Technical Information

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO FIBRE OPTIC LIGHTING

The purpose of this guide is to inform potential users of fibre optic lighting about the benefits and limitations of the technology. It will help readers to answer the questions "Is this technology appropriate for me?" and "What else do I need to know?". The guide is intended to provide practical advice to enable readers to be confident in asking the right questions of equipment suppliers and installers before investing in a system.

Fibre optic lighting allows the precise and accurate delivery of light from a high intensity source to one or more designated points some distance away. The fibre carries the light between the light source and the emitters. - Unlike direct illumination by conventional lighting, fibres can take light around corners and through small holes.

The separation of the light source and emitter can be beneficial for a number of reasons, including safety, ease of maintenance and reducing heat gain to the illuminated area. These factors particularly explain the popularity of fibre optic lighting for illuminating works of art and museum cabinets but the benefits may be significant in many other applications.

• Fibre optic lighting systems typically consist of three major components:
• The light source, which contains the lamp, control gear and filters.
• The fibres, usually a number of fibre bundles formed into a harness, with individual tails to each lighting point.
• The end fittings, which secure and protect the end of each fibre tail and control the emission of light.

The basic performance requirements for a fibre optic system can be laid out as for a conventional system, i.e. lux levels, colour rendering and other attributes. Unfortunately photometric data for end fittings is not as widely available as it is for conventional systems, due to the number of variables that can affect their performance, including source and harness configuration. Some manufacturers are now producing photometric data for their "standard" systems. Lighting design calculations are however only part of the specification process and specialist assistance is advisable when selecting the fibre optic lighting hardware.