Technical Requirements V5.0

Solid State Lighting

Technical Requirements V5.0 

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November 19, 2020 Update

Due to the continuing disruption to operations for both our members and stakeholders as a result of COVID-19, the DLC is extending the delisting date for products qualified under SSL Technical Requirements V4.4 by two months. The new dates are:

  • January 31, 2021: Deadline to update V4.4 listed products to V5.0 or V5.1.
  • February 28, 2021: Delisting date for V4.4 listed products that have not been updated.

Please review the Manufacturer and Industry Guidance for additional details about the delisting extension.
April 28, 2020 Update

To address the continuing disruptions to daily operations and supply chains due to COVID-19, the original dimming requirements for V5.0 Standard products have been revised, and are highlighted and/or struck through in the PDF download of the policy above. Additionally, timelines for updating V4.4 products and V5.0 new product applications have been extended, as shown in the V5.0 and V5.1 Manufacturer & Industry Guidance document. View a short overview video summarizing the changes here. 

This page includes new V5.0 SSL Technical Requirements effective on February 18, 2020. For the full set of V5.0 Technical Requirements Tables and requirements, including those that have not changed from V4.4, please see the V5.0 Technical Requirements Tables.

The timeline below summarizes the implementation schedule for both Technical Requirements V5.0 and Technical Requirements V5.1. For more guidance on how the policies will be implemented, see the V5.0 & V5.1 Manufacturer and Industry Guidance.

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Introduction

Version 5.0 of the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Technical Requirements is the first of two policy updates (V5.0 and V5.1) designed to improve the quality and controllability of high performance, energy efficient commercial lighting products by establishing requirements and reporting standards for DLC listed products. V5.0 lays the groundwork to capture and promote continuing advances in energy-efficient technology so that maximum energy savings and user satisfaction are possible. The requirements in this version are focused on efficacy and dimming, whereas V5.1 includes additional metrics around quality of light and controllability. The phased approach of V5.0 and V5.1 to incorporate quality of light metrics on the QPL will help ensure that high-quality products are listed, superior performing products can be differentiated, and additional energy savings are realized.

V5.0 applications will be accepted beginning on February 18, 2020. More information can be found in the V5.0 & V5.1 Manufacturer and Industry Guidance, published along with the V5.0 and V5.1 Technical Requirements.

 

Goals of Version 5.0

 

Goals of Version 5.0



V4.4 Requirements Not Addressed on this Page
 

This page describes additions to the V4.4 SSL Technical Requirements. Any technical requirements not addressed on this page, including but not limited to warranty, power quality, and safety certification, will not change with V5.0. All V5.0 requirements can be found in the V5.0 Technical Requirements Tables.


Manufacturer and Industry Guidance
 

The DLC has released V5.0 & V5.1 Manufacturer and Industry Guidance along with the policy that provides information on how the V5.0 Technical Requirements will be applied to the SSL QPL. Manufacturers who may wish to update their product listings or others interested in how V5.0 will be implemented should consult this guidance document for information about:

  • Submitting applications under V5.0
  • Required product testing under the V5.0 Technical Requirements
  • Transition timelines, grace periods, and updating instructions for products qualified under previous versions of the Technical Requirements

View V5.0 & V5.1 Manufacturer and Industry Guidance

 

 

V5.0 Technical Requirements: Efficacy Update

V5.0 includes requirements related to minimum light output (measured in lumens) and efficacy (measured in lumens per Watt). Table 1 shows efficacy requirements for DLC Standard and Premium classified luminaires and retrofit kits. Table 2 shows V5.0 efficacy requirements for DLC Standard linear replacement lamps and four pin-base replacement lamps for CFLs (in-luminaire and bare-lamp requirements). Table 3 shows efficacy requirements for DLC Standard mogul screw-base (E39/E40) replacements for HID lamps (in-luminaire). Lamps are not eligible for DLC Premium classification.

