How to choose an energy-saving light bulb for your home, manufacturers, characteristics and prices. Which light bulb is better - LED or energy-saving? Comparison of LED and energy-saving lamps

Traditional incandescent light bulbs produce more heat than light. For this reason, energy-saving lamps (EL) were created, where electricity is converted into light by 70%. These include compact fluorescent and LED light sources.

ELs consist of glass flasks filled with an inert gas containing mercury vapor. The inside is coated with a phosphor-based phosphor. The EL design is based on a fluorescent lamp, which is a tube with two pins at the ends with connected electrodes to which voltage is applied. The ballast is used to ignite the lamp, after which invisible ultraviolet radiation is generated, from which the coating begins to glow. In EL it is placed in the base. Depending on the composition, the phosphor produces different shades of light: from red to blue.

Compact fluorescent lamps of different colors

Pros and cons of EL

Energy saving lamps have the following advantages:

1. efficiency is 5 times higher than that of incandescent lamps;
2. service life 8-10 thousand hours;
3. low heat transfer;
4. uniformity of radiation;
5. wide range of colors.

Energy-saving lamps also have disadvantages:

1. the difficulty of smoothly adjusting the brightness, reducing the voltage leads to the lamp turning off;
2. low power;
3. decrease in light output when color temperature changes towards the red spectrum;
4. sensitivity to voltage surges;
5. delays when turning on lamps: stationary mode illumination occurs after 2 minutes;
6. dependence of service life on the number of switchings. If they are too frequent, energy-saving lamps are not recommended;
7. difficulty of disposal. ELs are the most common of all types of lamps due to the mercury vapor they contain. They are prohibited from being thrown away with household waste at home;
8. relatively high price;
9. radiation of ultraviolet light, which negatively affects the skin. For people sensitive to it, it is permissible to be no closer than 30 cm from the lamp, and the power should be selected no more than 21 W.

Despite large number disadvantages, advantages significantly prevail.

Types and characteristics

Fluorescent lamps were invented when the patent system was not yet developed. They were produced without thinking about standards. This was due to the simplicity of the design in the form of a tube with pins. In addition, lamps were used to produce luminous advertisements, where each product was created individually in the form of images.

Energy-saving ones also include those that can be used to create spectacular light images together with CFLs.

Light image from CFL and LED lamps

Over time, manufacturers had to agree to standardize products, which was due to the need to select lamps that matched the electrical wiring and fixtures. Their main characteristics are reflected on the labeling.

The first letter characterizes what colors should be: B – white, D – daylight, U – universal and others.

In international markings, the color rendering index is indicated first, which is divided by 10. The next two numbers indicate color rendering. If this number is 27, then on the Kelvin scale the color temperature is 2700K.

The power, designated by the letter W with a number, determines what area and how intensely the lamp can illuminate.

The characteristics of the bases are conventionally designated as follows: FS – one base, FD – two, FB – with a driver built into the base.

Energy saving lamps can be chosen with or without a starter, for more smooth start(RS).

The lamp indicates the mains voltage, which is 127 V or 220 V.

The shape of the bulb is indicated by the markings: 4U - 4-arc, C - candle, S - spiral, R - reflector, G - ball.

Shapes of compact fluorescent lamps

All main characteristics are present on the labeling of any lamp. Only their location may vary among different manufacturers.

The expansion of the use of ELs has made it possible to adapt them to lighting systems that use standard E27 sockets. Use has become extremely simplified; now you can insert energy-saving lamps into a regular threaded socket (picture below, left). Many types of products are made with pin connections (picture below, right).

Types of compact fluorescent lamp bases

For EL, it is often not indicated what kind of overall dimensions, so they may not fit in some fixtures. Dimensions can be found on the manufacturers' websites.

Energy-saving lamps are used for different voltages: from 12 V to 220 V. When purchasing, you need to carefully check what voltage the lamp is designed for.

