Stater Bros. reduces light by 50%

[klkla]

Turn the lights back on, or look for energy efficient alternatives!

I agree with that statement. Saving energy is a good idea but there are better ways to do it. I would think going to one row of lights from two per strip would be sufficient without turning any of the light banks off.

[rvt]

Probably that would be good interim solution-running all the banks with one lamp vs. two. They may be waiting on LED upgrade and don't want to spend on the existing system anymore. LED is decreasing in cost and increasing in efficiency. The issue when is it smart to jump aboard? Wait a couple more years it probably gets better. This document gives a good idea of what's current with LED as of late last year.
http://energy.gov/eere/femp/purchasing- ... luminaires
So 100-130 lumens per watt out of the fixture directed at the work is how I read it. This may depend on color temp-4000K is typically used in grocery stores. The F32T8 used in Stater today can be up to 100 lumen per watt with a big issue. That is the efficiency of the bulb but in that grocery installation the upper 180 degrees of the bulb is bounced off the strip fixture and the ceiling with a very significant loss. So yes right now you would get a big upgrade for your wattage consumed. But talk is LED could hit 200 lumen per watt. Should the trigger be pulled now?

Additionally I could not tell the type of lamp used in the produce spotlights as they were off. Typically metal halide, and typically about 50 lumens per watt. Those too could be replaced in future with LED and at least double efficiency.

Walmart has an interesting solution with rather old tech. One F32T8 light strips in efficient reflectors. Little or no ceiling bounce. One light has less reflective loss than two. Probably overdrive ballasts-the bulbs are pushed harder than typically. Ballasts are the drivers for the fluorescent lamps. They typically come in .88 ballast factor and 1.20 ballast factor. A 1.20 ballast factor will run a 32 watt lamp at 38.4 watts with corresponding increase in brightness. Then, one lamp at this rating is substituted for two lamps.

[BillyGr]

Probably that would be good interim solution-running all the banks with one lamp vs. two. They may be waiting on LED upgrade and don't want to spend on the existing system anymore. LED is decreasing in cost and increasing in efficiency. The issue when is it smart to jump aboard? Wait a couple more years it probably gets better. This document gives a good idea of what's current with LED as of late last year.

That has been noticeable in home items as well. Last holiday season many of the stores had the LED Christmas lights at prices very similar to the old style ones, and just this week ShopRite grocery chain has a 8.5 watt LED A-19 Bulb (which is similar brightness to a 60 watt old bulb) for $1.99, which is cheaper than most any of the fluorescent ones out there.

[klkla]

Stater Bros. opened their first store in Ventura County today. This was the one store they bought from Haggen.

I have to say from the photos on Yelp that I'm impressed. This is obviously a new design for them at it looks much nicer than any other SB store I have ever seen:
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stater- ... XFVazjsjig

[CalItalian]

Stater Bros. opened their first store in Ventura County today. This was the one store they bought from Haggen.

I have to say from the photos on Yelp that I'm impressed. This is obviously a new design for them at it looks much nicer than any other SB store I have ever seen:
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stater- ... XFVazjsjig

Produce area - especially the walls - have the feel of a Ralphs.

[storewanderer]

Nice looking store. Interesting to see re-use of some of the old cases. Looks like a good store to enter that area with. I am sure they will do well, and am still puzzled why they did not buy more stores.

[pseudo3d]

I never knew Albertsons turned off their lights at stores. Was it nationwide or just in SoCal? (I know for a fact that the Albertsons of the 1990s really screwed over Albertsons of the 2000s)

It was right around the time of the strike in 2003 and lasted at least until Supervalu took over. I don't know if it was chain wide but I assume it was.

I found an article that says that Albertsons turned off "75% to 50% of its lights" and changed the thermostats from a seven-state program to the entire chain in 2001, which is not quite the 2003 strike era. It is, however, right before their major crash in 2002, where several divisions (namely Houston, San Antonio, and Mid-South) would perish in the first wave of many, many closures. I can't help but think if it hurt the chain even more before it had to take drastic measures.

[storewanderer]

That was also the energy crisis and it was somewhat of a political move in addition to a cost move.