Lighting Durability: long-life luminaires for sustainable lighting solutions

20 years of service life

A service life of 20 years for new developments is based on development principles that have been applied at ERCO for decades. We are guided by the typical refurbishment cycles of commercially used properties. With an illumination period of about ten hours per day, 20 years correspond to an operating time of 75,000 hours. Over this period, the function of the luminaire is supposed to be maintained under normal use and remain maintenance-free as far as possible.

Planned for long-term operation – raw materials and components of the highest quality

ERCO develops and manufactures the housings, mechanical components, LED modules, optics and, where possible, control gear itself. We select the required raw materials and components according to the highest quality standards. We use LEDs that are characterised by their high luminous flux retention, colour location stability and long service life. The same applies to the reliability of the electronic components in our control gear. For our lenses and luminaire housings we use special resistant plastics with excellent photometric and long-lasting surface properties.

Tested for long-term operation – proven in practice and in the laboratory

When developing our luminaires, we attach great importance to high-quality components and a well thought-out product design. We use and improve many constructive solutions, materials and technologies over a long period of time. Their longevity is therefore proven via field tests under real-world conditions. In addition, independent test centres and our own laboratories check that our products permanently meet the requirements in operation. In addition to material resistance to environmental influences such as humidity, temperature and UV radiation, we also test its mechanical stability. Our track adapters, for example, are already designed in such a way that spotlights may be repositioned weekly over 20 years.

Built for long-term operation – in-house development expertise

Only a precisely coordinated lighting system consisting of optics, LED module, driver and heat sink guarantees that a luminaire’s components operate at the optimum operating point at all times. Due to in-house development, ERCO has control over all properties. ERCO luminaires are therefore not only durable, they are also particularly efficient with a consistently high performance.

20 years of carefree operation

Today’s high-quality high-power LEDs exceed an operating time of 75,000 hours and, at daily operation of about 10 hours, also a service life of 20 years. Our goal is to achieve this longevity in all components and thus to develop luminaires that will last 20 years with little or no maintenance. The latest generation of ERCO control gear, for example, is already designed for 75,000 hours of continuous operation.

In-house developed LED modules

We source the best LEDs available on the market from reputable manufacturers. ERCO development specifies them according to strict criteria regarding luminous efficacy, colour rendering and constancy, luminous flux as well as forward voltage. Thanks to LED modules developed and manufactured in-house, we can usually produce new LED boards for your existing luminaires even after many years and, where necessary, replace old LED modules with new ones.

In-house developed control units

Thanks to electronics developed in-house and the in-house production of our control gear, we can ensure replacement for many luminaires: For example, in the unlikely event of a failure or in the course of an LED module replacement, which usually also involves the use of the latest generation of control gear with improved properties, such as higher efficiency.

In-house developed optoelectronics

The quality of the optics significantly influences the effectiveness of an LED luminaire. High-performance and precise optical systems reduce the energy needed for lighting, which is why we attach particular importance to first-class lens systems. High visual comfort is also based on ERCO's expertise in optoelectronics, ranging from LED PCBs and electronics to thermal management. Our aim is to develop, manufacture and assemble optics, mechanical and electronic components ourselves. Only in this way can we guarantee the highest quality standards.