Economical energy costs became the decisive factor that allowed fluorescent lamps of all varieties to enter people's everyday lives. Due to the unusually bright glow of the phosphor, they emit much more light than their predecessors - halogen and incandescent lamps. The wide range has allowed us to gain a strong foothold in all areas of life, and the unique structure has proven itself well in terms of service life.
By using different types of phosphors, it is possible to select a comfortable glow color. In incandescent lamps, a metal spiral, when heated, emits light at a temperature of 3000 K, it has a strong shift to yellow. Not every person likes this, so with the advent of fluorescent lamps, the classic tungsten filament became history for this reason.
Expert opinion
Alexey Bartosh
Specialist in repair and maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.
Ask a question to an expertNote! Depending on the composition of the phosphor, the color can range from yellow to blue. This allows you to significantly expand the range of applications of ESL and make the light comfortable for everyone.
Incandescent lamps had a disadvantage - due to their low efficiency, most of the electricity was converted into heat. For small, cold rooms, medium-power lamps served as a secondary heat source. But high temperature implies a fire hazard, so it was impossible to use them in closed floor lamps and rooms with flammable substances. Fluorescent energy-saving lamps have a comparatively higher efficiency; in combination with a high-quality phosphor, they can produce the same amount of light as. Shows an excellent lm/W ratio.
The working part of a modern fluorescent lamp is a sealed glass bulb, which is filled with mercury vapor under low pressure. From the side of the base, two different electrodes are inserted into it, between which, during startup, a high-power electric arc discharge is formed. Mercury gas emits ultraviolet light, invisible to the human eye. To obtain light, the inner walls of the glass flask are treated with a thin layer of phosphor, which glows when passed through ultraviolet light.
ESL components In addition to the bulb, the lamp has two more components - a plastic body and a base.
The plastic housing hides and protects the heart of the light bulb - the electronic circuitry that contains all the components to operate the device. It is called an electronic ballast - an electronic ballast, and its quality is the determining factor in the durability of the light bulb, subject to the operating rules. The description of the circuit is as follows:
table of price, power and service life of ESL A completely different structure of the light bulb made it possible to change its durability indicators for the better. The tungsten filament tended to burn out during operation, so over time it became so thin that the next time it was turned on, it simply could not withstand the increase in voltage and broke. The glow of mercury has no time limit, so the service life varies depending on the capabilities of the starting capacitor. Depending on the quality, it is designed for a certain number of starts; if damaged, the light bulb stops lighting, although the other components are fully operational. The long service life of fluorescent lamps is achieved with almost constant operation, without the use of switches.
The enemies of ESL are backlit switches, which cause the lights to blink in the dark at a certain frequency. This is caused by a small current flowing through the switch into the lamp, which is accumulated in the starting capacitor. When a sufficient amount of charge is collected, it tries to fire the electrodes and a brief flash occurs. Frequent starting quickly destroys the light bulb. The latest models were equipped with a high-resistance resistor, which absorbed low current and protected the capacitors from wear.
Important! LED lamps, or led lamps, have a service life of up to 50,000 hours, and they do not care about the number of times they are turned on. Also refers to energy efficient light bulbs.
Advantages:
advantages of ESL Minuses :
environmental friendliness of ESL When used correctly, light bulbs are completely safe for humans and the environment. If the integrity of the glass gas flask is damaged, there is a possibility of air pollution with active mercury vapor, which belongs to the first class of hazardous substances. Household models do not contain such amounts of mercury that can pose a fatal threat to humans, but the symptoms of toxic effects are very unpleasant - nausea, vomiting, fever, inflammation and severe pain in the abdominal area. If these signs appear after the light bulb has broken, it is recommended to go to the hospital to take measures to deactivate the mercury with a special dropper. It is especially important to monitor the health of children and pregnant women; they are highly susceptible to negative influences.
The fragments are collected with a wet cloth in a plastic bag and taken to a hazardous waste disposal point. There, special work is carried out to neutralize mercury vapor, and the remainder is recycled. Such collection points are located at the nearest fire station or management company.
There are two classifications - compact and linear. Compact models use E14, E27 and E40 threaded sockets. The pin sockets include G13, G23, G24, G27 and G53. Linear ones have G5 and G13 connectors.
types of socles Depending on the phosphor used, there are three glow temperatures:
glow temperature Compact fluorescent lamps come in spiral and tubular shapes, linear ones are also called tubular and are marked T5, T8, T10 and T12, which indicates their thickness. The length varies depending on the lamp.
