subject: Buying Guides For Light Bulb & Fitting Features [print this page] When selecting a light source that will provide the appropriate quantity and quality of light for a task there are a myriad of options to consider.
The two chief elements in any lighting decision are, of course, the bulb and the fitting. The bulb is the source of the light and the fitting is the fixture that protects the light source, connects it to the power source and distributes its light.
Modern technology has provided us with a vast range of specialist lighting, and in this section of Buyers' Guides you will discover a number of popular solutions, as well as valuable information that will help you discriminate between the various options available.
Light Bulb & Fitting Features
*High Frequency Bulbs
*Bulb Life Expectancy
*Colour & Temperature
*IP Ratings
*Daylight & SAD Tubes
*Triphosphor Tubes
*Plant Growth Tubes
High Frequency Bulbs
High frequency bulbs are specially designed for use with electronic ballasts that make use of solid state components and operate at a frequency of roughly 25-35 kHz.
Flicker-Free Lighting
Since its introduction into the workplace, fluorescent lighting has been cited as the cause of headaches, eye strain and general discomfort. More specifically, it is the flicker (the flicker caused by the cycle/wave of light being produced) from fluorescent lights that are held to blame.
High frequency tubes have such a low level of flicker that it is imperceptible. Studies have shown that replacing standard fluorescent lights using electromagnetic ballasts with high frequency fluorescent lights using electronic ballasts, results in at least a 50% drop in complaints of eye strain and headaches.
Additional Benefits
*Quick start - High frequency lamps will illuminate at the first attempt, in a fraction of a second.
*Increased efficacy - high frequency tubes are more energy efficient than conventional fluorescent lighting.
*Low noise - High frequency ballasts operate at frequencies above the audible range and use components that do not buzz or hum, making them much quieter than conventional, mains frequency ballasts.
*Smaller size - Electronic ballasts are less bulky than traditional electromagnetic ballasts.
*Low temperature operation - High frequency fluorescent lighting will operate satisfactorily in temperatures as low as -15c.
Please note that high frequency tubes are designed for optimum operation on high frequency ballasts, not on mains frequency ballasts.
Bulb Life Expectancy
The delicate mechanism that constitutes a light bulb makes predicting its life expectancy somewhat difficult. However, light bulb manufacturers have devised a system of indicating the life expectancy of their bulbs. It is called the 'Average rated life' and it has become a standard across the industry. The rated life is given in hours and is clearly displayed on light bulbs' packaging.
Rated Bulb Life
The rated life is determined in laboratory tests as the point at which half the test bulbs have burned out and half the test bulbs are still burning. For example, a 60W incandescent bulb may have a rated life of 1,000 hours. This does not mean that all such bulbs will last exactly that long, it is simply a guide to an average life expectancy.
Longer Life Bulbs
Some new bulb types have a longer bulb life than regular incandescent light bulbs. Many are guaranteed to give you years of illumination (with typical usage) before needing to be replaced. In addition, a light bulbs' life expectancy can be affected by factors beyond the actual design of the bulb.
For example, the fixture that holds the bulb can wear out over time and develop wiring problems that causes the bulb to blow before its expected time.
Colour & Temperature
Two seemingly disparate and unrelated concepts as colour and temperature are, in fact, closely united.
Quantifying Light Quality
Imagine a (theoretical) black object at a temperature of absolute zero, -273C or zero degrees Kelvin (the Kelvin scale has the same intervals as Celsius but begins with 0 at absolute zero).
If this object was to be heated it would begin to glow a rather dim shade of red. As the heat continues to rise; the colour changes, from a warm shade of yellow through various colours of the spectrum up to a shade of blue and violet. At the middle and higher ends of the visible light scale, the object will appear white to the human eye.
Colour Temperature
This correlation between colour and temperature is referred to as an object's 'colour temperature'. Using the colour temperature scale, a typical tungsten-filament light bulb is classed as having a colour temperature of 2,800 Kelvin. Rather than operating at a temperature of 2,800K, this is more an indication of the colour quality of the light.
Natural daylight has a colour temperature of around 6,000K. Therefore, a special daylight fluorescent tube, for example, would possess a colour temperature as near to that of natural daylight as possible.
IP Ratings
IP stands for Ingress Protection. The IP rating is an international classification system to indicate how well sealed electrical equipment is protected from the environment.
IP ratings utilise two digits following the 'IP' to classify the degree of protection from solids to liquids. For example: As you can see from the classifications below, an item rated as IP64 will be dust tight and also protected against water splashes.
