Energy saving lamps: technical characteristics. Fluorescent lamps energy-saving: prices, photos, reviews

Today, many apartment owners prefer to use energy-saving lamps to illuminate their homes. The technical characteristics of these modern devices are such that they can be considered as the most effective lighting equipment to date. Modern models of fluorescent lamps give natural light, are reliable and last long.

What are the advantages of luminescent equipment?

If we compare energy saving lamps with conventional incandescent bulbs, we can single out a number of undeniable advantages:

• Very high efficiency (15-20%).
• High level of light output. The power of equipment such as energy-saving lamps (W) can be small, and the light flux emitted in this case is quite intense. It is thanks to this feature that such devices are called energy-saving. The energy saving by using such a lamp can reach 85%.
• Long service life. The fluorescent light bulb can be operated 6-10 times longer than usual.
• High quality color rendering.
• Reduced sensitivity to high and low voltage. You can hang such a lamp, for example, in the country. At low voltage, the luminosity of its luminescence remains practically unchanged.
• Low prime cost.
• Low surface temperature.

Disadvantages of energy-saving equipment

Of course, fluorescent lamps energy-saving have some drawbacks. They include the following:

• A certain dependence on the environment. In the event that the room temperature is too low, the lamp may not light up.
• After several years of operation of these devices, the intensity of the luminous flux they give is greatly reduced.
• Inside the flasks contain substances that are harmful to health.
• Sometimes the fluorescent equipment starts to flash, which is harmful to the eyesight.
• Difficult start. The circuit of such lamps includes elements responsible for increasing the voltage to the required value for inclusion.
• Quite a high cost.

Lamp power

What should I look for first of all when buying such equipment as energy saving lamps? Power - the main indicator that determines their profitability. It is measured in watts and shows how much power a specific model consumes. An energy-saving lamp with a power of 5 watts will shine about the same as an incandescent lamp of 150 watts.

Light output

Light output is another parameter that should be paid attention when buying equipment such as energy saving lamps. Technical characteristics in this plan show how much light a light bulb produces when one watt of energy is consumed. The light output in lm / W (lumen per watt) is measured. Assuming that the source converts absolutely all the electricity consumed into the light, this figure will be 638 lm / W. For comparison, a conventional incandescent bulb has a light output index of 10-15 lm / W. Energy-saving same - 100 lm / W.

Colorful temperature

The next indicator, which should be paid attention when buying equipment such as fluorescent lamps energy-saving - is the color temperature. It is measured on the Kelvin scale. For this indicator there are only three classes of energy-saving lamps:

• With a white warm temperature - up to 3000 K.
• With neutral white - 3000-5000 K.
• With daylight white - more than 5000 K.

The first two options are usually chosen for living quarters. Lamps that give cold daylight, hang in offices, shops, businesses, etc.

Reviews about fluorescent lamps

Of course, consumers respond best to energy-saving lamps from European manufacturers. Not a bad reputation, for example, are devices of such famous brands as ALB, Era, Philips, Osram. The products of domestic companies have proved themselves well enough. In particular, the Russian consumers like the lamps of the company "Cosmos".

There are also not too good reviews about this lighting equipment. However, all of them are mainly associated with the products of not particularly well-known manufacturers or with fakes. Of course, the performance characteristics of such devices will hardly match the cost. Meanwhile, it is quite possible to identify a fake. Do not buy an energy-saving lamp in the following cases:

• The packaging is crumpled or there is no description of the main technical characteristics on it. The main parameters that should be specified by the manufacturer of such equipment as energy-saving lamps are power, light output and color temperature.
• On the package are overestimated parameters.

Mercury vapor in energy-saving lamps

Safety for health is another issue of concern to those who decided to use energy-saving lamps to illuminate the apartment. Technical characteristics of the latter, of course, are important. But no less important is the lack of risk of breathing in fumes of mercury, which, as is known, is the strongest poison. Knowing that it is present in energy-saving lamps, everyone knows, probably. The phosphor glow in the bulb of such a device arises precisely as a result of the passage of current through the mercury vapor. Luminescent equipment of the old sample is therefore considered quite hazardous to health. However, today manufacturers produce such lamps using modern, specially developed technologies. This makes them completely safe. In addition, very often bulbs such bulbs are made not of glass, but of plastic. Therefore, breaking them by chance is quite difficult.