Separation by shape and color of the glow allows you to choose the ideal option for any room (domestic, administrative, workshop) and purpose - plants are grown under some types of ESL and aquariums are installed.
To select a lamp, pay attention to several parameters:
For most ESLs, E27 is the standard base; compact lamps have an E14 base, which is noticeably smaller. The type of base is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, plus it can be distinguished even by eye.
To select the power, the current parameters of the screwed-in incandescent lamp are divided by 4–5. Thus, a hundred watt is equivalently replaced by a profitable fluorescent 20 watt.
Energy-saving lamps include any lighting devices whose light output significantly exceeds the usual “Ilyich bulbs”. They have a higher efficiency, consuming 1 unit. luminous flux is almost 5 times less electricity (the lion's share of energy is spent on glow, while losses due to heat generation and other physical losses are minimized), and a longer service life.
Energy-saving lamps vary depending on the type of base, cost, principle of operation, emitted spectrum, as well as shape and dimensions.
Energy-saving light bulbs, depending on the principle of operation, are divided into:
— fluorescent lamps: linear and compact types;
- LED bulbs.
Fluorescent lamps
Fluorescent lamps were developed a long time ago, but they did not become widespread due to their specific shape. They were made in the form of tubes of different lengths, which required special lamps and also caused inconvenience during their installation or replacement. Compact fluorescent lamps can replace incandescent lamps and be used in standard lighting fixtures.
A fluorescent lamp consists of 3 elements:
- base;
— ballast;
— a luminescent flask, inside of which there are vapors of mercury and argon, and a phosphor is applied to the inner surface.
Electromagnetic radiation is generated by the ballast, and electrons are released onto the surface of the spiral. When a glow discharge occurs, ultraviolet radiation is formed in mercury vapor. When passing through the phosphor on the surface of the lamp, this radiation is transformed into visible light.
In LED lamps, the light source is LEDs (semiconductor devices that emit light when connected to the network). The main advantage is low power consumption without compromising brightness and light output.
(xtypo_quote) In other words, a 6-W LED lamp will generate the same amount of light as a 60-W incandescent lamp, while using 8 times less power. The manufacturer provides a guaranteed service life of 30-50 thousand hours (20 years of trouble-free operation). (/xtypo_quote)
Their advantage is that they do not create heat during operation: there is no risk of fire, and you can also experiment by creating unique interior lighting. Such lamps do not contain toxic substances, so there is no danger if they are damaged. Moreover, the bases of LED lamps allow them to be mounted in any type of lamps. The glow of LED lamps does not put additional strain on the human eye organs.
Their main disadvantage is cost: they are 2 times more expensive than fluorescent ones. LED lamps are intended for household, industrial and street lighting. LED sources glow predominantly in one direction, making it possible to use them for directional lighting.
In addition to the above areas, LED lamps can be used to illuminate public places, museums, art galleries, corridors, warehouses, elevators, since there is no ultraviolet component in their light spectrum.
Depending on the type of base, compact fluorescent light bulbs are divided into several types:
1. E14 lamps with a 1.4 cm thread. Such devices are usually installed in small household sockets.
2. E27 lamps have a 2.7 cm thread and can be installed in regular size sockets.
3. E40 lamps with a fairly large base diameter due to the presence of a built-in electronic ballast. Lamps with such a base are usually used for lighting industrial areas and construction sites.
4. G23, 2G7, G53, 2D and other models of decorative lamps used in spotlights for illumination.
Sources with sockets E14, E27, E40 are intended for use in household appliances, instead of incandescent lamps. This type of lamps is characterized by significant dimensions, so replacement is not possible for all sizes of lamps.
The next important characteristic is the color of the glow. The human eye perceives different light sources differently. Based on this criterion, the following types of lamps are distinguished depending on the color of the glow:
- warm white;
- neutral white;
- cold white;
- daylight.
Energy-saving lamps differ depending on the size of the bulbs. They can have the following diameter:
Depending on the shape, I distinguish lamps:
— U-shaped;
- in the shape of a spiral.
The high efficiency, practicality and long service life of energy-saving lamps have made them quite popular and the most commonly used type for industrial and residential premises.
Traditional incandescent light bulbs produce more heat than light. For this reason, energy-saving lamps (EL) were created, where electricity is converted into light by 70%. These include compact fluorescent and LED light sources.
