In the last few years, there has been a proliferation of compact fluorescent light bulbs in the market. You can get a compact fluorescent light bulb in an enormous array of shapes, sizes, wattages, colors and for many different applications. A CFL Light Bulb can come in a standard base which is the most common size. A standard base CFL bulb has a screw in base and is typically used in light fixtures and lamps. In a standard or medium base (E26), you can get compact fluorescent light bulbs of a wide range of wattages from a 5W (15-25W incandescent equivalent) to over 25W (75w-100W incandescent equivalent). The CFL bulbs can come in different shapes such as spirals, torpedos and candles for decorative use such chandeliers and sconces, capsules or A lamps typically used in lamps and globes which are commonly found in open bathroom vanity fixtures. CFL bulbs have also evolved to provide dimmable functions and can work with most dimming switches. Three-way CFL Bulbs are now available that will produce three levels of light when used in a lamp socket with a three-way switch.
CFL bulbs are come in wide spectrum of colors ranging from a warm color (2700 Kelvin color temperature) to Daylight CFL bulbs that have a color temperature of at least 5000 degrees Kelvin, which produces a very white daylight-like light. Also available are Colored CFL Bulbs, commonly found in yellow and pink color. Soft pink colored bulbs can be found in restaurants and restrooms as they product a soft pleasant color and therefore enhance the look of objects in a room. A bulb producing yellow light is difficult for many flying insects to see and therefore is appropriate for use where people gather.
One of the most common type standard bulbs around, reflector bulbs are used in recessed lights which are enormously popular in homes and commercial application such as hotels, restaurants and apartment buildings. Reflectors or R-lamps are predominantly the incandescent type and found in the 40-100 watt range. CFL Reflectors draw a fraction of the power of the incandescent equivalents and therefore can save enormous amounts of energy. CFL Reflector bulbs come in various sizes to suit specific needs. Dimmable CFL Reflectors, wet location, outdoor, cold weather and dark sky variations are now available.
CFL Candelabra base bulbs also have a screw in base but have a smaller footprint than a standard base. They are typically used in decorative wall sconces, some ceiling fan fixtures, and chandeliers.
Another type of a base for Compact Fluorescent Light is the GU24. CFL GU24 light bulbs have two spikes projecting from the base instead of the usual screw in base. These spikes insert into corresponding holes in the fixture’s socket and you twist the bulb to lock it into place. GU24 bulbs don’t require a separate ballast in that they are self-ballasted. However, you can easily replace the ballast portion of a GU24 bulb.
GU10 base compact fluorescent bulbs have a similar configuration to the Gu24 in that they have the two protruding pikes that insert into corresponding holes in the socket. GU10 base bulbs are typically halogen reflector lamps.
A Mogul base Compact fluorescent Light bulb (E39) has a screw in base but is different in size than a standard medium size (E26) base. Mogul base bulbs work in specific light fixtures and the bulbs tend to be higher in wattage.
Pin Base Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs as their name suggests, have pins for a base which plug into a socket, as opposed to screwing into a socket with screw in base bulbs. Compact Pin Based Fluorescent Lights are much smaller than the Fluorescent Tube bulb variety. Pin Base bulbs typically come in bi pin or 4 pin configurations. They come in various shapes e.g. quads, spirals, triples and twins. Pin Base light bulbs require ballast for operation. The main difference between screw in CFL bulbs and Pin base CFL bulbs is that the latter is designed more for dedicated fixtures.
We had an electrician come to our house and mention that using compact fluorescent bulbs could damage a home’s electrical system. I doubt it, but I wanted to find out if anybody has some evidence proving that they do cause damage?
There are a plethora of lighting options for inside your business. Having the right commercial light bulbs for the job is vital to the performance and functionality of the lamp. Not only do you need to have the proper fixtures for your commercial lighting needs, but you will also need to equip those lamps with the right commercial light bulbs to maximize energy efficiency and longevity of the lamp. The type of light chosen will be based upon the lamps purpose and whether or not you will need brightness or better color rendering over energy cost savings. Because your bottom line is important, you will want the most energy efficient bulbs you can find for your residential lighting project.
