 Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs), are energy saving light bulbs. They are a type of fluorescent lamp. They differ from the traditional incandescent lamps and come in a swirled bulb form instead of the traditional bulb. They are made to replace the incandescent lamp. They fit into most light fixtures but are pin design in comparison to other incandescent designs.
CFL light bulbs give out the same amount of light as an incandescent lamp bulb, but use less power, have a longer rated life, but a higher purchase price. While the price is higher, they are estimated to use one fourth of the amount of energy, and pay for themselves within 500 hours of use. Their estimated lifespan is about 10,000 years.
CFL lights radiate a different light spectrum. They have improved subjected color with the use of phosphor formulations, and save 30 dollars per CFL. CFLs also save 2,000 times their own weights in greenhouse gases.
The lifespan of a CFL is a good reason to use it. The average life is 8 to 15 times longer than that of a traditional incandescent light bulb with a lifespan averaging at 10,000 hours, but lasting up to 15,000 hours. Incandescent bulbs have a lifespan of only 750 hours to 1,000 hours.
Voltage, manufacturing defects, exposure to voltage spikes, mechanical shock, and the frequency of cycling on and off all need to be taken into account with CFL lights. These factors can reduce their lifespan. The life of a CFL is significantly shorter if it is only turned on for a few minutes at a time. In the case of a 5-minute on/off cycle the lifespan of a CFL can be up to 85% shorter, reducing its lifespan. The US Energy Star program http://www.energystar.gov/ says to leave them on for at least 15 minutes at a time to mitigate this problem. CFLs produce less light later in life than they do later in time.
A typical CFL is in the range of 17% to 21% efficient in converting electric power to radiant power. This is measured in terms of lumens, which is a measure that accounts for the effect of the source’s spectrum on the eye.
Overall, CFL lights are a good investment. With the amount of energy saved (one fourth) CFL lights pay for themselves quickly, both in financial terms and environmental terms. One thing that is important to consider is that all fluorescent lights contain mercury, which means that they need to be carefully disposed of. However, they do last long enough, that disposing of them is very infrequent indeed.
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