SA Government’s REES can mean FREE LED Globes for your home
The Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES) can mean FREE LED globes for your home. YESS offer the FREE replacement of inefficient light globes for eligible SA homes. But not all light globes are created equal, and not all are covered by REES. This post will list the type of light globes that YESS can replace under REES. It will also detail some of the different ways you can compare light bulbs, and why LED lights are used for REES approved activities.
You may already know that LED lights use less energy than older technologies. But not only has LED technology come a long way over the last 10 years, but so have its cost and market availability. Energy efficiency however is not the only way to compare light globes. Lifespan, toxicity, and of course brightness (or lumens) are all ways in which light globes differ. You can use the FREE LED service offered by YESS to replace your old incandescent or halogen globes.
Incandescent
LED’s are sophisticated pieces of technology that contain a microchip. There is therefore a larger scope for craftsmanship and manufacturing quality, making them a long-term purchase. But you can’t say this about incandescent globes. These are the classic bulbs that Thomas Edison invented over a century ago. It consists of a tungsten filament that lights up when enough current is passing through it. If you get close to one, you would no doubt feel the heat it emits. This is the main reason incandescent globes are notoriously inefficient – almost 90% of all energy used is wasted in heat. Coupled with their relatively short lifespan, incandescent globes are the worst option for your home when judged on energy efficiency.
Halogen
Incandescent light globes are the most traditional bulbs and were popular due to their low manufacturing cost. As energy efficiency has become more of a priority since the days of Thomas Edison, a variety of methods have tried to improve on this. The halogen globe is one such example.
A Halogen bulb is essentially a type of incandescent bulb with a small amount of halogen gas. Most importantly, halogen light bulbs are about 30% more energy efficient than incandescent ones. But not as efficient as LEDs.
FREE LED globes for eligible SA households
Only LED lights are approved for REES activities. YESS use high quality Emerald Planet LED globes. When replacing your old incandescent or halogen globes, LEDs can reduce your lighting bill by up to 60%. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, an LED upgrade can also lower maintenance costs. LEDs also have better on/off durability. This means that unlike incandescent and halogen bulbs, frequently turning LEDs on and off will not impact its lifespan in the same way.
Recessed lights (Downlights)
Recessed lights are installed into a hollow opening in the ceiling – this is how they get their name. They are sometimes called “Downlights” because unlike other globes that disperse light, downlights emit a beam directly downwards.
YESS offer eligible REES customers high performance Emerald Planet Downlight sets for $30 each.
Downlights FAQ
(click on the question to expand):
All existing halogen downlights must be in working order to be replaced (non-working lights / existing LED lights will need to be installed outside of REES)
$120 call out fee is waived for customers requiring more than 10 downlights.
Eligible REES customers receive the discounted rate of $30 per fitting (supply & replace). The fitting includes the light globe, gimble and transformer, which we replace with a poly-carbonate kit that has an integrated transformer. If you have hardwired lights, then you need to install a plug base/power-point for each hard-wired fitting. These are $15 each (supply & installed).
The service cannot be subsidised under the REES Scheme if your halogen downlights are not in working order. But you can still request the service at a cost of $60 each per downlight.
The LED downlight installed is a 5W tri-colour poly-carbonate kit. Each kit has a switch on the back that gives you the multi-colour option of 3000k and 4000k. We recommend the 3000k & 4000k for residential properties. The 3000k being a warm white (yellow colour) is best suited to smaller living areas and bedrooms. The 4000k are a cool white (much brighter) light, which is best suited to bigger open living spaces. You will be shown the different options on the day. You can also change the switch while it is under warranty.
While all our downlight products are compatible with dimmer switches, they cannot be replaced under the REES Scheme. We can still offer a replacement outside of the scheme for $55 each. ($125 if you require a new switch is )
Yes, all products come with a two-year warranty period. You can contact our office if you ever experience any flickering, buzzing or if the lights blow within the first 2 years. After the 2 year warranty period, you will need to contact Emerald Planet who are the manufacturers of the products.
If you are unhappy with the products, you must notify us within the first 20 days after your appointment so that we can arrange a replacement. You can also request your original lights back within this period. After this period, please Contact Us to make alternative arrangements to return products.
Summary
Lighting technology has come a long way since the invention of the first incandescent bulb. The criteria on which we can judge light bulbs include energy efficiency (amount of electricity used to power the bulb), lifespan and durability, brightness (or lumens) as well as toxicity. LEDs fare better than older technologies on all of these criteria. Additionally, the incandescent globe fares worst when judged on energy efficiency, followed by the halogen, followed by halogen. It is therefore no surprise that LEDs are the choice for REES approved activities. You are welcome to Contact Us to find out more about YESS’ FREE LED globes.
Updated on 28 January, 2020
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