 

Table 1: Efficacy Requirements for Luminaires and Retrofit Kits [DLC Standard and DLC Premium Classifications]

Category General Application Minimum Light Output (lm)1 Minimum Efficacy (lmW)
DLC Standard DLC Premium
Outdoor Luminaires Low Output 250-5,000 105 120
Mid Output 5,000-10,000 105 120
High Output 10,000-30,000 105 120
Very High Output ≥30,000 105 120
Indoor Luminaires Interior Directional ≥250 80 95
Case Lighting ≥50 lm/ft 95 110
Troffer ≥1,500 110 125
Linear Ambient ≥375 lm/ft 115 130
High-Bay ≥10,000 120 135
Low-Bay2 5,000-10,000 115 130
Outdoor Retrofit Kits Low Output 250-5,000 105 120
Mid Output 5,000-10,000 105 120
High Output ≥10,000 105 120
Very High Output ≥30,000 105 120
Indoor Retrofit Kits Troffer ≥1,500 110 125
Linear Ambient ≥375 lm/ft 115 130
High-Bay ≥10,000 120 135
Low-Bay2 5,000-10,000 115 130
[1] Specific Primary Use Designations may have higher minimum light output requirements than presented in this table. Please refer to the full Technical Requirements Table for details.
[2] Due to IT system constraints, Low-Bay luminaires and retrofit kits will continue appearing under the High-Bay General Application until V5.1 applications open on July 1, 2020. Until that time, the V5.0 efficacy levels will be implemented for the Primary Use Designation of "Low-Bay", within the High-Bay General Application.
 

Table 2: Efficacy Requirements for DLC Standard Linear Replacement Lamps and Four Pin-Base Replacement Lamps for CFLs [In-Luminaire and Bare-Lamp]

Category General Application Minimum Light Output (lm) Minimum Efficacy (lmW)
In-Luminaire Bare-Lamp In-Luminare Bare-Lamp
Linear Replacement Lamps 2' T8 Lamps 2 lamps: 1,350
3 lamps: 2,000
4 lamps: 2,700		 800 110 120
3' T8 Lamps 2 lamps: 2,200 1,200 110 120
4' T8 Lamps 2 lamps: 3,000
3 lamps: 4,500
4 lamps: 6,000		 1,600 110 120
4' T5 Lamps 2 lamps: 3,000
3 lamps: 4,500
4 lamps: 6,000		 1,600 110 120
4' T5HO Lamps 3 lamps: 7,500
4 lamps: 10,000
6 lamps: 15,000		 3,200 115 120
8' T8 Lamps 2 lamps: 6,000 3,200 110 120
U-Bend Lamps 2 lamps: 2,500
3 lamps: 3,750		 1,400 110 120
Four Pin-Base Replacement Lamps for CFLs Vertically-Mounted Lamps 1 lamp: 575 675 75 85
Horizontally-Mounted Lamps 2 lamps: 800 675 75 85
2G11 Base Lamps 2 lamps: 1,350
3 lamps: 2,000		 1,900 110 120

 

 

Table 3: Efficacy Requirements for DLC Standard Mogul Screw-Base (E39) Replacements for HID Lamps [In-Luminaire]

Category General Application Minimum Light Output (lm) Minimum Efficacy (lmW)
In-Luminaire In-Luminare
Mogul Screw-Base (E39/E40) Replacements for HID Lamps Outdoor: Low Output 250-5,000 105
Outdoor: Mid Output 5,000-10,000 105
Outdoor: High Output 10,000-30,000 105
Outdoor: Very High Output ≥30,000 105
High-Bay ≥10,000 120
Low-Bay2 5,000-10,000 115


 

 

V5.0 Technical Requirements: Controllability

V5.0 Controllability Testing and Reporting Requirements for all SSL products are as shown in Table 4. The “QPL Listing” column describes the information that appears as publicly available on the Qualified Products List, if applicable. The “Method of Evaluation” column describes how the products will be evaluated for qualification, whether by compliance with industry standards, manufacturer claims, or other DLC verification methodology.

Table 4: Controllability Testing and Reporting Requirements

Metric V5.0 Requirements QPL Listing Method of of Evaluation3
Dimming All DLC Standard products:
Required reporting of dimming capability
  1. Dimming capability
    (continuous, stepped, none)
  2. Range of continuous dimming (if applicable)
    (Below 10%, Above 10%)
 Product specification sheet shall clearly identify dimming capability
Integral Controls Optional reporting of integral controls capability
  1. Integral control capability
    (Yes, No)
 Product specification sheet or supplemental controls documentation shall clearly identify the option for integral controls
[3]Controllability capabilities are based on manufacturer claims; performance is not verified by the DLC.

