Lumen maintenance (LM) refers to the degree to which a lighting source, such as a lamp or fixture, maintains its light output over time. In other words, it indicates how much of the original light output (lumens) a lamp still produces after a certain number of hours of use.
Every light source, whether incandescent, LED, fluorescent, or other, will produce less light over time. This is due to the aging of the material inside the lamp, such as a decrease in brightness or the degradation of the lamp components.
Lumen maintenance is often expressed as a percentage:
- 100% lumen maintenance means that the lamp maintains its full light output throughout its stated lifespan.
- 90% lumen maintenance means that the lamp still provides 90% of its original light output after a certain number of hours of use.
- 80% lumen maintenance means that the lamp produces 80% of the original light after the same period.
Meaning of lumen maintenance:
- Longer lifespan : The better the lumen maintenance, the longer a lamp retains its functionality and brightness. This is especially important for applications requiring consistently good light, such as in offices, industrial spaces, or public lighting.
- Quality of Light : Lumen maintenance also gives an indication of how well the lamp performs after extended use, which is an important factor when choosing lamps for specific applications.
Modern lighting technologies such as LED lamps often have high lumen maintenance, allowing them to continue to provide good light throughout their lifespan, while older technologies such as incandescent or fluorescent lamps typically have lower lumen maintenance.