The Wonderful World Of Light Bulbs
Exciting isn't it? There are several types of light bulb these days, with newer technologies, greener living and eco friendly goodness they have come a long way from the original incandescent lamp invented all those years ago. There is a lot about lighting that most of us would not have a clue about, but there are lots of intriguing facts behind them. For those who are interested in light bulbs and their history, here is a list of the different types, the history behind them and what they have been or can be used for.
Halogen Lamp This lamp goes by many names including a tungsten halogen lamp or a quartz iodine lamp. Which are a regular bulb that has an added halogen in the form of iodine or bromine. The combination of the filament and the halogen gas produces what is called a chemical halogen cycle, which in short means the evaporated tungsten re-depositing back onto the bulbs filament, creating more life and clarity in the light. These kind of lamp can withstand a much higher temperature than gas ones and are much brighter to look at. You can find these bulbs in automobiles and in flood lights.
Compact Fluorescent Lamp Otherwise known as compact fluorescent tubes, energy-saving lights and compact fluorescent lights, these lights are designed to replace the normal incandescent lights as they produce the same amount of light using only one third to one fifth of the power used in the original bulb. They contain mercury which for some countries does pose a problem in its disposal, however recycling them is becoming more common and they have been tweaked over the years to produce a more white light, unlikely the slightly yellowish light you get from your everyday bulb.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) A solid state lamp which is one of the best lights you can buy. They are the longest lasting, most compact and energy efficient bulbs today and are used for several things such as flash lights, bicycle lights and and traffic signal lights. They are more expensive to buy to begin with but they pay for themselves in a very short space of time with the electricity savings that you make with them. One downside to LED lighting is that their light can only be placed in one direction, making it unideal for street lighting or other such scenarios where lots of light is needed.
High-Intensity Discharge Lamp (HID lamp) These lamps are one of the more powerful types of light that you can purchase. They are an electric gas-discharge lamp, which means it uses electricity to not only evaporate the gas but also metal salts that are added, forming a kind of plasma to give the light more brightness. The more plasma you have the brighter it will be and the longer it will last, reducing electricity costs. They are used in larger buildings mainly, such as warehouses, stadiums, car parks, gymnasiums and cinemas.
If you want to learn more about or want to install some energy efficent lighting, click here.
Halogen Lamp This lamp goes by many names including a tungsten halogen lamp or a quartz iodine lamp. Which are a regular bulb that has an added halogen in the form of iodine or bromine. The combination of the filament and the halogen gas produces what is called a chemical halogen cycle, which in short means the evaporated tungsten re-depositing back onto the bulbs filament, creating more life and clarity in the light. These kind of lamp can withstand a much higher temperature than gas ones and are much brighter to look at. You can find these bulbs in automobiles and in flood lights.
Compact Fluorescent Lamp Otherwise known as compact fluorescent tubes, energy-saving lights and compact fluorescent lights, these lights are designed to replace the normal incandescent lights as they produce the same amount of light using only one third to one fifth of the power used in the original bulb. They contain mercury which for some countries does pose a problem in its disposal, however recycling them is becoming more common and they have been tweaked over the years to produce a more white light, unlikely the slightly yellowish light you get from your everyday bulb.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) A solid state lamp which is one of the best lights you can buy. They are the longest lasting, most compact and energy efficient bulbs today and are used for several things such as flash lights, bicycle lights and and traffic signal lights. They are more expensive to buy to begin with but they pay for themselves in a very short space of time with the electricity savings that you make with them. One downside to LED lighting is that their light can only be placed in one direction, making it unideal for street lighting or other such scenarios where lots of light is needed.
High-Intensity Discharge Lamp (HID lamp) These lamps are one of the more powerful types of light that you can purchase. They are an electric gas-discharge lamp, which means it uses electricity to not only evaporate the gas but also metal salts that are added, forming a kind of plasma to give the light more brightness. The more plasma you have the brighter it will be and the longer it will last, reducing electricity costs. They are used in larger buildings mainly, such as warehouses, stadiums, car parks, gymnasiums and cinemas.
If you want to learn more about or want to install some energy efficent lighting, click here.
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