Fixtures are only one half of the lighting equation; the other is what goes in that lamp. The efficiency, or lack thereof, for the light is based upon the amount of light it produces in proportion to the electricity it draws. One of the easiest ways to control this is with an energy efficient commercial light bulb. Often, these have a more expensive initial cost than less efficient bulbs, but the saving on your electric bills will more than pay for the light over the course of its life. Incandescent bulbs are usually the cheapest to purchase, costing merely pennies a piece, but they are the least efficient lights to have. The reason is that unlike other bulbs, incandescent or halogen light bulbs produce heat when they are lit. Both heat and light are forms of energy, and the more energy the light uses to generate heat, the less it is using to effectively produce light.
There are several options for energy efficient commercial light bulbs which will vary depending upon their application. The most commonly seen for indoor lighting are fluorescent bulbs. There are two main types: tubes and compact. Compact fluorescent lights can replace incandescent in the same fixtures, requiring just a simple twist of the wrist to install them. Tube lights need fixtures with ballasts in them, but once the fixtures are in place, replacing the bulbs are easy. These have come a long way from their reviled ancestors of thirty years ago. Then, fluorescent commercial light bulbs were fraught with problems. They were blamed for making people under them look colorless or “washed out”. Due to the antiquated ballasts in them, they would often have troubles with flickering and humming. This would create tension and stress for employees working under them. Today, color from these is truer and the ballasts no longer allow for the flickering and humming of the past.
Other types of indoor commercial light bulbs include halogen lights and 10,000 hour light bulbs. These two operate in the same way that incandescent do, in fact, many 10,000 hour lights are incandescent bulbs. Halogen lights unlike incandescent are more efficient because they have a longer life. This is due to action of the filament regenerating every time the bulb is lit. Caution should be taken with halogen light bulbs and lamps, though. These can burn extremely hot, and the heat output could be problematic, especially if they are near an air conditioner thermostat or room thermometer. In those places, cooler fluorescents should be used.
If you are unsure about the type of commercial light bulbs you need for your business in order to have the best in cost savings with the most effective lighting, ask an expert. Light retailers often have an experienced electrician on staff for answering customers’ inquiries.
e you hadn’t noticed, the “Green Movement” is taking hold. More and more people are realizing that we, as individuals, need to do something about pollution, and we need to start now.
The problem is that with all the media hype, most people think it’s too hard a job to go green. In truth, there are literally thousands of easy ways to go green. One of the most cost efficient and easiest ways to go green is to switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s).
History of Early Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Not many people realize that fluorescent light bulbs have been around since the 1800’s. In the 1970’s, General Electric improved the design, but found it was too expensive to build factories to mass produce the bulbs. The use of these bulbs was generally limited to office buildings, garages and under the kitchen cabinets.
In addition, the light they gave off was not of the quality we expected from an incandescent light bulb. The shape also restricted their use to a fixture that would allow the use of a long tubular bulb. They could not be easily used in table lamps, desk lamps or floor lamps.
Another factor that limited their use was that they often flickered and made an annoying humming noise.
In recent years, all that has changed. Improvements in the bulbs, especially with the development of the electronic ballast, have eliminated most of the negative features that made them less popular in the past.
The Pros of Compact Fluorescent Lamp, (CFL’S)
Listed here are some of the positive reasons to switch to CFL’s:
1. CFL’s now are shaped to fit nearly all our light fixtures.
2. The light they give off is comparable to traditional light bulbs.
3. They use 75-80% less electricity then traditional light bulbs.
4. A 60w standard bulb can be replaced with a 13-15w CFL Bulb to give the same amount of light.
5. The CFL bulbs last ten times longer. The average life span of a CFL is ten times longer than that of a standard light bulb.
6. Using CFL’s will keep a half ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the lifetime of the bulb.
7. The CFL bulb is less hot to touch, so is easier to change if it had been lit.
8. There will be eight less incandescent light bulbs that find their way into landfills if CFL’s are used.
9. CFL’s now come in many designs and can be used for many different applications.
10. The installation of CFL’s can earn a discount with some utility companies.
The Cons of Modern Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, (CFL’S)
As with anything, there are some negative features to these bulbs that should be taken into consideration when you decide to make the switch.
1. CFL’s have a higher initial cost.
2. CFL’s do not work well in places where the light is switched on and off frequently. This will reduce the life span of the bulb.
3. Not all CFL’ can be used with dimmer switches. Special bulbs are required for this application. Again the life of the bulb will be shortened.
