LM-79, LM-80 & TM-21 IES Test Standard Guide For Saudi High-Temp Lighting Tenders | Outdoor Luminaire Supplier for Saudi Hotel & Municipal Projects
Jul 08, 2026
LM-79, LM-80 & TM-21 IES Photometric Test Standard For Saudi High-Temp Lighting Tenders
LM-79 and LM-80 are core IES photometric standards that affect long-term lumen retention under sustained high temperatures across Gulf regions. Familiarity with valid laboratory test criteria helps specifiers select matching lighting fixtures and reduce the risk of post-install brightness attenuation adjustments.
LM-79: Complete Luminaire Initial Photometric Test
LM-79 refers to static laboratory testing conducted at a constant 25°C ambient temperature, which records the original optical performance of fully assembled finished lights. Four core photometric indicators are commonly specified in Saudi outdoor tender technical documents:
- Total fixture luminous flux: Test data of complete luminaires shall prevail; bare chip-only lumen values will overestimate actual output by 20–30%;
- System luminous efficacy: Stable outdoor fixtures generally range 110–140 lm/W; products marked 180 lm/W need supporting full test reports for cross-verification;
- CCT and CRI index: CRI 80 serves as the baseline for villa landscape lighting, while CRI 90 is recommended for high-end hotel hospitality spaces.
A limitation of LM-79 testing: It only captures initial factory performance data, without reflecting lumen decay after thousands of hours of operation under Jeddah's high ambient temperature conditions.
LM-80: Long-Term LED Component Aging Test
Different from LM-79 which tests whole finished lamps, LM-80 performs continuous aging tests on independent LED packages. The standard requires a minimum 6,000-hour test cycle with data recorded every 1,000 hours. Longer 10,000-hour aging reports are also available for reference evaluation.
The lumen attenuation curve generated by LM-80 testing reflects long-term brightness change. Two luminaires with identical LM-79 initial parameters may show huge lumen gaps after years of use if their aging curves differ greatly, which cannot be identified only via LM-79 data alone.
Reference Temperature Screening Requirement For Gulf Tender Specifications
Many general international specification templates do not highlight temperature classification requirements for LM-80 testing. Three mainstream case temperature grades are defined: 55°C, 85°C and manufacturer-specified custom values. Test data obtained at 55°C cannot fully simulate the 70°C+ internal housing temperature of fixtures exposed to direct Saudi sunlight.
85°C high-temperature LM-80 aging reports can be used as supporting attachments for outdoor lighting tender review. Products only tested at 55°C will experience obvious brightness loss after one summer cycle, which may trigger on-site specification discrepancies. If tender documents do not clarify required test temperature grades, different suppliers may submit low-temperature aging curves as alternative materials.
Several waterfront hotel facade projects in Jeddah encountered brightness fading issues after two years of operation when adopting fixtures with only 55°C LM-80 test records. Three sets of reference constraint clauses can be added to tender files to reduce such risks.
TM-21: L70 Lifespan Calculation Based On LM-80 Aging Curves
TM-21 is the unified standard for extrapolating L70 service life from LM-80 long-term aging data, with a fixed calculation restriction: the extrapolated lifespan cannot exceed six times the actual LM-80 test duration.
- 10,000-hour LM-80 test data → Maximum 60,000-hour L70 projection;
- 6,000-hour LM-80 test data → Maximum 36,000-hour L70 projection.
Any product claiming a 100,000-hour lifespan without matching qualified LM-80 long-term test records does not comply with IES calculation standards and may face specification non-compliance reviews during municipal project inspection.
Three Reference Specification Clauses For Saudi Lighting RFQ Documents
By sorting common photometric specification loopholes observed across various Gulf tender files, three sets of reference evaluation standards can be added to technical clauses:
- Request LM-79 test reports for fully assembled luminaires, rather than discrete bare LED chip test data; the term "complete luminaire" shall be clearly marked in specifications;
- Reference 10,000-hour minimum LM-80 aging records tested under 85°C case temperature; 55°C short-form aging data is not recommended for open-air outdoor projects;
- Require complete TM-21 lifespan calculation formulas attached to test documents; simple nominal lifespan descriptions without supporting aging data shall be subject to supplementary verification.
Common Photometric Specification Review Points For Saudi Municipal Projects
LM-80 test temperature grade is a key indicator inspected during municipal tender reviews. Outdoor street light products only supplied with 55°C aging records may be marked inconsistent with technical requirements.
Another common review focus: LM-79 and LM-80 test samples must adopt LED chips of identical model and bin code; test documents from mixed chip batches will require supplementary verification. Complete matching batch photometric files can be provided for tender specification cross-checking reference.
Photometric document sorting and parameter alignment for villa, hotel and municipal Gulf projects can be completed by referencing the above LM series standard indicators to submit consistent tender materials.
If you need to cross-check LM series test reports or compile standardized tender clauses for Saudi villa, hotel and municipal lighting projects, check our engineering service workflow via About Us.
Submit your luminaire specification sheet and tender requirements to obtain matched test document reference and customized compliance wording support.
This LM-79, LM-80 & TM-21 IES Test Standard Guide originally published in 2022 and fully revised in July 2026, covering photometric testing rules, high-temperature aging verification and lifespan projection limits for Saudi Gulf outdoor lighting tender compliance.
Related Knowledge Articles:
→ TM-15 BUG Anti Light Pollution Photometric Standard
→ LED Strip IP Waterproof Grade Selection Guide
→ LED Strip Color Temperature Kelvin Rules
