Recognizing a need in the lighting industry to forum together and discuss subjects & issues in our industry, the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast was born. Get A Grip brings on industry experts to talk about real issues and focused on that subject matter. If there’s something to be said on the subject, Get A Grip will go there. Get A Grip On Lighting Podcasts are hosted by Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich, who have over 30 years of combined experience in the lighting industry. Michael Colligan is an entrepreneur and inventor. He’s a subject matter expert in commercial and industrial lighting supply, lighting retrofits, and finding recycling streams for hard-to-recycle waste. Greg Ehrich, LC is the former President of the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD) and owner of a progressive lighting distributorship.
When we know Randy is in the same location as us we always plan to have a discussion with him and sometimes record it. After hearing an excellent presentation from Randy at the NAILD convention we sat down to discuss more about what the National Lighting Bureau is and what it will be under his leadership. Exciting times for NLB!
Michael Davidson and Jamie Britnell are both Directors at Synapse Wireless and they joined Michael and Greg from the floor of LightFair International 2019 to share their thoughts and knowledge on connected lighting; the unofficial theme of LightFair and (perhaps) the future of the industry. The switch has been the only real control for lighting and we’re in a scenario more options are becoming viable on the consumer level. As much as connected lighting can make an argument for savings, there are...
If the field of lighting were to have one person as the professor of the industry, Jim Benya would be it. Scholarly, articulate and uninhibited; when you talk to Jim about lighting you are in for a true learning experience. He is on too many committees, boards and panels to name, but where there is decision making in lighting Jim Benya is often at the center of it.
David Gershaw is the Chief Innovation Officer at Light Efficient Design, and he joined Greg and Mike from his booth at Lightfair International. While LED’s story of Solar-powered exterior lighting is told from the show Philadelphia it starts in Africa six years ago where they were partnered to light miles of roads in Tanzania with off-grid solar-powered lamps. What started with three components, one being a buried car battery, is now an all-in-one fixture that can be placed virtually anywhere. D...
Aurelien David is the chief scientist for technology and R&D in LEDs and semiconductor optoelectronics at Soraa — a company founded by the inventor of the LED — and he was kind enough to appear on the Get a Grip on Lighting Podcast from the NAILD booth at Lightfair International. The episode starts by addressing a recent report by ANSES about the hazards of blue light, particularly LEDs at night. Aurelien and Michael agree that the sky may be falling once again, given that so much of the lig...
Ellis Yan, founder and CEO of TCP International Holdings, Inc. returns to the Get a Grip on Lighting podcast with more of his expertise to share. In this quick interview from the scene of Lightfair International in Philadelphia hits on international tariffs on fixtures...and maybe lamps as well soon. Ellis shares his thoughts on the health effects of lighting, the health of effects of saying there are health effects of lighting. Afterwards, Michael shifts gears to the change in lifespans in fixt...
No one likes to get punched in the eye, but according to Dr. Nisa Khan that’s what certain LED lights are doing to us right now. According to her “lighting dropped science a long time ago.” LED lighting is unlike any other light source we have dealt with and is not something we should take lightly. Is it time to bring science back to lighting?
In true form to the lighting industry, the UL is adapting and is now leading the charge to publishing a recommended best practice for circadian lighting. Typically known for their stamp of approval, they might not seem like the organization primed to do this but they have a plan in place and are aggressively following through. Adam Lilien, the Lighting Business Development Manager of UL, joined us today to discuss this groundbreaking attempt at defining the best practice for circadian lighting w...
Flicker in lighting continues to be a hot topic and it’s not often you can sit down and record a conversation with royalty so take the time to listen to this one. We met with Naomi Miller Lighting Designer/Senior Scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory more importantly known as the Queen of Flicker at the 2019 DLC Convention. She discussed her super powers and why we need to fix flicker in lighting for good.
In this episode we discussed the ABC’s of LED tubes- diving into Type A, Type B, Type C and combo. Gino Marella from Current, Powered by GE gave us the run down on where are we at today and what the future looks like for the most popular commercial lamp type there is. It’s refreshing to hear from a company with over 80 years of lighting background on a new technology that many have jumped into with no lighting background.
It’s inevitable that every business will be upgrading their lighting to LED at some point in the future if they haven’t already. Now is the time to get in the door and make your pitch. If you don’t someone else will. There are many ways to get in the door, but it takes dedication, persistence and follow through. Most people can’t dedicate 100% of their time doing that, but there are companies who do just that- 100% of the time. Listen to this episode to find out what it takes to be successful at...
As one of the most influential organizations in the lighting industry, the Design Lights Consortium (DLC) is leading the charge in ensuring the right lighting is being implemented in the field. Now they are wading in to the next phase of the LED lighting revolution. In this episode we talked to the Executive Director of the DLC, Tina Halfpenny at the 2019 DLC convention about their plans for the future.
We always love it when the guest makes a statement that is a no-brainer for the title of the show, and Melissa Stickford did just that a few minutes in. Lighting is a superpower and is not something to take lightly (no pun intended). Lighting affects everything we do so if you are going to do something with your lights make sure you take the time to do it right.
When upgrading a facility to LED lighting, how often do you run into miniature incandescent and halogen lamps that you ignore? Miniature lamps are found all over the place and it’s time to stop ignoring them. Embrace them and better yet seek them out on your next lighting upgrade as there are quality LED miniatures available.
