Valtavalo launches non-flickering LED tubes onto the market from Finland

Valtavalo, a Finnish-based LED tube manufacturer, has introduced the first LED tube that produces non-flickering light.

Recently, several studies have been conducted on the flickering of lights and its impact on the wellbeing and health of people. It has been found that flickering may cause many kinds of ailments, such as headaches, fatigue and stress on the brain.

Flickering makes it more difficult to focus on work and causes discomfort. It also affects eye movements; reading in a flickering light doubles the number of eye movements and slows down the reading speed.

Flickering is more common than can be noticed by human eyes
Most of us are subjected to flickering on a daily basis because we spend most of our waking hours at work or school where artificial light is used to a great extent.

Flickering may be visibly disturbing, but may not always be discernible with human eyes. However, it must be taken into account that even though people do not consciously identify flickering, the retina and brain notice it.

The flickering of lights is caused by a rapid variation in the voltage of the power grid. Many traditional sources of light, such as fluorescent tubes with a magnetic inductor, are particularly sensitive to this variation, but many LEDs also suffer from harmful flickering.

Addressing flickering with control technology
“In the Valtavalo G4 LED tube, the issue has been resolved by investing in control technology. Wellbeing and stress-free lighting also involve a long product life and a light spectrum that affects the energy level of people and their melatonin production. Our LED tubes are particularly designed for workplaces and facilities where people remain for long periods and where they must be able to see well”, says Markku Laatikainen, managing director of Valtavalo.

“The flicker percentage of fluorescent tubes and typical competing LED tubes is about 30%, whereas the percentage for the Valtavalo G4 LED tube is fairly under 5%, which in practice means that it is fully non-flickering”, says Laatikainen.

“Based on our best knowledge G4 is the first flicker-free LED tube that is manufactured according to LED tube standard EN 62776, i.e. tube is retrofitted and there is an internal driver. Previously there have been flicker-free LED tubes on the market with an external driver, “ continues Laatikainen.

G4 LED tubes are manufactured at Valtavalo’s production unit in Kajaani, Finland. At the end of 2015, Valtavalo announced that it will multiply its production volume of LED tubes by acquiring a second fully automatic production line.

Background material:
1) Hur påverkas vi av flimmer och osynliga ljusmodulationer?, Ljuskultur 5/2013
2) Proper driver design eliminates LED light strobe flicker, LEDs Magazine 04/2014
3) Understand the lighting flicker frustration, LEDs Magazine 11-12/2015
4) Poplawski, M.E. & Miller N.M. Flicker in Solid-State Lighting: Measurement Techniques, and Proposed Reporting and Application Criteria, 2013
6) 1789-2015 – IEEE Recommended Practices for Modulating Current in High-Brightness LEDs for Mitigating Health Risks to Viewers
7) Chart the course of energy-efficient SSL through lighting regulations, LEDs Magazine 10/2015

Contact:

Valtavalo Oy
+358 207 789 880