banner My name is Justin Luyt. I started this blog in the midst of out 2008/9 recession with the purpose of helping others reduce their monthly expenses. All around our homes we have a multitude of devices, tapping into your bank account every day.

We will be reviewing products and services that will help you not only conserve our planet, but conserve your hard earned dollars also.
Jul
23rd

Energy Saving Light Bulbs and Carbon Emissions

Author: admin | Files under Electricity Saving

Today I wanted to talk about a cool invention on a hot topic. After all, saving the environment, carbon footprint, carbon credits and debits, all these terms are the rage now. A lot of things that were acceptable even 10 to 15 years back have been blacklisted and may soon proceed to being banished for good! Gas guzzling SUVs, generating stations using fossil fuels, logging, non renewable fuel, non renewable fishing methods – the list is endless. Incandescent lamps being another one of them.

Hence the entry of the energy saving compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and compact fluorescent tube (CFT). While the fluorescent lamp was invented by PC Hewitt, the more modern CFL was the brainchild of Edward E Hammer who developed it at GE. The CFLs are fluorescent lamps and can be of various shapes and sizes. While some have the standard elongated tube light shape, there are a host of others with convoluted designs. To save on costs these CFL light bulbs are mostly designed to fit into existing incandescent light bulb fixtures. The advantages of the CFL light bulbs include:
For the same amount of visible light emanated by an incandescent bulb, the CFL one uses far less power. The substantial savings in energy over the average life span between these two bulbs is a recorded fact.
CFL bulbs have a longer life span as compared to incandescent ones, somewhere between 8 – 15 times that of the latter.
While the CFL bulbs emanate a different spectrum of light compared to incandescent ones, the best ‘soft white’ CFLs emit colour similar to the latter.
There is substantial savings in the greenhouse gases emitted between the 2 bulbs; up to 2000 times the weight in case of the CFL bulb.
The disadvantages are also there:
The cost of a CFL bulb is substantially higher than the incandescent one.
CFL light bulbs contain mercury (as do all fluorescent lamps), which has its own complications, especially in disposal.
The ultraviolet and blue light radiation emitted by CFLs could be harmful for people suffering from specific types of skin disorders.
The amount of light emitted in the later stages of a CFL light bulb can drop by 70%; however this is not a very noticeable change over the period of its life.
The amount of time taken to reach full power is longer in the case of the CFL bulb
CFL bulbs can be used both in alternating and direct current and the basic parts are similar to that of its predecessor, the fluorescent lamps. There are some other modern lighting systems with which the CFL technology fares reasonably well. These include solid state lighting used in traffic lights as well as the LED lamps. There are also various modifications on the basic CFL light bulbs, which have cornered niche segments of the market; for example use of titanium dioxide coating on the outside of the se bulbs to kill bacteria and at the same time neutralise odours.
Overall the CFL light bulb can be considered a blessed invention!

Today I wanted to talk about a cool invention on a hot topic. After all, saving the environment, carbon footprint, carbon credits and debits, all these terms are the rage now. A lot of things that were acceptable even 10 to 15 years back have been blacklisted and may soon proceed to being banished for good! Gas guzzling SUVs, generating stations using fossil fuels, logging, non renewable fuel, non renewable fishing methods – the list is endless. Incandescent lamps being another one of them.

Hence the entry of the energy saving compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and compact fluorescent tube (CFT). While the fluorescent lamp was invented by PC Hewitt, the more modern CFL was the brainchild of Edward E Hammer who developed it at GE. The CFLs are fluorescent lamps and can be of various shapes and sizes. While some have the standard elongated tube light shape, there are a host of others with convoluted designs. To save on costs these CFL light bulbs are mostly designed to fit into existing incandescent light bulb fixtures. The advantages of the CFL light bulbs include:

  • For the same amount of visible light emanated by an incandescent bulb, the CFL one uses far less power. The substantial savings in energy over the average life span between these two bulbs is a recorded fact.
  • CFL bulbs have a longer life span as compared to incandescent ones, somewhere between 8 – 15 times that of the latter.
  • While the CFL bulbs emanate a different spectrum of light compared to incandescent ones, the best ‘soft white’ CFLs emit colour similar to the latter.
  • There is substantial savings in the greenhouse gases emitted between the 2 bulbs; up to 2000 times the weight in case of the CFL bulb.

The disadvantages are also there:

  • The cost of a CFL bulb is substantially higher than the incandescent one.
  • CFL light bulbs contain mercury (as do all fluorescent lamps), which has its own complications, especially in disposal.
  • The ultraviolet and blue light radiation emitted by CFLs could be harmful for people suffering from specific types of skin disorders.
  • The amount of light emitted in the later stages of a CFL light bulb can drop by 70%; however this is not a very noticeable change over the period of its life.
  • The amount of time taken to reach full power is longer in the case of the CFL bulb

CFL bulbs can be used both in alternating and direct current and the basic parts are similar to that of its predecessor, the fluorescent lamps. There are some other modern lighting systems with which the CFL technology fares reasonably well. These include solid state lighting used in traffic lights as well as the LED lamps. There are also various modifications on the basic CFL light bulbs, which have cornered niche segments of the market; for example use of titanium dioxide coating on the outside of the se bulbs to kill bacteria and at the same time neutralise odours.

Overall the CFL light bulb can be considered a blessed invention!