 

Dimming
 

  • All products shall report the dimming capability. Dimming capabilities are defined in the “Definitions: Controllability” section below.
  • Dimming capability shall be documented on the manufacturer’s published product specification sheet.
  • All products pursuing the DLC Premium classification shall be capable of continuous dimming. Lamps and Specialty PUDs are not eligible for DLC Premium regardless of dimming capability.
  • The DLC does not issue requirements around utilization of a specific dimming control protocol (0-10V, DALI, etc.) for the dimming capability requirement. The act of dimming itself is the focus of this requirement.


Integral Controls
 

  • Reporting on integral controls availability (“Yes” or “No”) is required for all DLC Premium products and optional for all DLC Standard products.


Test Report and Implementation Requirements
 

  • Given the rapidly evolving technical capabilities included in the controllability requirements, the DLC review staff will not evaluate any of these claims against actual performance. Reviewers of product applications will rely on manufacturer claims represented directly on the product specification sheet or supplemental controls documentation (where applicable). Documentation shall have explicit declaration of a capability, along with any ordering information (i.e. model number or ordering code variants) that are associated with the specific capability or attribute.
  • The DLC will monitor its stakeholders’ experience with QPL controllability information and intends to use surveillance testing procedures to address any concerns about controllability performance claims not matching QPL or market available data.


Definitions: Controllability
 

  • Dimmable: a product that (a) includes a dimmable driver and/or is capable of being dimmed by an external control signal, and (b) is identified as dimmable on the product specification sheet.
  • Continuous Dimming: Per NEMA LSD-64: a lighting control strategy that varies the light output of a lighting system over a continuous range from full light output to a minimum light output without flickering in imperceptible steps. Continuous dimming shall be capable of reducing the light output to at least 20% of full light output.
  • Stepped Dimming: Per NEMA LSD-64: a lighting control strategy that varies the light output of a lighting system in one or more predetermined steps of greater than one percent of full output. The changes between levels are generally perceptible. Stepped dimming shall be capable of reducing the light output to at least 70% of full light output.
  • Integral Controls: The capability to have sensing and/or control of light output directly integrated or embedded into the lamp or luminaire and available as an option within the lamp or luminaire product model number.

 

 

V5.0 Technical Requirements: DLC Premium


DLC Premium is a higher-performance classification for luminaires and retrofit kits. The V5.0 Premium classification is intended to differentiate products that achieve efficacy and controllability performance that exceeds DLC Standard requirements. Products submitted to the DLC Premium classification must meet more stringent efficacy and controllability requirements as outlined in Table 5. The “QPL Listing” column describes the information that appears as publicly available on the Qualified Products List, if applicable. The “Method of Evaluation” column describes how the products will be evaluated for qualification, whether by compliance with industry standards, manufacturer claims, or other DLC verification methodology. 

Only luminaires and retrofit kits are eligible for qualification under DLC Premium. The following product types are not eligible to qualify for the DLC Premium classification:

  • Replacement Lamps
  • Products with a Primary Use designated as “Specialty” 
     

Table 5: V5.0 DLC Premium Testing and Reporting Requirements

Metric V5.0 Premium Requirements* QPL Listing Method of Evalutation
Efficacy +15 lumens per watt over V5.0 Standard efficacy requirements Same as V5.0 Standard Same as V5.0 Standard
Controllability All products shall be capable of continuous dimming Same as V5.0 Standard Same as V5.0 Standard
All products shall report on the availability of integral controls (Indicate: Yes/No)
Lumen Maintenance

L90 ≥ 36,000 hours
(No additional L70 requirement)

 Lumen Maintenance values not published on the QPL TM-21 projections in the same manner as the V5.0 Standard L70 requirements
Driver ISTMT

Measured temperature at the TMPps is less than or equal to the allowable operating temperature specified by the power supply manufacturer when tested in-situ under steady-state operating conditions, with case temperature measured at the designated TMP

(No change from V4.4)

 Driver ISTMT values not published on the QPL (1) Laboratory test report indicating the measured temperature from the TMPps;
(2) A picture of the TMPps location;
(3) Driver manufacturer documentation indicating the maximum case temperature for which the driver is designed to last ≥50,000 hours
*For any metric not listed in Table 5, V5.0 Standard requirements apply.

 

Test Report and Implementation Requirements


If a manufacturer seeks qualification of its product(s) to the DLC Premium classification, it shall provide all the necessary testing to demonstrate that the product(s) meet the Premium classification’s requirements in addition to meeting all base V5.0 Standard requirements.

 

View Full V5.0 Technical Requirements Tables