How to choose the right energy saving light bulb. Energy-saving lamps - types and characteristics. High-quality energy-saving lamps - how to choose and what to look for

The economical cost of electricity has become a decisive factor that allowed fluorescent lamps of all varieties to enter the everyday life of people. Due to the unusually bright glow of the phosphor, they emit much more light than their predecessors - halogen and incandescent lamps. A wide range of products made it possible to firmly gain a foothold in all areas of life, and the unique structure has proven itself well in terms of service life.

Peculiarities

Due to the use of various types of phosphor, it is possible to select a comfortable glow color. In incandescent lamps, a metal spiral emits light at a temperature of 3000 K when heated, it has a strong yellow shift. Not everyone likes it, so with the advent of fluorescent lamps, the classic tungsten filament has gone down in history for this reason.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in the repair, maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

Note! Depending on the composition of the phosphor, the color can range from yellow to blue. This allows you to significantly expand the range of ESL applications and make the light comfortable for everyone.

Incandescent lamps had a drawback - due to low efficiency, most of the electricity was converted into heat. For small cold rooms, medium-power lamps served as a secondary source of heat. But high temperature implies a fire hazard, so it was impossible to use them in closed floor lamps and rooms with combustible substances. Fluorescent energy-saving lamps have a relatively higher efficiency, in combination with a high-quality phosphor, they are able to give as much light as. They show an excellent lm / watt ratio.

Principle of operation

The working part of a modern fluorescent lamp is a sealed glass bulb, which is filled with mercury vapor under slight pressure. From the side of the base, two different electrodes are introduced into it, between which an arc electric discharge of high power is formed during start-up. Mercury gas at the same time emits ultraviolet light, invisible to the human eye. To obtain light, the inner walls of the glass bulb are treated with a thin layer of phosphor, which glows when passing through ultraviolet radiation.

Design

In addition to the bulb, the lamp has two more components - a plastic housing and a base.

The plastic case hides and protects the heart of the light bulb - the electronic circuit that has all the components to operate the device. It is called an electronic ballast - an electronic ballast, its quality is a determining factor in the durability of a light bulb, subject to the operating rules. The circuit description is as follows:

• starting capacitor - with its help the light bulb is ignited;
• absorbing filters - elements that remove interference from the incoming electric current that affect the stable operation of the light bulb;
• capacitive filter - designed for the final smoothing of the rectified electric current, prevents flicker;
• bipolar transistors;
• fuse - with a sharp increase in voltage, it effectively protects the electrical circuit from short circuit and fire, it is subject to repair.

Life time

A completely different structure of the light bulb made it possible to change its durability indicators for the better. During operation, the tungsten filament had the property of burning out, so over time it became so thin that the next time it was turned on, it simply could not withstand the voltage increase and broke. The glow of mercury has no time limit, so the service life varies based on the capabilities of the starting capacitor. Depending on the quality, it is designed for a certain number of inclusions; if damaged, the light stops turning on, although the rest of the components are fully functional. The long service life of fluorescent fixtures is achieved with almost constant operation, without the use of switches.

Enemies of ESL are backlit switches, because of which the bulbs in the dark blink at a certain frequency. This is caused by a small current flowing through the switch into the luminaire, which accumulates in the start capacitor. When a sufficient amount of charge is gained, it tries to start the electrodes and there is a brief flash. Frequent starting quickly disables the light bulb. The latest models were equipped with a high resistance resistor that absorbed small current and protected the capacitors from wear.

Important! LED lamps, or led lamp, have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, while they do not care about the number of inclusions. Also referred to as energy efficient light bulbs.

General advantages and disadvantages of "housekeepers"

Advantages :

• due to the high light output of the phosphor, a five-fold energy efficiency is achieved in comparison with incandescent lamps;
• subject to the operating rules and infrequent use of the switch, fluorescent lamps exceed their predecessors in terms of service life by 10 or more times, which significantly pays for their high cost;
• low heat dissipation allows the use of small CFLs of about 11 W in miniature and decorative lamps;
• a large light output area and a wide selection of glow colors make these bulbs positive solutions for any room.

Minuses :

• an average fluorescent light bulb is 10 or more times more expensive than its predecessor, which makes it difficult to switch to them all at once throughout the house or apartment;
• in conditions of frequent use of the switch, their life is significantly reduced;
• household models are not compatible with dimmers, and specialized devices are even more expensive;
• failed light bulbs are handed over to special disposal points due to the content of mercury vapor inside the bulb;
• fluorescent lamps tend to flare up even at positive temperatures - depending on it, the process takes up to 2 minutes. In conditions of negative temperature, they heat up for about 5 minutes, while the maximum brightness in frost is not reached.

Environmental friendliness and danger to life

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. In household models, there is no such amount of mercury that can pose a mortal threat to humans, but the symptoms of toxic action are very unpleasant - nausea, vomiting, fever, inflammation and severe pain in the abdomen. 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 control the health of the child and pregnant women, they are highly susceptible to negative influences.

