A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), more commonly referred to as an energy saving light bulb (ESB) is a type of fluorescent lamp. The energy saving light bulb has been created to substitute for the standard incandescent lamp that many people still use. They fit into exactly the same standard light fixtures as incandescent light bulbs so you needn’t have to spend on new fittings to accommodate them.
Energy saving bulbs emit the same amount of visible light but use less power to do so, plus they have a longer rated life. While the purchase price is typically a more than that of an equivalent incandescent lamp, the extended lifetime and lower energy use will more than compensate for the higher initial cost. For example making the change in your home can save approximately twenty pounds in electricity costs over the course of a year. The average rated life of a these bulbs is up to 15 times more than that of an incandescent bulbs with a rated lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually expected to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.
For a given light output, energy saving bulbs use 20-33 percent of the power of equivalent incandescent lamps. Around 10% of UK household carbon emissions come from light bulbs so the environmental benefit of these bulbs could be enormously significant.
Energy saving bulbs are produced for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) input. DC energy saving bulbs are often used in recreational vehicles as well as in households. Interestingly, they can also be operated using solar powered street lights, using solar panels located on the top or sides of a pole and luminaries that are specially wired to use the lamps. This makes them an even more eco-friendly feature.
Although incandescent bulbs reach full brightness a fraction of a second after being switched on energy saving bulbs manufactured after 2009 also turn on within a second, but they do still take time to warm up to full brightness. Some energy saving bulbs are marketed as “instant on” and have no noticeable warm-up time scale, but others can take up to 60 seconds to reach full brightness or longer in very low temperatures.
It is important that we all play a part in trying to reduce our own carbon emissions. Every little bit we do, even if it’s as simple as changing a light bulb contributes towards slowing down global warming and protecting our future.
EcoFriendlyLightbulbs.co.uk is a subsidiary of Krypton Electrical Wholesale Ltd which was established in 1989.
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