Frequently Asked Questions :
Technical Information

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• [1] - Can I buy products directly from Contraste Lighting?

  No, you need to buy through one of Contraste's distributors or online. 

  Consult our list of distributors to find one near you.

• [2] - Where am I able to buy your products in my area?

  You can find distributors near you on our website. Click Find a Distributor in the top menu, choose your country, select province/state, enter your address or zip code, then click on Submit.

• [12] - How do I to obtain prices of Contraste products?

  To obtain prices you must contact your Contraste's representative. Refer to the "Contact Us" section to identify the agent in your area. Click on "Contact Us" in the top menu.

• [13] - What is the lead time?

  Answers will vary as it depends on the product. Please find more information at: https://www.contrastlighting.com/Delivery

• [3] - What if I need a product that is not offered?

  Unfortunately, we do not manufacture custom luminaires. However, our range of recessed lights are available in many finishes and specifications which suit most of residential and commercial applications.

• [4] - What is the product code of my recessed light? Where can I find it?

  A Contraste recessed light comes in two main components; the housing and a decorative trim. The trim has a label on its side and the housing has a label located inside that shows you the part number and electrical rating.

• [5] - How do I request the replacement of a Contraste product under warranty?

  To request the replacement of a product covered by the Contraste warranty, please follow the following procedure:

  1. First contact customer service/technical support
  2. The distributor sends an order for the item to be replaced and requests a return authorization at the same time
  3. Contrast confirms the order, provides the return authorization and indicates a non-conformity number that will follow this warranty case
  4. The replacement item is shipped
  5. A credit is issued after receipt and inspection of the defective item.

  
  Please, note that our warranty terms and conditions do not include labor required to replace our product.

• [6] - What happens if the LED luminaire I use is discontinued and needs to be replaced under warranty?

  Contraste will replace a discontinued luminaire if we are still able to get the parts to build it. If Contraste is not able to build a discontinued product for a warranty replacement, the defective luminaire will be replaced by the newest similar product which will offer the same or superior lighting performance.

• [7] - What is the warranty for Contraste LED fixtures?

  Warranty for the driver and the LED module is 5 years. Please note this warranty is not transferable.

• [8] - Is the ECO2LED series still available?

  As much as the ECO2LED series was popular, this product is now discontinued. It has been replaced by the Urbaï Series which offers a larger selection of trims. The equivalent performance to the ECO2LED housings are with Performance 1 (10W) housings in the Urbaï Series.

• [9] - Are replacement parts for your discontinued suspended luminaires still available?

  Replacement sockets and low voltage transformers are still available. Replacement glass is unfortunately not available.

• [10] - Who are the Contraste distributors in my area?

  The list of Contraste products distributors is available online. Click on the "Find a distributor" menu at the top of the page.

• [11] - Who is my representative?

  Refer to the "Contact Us" section to identify the agent in your area. Click on "Contact Us" in the top menu.

• [14] - What is the ESD on my backorder?

  We have to check the backorder report and/or call planning.

• [15] - What is your return policy?

  All return requests must be sent via email to the customer service agent for your area :
  csa-canada1@contrastlighting.com for the Maritimes and Quebec
  csa-canada2@contrastlighting.com for Ontario, central and western Canada
  csa-usa@contrastlighting.com for the USA

  It is imperative that you provide us with the following information so that we can respond to your request for return:

  • the original purchase order number
  • the reason for return
• [16] - Are Contraste products made in Canada?

  Some of our product lines are entirely manufactured and assembled in Canada, such as Urbaï, Ardito, Modul-Aim, Hexaled, Classic and LED Evolution. Other series like Profilux and Circulux are manufactured in China.

• [17] - Where can I find product data sheets and installation sheets for a specific product?

  All the technical documentation for a specific product can be found on the product page. To consult these documents, click on the "Documentation" tab.

  You can also find all the documentation in the Documentation section of the website (Link in the main menu).

  The technical data sheet of a product is also available in the product list. Click on the sheet icon below the product image to access it directly.

• [18] - Can Contraste housings be used with spray foam polyurethane insulation?

  Most of Contraste housings cannot be in direct contact with spray foam insulation. This type of insulation has to be kept at least 3" away from the housing and 1/2" from any structural part of the installation. The only housing certified for installation with spray foam insulation are the ISRU3 and ISUR3-UV from the Urbaï series.

• [19] - What is a CRI?

  CRI (color rendering index) is a quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reveal the colors of various objects. This index compares the artificial light source to that of a natural light source. A higher CRI means better colour rendition. However, with a 90+ CRI, you get a higher quality light but lose about 15% of light output in comparison to the 80+ CRI option that we offer.