The fragments are collected with a wet rag in a plastic bag and handed over to a hazardous waste disposal point. There, special work is carried out to neutralize mercury vapor, and the residues are recycled. Such collection points are located in the nearest fire station or management company.

Types of energy saving lamps

There are two classifications - compact and linear. The compact models use E14, E27 and E40 screw bases. Of the pin bases, there are G13, G23, G24, G27 and G53. Linear have connectors G5 and G13.

Depending on the phosphor used, there are three values ​​for the glow temperature:

• 2700 K (comparable to an incandescent lamp);
• 4000–4200 K (neutral light, considered close to natural light);
• 6400 K (more bluish tint).

Compact fluorescent lamps are spiral and tubular in shape, linear are also called tubular and are marked T5, T8, T10 and T12, which indicates their thickness. The length varies depending on the lamp.

The division according to the forms and color of the glow allows you to choose the ideal option for any room (domestic, administrative, workshop) and purpose - under some types of ESL, plants are grown and aquariums are set up.

When choosing a lamp, pay attention to several parameters:

• plinth;
• power;
• glow color;
• manufacturer and warranty.

For most ESL, E27 is a standard base, compact fixtures 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 incandescent lamp are divided by 4–5. Thus, a hundred watts is equivalently replaced by a profitable 20 watt fluorescent.

The common glow temperature is 4200 K, it is determined solely by personal preference.

For a long service life and trouble-free operation, the light bulbs are chosen by a trusted manufacturer who has been on the market for more than one year and has proven himself well, and his name is well-known. You should not buy cheap models, they are of poor quality and unable to even pay off, not to mention the benefits. It is desirable that the products be made in accordance with GOST or another generally recognized standard. A large selection raises the question of which energy-saving fluorescent lamps are the most reliable and best. Well-known companies are Philips, IEC, Maxus, Osram and Feron.

Energy-saving lamps are now in trend and this is not without reason. With ever-increasing electricity prices, many people want to reduce electricity consumption in order to reduce costs.

And one of the ways to save money is to use energy-saving appliances in the house.

And most often, savings begin with lighting fixtures. After all, it is easier and cheaper to change light bulbs in the house than, for example, a refrigerator.

At the same time, the use of energy-saving lamps in terms of energy consumption can significantly reduce the cost of electricity in the house.

So we will try to figure out what energy-saving lamps are, and whether they can really save us electricity.

General advantages and disadvantages of "housekeepers"

Let's start with the very concept - an energy-saving lamp. To determine if a lighting device is economical, it is compared with a conventional incandescent lamp. And any lamp that consumes less electricity than the “Ilyich bulb” is already considered energy-saving.

But there are few types of such lighting devices, and in domestic conditions three types of lamps are used at all:

• halogen;
• luminescent (gas-discharge);
• LED.

The advantages of these lighting fixtures compared to an incandescent lamp are really many:

The first and most important of them is a significantly lower power consumption with the same light output, due to a higher efficiency. An incandescent lamp has a very low efficiency - about 18%, that is, out of every 100 watts of energy consumed, such a lamp converts only 18 watts into light radiation, the rest of the energy is spent on heating the spiral. For energy-saving lamps, the efficiency can reach 80%, but this depends on the design features of each device. Below we will take a closer look at the efficiency of all types of lamps;

Increased service life, which also affects financial costs, but here again, much depends on the design of the lamp and operating conditions;

Safety of use (does not apply to halogen lamps). The absence of a direct connection of contacts (in an incandescent lamp they are connected by a spiral) eliminates the occurrence of a short circuit.

Reducing the load on the network, which also increases security.

And these are just the main advantages inherent in all energy-saving lamps.

The main common disadvantage for economical elements is their cost.

There are a number of advantages and disadvantages that each type of "housekeeper" lamp has.

Basic parameters of lighting elements

In order to further understand the operating parameters of the above types of lamps, we will consider each of them using the example of a conventional incandescent lamp, since in all calculations they are repelled from it.

The main parameters for any lamp is its luminous efficiency, it is also efficiency, and light temperature - the intensity of light emission. This can also include a resource.

The efficiency of a lamp is the luminous flux (measured in Lumens) that it emits when it consumes a certain amount of energy (measured in Watts).

In simple terms, this parameter means how much light the lamp will emit, having spent 1 watt of electricity.

So, a 75-watt incandescent lamp provides a luminous flux equal to 935 lm and has a luminous efficacy of 12 lm / W.

Light temperature is the intensity of the radiation of a light source, taken as a wavelength in the optical range (measured in Kelvin).

To make it clearer, this parameter indicates what brightness and color tone the emitted light will have.

A 100-watt incandescent lamp has a light temperature of 2800 K, which in the optical range corresponds to warm white light with an orange tint. This is the temperature of sunlight during sunrise and sunset.

