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Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL's)
CFL's consist of fluorescent tubes and a ballast or electronic controller. Single-piece and Split versions are available each with their own pros and cons.
One Piece units:
- Have the ballast and the tube in the one housing.
- Are cheaper and intended for the domestic market.
- Have a projected lifespan of 3000 hours.
- When the lamp fails, both ballast and tube must be disposed of.
Split versions
- Have a separate tube and ballast.
- Ballasts are more expensive and intended for the professional market.
- Ballasts and tubes are independently replaceable.
- Ballasts should outlast tubes by about a factor of five.
- Tubes are, or should be, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
- Tubes have a projected lifespan of 5000 hours
- Tubes are usually much longer than their single-piece counterparts, making them difficult to fit into standard light fittings.
Some, not all, CFLs pre-warm the filament, which lengthen the life of the globe. These lamps can take up to 5 seconds to switch on, which can be disconcerting.
Advantages:
- CFL's consume about 20% of the power of incandescent lights for the same light output.
- On average will last many times longer than an incandescent lamp.
- Due the higher frequency used the CFL flickers less than a normal fluorescent light
Disadvantages:
- CFL's cost a lot more to buy than either incandescent lights or normal fluorescent tubes.
- The higher wattage lamps are physically larger than incandescent lights.
- They may not fit in some decorative light fittings.
- Using lamp covers over CFLs can cause overheating of the electronic components, which will restrict air movement around the lamp thereby reducing the life of the lamp.
- Consume more energy than incandescent globes in their manufacturing process.
- Use toxic gases, which escape to the atmosphere (room) if broken.
- Not dimmable
- Take a minute or more to reach maximum brightness.
- CFL lamps are best suited to locations where they will remain on for extended periods. Switching on a CFL for short periods, particularly those that start instantly, reduces the expected life of the device. This may defeat the energy/cost saving purpose of the CFL. In such cases, EG automatic lighting and residential toilet/bathroom areas, it may be preferable to use incandescent lamps.
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