Primary audience: Distributors and counter staff
Separate the ordered configuration from the installed setting
A selectable fixture still needs an exact order. The model establishes its available settings and other characteristics. The installation schedule then identifies which permitted setting belongs in each location. Leaving the second decision to individual installers can produce inconsistent rooms.
Wattage selection chooses among documented power settings. CCT selection chooses among documented colour-temperature settings. These functions do not establish selectable input voltage, a compatible dimming interface or an included sensor. Verify those items separately.
For a distributor, the useful question is not simply whether a product is selectable. Ask which model, which available settings, which setting the design uses, and who records it. A family can contain models with different settings even when they share a similar name.
Distinguish field selection from dynamic colour control. DOE's colour-tunable overview describes functions such as changing white-light appearance during operation. A fixture with selectable CCT does not automatically provide that behaviour. A project requiring scheduled changes needs explicit control documentation, not an assumption based on the word tunable.
Read the row for the exact model
| Model | Wattage settings | CCT settings |
|---|---|---|
| MFP01-22F-40W | 40 / 30 / 20 W | 3500 / 4000 / 5000 K |
| TRF22-TCP40W-CCT | 40 / 30 / 25 / 20 / 15 W | 3500 / 4000 / 5000 / 5700 / 6500 K |
| SP05-2FT25W-H-TCP | 25 / 20 / 15 W | 3500 / 4000 / 5000 K |
These examples come from the MFP01, TRF and SP05 product tables. They demonstrate why one family's setting list cannot be copied onto another product.
The SP05 page also contains models with five wattage and five CCT settings. The 2FT25W row above has three of each. State the full model when discussing that difference; a general statement that every SP05 has five settings would be wrong.
Keep output notation intact. Some tables publish maximum lumens, while others publish output for each power step. A maximum value does not describe every lower setting. If the design needs output at a particular combination that is not published, ask for that information before completing the fixture layout.
Select output through the lighting design
Start with the room and visual task, then evaluate the fixture and setting. Ceiling height, spacing, surfaces and obstructions affect the delivered light. A lower wattage may be suitable in one room and unsuitable in another with the same floor area.
The MFP01-22F-40W row publishes 4,700 / 3,600 / 2,500 lm for 40 / 30 / 20 W. Use the documented relationship instead of assuming each change in power produces an identical proportional change in output. Do not apply those figures to another panel size.
Ask the designer which configuration the calculation represents. Keep the selected setting with the photometric file and fixture schedule. If the setting changes during installation, review whether the original calculation and any energy documentation still describe the installed system.
For a sample room, compare the proposed setting at the normal task locations. Include screens, racks or equipment that affect visibility. Record the accepted setting after the review. Raising every fixture to its maximum can hide a layout problem without resolving glare or poor distribution at the actual task.
Coordinate fixed settings with sensors and dimming
A selected power setting and a dimming command serve different purposes. The first establishes an operating configuration; the second adjusts operation through a compatible control system. The relationship between them needs the exact driver information, especially where the project specifies a minimum light level.
MFP01 publishes 0–10 V dimming as optional. Selecting its wattage and CCT does not add the optional dimming configuration. Include the required driver option in the order rather than discovering the missing function during commissioning.
Likewise, a sensor accessory needs a defined sequence. State occupied output, delay, reduced output and off behaviour. Do not describe the sensor using only a percentage without identifying what the controller means and what light level the space requires. Review emergency operation separately where it forms part of the project.
Prepare a settings schedule with separate columns for model, wattage, CCT, control group and operating sequence. This keeps installation choices visible to the distributor, electrician and facility manager. Where instructions do not explain the intended adjustment or access method, resolve that gap before equipment is installed above an occupied space.
Record the settings before closing the project
Follow the product's installation instructions for when and how settings may be changed. Do not assume every selector can be operated while energised or reached after installation. Plan the work so the electrician can verify settings before fixtures become difficult to access.
- Assign fixture tags and record the exact ordered model and driver configuration.
- List the approved wattage and CCT for each room or group.
- Identify the output data and lighting calculation used for that selection.
- Record controls, accessories and any required emergency arrangement separately.
- Check installed settings against the schedule and retain a dated record.
- Give maintenance staff the final schedule and change-approval contact.
For later replacements, the facility team needs more than a photograph of the fixture face. Keep its label, model and installed settings together. A replacement from the same selectable family can still look different if it arrives at a different setting.
Distributors can send the schedule through RFQ and ask for confirmation of the required configurations. Specifying engineers should identify any setting-specific output or control evidence needed before approving the order. Record changes in both the submittal and the handover file.
Related guides
- Commercial Lighting CCT and CRI: Choosing Colour
- Occupancy Sensors, Photocells and LED Dimming
- Lighting Spec Sheets and IES Files: Submittal Guide
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