The average life of an incandescent lamp is 2000 hours. From these parameters in the future we will build on. The life of the lamps can be extended, special devices that not only regulate the degree of illumination of the premises, but also save electricity.

Halogen devices

Now for the energy-saving lamps themselves and let's start with halogen. In fact, this is the same incandescent lamp, but with some modifications. In her flask, the place of vacuum is a buffer gas (vapours of bromine, iodine).

The use of these vapors made it possible to increase the light temperature to 3000 K, and the lamp efficiency is 15-17 lm / W to provide the same 900 lm of luminous flux.

Due to its better light output, the halogen element is able to provide the same amount of light as a 75-watt conventional incandescent lamp, but for this it needs only 55 watts of energy, that is, there is already a saving in electricity.

In addition, the use of a buffer gas increased the lamp life up to 4000 hours of operation.

The advantages of halogen elements, in addition to efficiency and increased resource, also include their availability, since they cost not much more than conventional lamps.

They are available with E14 and E27 bases.

At the same time, they often have smaller overall dimensions than incandescent lamps, which allows them to be used even in miniature lamps.

The disadvantages of halogen elements are the same as for conventional incandescent lamps.

Fluorescent

The advantages of household discharge lamps also include a low heating temperature (does not exceed 65 ℃), which eliminates the occurrence of a fire, they are quite compact, do not explode when turned on.

But she also has a lot of shortcomings.

Firstly, they are much more expensive, about 15 times, compared to incandescent lamps.

Secondly, they contain mercury vapor, which are poisonous.

Thirdly, over time, they fade from natural aging, and frequent switching on and off significantly reduces their resource.

Fourthly, they are very susceptible to voltage drops.

Despite the shortcomings, fluorescent lamps are currently the highest priority for use.

LED

And the last type of energy-saving elements is LED. Such a lamp is a set of LEDs combined into one circuit.

But LEDs operate from a constant voltage network, so a converting transformer is included in the design of the lamp, which is also a driver.

There are a lot of types of such lamps, and they differ mainly in the location of the LEDs.

This type of lighting fixtures has the best performance parameters.

Such a lamp has a luminous efficiency of 86-95 lm / W, therefore, to provide a luminous flux of 900 lm, it will consume only 7-10 watts. At the same time, its resource can reach 50 - 100 thousand hours of work.

Like fluorescent elements, LED lamps have a wide range of light temperatures, which makes it very easy to maintain the correct ones.

These lighting devices are very reliable, safe, immune to voltage drops.

Produced with the most common types of plinths. There are elements in the design of which batteries are additionally included, which allows the lamp to be used from a conventional network or from a battery in case of power outages.

There are also devices with a remote control.

The only drawback of such lighting devices is a very high price, about two times higher than the cost of luminescent analogues.

Options to choose from

Now about what parameters you need to consider when choosing an energy-saving light bulb. First of all, you need to decide on the type. At the same time, you should immediately pay attention to the cost and resource.

Power.

The first criterion for selection is the power of the lamps. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the correspondence of the selected elements to those already used at home.

For example, 100-watt incandescent lamps are used everywhere in housing, while the light from them is quite enough.

Based on the luminous efficiency, it can be determined that the same amount of light can be provided by a 70-watt halogen, a 20-watt fluorescent lamp, and a 12-watt LED lamp.

If there is not enough light, then you can pick up a more powerful energy-saving element.

At the same time, you don’t even need to carry out any calculations, comparative tables are usually printed on the packages of these lamps, which allows you to quickly and easily select a light bulb with the required power parameter.

Plinth type.

The second thing you need to pay attention to is the type of base. For conventional cartridges, a lamp base with the designation E27 is suitable.

In lamps and sconces, a cartridge for the E14 base is often used.

Before going to the store, you should definitely ask what types of plinth are needed. But you can make it easier - unscrew and take a light bulb with you, which will change and compare the bases.

Dimensions, shape.

The third selection criterion is the shape and size. If there is a lot of space for installation, then you can buy almost any lighting element in shape. In limited installation spaces, you will have to select lamps according to size.

Outcome

Note that the savings from the use of "housekeepers" will not be immediate, because the lighting element must first pay off at the expense of the saved funds, and this may take quite a lot of time, and this also depends on the intensity of use. And it doesn’t matter in a private house you use such lighting fixtures or in an apartment.

The halogen lamp pays off the fastest, but in the end, the savings from it will be negligible.

A luminescent element can pay for itself after a year of use, and in the future it will already begin to save money. As for LED light bulbs, they have the longest payback period, about three years.

In general, only those lighting elements that have a significant resource and can work without problems for more than two years can bring really tangible savings.

Finally, we say that it is not necessary to immediately replace all the lighting elements in the house with energy-saving ones, because this can result in substantial costs.

If they are changed gradually, then the expenses will not be so noticeable, and in the end it will be possible to completely switch to energy-saving lamps.

