Fluorescent Light Bulbs Compared to Incandescent Light Bulbs
The feud between incandescent and fluorescent light actually started at their inception--around the same time that Thomas Edison started his company, General Electric. Nikola Tesla (a former employee considered one of the greatest, albeit eccentric, minds of electronic discovery) was toying with lighting up the world in a different way. Edison's electricity used currents running through filaments causing a "glow," while Tesla's "phosphorescent lamps" set phosphors ablaze inside a glass tube. With Edison's fame and political connections backing him, his light bulb changed the world. Does this Spark an idea?
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Incandescent Technology
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Incandescent bulbs rely on creating a current that starts when you flip a switch. Voltage runs through the metal spiral base into two poles connected by a filament. The electric current running through the filament heats it to a temperature that produces light.
Although the technology remains relatively the same since Edison's invention, the parts have become an exact science. Tungsten filaments are the key to longer life and brighter light. Because tungsten's melting point sits around 3,400 degrees Celsius, it's more than tough enough to withstand the heat of the electric current. Exactly how the tungsten filament is designed and placed is a closely guarded trade secret that extends the life of the lamp and quality of the light more than any other element.
Fluorescent Technology
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Although Tesla is credited with attempting the first fluorescent lighting technology, the new lighting style wasn't actually released until the 1939 World's Fair when Westinghouse released commercial-use fluorescent lamps.
These lamps use 50 to 60 Hz of energy to excite phosphors inside a glass tube. They give a much wider range of color than incandescent light by using different types of phosphors burning at different temperatures. Commonly referred to as the Kelvin temperature, the color ranges from 2,700 degrees to 6,000 degrees Kelvin. The lower the Kelvin temperature, the "yellower" the light; the higher the temperature, the "bluer" the light.
Since the 1980s, fluorescent technology is now available in linear and compact fluorescent lamps. Linear fluorescent tubes are simple straight lines while compact fluorescents are basically linear tubes that have been bent or coiled to create a more compact bulb. The most common type are the "spiral"--they look like a coil and have the same screw-in base as an incandescent.
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Maintenance, Cost and Life Span
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Incandescents today last around 750 hours; even "long-lasting" bulbs are only about 1,500 hours. Fluorescents can last more than 10,000 hours, making them ideal for applications where low-maintenance is ideal, such as high ceiling fixtures or landscape lights. Although incandescents cost just pennies (normally about $0.75), their short life spans and massive energy use makes the overall cost high compared to a fluorescent, which generally costs about $2 and uses one-tenth of the energy.
Recycling
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The EPA mandates that fluorescent lamps be recycled. One drawback to fluorescent bulbs is that they contain mercury, making them a "hazardous material" and meaning they must be recycled. This is an additional cost of about $0.20 per linear foot or $1 per compact bulb. Finding a recycler can be added work, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates proper disposal. Sites such as lamprecycle.org can help homeowners find recycling facilities in their area.
Practical Applications
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Incandescent lamps burn much hotter than fluorescents. They add to heat in the room, making cooling the area in the summer months more expensive. The heat they give off can even damage plastic and even paintings. Halogen lamps--a type of incandescent--are commonly used in art lights, but art without protective glass can be faded by the intense light and heat of the lamps.
Since their rise in popularity, fluorescent lighting has been able to replace halogen lamps, making better technology available in applications such as art lights, landscape lighting, indoor track lighting and pendant lighting. However, wider use of fluorescent technology is adversely affecting the health of a small percentage of the population. For those with fluorescent allergies or skin issues such as eczema, incandescent lighting is a welcome alternative.
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References
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- Photo Credit light bulbs image by Roxy from Fotolia.com a blue recycle symbol image by wayne ruston from Fotolia.com