In the USA, electronic equipment has 2 classes electromagnetic radiation: A and B. For class A, its permissible level is much higher; such lamps are not suitable for a residential building. Anyone who cannot identify it by markings can detect the negative effect of the electromagnetic field by jumps in the image on the TV screen when the lamp is turned on.

Choice

When necessary, pay attention to the power, color of radiation, sizes, manufacturers.

Power

Energy-saving lamps are produced with a power of 3-90 W. It is still customary to estimate illumination by the power of an incandescent lamp. When you need to select the electric power, it is divided by 5.

Emission color

Color is important characteristic and is always indicated on the product packaging as follows:

• 2700K – warm white;
• 4200K – daily;
• 6400K – cool white.

Shades of colors of energy-saving lamps

Increasing the characteristic brings the color of the lamp closer to a blue tint (Fig. above, left), and decreasing it brings it closer to red (right). Before replacing the lighting, you should choose the most comfortable option using one light bulb. Here it is necessary to take into account the interior and type of room (office, apartment, house or workshop).

Dimensions

The first fluorescent lamps found application in lighting enterprises and administrative buildings. For household lighting they didn't fit because large sizes. Manufacturers have been able to reduce the size of products only recently. The tube was bent several times and its diameter was reduced to 12 mm. In addition, the weight of the lamps was reduced, the ballasts were placed in the base, and high-quality phosphors were created. As a result, the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) began to be used in everyday life.

Reducing the tube diameter required changing the composition of the phosphor, which operates under more severe conditions. Rare earth metals began to be added to it, which made the lamps more expensive. To save money, the coating is made in two layers, applying a higher quality composition on top.

The tubes began to be divided into several parallel short sections of smaller diameter or curled in the form of spirals. This increased the radiation surface with smaller dimensions.

Small compact fluorescent lamps

Most CFLs use standard E27 and smaller diameter E14 for small lamps and sconces. This made it possible to screw them into ordinary incandescent lamp sockets. However, CFLs are produced different type glow. Therefore, they must be selected depending on the type of room:

• 6000-6500K – office or office;
• 4200K – children’s room and living room;
• 2700K – bedroom and kitchen.

Lamps should be chosen in different quantities and in small quantities so that they better suit the room. After a few days, you can purchase the required number of lamps according to your tastes and needs.

Cheap "housekeepers" are not worth purchasing. In most cases, they do not reach the stated deadlines. It is better to take a lamp from well-known manufacturers with a warranty of 6-36 months. The shape is chosen for aesthetic reasons. U-shaped and spiral-shaped products have proven themselves well.

For a house or apartment with dimmers, you should not purchase energy-saving lamps. During operation, they may fail, for example, the light bulb driver will burn out.

Manufacturers

For lately many new ones have appeared brands, it has become more difficult to decide on the choice of products. The best suppliers are well-known brands that have proven themselves in the market and have positive reviews.

• Philips is the first manufacturer of new CFLs since the eighties. The products are of excellent quality, have an impressive appearance and a wide range.

Compact fluorescent lamps manufactured by Philips

• Osram is one of the first manufacturers of “economies”. Products are different long term service (15 thousand hours) and easily withstands frequent starts.
• Navigator is a company that has recently appeared on the domestic market. The products are distinguished by their original shapes and compactness. The diameter of the tubes reaches 7 mm.
• Camelion - the company produces a wide range of CFLs according to characteristics and prices. There are budget options that are in wide demand.

The world's best brands fulfill their warranty obligations with proper organization of domestic service. If the EL fails during the warranty period, the faulty lamp can be replaced with a new one completely free of charge, if you keep the box and receipt confirming which store the product was purchased from. You just need to fill out the warranty card correctly, as some stores set a period of no more than two weeks.

Operation

During operation of a new lamp, the characteristics initially change somewhat during the first hundred hours. Then the brightness of the glow gradually decreases. On products low quality Spots and dark deposits quickly appear at the ends of the tubes.

