Measurement of electrical parameters of LED luminaires

The measurement of electrical parameters of luminaires are very important for assessment electrical power consuption in comparison of luminous output of the luminaire. The difficulties have started when electronics has been implemented into luminaires e.g. balasts and at present drivers for LED luminaires. The connection between electrical parameters and photometric parameters is undoubtedly an essential part of the measurement process of luminaires which in the practice can be separated. Based on the result of the measurement of electrical and photometric parameters customer quite often decides if it is product appropriate or not for purposes make decision if product will buy or not. The parameter representing ratio of consumpted electric power in connection with luminous flux of luminaire is so-called luminous efficacy lm/W. The modern luminaires are powered via power supplies as it was mentioned above e.g. electronic ballast, LED driver, etc. With using of this new technologies have started problems in the electrical measurement of luminaires due to appear distorted currents and impact deformation performance. Besides real and reactive power into the calculation of the apparent power input another parameter and this is parameter called as distortion power. Total power of the luminaire is therefore vector sum active, reactive and distortion power. The paper deals with the measurement of electrical parameters of different types of luminaires.