast Input Watts, or list manufacture's model numbers and performance.
- Alternate Compliance Method: In lieu of Lamp/Ballast Efficacy documentation, lamps and ballast may qualify separately as follows:
| Ballast Types | |||
| Lamp Type | Instant Start | Programmed Rapid Start | Lamp Lumens |
| 1-lamp F32T8 | ----- | BEF ≥ 2.75 | ≥ 3,100 |
| 2-lamp F32T8 | BEF ≥ 1.6 | BEF ≥ 1.47 | ≥ 3,100 |
| 3-lamp F32T8 | BEF ≥ 1.06 | BEF ≥ 0.97 | ≥ 3,100 |
| 4-lamp F32T8 | BEF ≥ 0.81 | BEF ≥ 0.75 | ≥ 3,100 |
| Ballast Efficacy Factor (BEF) = Ballast Factor x 100/Ballast Input Watts | |||
2. T8 or T5 Fluorescent Lamps and Electronic Ballast
- Includes fixture retrofits and new fixtures. This rebate category is intended only for applications where the requirements of category A above cannot be achieved.
- Includes T8 and T5 linear fluorescent lamps, 2 feet to 8 feet in length, with ballast input watts from 15 to 114 watts.
- Lamps shall have a CRI equal to or greater than 80, lumen maintenance equal to or greater than 90 percent, and lamp life equal to or greater than 18,000 hours (at 40 percent of rated life, 3 hours per start). Four-foot F32T8 lamps shall have initial output equal to or greater than 2,900 lumens. Lamp/Ballast combination shall have an efficacy equal to or greater than 80 lumens per watt.
- Ballasts shall meet the requirements of the Lighting Design Lab T8 & T5 Fluorescent Lamp Electronic Ballast Specifications current at the time of ballast installation. (5 year warranty)
3. Hardwired Compact Fluorescent
- Includes new hardwired compact fluorescent fixtures and fixture retrofits, 15 to 99 watts.
- Must replace existing incandescent or mercury vapor lighting.
- Hardwire retrofits must remove screw-in lamp socket. Recessed fixtures must include a reflector designed for the new lamp.
- Lamps shall have a CRI equal to or greater than 80, lumen maintenance equal to or greater than 80 percent, and lamp life equal to or greater than 10,000 hours (at 40 percent of rated life, 3 hours per start).
- Ballast shall have a power factor equal to or greater than 90 percent, THD less than or equal to 33 percent, Lamp Current Crest Factor less than or equal to 1.7, Class A sound rated, and provide end of life protection.
- Lamp/ballast combination shall have a minimum efficacy of 46 lumens per watt for lamps under 30 watts, and 60 lumens per watt for lamps 30 watts or greater.
4. Ceramic Metal Halide
- Includes new hardwired fixtures and fixture retrofits, 39 to 250 watts (nominal).
- Must replace existing incandescent lighting.
- Lamps shall have CRI equal to or greater than 80, lumen maintenance equal to or greater than 80 percent, and maximum cold shift over life of lamp less than or equal to 200 degrees Kelvin.
5. Screw-in Compact Fluorescent Lamps
- Includes one-piece or modular screw-in compact fluorescent, 3 to 150 watts (nominal).
- Must replace existing incandescent lighting.
- Installation in recessed fixtures is not recommended. Lamps in recessed fixtures must include a reflector designed for the lamp.
- Screw-in compact fluorescents must bear the ENERGY STAR© label and meet the ENERGY STAR© specifications for energy efficiency. Exception: Where ENERGY STAR© specifications do not apply, substitutions may be allowed with prior approval from BPA.
6. LED or Cold Cathode Exit Signs
- Applies to new LED or Cold Cathode exit signs.
- Must retrofit or replace existing incandescent exit signs.
- Exit signs must meet the ENERGY STAR© specifications for energy efficiency. Input power must be less than 5 watts per face.
7. Induction Lamp Luminary
- Includes new induction lighting systems.
- Must replace existing incandescent or mercury vapor lighting
8. High Output Fluorescent Luminary
- Includes T8, T5, standard or HO, 4-foot and 8-foot lamps, 85 to 600 input watts.
- Must replace T12 fluorescent/magnetic ballasts, mercury vapor, probe-start metal halide, or incandescent.
- Lamps shall have a CRI equal to or greater than 80, lumen maintenance equal to greater than 90 percent, and lamp life equal to or greater than 18,000 hours (at 40 percent of rated life, 3 hours per start).
- Lamp/ballast combination shall have an efficacy of greater than 80 lumens per watt.
- Ballasts shall meet the requirements of the Lighting Design Lab T8 & T5 Fluorescent Lamp Electronic Ballast Specifications current at the time of ballast installation. (5 year warranty)
9. Pulse Start Metal Halide
- Includes new pulse-start lighting systems. Where possible, high output fluorescents are recommended over metal halide.
- Lamps shall have a CRI equal to or greater than 65, lumen maintenance equal to or greater than 75 percent, and lamp life equal to or greater than 20,000 hours (at 40 percent of rated life, 3 hours per start).
- Lamp/ballast combination shall have an efficacy equal to or greater than 89 lumens per watt.
10. Occupancy Sensors
- Includes infrared, ultrasonic, and dual-technology sensors, and wall, ceiling, and fixture mounts.
- Occupancy sensor must be compatible with the controlled lighting equipment and rated for the controlled wattage.
- Infrared sensors require unobstructed view of targeted motion.
- All sensors shall be tuned after installation for proper coverage, sensitivity, and time delay.
If you are interested in this program, please contact Don Newton at Flathead Electric, 751-4485.
You may print out the 2 forms below and deliver them to Don.
He will help with the details of the program, which require the 3 following forms.
Commercial Lighting Rebate Application Form
Verification Form for New Construction
Verification Form for Retro-Fits
Updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2007