4. Some timer mechanisms are incompatible with CFL’s.
5. Not all bulbs are suitable for outdoor use. Low temperatures may reduce light levels.
6. CFL’s contain a small amount of mercury which is toxic. Mercury vapor can be released if the bulb is broken.
7. Bulbs of inferior quality are showing up on the store shelves and may not be of high quality and will not last as long.
Despite the negatives, CFL’s have become extremely popular in the last several years.
Benefits of CFL’s
Replacing one 60 watt standard bulb with a 15-w CFL will save you more than $40 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb if you use it 6 hours a day. Add to that less trips to the store, and less money spent on replacement bulbs, the savings are significant.
Multiply that times the number of light bulbs you have in your home and you could realize a significant savings in both money and energy consumption.
Some states require that burned out CFL’s be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility (the preferred method of disposal) while most municipalities allow them to be disposed of in regular trash. Stores like Home Depot and Ikea are offering easy recycling for CFL’s.
CFL’s do contain a small amount of mercury and opponents to these bulb cite that as a major drawback. One should just remember to never incinerate these type bulbs. This will disperse the mercury into the atmosphere.
Conclusion
The benefits of CFL’s have become evident in terms of the amount of energy saved and the amount of green house gasses that are not being pumped into the atmosphere. If everyone in the US used CFL’s we could retire 90 average size power plants.
In an effort to reduce greenhouse gasses, Australia and Canada have already banned the use of incandescent bulbs and the United States has passed legislation that is phasing out the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs and will ban them entirely by the year 2012.
Replacing energy-hogging incandescent bulbs with energy-saving fluorescents (CFLs) is a simple, effective way to slow the rate of global climate change while saving money. It’s good for the environment, it’s economical, it’s efficient, and it’s easy.
Kitchen light has two fluorescent light tubes and has now developed a very irritating loud humming or buzzing sound. It is not flickering,
What is the difference between this 2? Are the ones that we buy at supermarkets the normal ones and if so, how much do the Full Spectrum Fluorescent lights cost (with casing/holder)?
Proper lighting is one of the most important factors for the success of your reef tank. Reef tanks contain corals, and corals are photosensitive. These beautifully colored aquatic animals require light to thrive in their own habitat. Naturally, they absorb the sunrays that enter into the water. Hence, the lighting arrangement you provide must at least try to replicate their natural environment. Then, esthetics comes into play too. Without the right kind of lighting, you will not be able to do proper justice to the inhabitants of your reef tank.
The first thing to consider about lighting up reef tanks is how much light you will be needing. The amount of light depends in a major way on the types of corals you are using in the tank. If your corals are photosensitive, then you will certainly need more light. Photosensitive corals can even die in the absence of proper lighting. Reef lighting must be ideally 4 to 6 watts per gallon if the tank houses mostly low light sensitivity coral, but it must be up to 10 watts per gallon if the coral is highly light sensitive. At the same time, the depth of the tank is also to be taken into account. Since all kinds of aquarium reef lighting are placed on top of the tank, their intensity will decrease as the light travels downwards. That is why taller reef tanks must have more intense lights than the squat ones.
The most popular kinds of lighting available for reef tanks are the fluorescent tubes. The VHO (Very High Output) fluorescent tubes are the most commonly used. These tubes produce light that is very close to natural light, and hence they are well suited to reef tanks. They produce very good intensities too (110 watts per 4 feet), which make them an economical choice. The VHO fluorescent tubes spread the light very evenly within the tank, which is good for temperature distribution. VHO fluorescent tubes are available in two natural colors - the full spectrum white (also known as the daylight tubes) that imitates sunlight and the actinic blue that closely resembles the bluish color of the ocean bottom. It is a good idea to buy a reef light that is a mixture of 50% of spectrum and 50% of actinic blue (such mixture lights are available).
For those who do not mind spending a few extra dollars on their reef tank lighting, the power compact fluorescent lights are the best options. These are fluorescent tubes that are bent several times and attached to a power source from only one end. The advantage of these lights is that they occupy a very small space within the tank, but give better light than the VHO fluorescent lights do. A 55-watt power compact fluorescent light will produce as much light as a 95 watt VHO fluorescent light. They are also power saving, and work for a very long time.
Another option is to go for the metal halide lights. Metal halide lights are good at throwing light in the reef tank, but they are not good for distributing light within the tank. Due to this reason, the tank can get hot due to inadequate temperature distribution. However, metal halide lights are good for prohibiting the growth of algae within the tank. The metal halide lights are the cheapest among the different form of reef lighting.
