Application Instructions for Product Families

This ‘Product Family Grouping Policy’ is intended to focus specifically on SSL products which are configured in modular fashion, using a single fixture housing (or similar housings of that differ only in dimension) with options of multiple combinations of LEDs. This is notable in brands of outdoor roadway fixtures with varying numbers of ‘light bars’ or with multiples of numbers of individual LEDs.

Unlike the single product applications, Product Family Groups are processed offline. Below are instructions to create and submit a Product Family Group. Please note that any products for which an LM-79 independent test report is required, must submit to LED Lighting Facts.

Designation and Definition of Product Family Group

It is the Manufacturer’s responsibility to designate and define a product family under the guidelines herein. Manufacturers will define the product group by relevant catalog numbers to be included in the product group, and identify the specific models used for testing as required and instructed below.

DLC will verify the applicant’s grouping rationale and – if the submitted products pass testing – will extend DLC qualification to the entire group of luminaires as a whole.  DLC qualification will not be extended to only some of the products within a group.

Product Group Definition  For models within a Product Group, the manufacturer must certify that the following conditions apply:

• A family must contain a single LED package and a single driver with the exception that the LED packages may use different phosphors that result in different CCTs.  Note that different LED drive currents are allowed only when the same driver is used but that driver is set to provide different output currents.
• The overall physical fixture housing and assembly is both:
  • identical in all aspects for every model within the entire product grouping and
  • of identical material, construction and shape, and differs only in overall physical dimension for different models within the product grouping (see Subgroup definition).
• The fixture must demonstrate scalability or modularity using identical LED packages, modules arrays and electronics.
• Variations in fixture mounting systems do not change thermal management characteristics.

Sub-Group Definition  Within a Product Group, a manufacturer may designate Subgroups, where the overall physical fixture housing and assembly is of identical material, construction and shape, but differs in overall physical dimension.

Testing and Reporting

All testing and submission(s) should be done in accordance with the recognized method outlined with in the ENERGY STAR® Manufacturer’s Guide for Qualifying Solid State Lighting Luminaires—Version 2.1. Instructions below specify in which cases the manufacturer may use:

• A laboratory that meets the Independent Testing Lab Requirements for  LM-79-08 test procedure.
• Self-testing in Manufacturer’s in-house laboratory, in accordance with IESNA standards.
• Mathematical scaling, as indicated below.

Product Family Group Testing Concepts

DLC’s intentions are to assure quality and lifetime performance of all family members through sufficiently rigorous testing and documentation to offer confidence in the affected products.

• Bracket the Group  The Manufacturer shall first ‘bracket’ the group with two tests:

• Worst Case—Lifetime   Submit independent test data for the model that represents the worst-case condition for thermal management, leading to the shortest life referenced as L70.  This typically will be the model with the combination of highest drive current and largest number of LED’s, resulting in the highest light output

• Worst Case—Lumen Output  Submit independent test data for the model that represents the lowest light output within the product grouping. Typically, this will be the model with the combination of the lowest drive current and fewest LEDs.

• Scale the Group The Manufacturer shall provide results of additional laboratory tests or mathematical scaling, in tabular form, of all variations of the designated product group, falling in between the bracket fixtures.

Product Family Grouping Application Instructions

Submit Product Family Group and Sub-Group Definition. The manufacturer must provide a detailed definition of their product family group and expected (scaled) performance values for all variations within the group to info@designlights.org. A DLC reviewer will contact you to determine what test data is needed and provide an estimate of the application fee.

Conduct and Report Required Luminaire Tests

1. Independent Test Reports Required

For the following criteria, independent test reports are required. These tests must be from a laboratory that meets the Independent Testing Lab Requirements for the LM-79-08 test procedure. Note: models for which independent LM-79 test reports are required, must be submitted to LED Lighting Facts.

.

• Tests Required for Each Sub-Group 

Criterion	Test Required	Explanation
Minimum Luminaire Efficacy	LM79	Lowest Efficacy Family Member LM-79 for the model with the combination of light output, CCT and optical control that produces the lowest lumens/watt.  This product is expected to have the lowest CCT within the sub-group. *This product will need to be submitted through the LED Lighting Facts program as explained in the application instructions.
Minimum L70 Lifetime	ISTMT LM 80 as required for Lumen Maintenance projection through ISTMT.	Worst Case (Thermal) Family Member Provide a Lumen Maintenance report, as described in the DLC application instructions, http://www.designlights.org/solidstate.manufacturer.instructions.php, for the model that represents the worst-case condition for thermal management, leading to the shortest life referenced as L70.  This will typically be the model with the greatest number of LEDs, operated at the highest drive current within the sub-group, using the least efficient optics, and having the lowest CCT.

• Tests Required for Each Group

Criterion	Test Required	Explanation
Allowable CCT	LM79	CCT Combinations  LM-79 for a representative model at each allowable CCT offered in the product grouping.  If the test reports provided to validate the other criteria include each CCT offered, additional test reports are not required. *These products will need to be submitted through the LED Lighting Facts program as explained in the application instructions.
Minimum CRI	LM79	CRI Combinations   This criterion will be validated using LM-79 test reports provided for other criteria.
Minimum Light Output	LM79	Lowest Lumen Output  LM-79 for the model producing the lowest initial lumens. This product is expected to have the lowest CCT within the family group. *This product will need to be submitted through the LED Lighting Facts program as explained in the application instructions.