ELs consist of glass flasks filled with an inert gas containing mercury vapor. The inside is coated with a phosphor-based phosphor. The EL design is based on a fluorescent lamp, which is a tube with two pins at the ends with connected electrodes to which voltage is applied. The ballast is used to ignite the lamp, after which invisible ultraviolet radiation is generated, from which the coating begins to glow. In EL it is placed in the base. Depending on the composition, the phosphor produces different shades of light: from red to blue.
Compact fluorescent lamps of different colors
Energy saving lamps have the following advantages:
Energy-saving lamps also have disadvantages:
Despite the large number of disadvantages, the advantages significantly prevail.
Fluorescent lamps were invented when the patent system was not yet developed. They were produced without thinking about standards. This was due to the simplicity of the design in the form of a tube with pins. In addition, lamps were used to produce illuminated advertisements, where each product was created individually in the form of images.
Energy-saving lamps also include LED lamps, with which you can create spectacular light images together with CFLs.
Light image from CFL and LED lamps
Over time, manufacturers had to agree to standardize products, which was due to the need to select lamps that matched the electrical wiring and fixtures. Their main characteristics are reflected on the labeling.
The first letter characterizes what colors should be: B – white, D – daylight, U – universal and others.
In international markings, the color rendering index is indicated first, which is divided by 10. The next two numbers indicate color rendering. If this number is 27, then on the Kelvin scale the color temperature is 2700K.
The power, designated by the letter W with a number, determines what area and how intensely the lamp can illuminate.
The characteristics of the bases are conventionally designated as follows: FS – one base, FD – two, FB – with a driver built into the base.
Energy-saving lamps can be selected with or without a starter for smoother switching (RS).
The lamp indicates the mains voltage, which is 127 V or 220 V.
The shape of the bulb is indicated by the markings: 4U - 4-arc, C - candle, S - spiral, R - reflector, G - ball.
Shapes of compact fluorescent lamps
All main characteristics are present on the labeling of any lamp. Only their location may vary among different manufacturers.
The expansion of the use of ELs has made it possible to adapt them to lighting systems that use standard E27 sockets. Use has become extremely simplified; now you can insert energy-saving lamps into a regular threaded socket (picture below, left). Many types of products are made with pin connections (picture below, right).
Types of compact fluorescent lamp bases
For EL, it is often not indicated what its overall dimensions are, so they may not fit into some lamps. Dimensions can be found on the manufacturers' websites.
Energy-saving lamps are used for different voltages: from 12 V to 220 V. When purchasing, you need to carefully check what voltage the lamp is designed for.
In the USA, electronic equipment has 2 classes of electromagnetic radiation: A and B. For class A, its permissible level is much higher; such lamps are not suitable for a residential building. Anyone who cannot identify it by markings can detect the negative effect of the electromagnetic field by jumps in the image on the TV screen when the lamp is turned on.
When you need to choose a lamp for an apartment or house, pay attention to the power, color of radiation, size, and manufacturers.
Energy-saving lamps are produced with a power of 3-90 W. It is still customary to estimate illumination by the power of an incandescent lamp. When you need to select the electric power, it is divided by 5.
Color is an important characteristic and is always indicated on product packaging as follows:
Shades of colors of energy-saving lamps
Increasing the characteristic brings the color of the lamp closer to a blue tint (Fig. above, left), and decreasing it brings it closer to red (right). Before replacing the lighting, you should choose the most comfortable option using one light bulb. Here it is necessary to take into account the interior and type of room (office, apartment, house or workshop).
The first fluorescent lamps found application in lighting enterprises and administrative buildings. They were not suitable for household lighting due to their large size. Manufacturers have been able to reduce the size of products only recently. The tube was bent several times and its diameter was reduced to 12 mm. In addition, the weight of the lamps was reduced, the ballasts were placed in the base, and high-quality phosphors were created. As a result, the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) began to be used in everyday life.
Reducing the tube diameter required changing the composition of the phosphor, which operates under more severe conditions. Rare earth metals began to be added to it, which made the lamps more expensive. To save money, the coating is made in two layers, applying a higher quality composition on top.
The tubes began to be divided into several parallel short sections of smaller diameter or curled in the form of spirals. This increased the radiation surface with smaller dimensions.
