lighting solution
- Thread starter tracyforu
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The amount of electricity used by a lamp is measured in watts, the lower the number the less energy it uses.
A lamp that gets hot is not energy efficient as some of the electricity it consumes is used to generate heat and is wasted.
The traditional fillament lamps of say 100w can now be replaced with energy efficient lamps rated at 20w or less that give the same light, in effect using 1/5th of the electricity.
Most lamps should say on their packaging how energy efficient they are. In the UK they are rated A (most efficient) to E (least efficient) not sure it this applies in the USA though.
Click here for examples
A lamp that gets hot is not energy efficient as some of the electricity it consumes is used to generate heat and is wasted.
The traditional fillament lamps of say 100w can now be replaced with energy efficient lamps rated at 20w or less that give the same light, in effect using 1/5th of the electricity.
Most lamps should say on their packaging how energy efficient they are. In the UK they are rated A (most efficient) to E (least efficient) not sure it this applies in the USA though.
Click here for examples
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It is measured as lumins per watt or lm/W and it is how much of the energy produced can be used by the human eye. To get a 100% efficiency it would have to produce green light.
Low pressure sodium lamp are between 100 and 200 lm/W about the most efficient but not really good for homes these are used in street lamps.
So in the home we have two types of lamp the LED and the florescent. The LED is still a low output and although cars now use them for rear lamps and indicators etc. other than when very close to what they are illuminating not much use.
The florescent is sub divided to induction control and electronic control the latter also called HF (High Frequency). The former is very voltage dependent and I would think more of a problem in USA. In this country to use strip lights on 110 volt we needed auto transformer and a ballast not sure how this was done in US?
The HF unit was better able to cope with voltage fluctuations and is more efficient. Magnetic is somewhere near 60 lm/W and HF between 80 to 120 lm/W.
Also we have compact fluorescent units i.e. those which replace light bulbs these vary a lot between 46 to 72 lm/W.
The main problem with efficient lighting is the levels and lighting a room with 10 x 8W CFU's instead of a single 80W bulb is not really saving as we have lit the room brighter than required.
Two have two switched supplies to each fitting so 2, 3, or 5 lamps can be used would likely save a lot of energy as the user can select the power required.
The selection of lamp types and position will also have a huge effect. In a living room 12 x 8 foot you could likely use two 2D units (folded florescent tube) at 22W each but my wife would have never allowed that so we have two chandeliers with 5 lamps in each so 40W per fitting instead of 22W had we twin switches then we could have had 16, 24 or 40W but smaller bulbs are not as efficient as bigger ones.
The HF florescent tube can be used inside 2ft square panels giving 40W with two tubes and 80W with 4 and also can include emergency lighting and would be great in kitchens where high light levels are required but again can't see my wife saying yes and magnet units cost around £12 but HF units £60 so unlikely to installed by builders.
Plus florescent lamps contain mercury and use far more resources to produce.
So in Alaska likely the old tungsten bulb will be more environmental friendly than the florescent as the heat it produces is also required so not a waist and they use less resources to make. But in California where air conditioners are used for large part of the year the florescent will come into it's own.
Unfortunately world governments seem to have forgotten about location and try to force discharge lighting for all even when the bulb warmth would be helpful.
Low pressure sodium lamp are between 100 and 200 lm/W about the most efficient but not really good for homes these are used in street lamps.
So in the home we have two types of lamp the LED and the florescent. The LED is still a low output and although cars now use them for rear lamps and indicators etc. other than when very close to what they are illuminating not much use.
The florescent is sub divided to induction control and electronic control the latter also called HF (High Frequency). The former is very voltage dependent and I would think more of a problem in USA. In this country to use strip lights on 110 volt we needed auto transformer and a ballast not sure how this was done in US?
The HF unit was better able to cope with voltage fluctuations and is more efficient. Magnetic is somewhere near 60 lm/W and HF between 80 to 120 lm/W.
Also we have compact fluorescent units i.e. those which replace light bulbs these vary a lot between 46 to 72 lm/W.
The main problem with efficient lighting is the levels and lighting a room with 10 x 8W CFU's instead of a single 80W bulb is not really saving as we have lit the room brighter than required.
Two have two switched supplies to each fitting so 2, 3, or 5 lamps can be used would likely save a lot of energy as the user can select the power required.
The selection of lamp types and position will also have a huge effect. In a living room 12 x 8 foot you could likely use two 2D units (folded florescent tube) at 22W each but my wife would have never allowed that so we have two chandeliers with 5 lamps in each so 40W per fitting instead of 22W had we twin switches then we could have had 16, 24 or 40W but smaller bulbs are not as efficient as bigger ones.
The HF florescent tube can be used inside 2ft square panels giving 40W with two tubes and 80W with 4 and also can include emergency lighting and would be great in kitchens where high light levels are required but again can't see my wife saying yes and magnet units cost around £12 but HF units £60 so unlikely to installed by builders.
Plus florescent lamps contain mercury and use far more resources to produce.
So in Alaska likely the old tungsten bulb will be more environmental friendly than the florescent as the heat it produces is also required so not a waist and they use less resources to make. But in California where air conditioners are used for large part of the year the florescent will come into it's own.
Unfortunately world governments seem to have forgotten about location and try to force discharge lighting for all even when the bulb warmth would be helpful.
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