2. In House Test Reports Allowed
   • Tests Required for Each Group

Criterion	Test Required	Explanation
Zonal Lumen Density	LM79	Optical Distributions  Provide reports from tests conducted in accordance with IESNA LM-79 (and reported as required for an LM79 test) for a representative model for each different optical distribution offered in the product grouping.

Required Self Reported and Certified Data for Models without Independent Test Data

In addition to the data provided from the independent test reports required in the table above, the following data must be provided for each specific model within a product group for which qualification is requested.  This information must be summarized in tabular form.  An example is provided below.

1. Product group identifier
2. Model number
3. Luminaire efficacy (lumens/watt)
4. Input power (watts)
5. Initial light output (lumens)
6. CCT (K)
7. CRI

Acceptable sources for this self reported test data include:

1. In-House Laboratory Test  In-house test reports from tests conducted in accordance with IESNA LM-79
2. Calculated Scaling Provide mathematical characterization of luminaire performance based on manufacturer-developed scaling methodology.  The manufacturer must provide a description of the scaling methodology employed and the technical basis for its validity.  The reserves the right to accept or reject the methodology for use in qualifying products.

Application Fee

DLC requires a processing fee to accompany an application submittal. (For an application pertaining to a single fixture the fee is $500.)

For a product family, the application fee shall be:

• $500 per independent lab test required under the product group application procedure, plus
• $25 per product family member listed through self-reported in-house testing.

Self-Certification Statement

The applicant shall execute a self-certification statement signifying that they understand the application instructions, requirements, and specifications. By executing the statement the applicant commits its company to certify that all family group member products meet DLC minimum requirements for all applicable parameters such as minimum light output, zonal lumens, efficacy, CRI, CCT, lumen maintenance, etc. If DLC determines that any one fixture of the proposed actually fails to meet the claimed specifications then the entire application shall be voided. Please print and sign this Self Certification Statement to submit with application.

Product Information

1. On the application, indicate:
   1. the LED drive current
   2. the DLC QPL category you are applying for
   3. the unique LED package part number used in the luminaires. This is the same requirement as the standard application, so please see the DLC application instructions.
   4. Page numbers within the supporting documents where the relevant data can be found. This is the same requirement as the standard application
2. Do not leave blank cells in the Excel table. Fill in cells with "N/A" if you are not applying for this product to be included.
3. The documentation requirements are the same as for individual product applications, as shown on the DLC website.  For example, supporting documentation (e.g. LM-79, LM-80, ISTMT) must include a specific model number and it must match the luminaire or LED package in the application.
4. On the efficacy table, match the colors in the example below as closely as possible.

 

Example

The following example illustrates testing and reporting requirements from a fictitious product group. This product grouping data is in addition to the submission data required as listed in the DLC Application Instructions. This example is described in this section, including an example set of spreadsheet based tables illustrated below.

Note that this is an example only. The exact tests listed in this example may not apply to a particular manufacturer’s product group.

For this example the applicant’s submission is in the form of product descriptions and five tables as listed below:

Parameter	Value
Product Group Identifier	“Manufacturer Product Line Name
Model Number	ABC-Wattage-TTT-Mounting, Optic TTT (Etc.)
Luminaire Efficacy (l/w)	Table 1

Testing requirements are indicated by color of the cell.

Color	Quality	Test
Yellow	Minimum Light Output	1 per group; LM79 from Independent Lab
Blue	Minimum Efficacy l/w	1 per sub-group, LM79 from independent lab
Green	Zonal Lumens	In-house; test or LM79 from independent lab
Red	ISTMT	1 per sub-group, ISTMT from Independent Lab. Applicant selects product with worst case thermal conditions.

Tests and Documentation

In the example below there is one family with three subgroups, so DLC would require the following tests .

• Tests from independent labs:
• three ISTMTs: Manufacturer’s choice of reds in each of the 3, 7, and 11 ‘bar’ columns
• four LM79s:
• in the small sub-group, one that serves Minimum Light Output (yellow) and one that serves Minimum Efficacy (blue) for the SSS optic. Either of these tests will also serve to validate Zonal Lumens for the SSS optic.
• in the medium sub-group, one serving Minimum Efficacy (blue) for the SSS optic.
• in the large sub-group, one serving Minimum Efficacy (blue) for the SSS optic

• Tests or Calculations conducted In House
• Six zonal lumens tests conducted in accordance with IESNA-LM79, one for a representative sample of each of the remaining optic options.  These may be conducted in-house, or by an independent laboratory.
• Everything else scaled by the applicant: (7 rows x 11 columns = 77 products) minus (1 yellow + 3 blue + 3 red) = 70 models scaled by mathematical scaling or in-house testing
• Submit warranty statement

Sample Product Grouping Table

 

Self Certification Statement

Please print and sign this Self Certification Statement to submit with application.

Please read our Status Update before proceeding to the next page