The ANSI/PLATO FL 1 Standard has always been about giving manufacturers, retailers and consumers a consistent way to understand and compare portable lighting performance. But the numbers printed on a package are only as reliable as the testing behind them.
That makes laboratory practices and data integrity an important part of implementing ANSI/PLATO FL 1-2025.
While many of the familiar testing methods remain unchanged, the 2025 revision introduces new or revised procedures in several important areas, including Short-Duration Elevated Brightness (SDEB), dust ingress testing and IPX8 submersible testing.
First, what hasn’t changed?
For lighting modes that are not short-duration elevated brightness modes, the fundamental testing approach remains the same. Measurements for Peak Beam Intensity, Beam Distance and Light Output continue to be taken between 30 seconds and two minutes after the light is activated. Runtime begins with the output measured at 30 seconds and continues until the light reaches 10 percent of that initial value.
That means testing conducted on those products before the release of the 2025 standard is generally performed the same way today.
Where things change is when a product offers a short-duration boost or elevated-brightness mode.
SDEB requires a different approach
Short-Duration Elevated Brightness is designed to address products that produce a very high level of output for a relatively brief period.
Under FL 1-2025, Peak Beam Intensity, Beam Distance and Light Output measurements for an SDEB mode are taken between one and 10 seconds after activation.
Runtime is also calculated differently. The test begins when the light is switched on and continues until output reaches 90 percent of the maximum value measured during that one-to-10-second interval.
For example, if the maximum measured output during that initial interval is 1,000 lux, runtime ends when output reaches 900 lux.
That change creates some practical challenges in the laboratory—particularly when measuring light output with an integrating sphere.
In a 4π configuration, technicians may need to turn on the light, close the sphere and begin measurements within that 10-second window. Software can also take longer than 10 seconds to automatically determine the appropriate integration time. ANSI PLATO FL1-2025 – Testing_0…
There are ways to address those challenges. Laboratories can consider a 2π measurement configuration, which keeps the sample outside the sphere and can simplify activation and measurement. Labs can also determine the appropriate integration time in advance, then recharge or replace the batteries before conducting the actual measurement. The takeaway is simple: SDEB testing requires preparation, coordination and repeatable procedures.
Dust testing is now part of FL 1
Another significant addition to the 2025 standard is dust ingress testing.
While the FL 1 Standard has long incorporated IP water testing, the latest revision adds dust testing based on the framework established in IEC 60529.
Under the approach adopted for FL 1-2025, the product is operated at its highest non-SDEB light output setting for five minutes and then turned off before testing begins. As the device naturally cools, it creates the pressure differential used as part of the test rather than requiring a hole to be drilled into the device to apply a vacuum.
IPX8 testing has changed, too
FL 1-2025 also revises the procedure for products making an IPX8 submersible claim.
The previous four-hour testing requirement has been changed to 30 minutes or longer at the manufacturer’s stated depth and time, with conditions that must be more severe than those used for IPX7 waterproof testing.
This gives manufacturers greater flexibility while still requiring that the performance claim be supported by meaningful testing.
Does your lab need to be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited?
Not necessarily.
ISO/IEC 17025 establishes requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation provides independent evidence that a laboratory has the systems, equipment, training and processes necessary to generate valid results.
But a laboratory does not have to be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited to produce accurate test results.
An internal laboratory can establish its own policies and procedures to ensure personnel are properly trained, equipment is appropriate and calibrations are traceable. Accreditation provides additional independent assurance that those practices are in place and being followed. Accredited laboratories are also required to demonstrate the validity of results for standards within their accreditation scope, including through proficiency testing or comparisons with other laboratories.
Good data starts with good laboratory practices
Whether testing is performed internally or by an independent laboratory, several fundamentals matter.
Calibration matters. Integrating sphere calibration can drift over time, and electrical and mechanical equipment should be calibrated regularly. When possible, calibration should be performed by an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited calibration laboratory.
Documented procedures matter. Detailed standard operating procedures and work instructions help ensure that testing can be performed consistently—not just by the person who developed the procedure, but by the next technician as well.
Training matters. Laboratory personnel need to understand not only the procedures, but the nuances behind measurements such as SDEB and integrating-sphere calibration. Having staff follow established SOPs can also reveal unclear instructions that need to be improved.
Ultimately, the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 Standard is about credible, repeatable and meaningful performance information.
The 2025 revision gives the portable lighting industry updated tools for testing today’s products. Manufacturers and laboratories now have an equally important responsibility: making sure the processes behind those numbers are every bit as reliable as the claims consumers see on the package.