Small compact fluorescent lamps
Most CFLs use a standard E27 base and a smaller diameter E14 base for small lamps and sconces. This made it possible to screw them into ordinary incandescent lamp sockets. However, CFLs produce different types of glow. Therefore, they must be selected depending on the type of room:
Lamps should be chosen with different color temperatures and in small quantities so that they better suit the room. After a few days, you can purchase the required number of lamps according to your tastes and needs.
Cheap "housekeepers" are not worth purchasing. In most cases, they do not reach the stated deadlines. It is better to take a lamp from well-known manufacturers with a warranty of 6-36 months. The shape is chosen for aesthetic reasons. U-shaped and spiral-shaped products have proven themselves well.
For a house or apartment with dimmers, you should not purchase energy-saving lamps. During operation, they may fail, for example, the light bulb driver will burn out.
Recently, many new brands have appeared, making it more difficult to decide on the choice of products. The best suppliers are well-known brands that have proven themselves in the market and have positive reviews.
Compact fluorescent lamps manufactured by Philips
The world's best brands fulfill their warranty obligations with proper organization of domestic service. If the EL fails during the warranty period, the faulty lamp can be replaced with a new one completely free of charge, if you keep the box and receipt confirming which store the product was purchased from. You just need to fill out the warranty card correctly, as some stores set a period of no more than two weeks.
During operation of a new lamp, the characteristics initially change somewhat during the first hundred hours. Then the brightness of the glow gradually decreases. On low-quality products, stains and dark deposits quickly appear on the ends of the tubes.
Exceeding or decreasing the temperature of the lamp relative to the nominal one worsens the glow and ignition conditions, which shortens the service life. At a negative ambient temperature, the LL working with the starter begins to start worse. Overheating of the flask more often occurs when working in a closed fitting. In this case, the color of the glow may change and the intensity may drop.
The video below will tell you how to make an LED table lamp from an energy-saving one with your own hands.
Energy-saving lamps from well-known brands allow you to save energy and last for the period declared by the manufacturer, if you follow the operating requirements correctly.
Electricity prices are now such that, willy-nilly, you begin to think about saving. The easiest way to lower your energy bills is to reduce your lighting costs. It is this that “eats” most of the kilowatts in an ordinary apartment or house. We will discuss which lamps are better for the home and according to what parameters in this article.
You can see different lamps on store shelves. Let's take a closer look at those that are installed in private houses and apartments.
Lighting in the house should be cozy, comfortable... preferably economical
The oldest lighting devices are more than a century old. They provide light that is pleasant to the eye, but during operation they get very hot, as they have low efficiency - about 97% of the energy is spent on heat generation. Therefore, lighting using conventional incandescent lamps is expensive. It is for this reason that many decide to replace them with more economical ones, while deciding which lamps are better for the home and for the wallet.
There is another unpleasant property of incandescent lamps - their service life is not very long. On average it is about 1000 -3000 hours. Since the price of these lighting fixtures is low, it is a small burden on the wallet. However, frequent replacement can be nerve-wracking - you have to always have a couple of pieces in stock.
A widespread trend - traditional incandescent lamps are being replaced by more economical ones
It is also worth taking into account that, due to the design features, they are produced only with a screw base, but they operate from a 220 V network and do not require any converters or special devices. Due to the large amount of heat, they are not used for lighting furniture; they are not compatible with all suspended ceilings, and they are not at all friendly with suspended ceilings. In general, this is a classic lighting, but not ideal.
Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp. They differ in that the flask is filled with halogen vapor (most often iodine or bromine), which increases the service life by 2-3 times. The design allows them to be made not only with a screw base, but also with a pin base. Different bulb shapes and the use of reflective coating make it possible to create light sources with different scattering angles. Therefore, at one time, they were widely used as built-in ceilings or furniture.
Halogen incandescent lamps - a more “advanced” option
Since these are also incandescent lamps, they have almost the same disadvantages - significant heat generation. And that's the problem. But the energy consumption is less (about 2-3 times). So they are more economical compared to the classic design. But they have an additional disadvantage - they do not tolerate contaminants on the flask. A fingerprint can cause burnout. Therefore, installation must be done with gloves.
The operation of these lighting devices uses another principle - the property of certain phosphor substances to emit light under certain conditions. Structurally, it consists of a glass tube coated with a phosphor. Inside the tube there are electrodes and a certain amount of mercury vapor. An electric charge is created on the electrodes, the energy of which is converted into light radiation using a phosphor.
