Beauty

We wrote about the benefits and possible dangers and potential health hazards of energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps in one of our previous articles, “The Benefits and Harms of Energy-Saving Lamps.”

It is no secret that the countries of Europe by 2012, and Russia by 2014 plan to complete the transition to energy-saving lamps. But for a long, comfortable and maximum safe use, when choosing and operating fluorescent lamps, it is important to take into account several of their features.

The main parameters of energy-saving lamps

1. Lamp light color. One of the advantages of fluorescent lamps is the ability to choose a comfortable lamp glow color, which is measured in color temperature. The most common are lamps with warm, natural and daylight.

Warm yellowish light corresponds to a color temperature of 2700 K and is similar in lighting to incandescent lamps (their color temperature lies in the range of 2600 — 3000 K). It is best suited for residential applications and is indicated by the international marking 827 or 830.

The natural light of the lamps corresponds to a color temperature of 4000 K and is best suited for public and office spaces. It is more conducive to concentration than relaxation and rest. According to international marking, it is designated by the code 840.

Daylight with a color temperature of 6400 K is best suited for outdoor lighting, public spaces and industrial premises.

2. Lamp power. Energy-saving lamps come in power from 3 to 85 watts. At the same time, when choosing a lamp, it must be taken into account that their light output is 4-5 times higher than that of incandescent lamps. Usually, manufacturers write hints on the packaging: 21 W correspond to 100 W incandescent lamps.

3. Lamp base type. Before buying, look at the type of chandelier or lamp base. A standard large base is designated E27, while a smaller one, which is sometimes used in small table lamps or fixtures, is designated E14.

4. Dimensions and shape A compact fluorescent lamp is usually slightly larger than an incandescent lamp. Therefore, do not forget to clarify whether the energy-saving lamp will fit in your chandelier or lamp. In shape, spiral or U-shaped lamps are most common. The shape of the lamp does not affect performance, but spiral lamps are usually slightly more expensive than U lamps due to their more complex manufacturing process.

Some features of the use of energy-saving lamps

1. Guarantee. The cost of high-quality compact fluorescent lamps is quite high, so we advise you to buy them in specialized stores and check about the warranty. Usually it is 1 year, during which the failed lamp can be replaced. It is clear that this does not apply to lamps of unknown production purchased on layouts in transitions.

2. Safety we have already considered the use of fluorescent lamps in a previous article. But I would like to remind you once again that they, although in very small quantities, contain mercury. Therefore, be careful — take care of the children in the yard and do not throw broken or non-working lamps into the trash.

3. Life time lamps depends on their use:

— fluorescent lamps do not like frequent switching on and off

— large voltage fluctuations in the network

4. Due to the peculiarities of the operation of fluorescent lamps, you will not be able to use them in lamps with smooth brightness control. When the mains voltage drops by more than 10%, the fluorescent lamps simply do not light up.

5. Due to the higher level of ultraviolet radiation, energy-saving lamps should not be placed closer than 30 cm from the skin. And for people with sensitive skin or skin diseases, the British Dermatological Association advises not to use lamps with a power of more than 22 W in residential areas and without a glass protective bulb that closes the helix.

Knowing all these points will allow you to make the right choice, saving money and not harming yourself and the health of your loved ones.

Author: Vladimir Selivanov

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