The episode number (68) not only tells you how many episodes we have done, but it also indicates how long Bill Warren has been in lighting! When a guest on the show has been in lighting two times longer than the host and co-host combined you turn the show over to him. Lighting’s purpose is to provide the ability to see the task at hand. With the push for energy-savings and rebates driving the lighting industry, we often lose sight of providing the appropriate light needed for the task being perf...
By everything we mean all lighting can be LED. Whether it all should be is a discussion for another time. In this episode we talk with Dan Jenkins from Current, Powered by GE about the differences between LED lamps, Retrofit Kits and Fixtures. Almost all existing lighting applications have LED lamp or LED fixture upgrade options and most have lamp, retrofit kit and fixture options so make sure you have a solid grip on the differences.
Anytime there’s a hole in the ceiling with a light fixture in place and you want to mess with it, make sure you understand what you are getting into. In addition to learning that Canadians call recessed can lights “pot lights”, in this deep dive you will learn everything you need to know when you are upgrading recessed cans to LED.
Highbays, Lowbays who cares what you call them just make them LED! We invited Jason Hendren of ILP to dive into the deep end of highbay lighting with us. We discuss everything you need to consider when you are looking at highbay lighting to come out of the water with the best solution for your application.
It’s time to take another deep dive! In this episode we discussed everything you need to take into consideration when you are looking to upgrade an exterior light fixture. There are many different types of exterior fixtures, but you can use the guidelines set out in this episode for all of them. Take notes and enjoy.
Connected lighting is a term used loosely in the lighting industry. It can mean a variety of things, but what should it mean? In today’s podcast, we talked with Robert Lee and Sree Venkit of Signify about the future of connected lighting. Where is it heading, what are the benefits and is it a niche market? These questions and more were answered during the show, but the common theme throughout is that connected lighting should be about connecting lighting to the people using the lighting. Enjoy!
There is one lighting application found all over the world that has a legitimate case for “connected” LED lighting - Sports Fields. On today’s show we talk to Shahil Amin of Hylite LED about the ins and outs of lighting sports fields, a majority of which are still lit by HID light sources. With the advancement of connected LED lighting there is a huge opportunity to gain business in this market.
We talk all the time about lamps, ballasts, drivers, bulbs, fixtures, sockets, but we often neglect one of the most important components of a quality light fixture – the lens or diffuser. Diffusers come in all shapes and sizes and have a dramatic effect on the illumination of a light fixture. It’s time to give the lens a little love.
In today’s episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Mike and Greg share tips and the complete checklist you should follow when you’re deciding whether to replace or retrofit your troffers to LED. LED lighting offers greater lighting performance and higher energy efficiency which is what most commercial spaces need.
In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Greg and Michael acknowledge and call out ALL the biases that happen in the lighting industry. This is an excellent reminder for leaders, business owners, and influencers in the field, especially now that we just entered a new year. Discover the different types of biases that we encounter: group bias, conviction bias, confirmation bias, and superiority bias. Whenever possible, we should try to overcome them. It’s high time to take a quick check ...
What’s coming next for the lighting industry? Our guest, Randy Reid from Edison Report, is confident that it’s going to be LiFi. With just light, which can be found almost everywhere, people are able to connect with wireless data. It’s quick, convenient, and hassle-free. So, in today’s episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg pay a visit to Randy’s office in Tennessee to get the most updated information and news you need to know about LiFi. Discover also the similarities a...
Lighting geeks and lighting nerds, are you ready to hear from the expert? In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Greg and Michael talk to Ellis Yan, the founder and CEO of TCP International Holdings Ltd. to speak about the current developments and challenges in the lighting industry. TCP is one of the big companies that manufacture light bulbs. Ellis has always been welcoming with emerging techs and innovations. Learn from Ellis himself how TCP managed to stay strong during the trans...
There’s still so much to know on how to retrofit your lighting so let’s not waste time and start watching the second part of the How Would Your Retrofit That? Special of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast. And, if you’ve missed the first part (Episode #54), make sure to check it out on www.getagriponlighting.com or our YouTube Channel. For today, Michael and Greg continue to provide solutions for your retrofitting problems. If you’re in doubt of what to do, their tips will definitely help so you cou...
It isn’t solely about illumination now. The lighting industry is gradually integrating new techs and going beyond its initial standard functions. So, how are the companies keeping up? Today on the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg talk to Randy Reid, the Editor for Edison Report, about the pressing issue of how lighting companies are handling disruptive innovations like AI controls, LiFi, etc. They emphasize that there’s a noted increase of consolidation activity of companies in t...
When you’re about to do upgrades or retrofits, knowing the specifications of a lighting fixture is just the start. So, what are other things to consider when retrofitting? In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg share their insights on the retrofit strategies you should do depending on a lighting fixture's technical specifications. Everything is covered since a lot of different lighting fixtures are highlighted today. They emphasize that there are times when doing upg...
In this episode of the show, Michael sits down with Wes, a self-proclaimed LED Tinkerer. Wes wandered into Michael's store in Toronto, Canada, and asked to speak to the owner. Michael, seizing the opportunity to create content, threw Wes into the studio and asked him to explain his tinkering. Wes has taken the driver out of an LED fixture and connected it directly to DC current, and then tested the connection to show the LED chip's power consumption is only 1/4 of a Watt. Michael asks questions ...