To create and maintain an electric charge, fluorescent lamps need a starting and regulating device - a voltage transformer and a starter. In the standard version, these devices are mounted on the body of lamps, which can only work with this type of lighting fixture.
Available in two types:
If we talk about comparison with incandescent lamps, they are 3 times more economical and hardly heat up. A serious disadvantage is that due to the pulsation, the light is unpleasant for the eyes and potentially hazardous to health (leads to increased fatigue and can cause a bad mood). In this type of lighting fixtures, it is almost impossible to get rid of pulsation. What can be done is to minimize it and, by adding one incandescent lamp, reduce the negative effect to a minimum.
Many are also concerned that the flask contains mercury vapor inside, which carries a potential danger. This is briefly about the main disadvantages, then we will consider in more detail the pros and cons of fluorescent lamps.
This is the third type of lamp that uses semiconductor devices - LEDs. They do not require any special atmosphere, so their flask is not airtight, and this is more a tribute to tradition than a necessity. All the LEDs need to operate is a constant voltage of 12 V or 24 V. So operation is not difficult - to connect to a 220 V network you need a voltage converter (power supply, adapter). In LED lamps for standard luminaires, this converter is built into the housing, so they can easily replace conventional incandescent lamps.
Briefly about the properties. They have high efficiency - they require 7-8 times less electricity than similar incandescent lamps, and have a much longer service life (according to manufacturers' requests, they can work for 25-35 years). Disadvantages - they are expensive, it is difficult to determine the quality, low-grade ones have strong pulsation, which negatively affects the eyes and well-being, and often fail. Therefore, choosing an LED lamp is not an easy task and requires certain knowledge. But the bills actually become significantly smaller.
All these lighting devices are used to illuminate residential premises. It is definitely impossible to answer which lamps are best for the home - they all have advantages and disadvantages. If your main concern is eye comfort, the answer to the question “which lamps are best for the home” is incandescent. But at the same time you will not be able to save on lighting. The situation is a little better with halogen ones. But the lighting from 12 V halogens is more pleasing to the eye, which requires transformers. Those that operate on 220 V have too bright light.
When it comes to saving on electricity bills, LED bulbs are the best. This is undeniable. But you need to buy them wisely - so that they are of good quality and work for a long time, but these are expensive. But, even under such conditions, they are beneficial, since they really help to significantly reduce energy consumption. A
Why LED and not housekeepers? Let's compare their properties.
When people have a desire to reduce their electricity costs, they begin to think about replacing incandescent lamps with more energy-efficient ones. These are considered energy-saving (compact fluorescent) and LED. To understand which lamps are best for your home, you need to take a closer look at their advantages and disadvantages.
Having decided to replace incandescent lamps with more economical ones, you need to decide the question: which lamps are better for the home - LED or compact fluorescent
This is what compact fluorescent lamps are called. They were the first to appear on the market (compared to LED ones), which is why this name was assigned to them. Let's start with advantages:
At the time this was a very good offer. The ability to obtain “warm” and “cold” light and save on electricity - all this has led to the popularity of energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs.
But flaws they have serious:
There are many shortcomings, and almost all of them are serious. They are the ones who stop many, even despite the savings.
These light bulbs are made on the basis of semiconductor elements - LEDs. A certain number of them are installed in a single housing and connected to a power source. Power supply is from a constant voltage of 12 V. In order to use lamps in standard lamps, a rectifier and a circuit that lowers the voltage to 12 V are built into the housing (both of these devices are often called a driver).
LEDs generate heat when operating. To remove it, a radiator is built into the body. And the bases of these lamps are different. They can be installed instead of incandescent lamps of different sizes, halogen, tubular fluorescent.
If we compare all four types in terms of power consumption with equal luminous flux
Advantages LED lamps:
The advantages are impressive. The efficiency and service life are particularly impressive. But the figures stated by the manufacturers (about 25-35 years) must be treated with skepticism. They are for ideal conditions, which are practically unattainable in our realities. The warranty period declared by the manufacturers actually indicates the service life. This is the time they will most likely work. But even despite this, the period is considerable - 2-5 years.
Without shortcomings it didn't work either:
When compared with the properties of fluorescent lamps, LEDs clearly have the advantage. But everything is not so rosy in reality.