Power, equivalent power and luminous flux

The power of energy-saving lamps is very small - from 4 W, and at first it is difficult to navigate: how much light will it give? We know perfectly well how an ordinary incandescent lamp with a power of 40, 60, 75 or 95 W shines, and the lamps are designed for incandescent lamps of a certain power. Therefore, when choosing an energy-saving lamp, you need to pay attention to the equivalent power written on the package. For example, a power of 4.5–6 W is the equivalent of 40 W for an incandescent lamp, 6–10 W is the equivalent of 60 W. The boxes usually have inscriptions in Russian: for example, "5.5 W corresponds to 50 W", but it is also easy to understand in English: "5.5 W similar to 50 W".

Pay attention to equivalent power

True, for some types of lamps, experts advise looking not so much at power and equivalent as at luminous flux: power may not directly affect the brightness of the lamp, and there is no single standard for the ratio of power and brightness.

How do you know how much light a lamp will give? This parameter best reflects the luminous flux, measured in lumens. If you want an LED lamp to shine like a 60 W incandescent lamp, then you need a lamp with a luminous flux of about 600 lm. If you want to replace a 40 W honeycomb, then the luminous flux should be 400 Lm, etc.

Colorful temperature

The lower the color temperature, the "yellow" and warmer the light; the more, the whiter (or bluer) and "colder". It is measured in kelvins, like ordinary temperature (kelvins are like degrees Celsius, only they have zero not at the freezing point of water, but at absolute zero), but you don’t have to think about it, just correlate the numbers.

Conventional incandescent bulbs have a color temperature of less than 3000 K: about 2700-2800 K, so when switching from incandescent to energy-saving bulbs, many feel that the light has become less pleasant, harsh, annoying.

For energy-saving lamps, the warmest light will be 3000-3500 K, such bulbs shine yellowish. If this parameter is from 4000 to 4500 K, then the light will be white and cold. In principle, this is a good option for “public places”, at home you can have such light if necessary, but you won’t relax with it. There is an even higher color temperature - 5000-6500, such lamps are not suitable for household lighting, only for hangars, warehouses, shops, salons, etc.

Warm or cold?

Color rendering index (CRI)

The light source affects the perception of color by the human eye. The reference is considered to be sunlight, its color rendering index is 100. The closer the CRI is to this value, the more correct and natural colors we will see when illuminated by a lamp. For an energy-saving lamp, it is good if the CRI is greater than 80.

Life time

The "lifetime" of a lamp can be measured in hours (2000, 6000, 15000 hours), but this is more understandable to technicians, and it is convenient for consumers to count in years, based on some average conditions of use. So, LED lamps can last up to 15 years; fluorescent - an average of 5 years, but can be longer with proper operation; halogen - much less.

Pay attention to service life

Flask shape

Do you want not just a light bulb, but a beautiful and original one - a ball, a candle? The greatest scope for imagination is given by LED and halogen lamps. Gas-discharge and their household subspecies - luminescent - come in the form of either tubes or spirals.

Standard screw bases

Energy-saving lamps with an E40, E27 and E14 base can be installed in sockets designed for a conventional incandescent lamp. E27 is a standard household cartridge, has a 27 mm thread, E14 is a reduced cartridge, it has a 14 mm thread.

The screw bases of energy-saving lamps correspond to the bases of conventional incandescent lamps

Pin bases

For home use, lamps with pin contacts are sometimes used; in their marking, the number following the letters indicates the distance between the pins in millimeters: GU4, GU5.3, GU10. Therefore, it is necessary to know exactly the marking of the cartridge.

Brightness control with dimmer

This is also a way to save energy: instead of a conventional key switch, a dimmer is installed (or the lamp is equipped with it initially) - and you can increase and decrease the brightness of the light bulb, forcing it to work at full power only if necessary. What is easy for incandescent lamps (they can all be dimmerable) has become a problem for energy-saving lamps: among them, only halogen ones can be dimmerable without any special restrictions. Fluorescent and LED lamps with dimming are available, but they are less common and more expensive, you must always look at the inscription “with a dimmer” or “without a dimmer” on the package).

Lamp with dimmer

Lamps for main or accent lighting

The light can be scattered around the room or concentrated and narrowly directed: this type of lighting is called "spot" ("spot" - English) and is suitable for creating light accents in the interior or for reading.

Disposal

Many are afraid to buy energy-saving lamps, because they have heard that they cannot be disposed of with household waste, that is, simply thrown into the "trash" - because they contain mercury. In fact, its pairs are only found in fluorescent lamps, and LED and halogen lamps can be disposed of like ordinary incandescent bulbs.

Fluorescent lamps

This type of gas discharge lamps is used in everyday life for residential premises. Discharge lamps are a slightly scary name, but it is these lamps, in which flasks contain an inert gas with an admixture of mercury vapor and other substances under pressure, that have become known as energy-saving ones because of their minimum electricity consumption, long service life (5-20 times more than incandescent lamps, 15–20 thousand hours) and a greater luminous flux than theirs (5–10 times). At the same time, such lamps require careful treatment and proper disposal, therefore, when buying them, you must immediately be prepared for the fact that you cannot simply throw them into a bucket.