Protection from Solid Objects
The first digit indicates the degree of protection an electrical enclosure has from foreign bodies.
0. No special protection
1. Protection from solid objects larger than 50mm in diameter
2. Protection from objects up no larger than 80mm by 12mm
3. Protected from entry tools and/or wires greater than 1.0mm in diameter
4. Protection from solid objects with a diameter or thickness greater than 1.0mm
5. Standard dust protection
6. Completely dust-tight
Protected from Liquids
The second number indicates the degree of protection an enclosure has from liquid substances.
0. No special protection
1. Protected from dripping water
2. Protected from vertically dripping water
3. Protected from sprayed water
4. Protected from splashed water
5. Protected from projections of water (from nozzle or other)
6. Protection from seas & powerful water jets
7. Immersion protection
8. Continuous submersion protection
Please note: Items with a rating of 7 or 8 also require a submersion depth and time rating.
Items with no rating for either solids or liquids will be marked with an 'x' accordingly.
Daylight & SAD Tubes
Light emitted from a typical bulb is not the same as the light we receive from the sun. Consequently, the way we see things in natural daylight differs significantly from the way we see things under the yellowish illumination of an incandescent light bulb. Now, however, it is possible to re-create the effect of natural light using 'Full Spectrum daylight tubes'.
Daylight Tube Applications
Emitting a light composed of a full spectrum of colours, daylight tubes are ideal for illuminating anything where appearance, especially colour, is important: museums, galleries, shops, photographic studios etc. Similarly, anyone working on a task requiring a keen eye for colour, such as a graphic designer or a painter, will notice the difference. In addition, by mimicking natural sunlight, Full Spectrum daylight tubes offer an effective remedy to sufferers of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Choosing a Full Spectrum Daylight Tube
Full Spectrum Daylight tubes are available in different wattages and can be used as a direct replacement for standard fluorescent tubes. There are two key indicators of light quality to look for when selecting daylight and SAD tubes, the colour rendering index and the colour temperature.
*Colour Rendering Index - The fullness of the spectrum is measured by the light's colour rendering index (Ra). Natural sunlight has Ra100, whereas the most basic, monochromatic light has Ra1.
*Colour Temperature - A typical bulb emitting a yellowish light would have a colour temperature of around 2,700K, natural daylight, however, has a colour temperature of around 6,000K.
A Full Spectrum daylight tube should possess a colour rendering index and a colour temperature as near to that of natural daylight as possible.
Triphosphor Tubes
With the advance of specialised lighting technology basic fluorescent tubes are being replaced by innovative new fittings that offer improved quality, both in terms of the life expectancy and the amount of light emitted. T5 tubes are the
Precise Colour Control
In order to improve the control of colour properties; Triphospor fluorescent lights have an additional coating over the halophosphor base.
Fluorescent tubes such as these enable more precise control of the primary colours (red, green and blue). This design has led to the development of lamps with a high LPW (lumes per watt) rating.
As a result, triphosphor tubes offer a wide variety of colour temperatures and excellent quality to match the needs of your chosen environment.
Additional Benefits
*20% more light than conventional tubes
*Extra-long life - in the order of 20,000 hours
*30% energy saving compared to conventional tubes when used with Correct electronic control gear
*95% light output maintained throughout tube life (compared to a typical 30% light loss over the lifetime of a conventional tubes)
All of these benefits make triphosphor tubes not only a superior source of illumination, but also better for your budget and the environment too.
Plant Growth Tubes
Light from the sun is the all-important source of energy used by plants in photosynthesis. However, plants will not respond to any kind of light, they are predisposed to light of a certain quality, intensity and wavelength (colour). Special plant growth fluorescent tubes have been designed to emit a high level of blue and red radiation, which helps to promote healthy plant growth.
Use Anywhere
Plant growth tubes use standard fittings and can be utilised anywhere, whether greenhouses, indoor gardens, flower shows, conservatories or locations that may otherwise be unsuitable for growing plants, such as bathrooms, hallways and living rooms. If you want to grow vegetables indoors, a grow light is essential.
Use Anytime
Fluorescent plant growth tubes mean that you are not tied to conventional daylight hours or even seasons. So, with the availability of artificial 'natural' light for plants, you can, for example, harvest crops of lettuce all year round. A good grow light will encourage plant growth and yields without being at the mercy of the unpredictable summer weather.
by: Sarah Drew
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