In fact, LED lamps are better in all respects. But eating it hurts “BUT”. These must be high-quality LED lamps. The thing is that the manufacturing technology is simple and does not require highly complex or very expensive equipment. It is difficult to make LEDs, but assembling an LED light bulb from them is not difficult. That’s why there are a lot of fakes and low-quality goods on the market. They use cheap, low-quality crystals; the driver is made to be the simplest, which does not suppress flicker and quickly fails.
The difficulty is that it is impossible to determine “by eye” the quality of LEDs or the same driver. Some experts are able to distinguish good LEDs by appearance. But in lamps they are hidden under a frosted bulb. Having set a goal, their quality can be checked by indirect signs - by measuring illumination, pulsation, and assessing color rendition. But the quality of the parts used in the power supply cannot be assessed. You will only find out when something burns out.
All this leads to the fact that many consider LED lamps unreliable - they burn out quickly and are expensive. So it turns out that there is no saving. And there are also problems with flickering... It seems so, but this is only true if you buy cheap LED lamps. Branded lamps really serve for years without problems and produce an even light that is pleasing to the eyes. So the main task is to find good quality LED lamps. And then you will know exactly which lamps are best for your home.
Instead of the bottom line: replacing incandescent lamps with LED ones will save on lighting bills only if they are used for a long time, and this is possible only if they are of high quality. High-quality light bulbs are not cheap. So, perhaps, this is the case when saving during the purchase is not worth it.
Energy-saving light bulbs are products shrouded in a halo of mystery. It would seem that the main advantage of using them is obvious even from the name - buy and be happy.
However, many of our compatriots are in no hurry to acquire “miracle developments”, wanting to first find out:
A number of users are also confused by the fact that reviews of the performance of such light sources are not always the most flattering.
All these doubts are fair and have a right to exist. Therefore, we will talk in detail about the advantages, disadvantages and subtleties of operating luminescent “housekeepers”. And also about how to choose the right energy-saving lamp, if for you its advantages still outweigh the disadvantages.
The first linear fluorescent lamps were produced in the United States in the late thirties of the last century. They began to be actively used in the fifties and sixties - they became a successful solution to the issue of lighting in industrial enterprises and administrative buildings. Unfortunately, linear fluorescent lamps could not become a “household breakthrough” for quite obvious reasons - their sizes are not very “homey”.
Therefore, it is not at all surprising that manufacturers want to significantly reduce the size of the development. They succeeded in this “venture” only in the eighties, after new, higher-quality phosphors had been created. The diameter of the tube was reduced to 12 millimeters, and it itself was bent several times. Over the years, specialists managed to reduce the weight and size of fluorescent lamps so much that they became serious “competitors” to traditional incandescent lamps.
A modern compact fluorescent lamp consists of two key elements - a curved bulb and a base.
The CFL bulb contains tungsten electrodes “coated” with activating substances (a mixture of barium, strontium, and calcium oxides). The flask is filled with an inert gas with a small admixture of mercury vapor.
When voltage is applied to the lamp, a charge arises between the electrodes (which is quite natural) and it lights up. But almost all the radiation it generates lies in the ultraviolet range. In order for this radiation to be “transformed” into light visible to the human eye, the inside of the flask is coated with a special substance - a phosphor.
The composition of the phosphor directly determines the color characteristics of the resulting light, i.e. “high-quality phosphor = efficient lamp.”
Interesting! The compact fluorescent lamp is the absolute record holder among all light sources in terms of the number of common names. Whatever they call it - “klshka”, “energy saver”, “housekeeper”...
Important! Throughout the civilized world, the importance of preserving the environment is a key motivating factor for the transition to energy-saving light sources.
Have you weighed the pros and cons? Have you decided that this development definitely deserves consumer attention? So, it's time to go to the store to buy. But which energy-saving lamp should you choose if there are so many of them on the shelves?
There are a number of parameters by which you can determine the best samples for each specific case.
Power
Power is the first parameter that you should decide on when choosing an energy-saving light bulb. Considering that the light output of a CFL exceeds the light output of a conventional incandescent lamp by about five times, it is necessary to use this “translation” rule - divide the required power of a “classical” light source that is familiar to you by five. In practice, it will look like this: if your chandeliers “flaunt” 75-watt incandescent light bulbs, then a power saver of 15 W will be quite enough.
Note! The “law of division by five” does not always apply. Some Chinese manufacturers can “please” buyers with only a fourfold increase in power. Therefore, the information on the packaging should be studied more than carefully.