Energy-efficient T8/bi-pin LED lighting tubes are the latest fluorescent-replacement LED lighting products LEDtronics® announces in its green-technology lineup. The series LED48T8-288-001W bi-pin LED fits into standard G13 bases and is designed to directly replace conventional T8 fluorescent tubes that provide general lighting for commercial, residential and architectural lighting applications. The 48″ long white tubes provide the equivalent light output of 24 to 32-watt fluorescent lamps while consuming less than a maximum of 19 watts. In addition, the LED48T8 tubes run on a wide voltage range of 100 to 290 volts AC.
When it comes to rated life, the LEDtronics series LED48T8 really shines. While conventional fluorescent lamps typically have a rated life in the range 8,000 to 24,000 hours, the LED48T8 lamps boast an operating life of 50,000 hours and more — 5.7 years of continuous light. Furthermore, since the LED lights produce so little wasted heat, the temperature inside the fixture does not build up as it does with conventional fluorescent tubes. The sturdy construction of a UV-resistant polycarbonate housing over the LED tube provides increased protection (no glass to break) and shielding against many environmental effects, allowing them to be placed in locations where typical lights would be more vulnerable to the elements. In addition, LEDs perform well in temperatures from -35C° to +45C°, making them ideal for applications subject to frequent on-off cycling, such as garages and basements, while the aluminum back cover helps with better heat dissipation and a longer lifetime for the LEDs.
The LEDtronics LED48T8 lights deliver up to 1,342 lumens at a color temperature of 5000K (pure daylight white) and 1,072 lumens at a color temperature of 3000K (warm white), compared to the average 810 lumens for equivalent conventional fluorescent tubes. They provide a brightness of up to 429 maximum foot candela across a 114-degree beam pattern, with an impressive CRI of 80.
Other benefits of LEDs over fluorescents include: Quick and easy installation to minimize retrofit costs; no ballast and starter needed, thus no radio frequency to interfere with radio and television signals; instant, full-strength lightup; no buzzing or flickering; and directional distribution of light—good for interior task lighting.
Solid-state design renders LEDs impervious to shock, vibration, frequent switching and environmental extremes. Savings from reduced maintenance costs and downtime quickly return the capital investment expenditure, making them as friendly to the environment as they are to the operating budget. The positive environmental impacts of LED lights additionally come from the consistent, reduced power consumption, long service life, high-quality light, and cold temperature operation, with the corresponding reduction in greenhouse gases and the reduced waste from fewer replacements. Unlike conventional fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are not disposed of as hazardous waste at end of life.
The LEDtronics LED48T8 tubes comply with RoHS—the lead-free and mercury-free directive, as well as the CE safety assurance. They emit no infrared or ultraviolet radiation, and effectively reduce light pollution, being compatible with the international “dark skies” initiative.
The LED48T8-288-001W Premium 4-ft (1200mm) Tube Lights come in two colors: Warm White (SIW) and Pure Daylight White (TPW). Other viewing angles, tube lengths and a variety of LED colors are available for OEM customers. Large-quantity discounts are available for qualified distributors. Availability is stock to 6 weeks.
About LEDtronics®
Founded in 1983, LEDtronics leads where others only follow when it comes to designing, manufacturing and packaging state-of-the-art LEDs to meet the world’s constantly changing lighting needs. Our inventive product line encompasses an array of direct incandescent lamp replacement Based LEDs, low-cost snap-in and relampable Panel Mount LEDs, high intensity sunlight-visible Discrete LEDs, PCB LEDs circuit board status indicators, surface mount diodes SMT LEDs, full-spectrum rainbow RGB LEDs and Infra-Red (IR) LEDs.
For additional information on how to incorporate fluorescent-replacement, energy-saving LED48T8 tubes into your architectural lighting designs, contact LEDtronics toll free at 1-800-579-4875, telephone 310-534-1505, fax at 310-534-1424, email us at webmaster@ledtronics.com or postal mail at LEDtronics, Inc., 23105 Kashiwa Court, Torrance, CA 90505.
For more details, the direct web link to the Premium LED Tube LED48T8-288-xxW-001W is:
http://www.ledtronics.com/products/ProductsDetails.aspx?WP=C0K768
This is a video I made for one of my favorite cover songs. It is performed originally by Deerhunter, and here by Jay Reatard.
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