LED filament lamp certification threshold is high and it is not easy to open up the US market

Starting from January 1 this year, the United States will completely ban the sale of all incandescent lamps. This will mean that the penetration rate of LED lighting in the United States will further increase, and LED filament lamps, which are called "replacements" for incandescent lamps on the market, have also sensed market opportunities. In 2014, whether at various lighting exhibitions or related seminars, "LED filament lamp" has undoubtedly become a hot word in industry discussions. With a series of advantages such as "360° luminescence", "energy saving and environmental protection", and "high light efficiency", it has quickly opened the door to countries and regions such as Europe and South America. However, although there are many manufacturers involved in LED filament lamps, no company has yet been able to truly "knock" on the door of the US market. Why exactly? "The U.S. market has not yet been fully opened, mainly because the UL certification of LED filament lamps has not yet passed." Dai Jian, chairman of Yapu Lighting, once said that Yapu has passed FCC certification, and is also preparing for UL certification and Energy Star certification. It is believed that the U.S. market will be opened soon. According to Xie Zhenhua, technical manager of lighting products of SGS Consumer Electronics Division, UL certification is not a mandatory certification for LED lamps to enter the US market. "But it is a certification that is more recognized by consumers. After passing this certification, the product acceptance will be high." An industry insider who did not want to be named said that the power supply inside the LED filament lamps currently on the market mostly uses the resistance-capacitance step-down method. "This method is impossible to pass the US safety certification." Wang Peng, deputy general manager of Baishi Optoelectronics, said that the above-mentioned issues raised by industry insiders are currently common problems in the small segment of LED filament lamps. "Because the companies that make LED filaments and LED filament lamps were separated in the past. Many companies that make finished products are from incandescent lamp companies and don't know much about power supplies. Therefore, there are many RC power supplies on the market, and the prices are relatively low." "If it is aimed at the US market, or some countries and regions with stricter requirements, the resistor-capacitor voltage reduction method will not work, and only the latter two can be used." "We use the constant current source method." Dai Jian said that the price war in the market is fierce at present, and Yapuer has adjusted its strategy and its products are developing into two levels. "The high-end ones do very well, and the low-end ones will keep the price as low as possible." The power supplies used in LED filament lamps exported to Europe, the United States, Japan and other places are all constant current sources. According to Wang Peng, LED filament lamps face two major problems in passing the US UL certification: First, the lamp must be extinguished if it is broken; second, the glass shell cannot be broken into pieces, but can only be broken into powder to avoid harm to the human body. "The first problem can be solved on the power supply, and we have solved it. The second problem is still being discussed on how incandescent lamps were handled before." Wang Peng told the editor that UL certification will conduct a second confirmation on Baishi's products in the near future. As for the problem that the glass shell cannot be broken into pieces, but can only be broken into powder, Dai Jian said that Apple's LED filament lamps add a layer of film outside the lamp, just like car glass. After it is broken, the glass will be wrapped in a plastic film. Using this method will not affect the light transmittance and light efficiency of the LED filament lamp, and the difference will not be visually noticeable. At the same time, he said, "The UL certification certificate will be available to Apple in two months." In addition to "UL" certification, in order to better explore the US market, some companies are also pursuing "Energy Star" and other related certifications. The Energy Star website recently disclosed that many retailers are giving priority to promoting Energy Star LED bulbs because they want to give consumers an excellent lighting experience. A government-backed certification, the Energy Star label indicates that a light bulb has been independently certified to undergo numerous tests to ensure performance, achieve high brightness and match the light distribution of conventional light bulbs. "We are already doing Energy Star. The total duration is 18 months. We have been doing it for 5 months. We will definitely pass it. It is just a matter of time." Dai Jian said that after LED filament lamps pass Energy Star, companies can get corresponding subsidies, which is very beneficial to opening up the US market. Wang Peng said, "We are cooperating with two more mainstream distributors in the United States. If customers have Energy Star certification requirements, they will also go for relevant certifications."