Base type
The vast majority of modern housekeepers, intended to replace outdated incandescent lamps, use the “traditional” Edison base. Such energy-saving lamps are designated E27.
Sconces and small lamps may require light sources with an E14 base - pay attention to this. It differs from the classic one in having a slightly smaller diameter.
Large energy-saving lamps with an E40 base are suitable for powerful and large lighting fixtures.
Colorful temperature
Unlike incandescent bulbs, CFLs can produce different types of glow. This is why some housekeepers seem to be uncomfortable on the eyes.
Such visual irritation occurs due to the incorrect color temperature of the lamp selected for a specific room.
Price and service life
You shouldn't be tempted by an indecently cheap housekeeper. Otherwise, you risk running into a “specimen” that is unable to work even thousands of hours out of the declared four to six.
Guarantee
The warranty period for an energy-saving light bulb can range from 6 to 36 months, depending on the manufacturer. Naturally, the larger it is, the better.
Be sure to ask where you purchased the product for the terms and conditions of the warranty. As a rule, you need to keep the receipt and the box for the product.
Form
The shape of luminescent housekeepers can be quite varied:
Choose the one that best suits your aesthetic preferences and overall interior design.
Worth knowing! The most popular are U-shaped and spiral-shaped housekeepers. The shape of the product does not in any way affect the quality of its work, which cannot be said about the price. Spiral-shaped ones are usually more expensive than U-shaped ones due to more complex production technology.
Helpful advice! When buying fluorescent light bulbs for the first time, do not try to take a dozen at once for all rooms of the house. Take two or three with different color temperatures, test them, see if the purchased samples don’t tire your eyes. And after a couple of days, buy additional lamps to the required quantity.
While deciding on the power, color temperature and type of base is not particularly difficult, choosing a manufacturer usually poses difficulties. What are the best energy-saving lamps to choose, given that brands are “like stars in the sky”?
Experts are unanimous - preference should be given exclusively to those brands that have been on the market for many years and that can boast exclusively positive reviews from consumers.
The best energy-saving lamps, according to experts, are Philips, Osram, DeLux, Navigator, Camelion, Era.
Philips
Philips is the first company to offer new energy-saving light sources in the eightieth year. Since then, it has been actively and fruitfully developing the field of energy-saving technologies. Philips energy-saving lamps always have a wide range and beautiful appearance. And also excellent quality and durability.
Osram
Osram is another “pioneer” of the housekeeper market. The company released its first lamp back in 1985. All Osram energy-saving fluorescent lamps have a long service life (up to 15,000 hours) and can easily withstand an impressive number of restarts (5,000 - 500,000).
Navigator
Energy-saving lamps Navigator appeared on the domestic market in 2006. The product range under the name Navigator includes about a hundred items, among them: U-shaped, spiral-shaped, and decorative light sources.
Camelion
The Camelion range of energy-saving lamps can satisfy the wishes of any buyer with any income level. Three series of housekeepers are produced under the Camelion brand:
Camelion ECO offers standard sizes, a six-month warranty, high brightness and a service life of 6,000 hours.
Camelion Classic is compact in size, 1 year warranty, service life - 8000 hours.
Camelion PRO is ultra-compact in size, exclusive range, warranty - 1 year, service life - from 10,000 hours.
Era
Energy-saving lamps Era first appeared in Russia in 2008.
Their current range allows you to easily replace absolutely all incandescent lamps - regardless of the shape and type of base.
Is it worth it to “completely” change all the light bulbs in and around the house with housekeepers?
Definitely not. In every house and in every apartment there are lamps that turn on for a total of five minutes per day (appliances in the pantry, basement, attic, in the toilet, finally). Over the course of a year, you will save pennies on them, but the CFL will pay for itself in 10-12 years, if it still “survives.” As they say, the game is not worth the candle.
In what cases are energy-saving light bulbs a truly cost-effective solution?
Economy is a smart choice for chandeliers and lamps that operate at least three to four hours a day. In this situation, by reducing energy costs, the product pays for itself in 3 years. And then, accordingly, it “works” for you.
What other energy-saving light sources, besides CFLs, can be used in everyday life?
Halogen lamps are an excellent choice. True, they cannot be called so energy-saving, since they are only twice as economical as incandescent lamps. But halogen lamps already have enough advantages:
LED light sources are becoming a very promising option for home use today. They are durable, energy efficient, and produce high-quality light.