Lamps of energy-saving lamps

The base for energy-saving lamps can have different shapes and sizes. Most luminaires have standard-sized sockets designed for ordinary incandescent lamps. These are usually used in residential apartments and houses.

Thus, practically to any plafond or chandelier the lamp energy-saving Е27 will approach. Sometimes small rooms with a small diameter E14 are used in residential premises. Of course, they need to select the appropriate lamp. This characteristic is always indicated on the package to the device.

Operating principle

Luminescent phosphor, applied to the walls of the lamp bulb from the inside, begins under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The latter appears as a result of a gas discharge between two electrodes located on opposite sides. A high voltage is applied to each of them . The discharge occurs in mercury vapor. And in order for it to have sufficient power, a very strong voltage is necessary. Since in domestic networks it does not exceed 220V, special transducers are included in the design of the lamp, designed to increase it. If you try to connect the device directly to the network, it simply does not light up. After the lamp is turned on, the resistance inside the lamp drops sharply. Therefore, in order to prevent its elements from spoiling, you need to limit the current. This is the purpose in the design of each lamp special schemes.

Ballast with neon starter

What is worth knowing about when buying such practical lighting devices as energy-saving lamps? The technical characteristics of this equipment depend, in part, on the type of ballast used in it. In old-fashioned lamps and in some modern ones, schemes with a neon starter are used.

The operation of this element is based on heating the bimetallic plate after being connected to the network and, accordingly, closing the circuit. The latter includes capacitors and a coil, which give the necessary initial impulse, and also limit the current passing through the lamp after switching on. This is a simple and fairly reliable scheme of an energy - saving lamp (ballast). However, there are some drawbacks to it. For example, these are:

• Due to the presence of a coil, a large amount of electricity is required to operate the circuit.
• Over time, the coil may begin to hum.
• Lamps with such ballast often begin to flash. As a result, an optical illusion of the immobility of moving objects occurs.
• Sufficiently large dimensions and weight.
• Dependence on the ambient temperature. In a cold room, such lamps burn dimly or not at all.

Modern ballast

Modern ballasts of energy-saving lamps are rather complicated electrical circuits, allowing them to start almost instantly and at all temperatures. Also this addition allows increasing the frequency of the supplied voltage, which prevents flashing. Some schemes include a lamp immediately, some - with a gradual increase in brightness. The basic scheme of an energy-saving lamp is quite complicated and includes, among other things, elements such as transistors, a generator block transformer, a high-frequency noise filter, etc.

Cost of energy-saving lamps

Of course, such modern lighting equipment is much more expensive than usual. However, high-quality energy-saving lamps (the price of which can vary within the range of approximately 150-250 rubles) are quickly repaying themselves. You can return your money by saving energy in about 2.5 months. In addition, in about 5.5 years, such a lamp pays off also at the expense of saving on the replacement of burnt-out incandescent bulbs.

How do I make a purchase?

In order to determine the quality of the product, be sure to ask the seller to turn on the device. In any specialized store, which values its reputation, there must be a specially designed lamp for inspections. When testing a lamp, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

• Fast turn on. Normal is the time when the lamp reaches the declared brightness for not more than one minute. Made by modern technologies light up immediately after switching on.
• Light energy-saving lamps should be pleasing to the eye. The color rendering index of a device intended for use in a dwelling shall not be less than 8 (the maximum value for lamps is 10).

And, of course, you should not buy equipment of little-known manufacturers. The fact is that large companies with a good reputation usually give a guarantee on their goods, and for a long time. In addition, although such light bulbs also copy circuits of equipment of well-known manufacturers, they are made using not very high-quality materials. Some elements that increase reliability, in the schemes may be absent. For example, very often not very well-known manufacturers use capacitors in lamps with a low temperature limit. This makes it impossible to use them in plafonds. The fact is that in the enclosed space the socle of such bulbs overheats, as a result of which they quickly fail. This applies to both a device such as an energy-saving lamp E27, and equipment with a small E14 socket.

Thus, when choosing a fluorescent light bulb, it is first of all necessary to familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics indicated on the packaging, and also ask the seller to demonstrate its efficiency. Well, of course, you should not save too much. After all, as you know, the miser pays twice.