Exceeding or decreasing the temperature of the lamp relative to the nominal one worsens the glow and ignition conditions, which shortens the service life. At a negative ambient temperature, the LL working with the starter begins to start worse. Overheating of the flask more often occurs when working in a closed fitting. In this case, the color of the glow may change and the intensity may drop.

DIY lamp. Video

The video below will tell you how to make an LED table lamp from an energy-saving one with your own hands.

Energy-saving lamps from well-known brands allow you to save energy and last for the period declared by the manufacturer, if you follow the operating requirements correctly.

Since energy-saving lamps appeared on the markets, conventional incandescent lamps have rapidly begun to lose their positions. This is due to what comes from the very name of the product - energy saving. However, the most recent scientific research stunned buyers with the statement that energy-saving lamps are dangerous. How to choose a housekeeper, weigh all the pros and cons and come to the right decision?

Energy-saving light bulbs: pros and cons

First, let's talk about the advantages of these products.

• Energy saving occurs due to high luminous efficiency. Incandescent lamps lag significantly behind energy-saving lamps in this indicator, since more than 85% of all energy expended is spent on heat accumulation, which enters the tungsten wire. In housekeepers, the same electricity is directly converted into light.
• Continuing to talk about the pros and cons of energy-saving light bulbs, we must not forget about the durability of these devices. The average time that a light bulb can work without interruption is 6-15 thousand hours. These lamps do not contain a filament, which burns out over time. Therefore, the lifespan of a housekeeper is several times longer than the operating time of incandescent lamps.
• Energy-saving lamps allow the user to independently choose the level of illumination.
• The best energy-saving light bulbs even at the most high power do not overheat. Therefore, they can be used in tight fixtures made from materials that can warp from heat. At the same time, incandescent light bulbs can melt the lampshade, plastic accessories on the chandelier and even wires, which is very dangerous.
• Light is distributed evenly throughout the room. In the design of conventional light bulbs, light is emitted directly from the tungsten filament in only one direction. An energy-saving lamp distributes light as evenly as possible due to the fact that everything glows. Researchers note that this effect reduces the level of fatigue in human eyes.

Energy saving lamps and their disadvantages

So, continuing to talk about what energy-saving light bulbs have pros and cons, let's now focus on the disadvantages.

• The lifespan that can last directly depends on the selected mode. Energy-saving light bulbs are not suitable for rooms in which the lights are constantly switched on/off.
• The price is quite high (from 75 to 350 rubles).
• Warm-up duration. It is impossible to instantly illuminate a room with this lamp, since it warms up gradually. On average, this process lasts 2 minutes.

• The possibility of flickering, which irritates the eyes, cannot be ruled out.
• Energy-saving lamps emit ultraviolet light. Such rays are dangerous for all people because they negatively affect the skin, especially for those whose skin is very sensitive. They are strictly forbidden to be near such lamps, no closer than 30 cm. Excess ultraviolet radiation leads to skin diseases. According to studies conducted by doctors, the optimal lamp power for people with problem skin is 21 watts and below.
• These lamps cannot be used in chandeliers where light intensity control is provided. This happens due to an inappropriate design: when the voltage drops by at least 10% from the standard, energy-saving light bulbs turn off due to lack of power.
• In my own way chemical composition The lamps are not dangerous in daily use. However, when they break, they release mercury and phosphorus into the air. Vapors of these substances from one light bulb, according to scientific research, can exceed permissible norm 20 times, from which pregnant women and children who are in the room at that moment can suffer irreparable health problems. If an energy-saving light bulb does break, the average user does not always know what to do, so there is a set of specific rules that we have given at the end of the article.
• Mandatory special disposal. Burnt out lamps are strictly prohibited from being thrown away along with all other waste.

Choosing an energy-saving lamp

Today, the market provides a large selection of products such as energy-saving products, so that the lamp suits us in terms of its characteristics and cost.

