Use actual luminaire data for a work-plane grid, review control compatibility and circuit groups, then verify construction constraints and lighting.
Record room dimensions, task surfaces, furniture, ceiling construction and desired lighting effects. Choose the actual luminaire, optic, output setting and driver, then obtain its photometric report and control compatibility information. Distinguish general downlighting from task lighting, accent lighting and wall washing before choosing a grid.
Enter the mounting-plane and work-plane heights and the exact spacing criteria in the two fixture directions. Review the resulting counts, actual pitches, wall offsets and coordinates. Mark these on the room drawing, then have illuminance, uniformity, glare and task-shadow performance evaluated with the actual photometric data and room surfaces.
Confirm each control group and use the exact compatible lamps or drivers. Compare actual W or VA with the dimmer’s load-type rating after documented ganging and temperature limits, then check minimum/maximum lamp counts and the supported combination. Keep drivers, emergency options and proprietary control requirements identifiable.
Have the installer classify continuous and noncontinuous loads and establish the permitted circuit design. Enter actual fixture VA and indivisible switching groups to produce a feasible circuit allocation. Review any oversized group rather than dividing the aggregate load on paper, then specify cable routes and ordinary raceway fill where applicable.
Check the layout against framing, ducts, wiring, insulation and the assembly’s fire or air-barrier requirements. Have the installer verify the exact luminaire’s mounting, clearance and insulation-contact instructions, then update locations and the electrical scope. Compare complete quotes including controls, repairs and inspection.
After authorized installation, verify circuit labels, control groups, full-range dimming and the required electrical inspection/tests. Assess real task visibility, shadows and glare under representative use, adjusting supported settings or the design where needed. Record final fixture locations, model numbers, control settings and measured light levels if collected.
Keep the dated equipment list, document references, responsible installer and unresolved decisions; export the record with the calculation cases.
Generate a centered rectangular grid using SC X/Y and mounting height above the work plane; retain the coordinate list and photometric report. · Retain the original grid as a reference and document any construction-driven coordinate changes for photometric review.
Compare actual input W or VA, documented lamp-count limits, exact compatibility and the control’s load-type/ganging rating; apply this only to supported lighting loads.
Pack actual indivisible lighting groups into proposed circuits using input VA and continuous-load weighting; inspect circuit contents and oversized groups.
Select only from the exact approved breaker catalog using noncontinuous and weighted continuous current plus the verified protection ceiling.
Screen the finite manufacturer chart using required ampacity, the actual breaker, correction factor and limiting terminal column; review every failed condition.
Total outside insulated-conductor/cable areas and compare full internal raceway areas using the ordinary count-based fill rule, applied once.
Count actual continuous cable runs, specified cable type, slack and parallel cables, then allocate usable stock rolls; the tool does not produce a wiring diagram.
Compare actual installed quotes, deposits, chosen contingency and confirmed reimbursements; retain the scope and date of each case.
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IES defines SC as an estimated spacing-to-mounting-height ratio for an array’s direct-light uniformity. It is not a universal ceiling-height divisor or an illuminance target.
General grids do not resolve shadows on counters, facial lighting or reflected glare. Use the selected fixture’s photometric data and actual task geometry.
Power, lamp-count and ganging limits are control-specific. Retain the tested combination and manufacturer limits.
The same fixture family can produce different layouts with different optics and output settings.
A supported sample installation can reveal objectionable low-end behavior before the whole room is purchased.