• [20] - Which dimmer should I use with a low voltage MR16 fixture?

  For a Contraste housing with a magnetic transformer, use a magnetic low voltage dimmer (MLV). For a housing with an electronic transformer, either use a magnetic low voltage (MLV) or an electronic low voltage dimmer (ELV).

• [21] - Which dimmer is recommended with URBAÏ products ?

  You can find a list of compatible dimmers at https://www.contrastlighting.com/Publication/Dimmer/DIM_Urbai_EN.pdf

• [22] - Which dimmer is recommended with ARDITO products ?

  You can find a list of compatible dimmers with ARDITO products at:

  • Performance 1 / ELV only, 2-1/2" : Suggested_dimmerlist_ARDITO_2,5.pdf
  • Performance 1 / ELV only, 3-1/2" & 4" : Suggested_dimmerlist_ARDITO_3,54_P1.pdf
  • Performance 2 / ELV only, 3-1/2" & 4" : Suggested_dimmerlist_ARDITO_3,54_P2.pdf
• [23] - Why is a clear lens always supplied with each trim?

  The purpose of the clear lens is to prevent any fragment or debris to fall out of the fixture in the event a halogen lamp explodes at the end of its life. However, it's important to remove this lens when using an LED lamp as it will block heat dissipation and will shorten the LED lamp’s life.

• [24] - How many light fixtures can I put on one dimmer?

  The number of lights that you can place on one specific dimmer is usually mentioned on the installation instructions of the dimmer that you want to use. Please refer to those installation instructions.

• [25] - What is color temperature?

  The color temperature is a rating that measures how warm or cool the light from a specific source is. It is mesured in Kelvin (K). The higher the kelvin temperature is, the whiter the light color will be.

  Caution: Higher color temperatures are often referred to as being cold. Lower color temperatures are referred to as being warm.

• [27] - Can Contraste recessed fixtures be installed in walls or floors?

  No, Contraste fixtures are not certified nor approved for installation in walls or floors.

• [28] - What can I do if the hole on my ceiling is bigger than the specified cut out hole for the fixture?

  In this case, we would advise you to use a goof ring. The goof ring has an inner diameter to match the needed ceiling cut out and the outer diameter to cover the hole. Goof rings come in different sizes and colors to match the trim.

• [29] - Are Contraste housings fire rated?

  None of Contraste housings are fire rated. However, Contraste offers fire rated barriers in two different sizes to accomodate all New Construction and Remodel housings. Please note that these fire rated barriers are built and certified by a third party manufacturer.

• [30] - How many lenses can I put in a trim?

  Most of our trims will allow for one lens only. There are some exceptions to that, for example: 3,5" and 4" Ardito trims will accept up to 2 lenses. The majority of our Classic/Evolution trims for MR16 lamps will accept up to three lenses.

• [31] - Can Contraste fixtures be used in a sloped ceiling?

  Our fixtures can be used in sloped 7-12 ceiling, or up to 30° angle. We recommend going with a directional trim in those cases, so that you can still use it as a downlight.

• [32] - Do you carry parts?

  Yes, we provide replacement parts for all Contaste Lighting recessed lights.

• [33] - One of my LED light does not work, is it burned out?

  The heart of an LED fixture like the Urbaï series is the LED module and the drive located in the housing. Simply swap the non-working LED module with a working one, If the non-working LED works in another housing, this means the driver is defective, otherwise, the LED module needs to be replaced.

• [34] - What type of dimmer should I use with an LED fixture?

  Contraste recommend to use Electronic Low Voltage Dimmer (ELV) with all LED fixtures, to help guide consumers, Contraste provides a list of compatible suggested dimmers available in the Documentation tab on ARDITO and URBAÏ product pages. 

• [35] - Can I replace a MR16 halogen lamp with a MR16 LED in my existing fixture?

  Yes, you can but make sure to follow our recommendation to have the best results. Read other FAQ for low voltage MR16 lamps.

• [37] - I changed my MR16 halogen lamp for MR16 dimmable LED. What type of dimmer should I use?

  If the Contrast housing you have has a magnetic transformer, make sure to use a magnetic low voltage dimmer (MLV). If the Contraste housing has an electronic transformer, you can use either a magnetic low voltage or an electronic low voltage dimmer (ELV).

• [38] - Where can I get a fixture drawing?

  All Contraste fixture drawings are provided in the Technical Sheet of the product. This document can be found in the Documentation tab of the product's web page.

• [39] - What is the ECO2LED product line?

