looking for 3rd party lighting designer

[infinity]

I'm looking for someone to carry out lighting designs, using software, mainly for changing over current lighting for LED, does anyone know if anyone?

I've googled it but not really found anyone.

Any help appreciated.

 

[Darkwood]

China has a habit of CE marking rubbish that doesn't comply, as they are not part of the European Market they are not bothered, will not refund or take returns.... this is why if you plan to invest money make sure your not the fall guy and you get it from a reputable European or UK distributer.

I've seen machinery built in China come over with all the CE marks but are Electrical deathtraps and then refuse to accept returns - I open the eyes to one company who were acting as the UK distributer.

 

[infinity]

Thanks for all the info- I'd genuinely not realised that CE marked hadn't the same value as it has here!

 

[Darkwood]

Thanks for all the info- I'd genuinely not realised that CE marked hadn't the same value as it has here!

There are many legitimate companies out there so don't get me wrong but china is well known for cheap copies, reverse engineered equipment with poorer quality gear, low payed labour etc etc, Any company thinking of trading direct with China would always be wise to visit the factories and work conditions as well as the material quality before making the deal ... this also isn't always fool proof as some companies have fake premises and labour forces to cater for such visits especially for big contracts.

 

[infinity]

Very true, although the products one had so far are very good, a high bay was very impressive and circular panel lights, with the proper heat sinks around the back that a lot of UK suppliers don't use.

 

[davesparks]

Very true, although the products one had so far are very good, a high bay was very impressive and circular panel lights, with the proper heat sinks around the back that a lot of UK suppliers don't use.

How do you know they were the proper heat sinks? Did you check the designs and thermal performance etc etc to confirm that they wouldn't be over or under cooled? Or did you just see a big heat sink and be suitably impressed by it?

 

[infinity]

i saw a big heat sink and i was suitably impressed by it

 

[infinity]

in reality though, if you purchase one from uk and it has a heatsink, you dont check the design and thernmal performance of it do you? you just stick it i nthe ceiling and switch it on!

 

[davesparks]

in reality though, if you purchase one from uk and it has a heatsink, you dont check the design and thernmal performance of it do you? you just stick it i nthe ceiling and switch it on!

For new products I haven't used before I'll get a sample fitting and set it up in the warehouse to run for a week and see how it performs, how hot it gets etc. Obviously not to the extent of carrying out extensive testing or anything, but enough to satisfy myself that it works and doesn't get too hot etc.
In the case of led downlights the wholesaler has all the brands they stock on display and in use. You can see which ones have failed in the couple of years they have been there (Halers, aurora and jcc at the moment) and which are still good (photon star / Eco star)

I wouldn't just trust a new product out of the box without testing it out first, or using it with a regular customer and making sure they are happy to be the guinea pig for a new product before I fit it.

 

[netblindpaul]

in reality though, if you purchase one from uk and it has a heatsink, you dont check the design and thernmal performance of it do you? you just stick it i nthe ceiling and switch it on!

Yes, that is correct, but, the UK importer is acting as the manufacturer, so they are signing the legally binding documentation and taking on the legal liability to certify, guarantee and insure as well as ensure that it meets the relevant standards to be safe, and legal for sale in the EU.
If you import yourself, you are the legal importer, so, you need the product liability as the importer, you must ensure that the product meets the relevant requirements, get any independent tests required, or else just countersign the no EU manufacturers declarations certifying that you guarantee, ensure and insure that the fitting complies etc.
So you are taking on all of the legal liability as the manufacturer, (or your employer etc. as appropriate).

 

[infinity]

Good idea, I could easily set them up and leave them on 24hrs a day for a week or so. This would at least show how hot they get and that they actually still perform the same after this time which would be a pretty good test that they are good for installation (although not conclusive I agree) maybe it's back to the drawing board but I saw a massive saving opportunity by importing myself. I've installed high bays at 3 times the price which seem to be exactly the same as the ones I've now ordered in, I'm sure I wouldn't be the first person to try this out. At the end of the day everything is made out there. I've looked into the company already it's not an eBay job! And they seem pretty reputable, I've checked company information and financials etc, they also send pictures of the various processes involved in manufacturing the different products which was good.

 

[davesparks]

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to such things. Cheap Chinese led products have been all over the theatre industry for years. You can't mix lights from different batches as the light output, colour binning, cri never matches from one batch to the next. Plus they deteriorate pretty quickly. we tend to buy 10 led par's at a time, use 8 and keep 2 spare, when one fails after 6 months the replacement one out of the spares is always noticeably brighter!

 

[infinity]

So you also buy from China..?

 

[davesparks]

So you also buy from China..?

Nope, we buy from the importers, we're not so daft as to import the tat ourselves!

 

[infinity]

Ha, but your pay the middle man

 

[davesparks]

Ha, but your pay the middle man

Yes, and getting faulty items returned at their expense, replacement parts sent out at their expense, deliveries made on time not waiting for the container to arrive from china etc etc
It's worth it, we'd loose more money dealing with all the other hassles than we would save in importing