Compact fluorescent lamp

Fluorescent lamps that replace the usual "home" incandescent lamps are called compact (CFL), because non-compact ones are those that are used in large rooms, they have infinitely long flasks, and in CFLs the shape of the flask is a twisted spiral.

In a CFL, electric discharges pass through an inert gas and mercury vapor, causing ultraviolet radiation, and from it a special powder begins to glow - a phosphor deposited on the bulb from the inside, and it is this that at the same time prevents the penetration of UV rays to the outside and glows with the light that we see and which is safe for our eyes. CFLs are sensitive to voltage drops and frequent starts: they should not be constantly turned on and off if you leave the room for a short time.

Compact fluorescent lamps

Power and dimensions

CFLs have very little power compared to incandescent bulbs, but interestingly, the higher the power of CFLs, the larger they are. Incandescent lamps also have this dependence, but it is not so pronounced: the size does not prevent the use of even a large incandescent lamp in a compact ceiling, but a large and powerful CFL may not fit. CFL power - from 5 to 55 W, but lamps up to 23 W are more common.

There are clearly more positive sides to energy savings than negative ones. Let's try to list them:

• low power consumption, compared with the "light bulb of Ilyich" with the same luminous flux;
• low heat dissipation consumption, as a result of which CFLs can also be installed in plastic shades;
• durability - the service life is 6000-12000 hours;
• a wide range of shades of white - from cold to warm;
• light distribution is softer.

But what about the negative sides? As with any device, there are also:

• high cost compared to incandescent lamps, although it fully pays off during operation:
• the need for separate disposal. CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) cannot be simply thrown into the trash - specialized centers are engaged in recycling due to the fact that mercury vapor is contained inside the bulb.

However, such shortcomings can be put up with, because, unlike incandescent lamps, energy-saving lamps save almost 80% of lighting costs. And although the most economical light bulbs for the home are LEDs, the savings when using ESL (in comparison with the Ilyich Bulb) are very significant.

What does an energy-saving lamp consist of: the principle of operation

The structure of an energy-saving lamp includes a bulb, a housing, a base and an electronic ballast (in other words, a ballast). The flask is filled with mercury vapor and coated on the inside with a phosphor. This is a special substance that converts ultraviolet light into a visible glow to our eyes.

The electrodes located at different ends of the flask begin to heat up under the action of electricity, creating a flow of electrons. They, in turn, collide with inert gas molecules and mercury vapor, which emit ultraviolet light. It is not visible to the human eye. That is why a phosphor is applied to the inner walls of the flask, which converts ultraviolet light into light visible to the human eye.

Energy-saving lamps: technical characteristics and application depending on the type of base

There are many types of ESL base. But the main, most common are 3 types - E14, E27, E40. These are threaded bases in which the diameter is indicated by a number. Let's try to understand the areas of their application.

Energy-saving lamps E14: application and features

Such socles are used in household lamps. This is a reduced threaded base, lamps with which are often called "candles". In fact, their name is "minion". Most often they are installed on nightlights, in ovens, refrigerators, various kinds of lighting. Today, on the shelves of electrical engineering stores, you can find adapters both from a minion to a regular E27 base, and vice versa, which is quite convenient. It is not always possible to find an ESL with an E14 base.

Energy-saving lamps with E27 base: the most common option

Such ESLs are used everywhere. Almost all lighting devices in an apartment or a private house are equipped with cartridges of this type. When replacing "Ilyich's bulbs" in the dwelling with housekeepers (energy-saving lamps), it is E27 that is used. In this case, one is simply unscrewed and the other is screwed in, without any adapters and upgrades.

Energy-saving lamps E40: where they are used

Less common option. Such ESLs usually have more power. They are used more often for street lighting. For the E40 base, you need a cartridge into which the DRL (arc mercury luminescent) or HPS (arc sodium tubular) is screwed.

This is how HPS lamps look like, which can be replaced with energy-saving ones with an E40 base

The shape and weight of the energy-saving lamp

There are about twenty types of ESL forms. However, there are seven main ones:

1. U2- two arcuate flasks come out of the body.
2. U3- respectively, 3 flasks.
3. U4- 4 flasks.
4. semi-spiral.
5. Spiral energy-saving lamps(more tightly twisted).
6. Flask- it looks like an ordinary light bulb.
7. Lotus- is less common. It really looks like a pipe lotus flower.

As for the weight, this information can be seen in the image below.

Energy-saving lamps for the home: the main important parameters

The main parameter is power. Here you should think about what purposes the lamp will serve, because the higher the power, the stronger the luminous flux. You should also pay attention to color temperature. This parameter is determined by everyone. Some are comfortable with “cold” lighting, others need “warm”, light that is closer to the color of incandescent lamps.

