The column where you get to put your lighting questions to the head of the Ovia lighting business, Mike Collins, and his team of technical experts.
Q. WE’VE BEEN ASKED TO QUOTE FOR LIGHTING TO BE SUSPENDED OVER A NUMBER OF SNOOKER TABLES. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A CIBSE AND SPORTS ENGLAND (LG4) REQUIREMENT THAT THE LIGHT VALUE SHOULD BE 500 LUX ON THE TABLE WITH A MAX OF 0.8 REDUCTION FACTOR. THE CUSTOMER IS CONCERNED THE FULL LED MAY HAVE A HIGH GLARE FOR THE SNOOKER PLAYERS AND THAT PARTS OF THE EXTREMES (POCKETS) MAY BE IN SHADOW. CAN YOU SUGGEST CAT 2 OR DIFFUSED LIGHTING THAT CAN REDUCE GLARE? THE TABLES ARE FULL SIZE (12 FT X 6 FT), WITH A REFLECTIVE INDEX IN THE LOW 40S OR LATE 30S.
The guidelines for snooker are split into three categories based on the level of competition that is being played.
Assuming that this isn’t elite level snooker and is more toward recreational, for this application 500 lux is required on the table with a desired uniformity of 0.8. This is quite a high level of uniformity and should ensure virtually no shadowing.
Uniformity is the ratio of the minimum lighting level to the average lighting level in a specific area, in this case a snooker table. The higher the level of uniformity the less difference there is between the minimum and average level of illumination. If the customer has concerns regarding the glare, we’d steer more toward a UGR friendly luminaire. UGR stands for unified glare rating and measures the amount of discomfort causing glare. UGR 19 is considered a good level of glare for working at a computer and is at the lower end of the glare rating.
In summary, we would aim to achieve 500 lux with a uniformity of 0.8 using a UGR 19 luminaire. The Ovia Inceptor Slate is a premium range of LED panel lights with a low UGR19 diffuser, making them ideal for this type of installation.
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