Primary audience: Distributors and counter staff
Start with the ceiling and the room’s task
Troffers and flat panels can both serve commercial ceiling grids, but their construction, light distribution and mounting requirements differ. A troffer typically has a recessed optical cavity or shaped lens arrangement. A flat panel presents a broad luminous surface. Appearance alone does not tell you which will be more comfortable in a particular room.
Survey the ceiling module, available depth, services above the ceiling and the proposed support method. Record any access restrictions around ducts, sprinklers and cable routes. The nominal grid size is only a starting point; check the actual fixture dimensions and installation instructions before treating the unit as a drop-in fit.
Identify the task below the ceiling. Computer work, meetings, circulation and detailed inspection can require different lighting arrangements. Note normal viewing directions and screen positions. A fixture that looks evenly illuminated when viewed from below may still create reflected glare on a screen or glossy work surface. Compare candidate fixtures in the intended geometry, not just in a catalogue image.
Compare the published Allmax ceiling families
The troffer overview links AL-TRUF and TRF. The MFP01 flat-panel page provides a separate model table and published sheet data. Keep those lines distinct when comparing output, dimensions and input voltage. Their accessories and electrical options do not become interchangeable because their nominal ceiling sizes overlap.
| Decision | Troffer and panel review |
|---|---|
| Physical fit | Actual dimensions, ceiling interface and installation clearance |
| Visual comfort | Distribution, viewing angles, screens and surface reflections |
| Output | Lumens at the selected wattage and colour temperature |
| Controls | Documented dimming version and compatible accessories |
| Emergency operation | Exact accessory, output and project design |
Ask for the same design assumptions in each comparison. One proposal should not use a higher output setting or a different task plane without making that difference visible. Keep the selected configuration in the schedule so a purchasing substitution can be reviewed against the actual design.
Separate colour temperature, CRI and output
Colour temperature describes the appearance of the light, measured in kelvin. CRI describes colour rendering using a defined comparison method. Lumens describe light output. These are separate properties: a cooler appearance does not prove greater output, and a higher CRI value does not establish more illumination on the desk.
Read each model’s published colour-temperature choices and CRI entry independently. AL-TRUF, TRF and MFP01 do not share one universal settings list. Do not combine the widest colour range of one line with the lumen output of another. If a project needs a particular setting, include it in the quotation and commissioning record.
For a mixed installation, review adjacent fixtures together. A sample can help the owner judge appearance and reflections in the room’s actual finishes. It does not establish a guaranteed colour match across unrelated models. Record the accepted selection and settings so the installer can commission the room consistently and the facility team can identify the intended replacement later.
Confirm dimming and emergency options explicitly
MFP01’s published sheet describes dimming as optional. Do not specify every flat-panel order as dimmable without selecting the documented option. Check the proposed control interface, compatible equipment and required operating behaviour. A wall control that fits the existing box is not evidence that it will operate the new fixture correctly.
The MFP01 page lists a PIR occupancy sensor and emergency battery pack as accessories. Confirm the complete accessory configuration before treating it as part of the order. A normal-lighting fixture with an optional emergency accessory does not automatically establish the emergency illumination for an entire room. The project designer must evaluate the selected equipment in the required operating mode.
Write a simple sequence of operation for the room: occupied behaviour, vacancy delay, dimming intent and emergency behaviour. Then have the controls and electrical design checked against the exact fixture configuration. Keep normal and emergency output separate in the calculations. Do not use the main fixture’s maximum lumen value to represent what an emergency accessory delivers.
Plan the replacement and order documentation
State whether the project installs complete new fixtures or seeks a kit to retain an existing housing. Our troffer and panel pages describe the published fixtures; they do not authorize a universal conversion of an old troffer. The replacement method must be documented for the equipment and installation under consideration.
Confirm the supply voltage at each circuit group. TRF’s published model table includes AC 120–277 V and AC 120–347 V options; MFP01’s model rows publish AC 120–277 V. Do not transfer the TRF option to MFP01. Use the voltage directory to check other published alternatives when the project requires them.
Send the reflected ceiling plan, quantities, grid dimensions, voltage, required controls and preferred appearance through RFQ. Include any sample observations and project lighting criteria. Before ordering, match the final schedule to the quotation’s model, settings and accessories. After installation, record the settings and review the room at its normal workstations, including screen reflections and the behaviour of occupancy controls.
Document checklist for the handoff:
- Ceiling-grid dimensions, available depth, support and service-access measurements.
- Selected model, input option, output setting, CCT and published CRI.
- Dimmer compatibility and emergency accessory documentation where required.
- Room layout, matched photometry, approved submittal and final-setting record.
Related guides
- Commercial Lighting CCT and CRI: Choosing Colour
- Field-Selectable LED Wattage and CCT: Ordering Guide
- LED Retrofit Kits vs New Fixtures: What to Retain
- Commercial Retrofit Downlights: Housing and Controls
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