There is another interesting parameter that few people pay attention to. Today, dimmable ESLs have appeared on the shelves of electrical stores. Their cost is much higher, but there are more options for use. Such ESL are optimal in the bedroom or living room. They allow you to dim the light, make it soft and unobtrusive, or turn it on at full power if necessary. To do this, instead of a switch, a special device is mounted - a dimmer.

Power table of energy-saving lamps and incandescent lamps

Let's try to compare the power of ESL with "Ilyich's bulbs" with the same luminous flux.

Manufacturers of ESL and the service life of such light sources

In Russia, the most famous ESL manufacturers are OSRAM (Germany), General Electric (USA), PHILIPS (Netherlands). The brands have long been strengthened in the Russian market, having proven themselves from the best side, the quality of their products does not cause any complaints. As for the service life, the one indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging is not always correct. And the point here is not the dishonesty of the manufacturer. More often than not, the user is to blame. CFLs do not tolerate frequent switching on - the electronic ballast fails. Also, do not take the flask with your hands - this reduces the life of the ESL. In no case do not connect the CFL through or sound. This is fraught with frequent on-off.

Basically, with proper operation, the service life of the ESL is 6000-12000 hours.

Main malfunction: why does the ESL blink

Quite often, people are faced with the fact that the switched off ESL blinks from time to time. There may be several reasons for this. Most often this happens when installing a switch with an indicator. The fact is that small currents pass through it, which accumulate in the electronic ballast capacitor. Upon reaching a certain threshold, the capacitor gives a charge to the electrodes. It is enough for an instant flash, after which the capacitor starts to accumulate current again. The way out is to solder a resistance of 10-20 kOhm in parallel to the cartridge and forget about this problem.

Another possible reason is improper installation of the switch. It happens that it does not break the phase, as it should be, but to zero. Treatment - open the switch cover and check which wire is suitable with an indicator screwdriver. If the suspicions are confirmed, we go to the junction box, where we switch the contacts so that the phase passes through the switch.

VERY IMPORTANT!

Do not carry out electrical work without removing the voltage from the introductory machine! Remember, electric shock is life-threatening.

Energy-saving lamps are harmful to human health: is this statement true?

In fact, a serviceable ESL will not bring any harm to a person. Many people think that ultraviolet, breaking through the phosphor layer, affects the eyes, as a result of which you can even go blind, however, this is a delusion. Modern ESLs are completely safe. An exception may be the option when the ESL is broken in an apartment. Let small, but still mercury vapors get into the air. In this case, experts advise to open the windows, carefully collect the fragments in a tight bag, wash the place where the lamp fell with detergent.

When choosing an ESL, you should pay attention to some nuances. Let's try to figure out which energy-saving lamps are better, and how to distinguish them. The first thing to pay attention to is the packaging. The inscriptions must be printed clearly, easily readable. The packaging itself is undamaged. It is better to purchase such products in trusted stores. The brand also matters. To date, the leader in the ratio "price-quality" is the company "Philips".

Too low cost of ESL should alert you - most likely, this is a Chinese fake that will not last long. Do not hesitate to ask the seller for the accompanying documentation and a certificate of conformity, even if only one light bulb is purchased - this is the right of the buyer. If there is no documentation, then it is better to refrain from buying.

The seller is obliged to check the ESL for operability in the presence of the buyer - this is a prerequisite.

Energy-saving lamps: types and prices for various products

We have already figured out how diverse energy-saving lamps can be in terms of type and power, the size of the base. Now consider the average cost of ESL in the Russian market. Prices are as of August 2018

Products from well-known manufacturers will cost a little more, by about 30-50%. This is not surprising. They have already made a name for themselves, now the brand is working for them.

Summing up

There is no doubt that energy-saving lamps save the family budget. However, do not rely only on them. The owner himself must comply with certain rules of operation. Only in this case can we hope that the ESL will last the entire declared period.

We hope that the information presented in today's article was useful to our dear reader. If in the process of familiarizing yourself with it you have any questions, the editors of the site will be happy to answer them as quickly and completely as possible. Ask them in the discussions below. If you have experience in purchasing and using ESL and have something to say on this topic, please also write about it in the discussions. Similar posts will be very useful for novice home craftsmen. Write, ask, communicate. And finally, according to the already established good tradition, we offer you to watch a short but very informative video on today's topic.

It is hard to imagine how a century and a half ago mankind managed without lighting lamps. After the appearance of this miracle of technology, for a long time we were content with ordinary incandescent lamps, but they, like candles and kerosene lamps, are already fading into oblivion. They are being replaced by more economical lamps that consume less electricity and last for years. But how can we, who are used to focusing only on the power of an ordinary lamp and its base, choose the right energy-saving lamp for a house and apartment, because there are a huge number of them on store shelves? We were helped by real experts in this field, employees of the 220svet.ru online store, who have been helping Russians make life brighter for several years in a row and are selling all kinds of lamps and lamps.