Previously, when we were choosing an incandescent lamp, our attention was most occupied by the questions: how integral is the tungsten filament, the base and what is the power. Based on the latter, we automatically began to calculate how many kilowatts the meter would show after using one such light bulb. A significantly low indicator and, therefore, a relatively small fee for its consumption are advantages for which buyers prefer energy-saving light bulbs; their price is higher, but they pay for themselves over time. Moreover, the service life of the “housekeepers” is long.

Considering what energy-saving light bulbs have pros and cons, we talked about this important indicator, like working hours. The average operating time of a fairly compact fluorescent lamp is at least 8 thousand hours. At the same time, you will need at least 8 ordinary light bulbs. In order to save your own money, you should also choose a more economical option.

The most popular are linear ones; they are quite compact due to the smaller tube diameter and low mercury content.

Base of energy saving lamps

The sockets have standard size, therefore, both incandescent and one - E27.

E-14 type sockets are also possible for cases where the lamps have custom size, less than usual.

Energy saving light bulbs: power

The power of energy-saving light bulbs varies within a range of 3-90 W. When choosing a lamp for your home, you must remember that the luminous efficiency of such lamps is 5 times higher than that of conventional lamps. You can choose a lamp for a room using a simple mathematical operation: you need to divide the power of an incandescent lamp by 5 and we will understand what energy-saving light bulbs we need to buy. We will consider below how to choose this product based on other indicators.

Color index

Fluorescent lamps are developed using special technologies that make it possible to reproduce different lighting levels. These colors correspond to the cold-warm range. The color temperature depends on the quantitative indicator. The higher the temperature characteristics, the closer the light produced by the lamp will be to cool tones, and the room will be filled with blue light. Conversely, a low temperature reading will fill the room with a reddish color.

This indicator is calculated as follows:

• Below 4000 K - warm shades.
• 4000-6400 K - daylight lighting.
• 6500 and above are cool shades, approaching blue.

Rules for using energy-saving lamps so that they do not blink

When considering energy-saving light bulbs, the pros and cons of these products, we cannot ignore the issue of light bulb blinking. This is bad both for the lamp itself - it burns out faster, and for the person - frequent changes in lighting have a bad effect on a person’s nerves and eyes.

Let's look at why a switched off energy-saving light bulb blinks and how to deal with it. possible problem this phenomenon.

• From a safety point of view, switches must be connected to the phase, and not to the neutral.
• When using fluorescent lamps, switches should not have a backlight indicator.
• To prevent the lamps from blinking, you should pay attention to higher quality models. They should have a turn-off delay of at least 2 seconds, then the lights will not blink, even if the switch has a built-in night light.
• It is advisable to screw one ordinary light bulb into a chandelier with several shades.

Precautions when using lamps

Lamps designed for average power, typically contain about 1 mg of mercury. This is about the same as one ball at the end of an ampoule of pen paste. Thermometers contain about 500 mg. Despite the fact that the difference in mercury content in a lamp and a thermometer is quite large, when using lamps, do not forget to be careful. Even a small amount of vapor should not enter the air. However, it is not always possible to avoid such situations.

Broken energy saving light bulb

Many buyers ask the question: “If an energy-saving light bulb breaks, what should I do?” If it does break, you need to take the following measures:

• All strangers must leave the premises, avoiding the area with the broken lamp.
• The room must be well ventilated.
• Ventilation should only be done using windows; the artificial air conditioning system must be turned off.
• If its fragments and remains must be collected using thick paper and placed in a hermetically sealed jar or plastic bag.
• Collect small parts and powder using tape or adhesive tape.
• The area where the fragments were should be treated with wet wipes. All materials that were used to collect residues must also be placed in
• If an energy-saving light bulb breaks, never collect the remaining mercury using a vacuum cleaner.
• All things that came into contact with the fragments must be thrown away. Those that are simply saturated with steam should be washed well.
• Shoes should be immediately wiped with napkins and left to air in the open air.
• All unnecessary items should be disposed of, and necessary items should be thoroughly ventilated.
• After disposing of all waste, wash your hands well.

