Level 2 Testing Requirements Under V5.1

The Level 2 (formerly family grouping) testing policy is designed to reduce testing burden and total application fees required to list groups of products that comply with the Level 2, or family group, definition. As many of the Technical Requirements are minimum requirements, by demonstrating that the worst-case models within a family group meet the minimum requirements, it can be assumed that models performing better than the worst-case models will also meet the requirements, and therefore do not require testing. The following testing requirements include the minimum testing required for a Level 2 application under Technical Requirements V5.1.

Testing Product Families for Technical Requirements V5.1

An example of the typical required testing and reporting required under V5.1 for a Level 2 application is provided in the table below. Specific testing and reporting requirements for each of the Technical Requirements can be found in the corresponding sections of the V5.1 policy. Click on any of the criteria below to read about additional testing guidance.

Minimum Light Output

• The product that is expected to have the lowest overall light output (or lumens-per-foot, as applicable) must be tested and a full LM-79/color report provided according to the V5.1 Additional Reporting Requirements for LM-79, LM-80, and TM-21 Reports section of the V5.1 Technical Requirements (p. 33). In general, this is expected to be the product with the fewest number of LEDs, lowest drive current, least efficient optic, highest color rendition option, and lowest CCT within the family group.
• If your Level 2 application seeks qualification for your products in more than one Primary Use Designation, testing must demonstrate compliance with the requirements for each Primary Use. This may result in the need to provide additional worst-case light output LM-79 test reports, or for a single test to be evaluated more than one time.
• The only exception to the above will be for groups that cross light output bins in outdoor categories: while these groups must supply worst-case light output testing for the whole group, determination of the appropriate bin for family members will be made on the basis of the reported performance table.

Minimum Efficacy

• Full LM-79/color reports must be provided for each product expected to have the lowest lumens per watt in each sub-group of the family. When determining worst-case efficacy, manufacturers must demonstrate that they are factoring in all variations that will affect this metric, including light output (LED counts and drive current), CCT, optical efficiencies, driver and applicable operating conditions, and thermal effects.
• Note that there are many factors that can influence efficacy. Manufacturers shall determine and justify the combination of factors that result in the worst-case efficacy of each sub-group. The DLC reserves the right to ask for additional information to clarify or verify technical justification.
• If the family contains multiple drivers, benchtop electrical testing must be provided demonstrating the driver efficiency at the applicable loading conditions and at the applicable input voltages.
• If your family group crosses requirement variables that have different efficacy requirements (for example, across classifications when there are both Premium and Standard classification products within a family, or when products eligible for allowances and products not eligible for allowances are included in the same family), testing must demonstrate that the products in the each sub-group meet all applicable requirements. This may result in the need to provide additional “worst-case efficacy” LM-79s.

Chromaticity (CCT) Requirements

• Full LM-79/color reports must be provided on a product that is at the representative highest and lowest CCT at the minimum color rendition option within the family group. For example, if the group includes products at 3000K, 4000K, and 5000K, at least one product at 3000K and one product at 5000K must be tested.
• To obtain Premium classification, testing must be provided on a product that is at the representative lowest CCT at the maximum color rendition option. Since the worst-case efficacy and worst-case light output products are expected to be at the representative lowest CCT and maximum color rendition option, it is expected that tests for those parameters will cover this need.
• Worst-case measurements must be taken for each sub-group when listing models under different Primary Use Designations or when utilizing allowances applicable to this metric.

Minimum Color Rendition

• Full LM-79/color reports must be provided on the product that is expected to have lowest representative CRI within the family group. For example, if the group includes 80 CRI and 90 CRI variations, testing must be conducted on at least one 80 CRI variant.
  • Since the testing conducted to demonstrate chromaticity compliance is required at the minimum color rendition option, it is expected that tests for those parameters will cover this need.
• Color rendition variations are expected to affect light output, efficacy, and thermals. Color rendition variations should be considered when determining overall worst-case light output, efficacy, and thermal models within the family group.
• Worst-case measurements must be taken for each sub-group when listing models under different Primary Use Designations or when utilizing allowances applicable to this metric.

Minimum Lumen Maintenance

• To demonstrate compliance with the minimum lumen maintenance requirement, thermal testing must be conducted on the worst-case configuration. This is expected to be on the product where the LED is operating at its highest temperature within the group. An ISTMT conducted on the hottest LED in this (hottest) luminaire must be submitted to support TM-21 projections for lumen maintenance.
  • This product is typically the model with the greatest number of LEDs, operated at the highest drive current, using the least efficient optics, using the smallest housing and having the lowest CCT that results in the shortest life referenced as L₇₀. If applying under Premium, the worst-case thermal management model must only meet the L₉₀ requirement.
• Worst-case thermal measurements are required for each sub-group, as applicable.

Driver ISTMT (Premium)

• If the manufacturer is applying for the DLC Premium classification, the application must demonstrate that the driver(s) used in the family meet the driver warranty requirements. This means an ISTMT of the driver(s) must be conducted on the worst-case product within the group or sub-group, as applicable, and must be supplied along with the appropriate driver specification sheets showing TMP location and reliability warranty under allowable operating temperatures.
• The worst-case product within the group is expected to be the highest wattage model.
• The ISTMT report must be conducted at the applicable TMP location on the driver for the product where the driver operating temperature is worst-case.
• If multiple drivers exist within the family group, manufacturers are required to demonstrate which driver will result with the worst-case condition. The DLC reserves the right to ask for thermal test data on each unique driver if rationale is not specific enough to demonstrate worst-case.

Distribution Testing (Zonal Lumen Distribution, Spacing Criteria, BUG, and UGR)

• Products must be tested and full LM-79/distribution reports per the V5.1 Technical Requirements must be submitted to evaluate product distribution metrics.
  • The orientation used for testing should represent the orientation for which the product is intended. The test lab may redefine the orientation of the coordinate system if necessary.
• For ZLD, SC, and BUG, full LM-79/distribution reports for each unique optical and distribution pattern are required.
• If applying for Premium classification or glare allowances in specific indoor Primary Uses, UGR metrics must be provided.
  • Testing for UGR must be conducted for each unique optical and distribution pattern at the highest lumen output without consideration of the effect of color properties.
• The requirement for each unique optical and distribution pattern applies to any variation in the product design that would impact the overall distribution of the product, including but not limited to: TIR optics, lenses, reflectors, refractors, and products of different geometries (i.e. screw-base replacements of different lengths).
• Worst-case measurements must be taken for each sub-group when listing models under different Primary Use Designations or when utilizing allowances applicable to this metric.

Power Quality (THD/PF) and Driver Characteristics

• Electrical testing must be provided for the product that is expected to have the worst-case THD and PF in the group. In general, this is expected to be on the product with the driver with the least optimal loading and output condition. In situations where there is more than one driver in the group, in-house testing is required to demonstrate that the worst-case driver, loading condition, and input voltage have been selected for testing.
• For each unique driver used within a family group, manufacturers must provide electrical testing for each driver group to demonstrate which driver variation will result in the overall worst-case metrics identified under the Independent Test Reports for Family Groups and Sub-groups.
• In general, this testing should include the input voltage, current, and wattage, the output voltage, current, and wattage, and the THD and PF, for each loading condition of each driver within the family group. This information should be factored into the scaled performance methodology and identification of “worst-case” efficacy and power quality.
• In-house testing is allowed.