The store delivers products to all regions of Russia, and over the years of work has managed to establish cooperation with the largest manufacturers, therefore it offers its customers competitive prices. The company sells a huge number of lamps of various types and powers, the entire range can be found on the page https://220svet.ru/catalog/lampochki/. In addition, the online store sells floor lamps, sconces, spotlights, chandeliers, table lamps and other lighting items, offering customers a guarantee on all products.

No. 1. When is energy-saving lamps indispensable?

The whole world has recognized that energy-saving light bulbs are the future, but cheap incandescent lamps are still being sold in bulk. So what are the best bulbs to use? For fixtures that work at least 2-3 hours a day, it is better to take energy-saving lamps. In this case, the acquisition will pay off in a couple of years, and then full savings will begin.

When it comes to a lamp that is turned on infrequently and for several minutes a day (for example, in basements and attics), then it would be more economical to use an incandescent lamp, at least while they are still being sold. By the way, the country's government has already limited the sale of incandescent lamps with a power of more than 100 W, and its next step will most likely be a ban on lamps with a power of more than 50 W.

No. 2. Types of energy saving lamps

Energy saving lamps include:

• fluorescent lamps;
• LED lamp.

Looking ahead, we note that LED lamps outperform fluorescent lamps in all respects: they are more durable, completely harmless, do not flicker, their luminous flux does not decrease over time. LED lamps lose only in terms of price, but they are more economical in operation.

Both versions of energy-saving lamps differ from incandescent lamps in that all electricity is converted into visible light, while Ilyich's bulbs lose a significant part of the energy by converting it into heat.

Sometimes halogen lamps are referred to as energy-saving lamps., which is not entirely correct. They are 2-3 times more durable than conventional incandescent lamps, but still significantly inferior to LED and fluorescent counterparts. A halogen lamp is actually the same incandescent lamp, only filled with bromine or iodine vapor (substances belonging to the halogen group). In an ordinary lamp, the atoms of tungsten, from which the spiral is made, begin to evaporate at high temperatures and deposit on colder surfaces. This is the main reason for their low durability. If halogens are added to the flask, they will react with tungsten, and the resulting compounds will then decompose into their original components: part of the tungsten returns to the spiral, and durability increases.

The service life of halogen lamps is 2-4 thousand hours, but when used together with a dimmer, the durability grows to 8-12 thousand hours. Such lamps have a high color rendering quality, they are small, can be made in interesting shapes and do not require specific disposal. Not the longest service life and low efficiency still do not allow halogen lamps to be classified as energy-saving.

Number 3. Fluorescent energy-saving lamps

Fluorescent lamps are 5-20 times more durable than incandescent lamps and use 75% less electricity to produce the same light output. Visible light technology here is fundamentally different. In fluorescent lamps, an electrical discharge passes through a vapor of mercury and inert gases, causing an ultraviolet glow. When passing through a layer of phosphor deposited on the inner surface of the lamp bulb, it forms visible light.

Those lamps that are used in everyday life, it is more correct to call compact fluorescent lamps(CFL), since non-compact ones are also made, which have very long flasks and are used in large rooms. CFLs usually have a coiled bulb and traditional screw bases, so they can easily replace conventional incandescent lamps.

Advantages of fluorescent lamps:

Disadvantages of fluorescent lamps:

• the need for careful operation and proper disposal, since such lamps contain mercury, the amount of which can vary from 2.3 mg to 1 g;
• sensitivity to voltage drops and frequent starts, from which the service life is reduced. Experts do not recommend using fluorescent lamps in public places and equipping them with motion sensors. It is better not to turn off these lamps if you leave the room for a short time. The optimal indicator for achieving the greatest durability is 5 inclusions per day;
• It takes some time for the lamp to reach its full potential. At room temperature, this takes about 30-45 seconds;
• over time, the luminous flux of the lamp will decrease, which is associated with the degradation of the phosphor, so it is better to take a lamp with a small margin of power;
• unpleasant flicker;
• complex connection scheme;
• sensitivity to high temperatures, so it is better not to use such lamps in fixtures that limit heat dissipation.

When using fluorescent lamps at low temperatures, their light output will be lower than stated. These lamps cannot be used with dimmers. It is very rare on sale, but you can find dimmable lamps, but they are many times more expensive than ordinary ones and do not have a long service life.

No. 4. LED lamp

LED lamps are the pinnacle of the evolution of light bulbs. They are devoid of the drawbacks typical of analogues, consume 6-10 times less electricity than incandescent lamps, and are several times more durable than fluorescent lamps. There are no tungsten filaments or harmful substances in such lamps - the light source is the LED, the complex principle of the glow of which allows you to do without the use of dangerous and toxic compounds.

The LED lamp can be part of a whole or sold as a replacement light bulb. The latter becomes the object of our attention.

