Information About Traditional Light Bulbs
Traditional light bulbs are the incandescent type, and have been around for almost 200 years. This long history helps make incandescent still the dominant form of lighting today, although alternative sources of lighting are being used more than ever before because of their greater efficiency and long-term cost savings. Still, incandescent, traditional light bulbs have stood the test of time as a reliable source of lighting. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Incandescent lighting first made its appearance in 182, when the first bulb was created with a carbon filament. The original bulbs were relatively unreliable and did not become practical until Thomas Edison invented a version of the bulb with a tungsten filament in 1879. Traditional light bulbs still use the original tungsten filament design and remain relatively unchanged from Edison's day.
Prevalence
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Although other types of lighting, such as compact fluorescent, are becoming popular, incandescent, traditional light bulbs still provide more than 85 percent of household illumination around the world.
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Energy Efficiency
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The biggest downside to traditional lighting is that it is relatively very inefficient. More than 80 percent of its energy is spent as heat rather than light. Newer types of lighting, such as compact fluorescent lamps, fit directly into the sockets that traditional light bulbs use, and use 75 percent less energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Longevity
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Another major concern about traditional lighting is that it has a very short lifespan. Current models of incandescent bulbs still operate for only about 1,000 hours, which is the same amount of time the original tungsten filament version retained its power in 1879. There are longer-lasting versions that have larger tungsten filaments, which can last for up to 2,500 hours; however, this still compares poorly with fluorescent lights, which have a lifespan of up to 25,000 hours.
Price
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The most appealing thing about traditional lighting is the initial cost. It is the least expensive type of bulb to purchase; however, it can be more expensive in the long run because of the need for more frequent replacement compared with CFL lighting, and the higher energy costs associated with the traditional bulb's relative inefficiency.
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References
- Photo Credit bulb image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
