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Reliable connection solutions for modern LED lighting
Reliable connection solutions for modern LED lighting
WE-EF Leuchten GmbH relies on LED connection technology from Phoenix Contact. Our products and solutions enable the creation, secure cabling, and reliable operation of intelligent lighting concepts.
WE-EF Leuchten GmbH produces lights for all outdoor applications.
Depending on the field of application, modern light sources contribute to safety, well-being, and convenience on streets and in buildings.
When developing its external lighting, the company relies exclusively on LED technology.
Customer profile
WE-EF Leuchten GmbH, based in Bispingen in the Lower Saxony region of Germany, produces lights for all outdoor applications and also for areas that demand particularly well-protected lights. The company focuses on architectural lighting as well as street and public-space lighting. The product range includes mast and pendant lights, wall and ceiling lights, bollard and pedestal lights, spotlights, floodlights and searchlights, and recessed and underwater lights.
Application
Peter Oetjens, Head of Electrical Engineering Development, demonstrates a WE-EF light with QPD connection
In addition to the intelligent LED driver, WE-EF also wanted to integrate a communication module into its new LED street lights for transmitting data gathered by the integrated sensors. “We completely redesigned the luminaire assembly controller for a project in Bielefeld,” explains Peter Oetjens, Head of Electrical Engineering Development.
“The electronics were not to be mounted on the mast, as is usually case, but directly on the light housing.” The electronic design follows the specifications of the ZHAGA consortium in accordance with Book 18. So planners and installers can be sure that the electrical system, and therefore the installation, works uniformly worldwide.
The solution
Installers reduce connection time by up to 80% with the QPD fast installation system
The WE-EF designers implemented the power cabling for the lights using the QPD fast installation system from Phoenix Contact. The advantage of the user-friendly principle is that with the proven QUICKON IDC fast connection, the installers can connect the cables on site without any preparation work or special tools. This means that the electrical connection can be established reliably and very quickly.
In just a few simple steps, the individual litz wires are pulled into the prefabricated wire guides of the connector, the insulation there is cut through automatically, and electrical contact is established reliably. When the union nut is tightened, the connector also automatically establishes strain relief.
The principle reduces connection time by up to 80% and reliably prevents connection errors. The core idea is that the solution can be put into operation easily without having to open the light or the electrical system to make the connection. “Nowadays, QPD is indispensable for this functionality,” says Oetjens.
Easily mounted and extremely reliable – these criteria were also critical for the electrical inner workings of the mast lights. Although the mounted products withstand wind and weather for decades, the integrated electrical system requires a great deal of design expertise and finesse.
PCB terminal blocks (left) and PCB connectors of the PTSM 0,5 series are compact, SMT-capable, and colorfast
PCB terminal blocks and PCB connectors of the PTSM 0,5 series have quickly emerged as the ideal connection solution. The series was designed specifically for use in LED lights and has three enormous advantages. First, the headers and terminal blocks remain colorfast under thermal stress, and can therefore be attached together with the LEDs in the SMT process on the PCB. Moreover, the white components do not form a color contrast to the white solder mask, and can therefore not be seen as a visible component behind the transparent cover.
Other companies can produce hardware too. But for us, the potential lies above all in the range of functions and service.
Peter Oetjens, Head of Electrical Engineering Development at WE-EF Leuchten GmbH
Active electronic components such as LED drivers and controllers turn LED lights into intelligent lighting concepts. Passive electromechanics ensure that these lighting concepts can be manufactured efficiently, cabled securely, and operated reliably. Three good reasons why lighting manufacturer WE-EF, based in Bispingen, Germany, relies on the QPD fast installation system and PCB connections from the PTSM 0,5 series. “Other companies can produce hardware too. But for us, the potential lies above all in the range of functions and service,” says Peter Oetjens. “My vision? I would like all of our lights to be intelligent and network-capable.”
