Lighting Systems
Cut Your Lighting Energy Bill in Half.
Fluorescent and HID lighting systems were designed around the technology available when they were installed. That technology is now significantly outpaced by LED — in energy efficiency, lamp life, light quality, and maintenance costs. Every month a commercial building continues running older fixtures is a month of higher utility bills and ongoing lamp and ballast replacement costs that LED eliminates entirely.
Loch Monster Electric manages the full retrofit process across the Twin Cities Metro — fixture selection, installation, and rebate documentation for utility services— so you capture the energy savings and the available incentives without having to coordinate multiple vendors.
When Do You Need
Fluorescent and HID fixtures do not fail all at once — they degrade gradually. Lamps dim before they burn out, ballasts start cycling and humming before they fail completely, and the light output of a fixture running aging lamps is often significantly lower than what the fixture was originally rated for. By the time fixtures are failing regularly, the system has typically been running below specification for some time. A full LED retrofit replaces the degrading components with fixtures that carry rated lifespans of 50,000 to 100,000 hours, eliminating the recurring cost of lamp and ballast replacements for years. The payback period on most commercial LED retrofits is two to four years through energy savings and eliminated maintenance alone.
LED fixtures draw 40 to 60 percent less power than the fluorescent or HID systems they replace, delivering the same or better light levels at a fraction of the energy cost. For a commercial building running lights 10 to 12 hours a day, that reduction shows up on every utility bill from the day the retrofit is complete. Utility services may offer commercial LED rebates that offset a meaningful portion of the upfront project cost. We document all replaced fixtures, calculate the qualifying wattage reduction, and prepare the rebate application so you receive every dollar the program makes available — without having to navigate the paperwork yourself.
Magnetic ballasts in older fluorescent fixtures operate at 60 Hz — the same frequency as the AC power supply — which produces a flicker that is below the threshold of direct perception but affects visual comfort over the course of a workday. Failing ballasts and aging tubes make this worse, and the color rendering of older fluorescent technology shifts as lamps age, making spaces look dingier than they actually are. Modern LED fixtures eliminate ballast-driven flicker entirely and maintain consistent, high color-rendering-index light output across the full rated life of the fixture. For workplaces where visual comfort and accurate color matter — offices, retail, food service, medical — the difference is noticeable immediately after installation.
Want An Led Retrofit?
Who We Are
Time And Materials Pricing—So You Only Pay For What Your Job Actually Needs.
Licensed And Insured Electricians Who Treat Your Home Or Building With Respect
Clear Communication—We'll Walk You Through What We're Doing And Why
Local Folks Who Care About Doing Things The Right Way—Not Just The Fast Way
LED fixtures typically use 60 to 75 percent less energy than the fluorescent or HID systems they replace. For a business running lights 10 to 12 hours a day, the payback period on most commercial LED retrofits is two to four years. After that, the savings are ongoing. We have done retrofits in Minneapolis and St. Paul where the monthly utility savings were significant enough that the project paid for itself well ahead of schedule.
We start with the layout, making sure fixture placement delivers even distribution for the way the space is actually used. Then we run circuits, install fixtures, connect controls, and test everything. For large spaces like warehouses or open offices, we coordinate with the GC if the space is under construction. We pull all permits and coordinate inspections.
Yes, in most municipalities. Outdoor commercial lighting typically requires an electrical permit and sometimes a site plan review depending on the city. We pull the permits, handle the conduit and underground work if needed, and coordinate the inspection. We work regularly in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs where the permit requirements vary by city.
Yes. Occupancy sensors and daylight controls are one of the fastest ways to reduce lighting energy costs without replacing all the fixtures. We retrofit controls into existing systems and also specify them for new installations. For large commercial spaces, smart lighting controls can cut lighting energy use by an additional 30 to 50 percent beyond just switching to LED.
Minnesota follows the National Electrical Code with state amendments, and lighting requirements have changed significantly over the past decade. Emergency egress lighting, exit signs, and lighting in certain commercial occupancy types have specific requirements. If your building has not had an electrical inspection recently or you are changing the occupancy, we can walk through your current setup and flag anything that needs updating.
Why Choose Us
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GOOGLEOur Electrical Services
From panel upgrades and rewiring to EV chargers and modern lighting, we help homeowners keep their electrical systems safe, reliable, and ready for their unique life inside.
From office buildouts and lighting retrofits to panel upgrades and code compliance, we keep your business powered and protected.
We work with HOAs and property managers to keep common areas, amenities, and residential units safe and up to code.
Where We Work
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READ MOREStep into an older home in Stillwater, Baldwin, or Marine on St. Croix, and you can feel the history the moment you walk through the door. The original hardwood floors creak in familiar places, the trim work has character you just can’t find in new construction, and the wide front porch invites you to sit and watch the neighborhood go by. These homes carry stories — families raised, holidays celebrated, and generations of life lived within their walls.
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