Main Advantages of LED lamps:

Basic flaw such lamps are expensive. There is an opportunity to save money - lamps of unnamed Chinese manufacturers, but it is better not to take them. Moreover, many Chinese and even some domestic manufacturers somewhat overestimate the characteristics of their lamps - it is better to take products from famous European companies. LED lamps are sensitive to high temperatures, so they cannot be used in saunas.

No. 5. Lamp power and luminous flux

Ordinary incandescent lamps have been around for so long that we tend to look mainly at power as a key indicator. We all understand how a 40W or 60W lamp will shine. The power of energy-saving lamps is several times lower (4-25 W), so for many, buying a suitable lamp raises many questions. Manufacturers make this task easier for us and indicate on the packages the equivalent power, i.e. they tell us how an economical light bulb will shine by comparing it with the luminous flux of an incandescent lamp of a certain power (for example, “8 W corresponds to 40 W” may be written on a fluorescent lamp).

The concern of the manufacturer is pleasant, but educated people should understand that lamp power and light output are not the same, and everyone familiar with watts is a unit of power. Luminous flux is measured in lumens. To make it easier to understand: a 40 W incandescent lamp gives a luminous flux of 470-500 lm, 60 W - 700-850 lm, 75 W - 900-1200 lm. Now, when studying the packaging of an economical lamp, you can already roughly imagine how it will shine.

When choosing a lamp with the required level of brightness, you can build on equivalent power. For fluorescent lamps you can use a factor of 5: if it is indicated that the lamp has a power of 12 W, then this means that it will shine like a 60 W incandescent lamp. For LED this coefficient is about 7-8: a 10-12W lamp will shine like a 75W incandescent lamp.

The dependence of the luminous flux on power makes it possible to judge the efficiency of the lamp and its light output, which is measured in lm/W. Incandescent lamps for every 1 W of electricity consumed give only 10-16 lm of light ceiling, i.e. have a light output of 10-16 lm / W. Halogen lamps have a light output of 15-22 lm / W, fluorescent - 40-80 lm / W, LED - 60-90 lm / W.

No. 6. Colorful temperature

A lamp with the same power can give light of a different shade, warmer or colder. Color temperature is measured in kelvins and must be indicated on the packaging of the lamp. On sale you can find lamps with temperature from 2700 K to 6500 K: The lower the value, the warmer and more yellow the light will be.

When choosing, you can focus on the following standards:

It is undesirable to use lamps with different color temperatures in the same room - this will cause discomfort, and if it is constant, vision problems may occur.

No. 7. Color rendering index

The source of light can greatly influence a person's perception of colors. We all know how the same shade can differ under different lighting conditions. The reference is sunlight, its color rendering index CRI is 100. For artificial light, this indicator is somewhat lower, but the closer it is to 100, the more correct and natural colors we will see. All modern energy-saving lamps have CRI 80 or more- This is normal color reproduction.

Color rendition and color temperature in the marking are encrypted three-digit code, for example, 830, where the first digit advises the color rendering index (in our case, CRI 80 comes out), and the last two indicate the color temperature (3000 K).

No. 8. Life time

The manufacturer usually indicates the durability in hours, but this parameter may not be entirely clear to the average user - it is more convenient for us to count in years. On average, under normal operating conditions, an LED lamp will live 10-15 years, a fluorescent lamp - about 5 years. Manufacturers give a guarantee for LED lamps.

No. 9. Plinth type

Still the most popular classic Edison base with a diameter of 27 mm, which is denoted E27. Most household fixtures are designed to install lamps with just such a base. This was the standard for incandescent lamps, and manufacturers of energy-saving lamps have done everything for the convenience of the user and mass-produce lamps with an E27 base. Some sconces, table lamps and small lamps may require lamps with a smaller base - E14. In large powerful luminaires, lamps with a base are usually used. E40. If it is difficult to determine which base the lamp is needed with, you can go to the store with an old incandescent lamp.

In everyday life, compact lamps with pin contacts. In them, the base is marked with the letter G and the number following it, which indicates the distance between the pins in mm, for example G10.

No. 10. Bulb shape and brightness adjustment

If it is necessary that the lamp gives not only light, but also performs a decorative function, then it is better to choose LED lamp, which can be in the form candles, balls etc. Halogen lamps and incandescent lamps provide an even greater choice in this regard, but saving money with them will not work. Fluorescent lamps They are produced only in the form of spirals and tubes.

If things are not so bad with the shape of the bulb for energy-saving lamps, then with brightness control everything is much worse. Of course, you can find a sample that can be connected to a dimmer, but it will not be cheap, and the economical lamp still does not implement all the options for adjusting the brightness. If you want to use a dimmer, it is better to take a halogen lamp.

Finally

To make the energy-saving lamp meet your expectations, buy products of well-known manufacturers(Philips, OSRAM, GE, Ecola) and ask about the warranty period. For a normal LED lamp, the warranty will be 2-3 years, not 6 months.