  The ECO2LED product line is an integrated LED luminaire series that is now discontinued and replaced with the URBAÏ Series.

• [40] - What are the differences between the two versions of Profilux?

  The newer version of Profilux offers a higher luminous flux, the LED projector is slightly larger in size and the edge finish is more square. The junction box is now blue and a few millimeters larger. Also, the spring supports are now cast into the base of the projector rather than screwed in. 

• [41] - How many lenses can be used with ARDITO LED fixtures?

  For the ARDITO 2.5", only one lens can be used. For 3.5" and 4" ARDITO trims, up to two lenses can be installed in a single LED projector.

• [42] - Can I replace a lens of an ARDITO LED module in the field?

  Yes, it's possible. Simply remove the 2 screws to disassemble the heatsink from the base and replace the lens. More details in the installation guide of 3.5" and 4" ARDITO trims on page 7.

• [43] - Where do I find specification sheets and brochures of Contraste Lighting products?

  Once you have reached the web page of the product, scroll down and click on the "Documentation" tab. There you will have access to download all documents regarding your specific product (Brochure, Technical Sheet, IES files, Installations Guide)

• [44] - What mounting plates can I use with the Circulux series?

  With CIRG40 use plate P4RN or P4RNW. Unfortunately, for the CIRG20 and CIRG30 no mounting plates are available.

• [45] - Does Contraste produce lighting reports?

  No, Contraste does not but we provide photometric data for all LED fixtures (like ARDITO and URBAÏ). Photometric data will be required for a lighting designer to produce a lighting report and simulation.

  You can find the photometric data here.

• [46] - Does Contraste provide photometric data for the Classic and Evolution LED series?

  Contraste does not and cannot give any photometric data for the Classic, Evolution and Priori series. Simply because the light source (lamp) is not included in these products. They are suitable for various lamp types (MR16, PAR16. GU10, PAR20) available on the market. Photometric data will depend on the lamp chosen to be used with your light fixture.

• [47] - Does Contraste offer an emergency lighting option with their LED products?

  Yes, some of our LED fixture series offer the Emergency Lighting options with the New Construction housing type. This option is available with the ARDITO, Hexaled and URBAÏ series. It is possible to install a separate lighting emergency device available on the market if you are using any of our other products. Please contact Technical Support if you have more questions.

• [48] - Does Contraste offer a Warm Dim LED fixture?

  Contraste offers a warm dimming option with ARDITO, Modul-Aim and URBAÏ series.

• [49] - What is Warm dimming?

  Warm dimming is an LED light source which changes its colour temperature as it dims down, from 3050K (relatively cool) down to 1800K (relatively warm). This mimics an incandescent or halogen lamp whose color temperature changes naturally while dimming.

• [50] - Is it possible to replace a transformer without damaging the ceiling?

  Yes, it's possible. For Insulated and New Contruction housing types, once the trim and lamp have been removed, the pot (can) can be taken out of the ceiling giving access to transformer. For a remodel housing type, we suggest you replace the complete housing as it is easier and faster to do so.

• [51] - Which dimmers are Contraste LED fixtures compatible with ?

  Contraste did test a variety of dimmers with our LED fixtures but not with complete dimming systems such as Control4, Crestron, Lutron Homeworks, LeGrand dimming systems. Each of these provide various types of controls and power modules. We recommend to use an electronic low voltage control or module which dims in reverse phase (trailing edge) to get best results.

• [52] - What type of ceiling framing are Contraste Lighting housings designed for?

  Contraste housing are designed to be attached to wood joists or suspended ceiling T-bars. They can still be attached to metal framing with a self taping screw.

• [53] - Are Contraste's trims compatible with other manufacturer's housings?

  No, certification of Contraste recessed luminaire is based on combination of a Contraste trim and a Contraste housing. Using a Contraste trim in another manufacturer housing or vice versa will void certification and warranty of the product.

• [54] - What kind of protection does a Marine Grade treatment provide?

  The marine grade treatment is a galvanization process done prior to the paint powder coat finish. It increases resistance to rust in high level humidity locations.

• [55] - Does Contraste provide products that can be installed in a steam room or a sauna?

  At this time, Contraste does not offer any products that meet these applications.

• [75] - What type of LED lamp do you recommend for a MR16 fixture with a magnetic transformer?

  Make sure to use an LED lamp that is compatible with a magnetic transformer. Not all MR16 LED lamps offered in the market will work properly with a magnetic transformer. An incompatibility could lead to premature failure of the lamp or the transformer. Ask your lamp manufacturer for details about the lamp.