Modern Russian market lighting fixtures are varied. Manufacturers predetermine at the design stage of lighting devices optimal characteristics for each element. Light sources (lamps) are no exception. Choosing the appropriate bulb shape, base type or lamp power for a particular lamp is not difficult. It is much more difficult for the consumer to decide on the type of light source: energy-saving or LED.

This issue can be resolved both by comparing the advantages of the common structural elements of energy-saving and LED lamps, and by determining the pros and cons of their additional operational parameters.

Design Features

The only structural element that unites all types of lamps is the base. Otherwise, the design differences between energy-saving devices and LED devices are significant.

All similar devices are divided into three types:

1. Incandescent. Base: tungsten filament; vacuum flask, usually containing an inert gas composition.
2. Gas discharge.
3. LED.

Only gas-discharge and LED light sources are considered energy-saving.

The glow of gas-discharge lamps is realized through an electric discharge in metal or gas vapor. Gas dischargers can be divided into:

1. Lamps high pressure. There are sodium, mercury and metal halide. This type is optimal for outdoor lighting.
2. Low pressure lamps. This type includes fluorescent light sources. The main structural element is an electrode tube, which is filled with argon and mercury gas vapors. The inside is coated with phosphor. For it to glow, a short-term high-voltage discharge must hit the spiral. If the power supply at home low voltage, the lamps may light up problematically (not immediately and dimly or not light at all). They are used for both indoor and outdoor lighting of a house or apartment.

When you need to choose which light bulbs are better for your home: LED or energy-saving ones, the latter means fluorescent devices.

A modern alternative to the types of lamps described above are LED devices. Such lighting elements, due to their design, are characterized as:

• energy saving;
• environmentally friendly;
• durable, resistant to mains voltage surges.

A minor drawback is the cost of LED lamps. The technology for their production is new, not yet modernized, and therefore quite expensive. The return on one-time costs for their acquisition is almost 100%, due to their durability and cost-effectiveness.

Design features of LED sources:

1. The principle of using light flux. The light emitter is an LED or a group of them. Such a diode element converts electric current into light by passing current through a special crystal (semiconductor).
2. The light-emitting element of the diode family converts electrical current into light by passing it through a semiconductor crystal. A significant advantage is that current is passed only in the required direction.
3. The light emitter can be either open design, and placed in a special flask.

Such light emitters are much more resistant to mechanical stress, in contrast to a similar element of fluorescent lamps (an electrode tube with mercury and gas vapor).

Differences in the design of CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and LED light bulbs are one of the main parameters of technical and operational characteristics, which allows us to determine how they differ. Their cost-effectiveness is also important.

Luminous flux: which lamps are more economical

Most consumers are guided by this very criterion when choosing fluorescent or LED lamps. The difference in economics and electrical efficiency of these two types can be determined by comparing them in terms of energy consumption and operational efficiency with traditional incandescent lamps.

The most important indicator, without which it is impossible to make such a comparison, is the luminous flux. This parameter determines how light it will be indoors in a house or apartment. Measured in Lm (lumens; lm). The higher the luminous flux of a lamp, the brighter the room will be during its operation. Over time, this value may decrease.

Almost all manufacturers of energy-saving and ice bulbs indicate on their packaging that the main operating parameters of their lamps correspond to the same characteristics of incandescent lamps.

Based on the average values ​​of similar performance characteristics of most common lamp models and manufacturers, an analysis was made of the efficiency and economy of electricity consumption in relation to the luminous flux value. The results of such a comparison are shown in the table.

Based on the tabular data, you can easily determine that LED light bulbs are much more economical and have better quality of operation compared to similar energy-saving ones.

Efficiency

The efficiency of the light bulb is also indicated by the ratio of the luminous flux to the operating power of the lighting element. This value isolates a certain set of indicators and is called efficiency (efficiency factor) or “luminous efficiency”. Measured in lm/W. The higher the indicator, the more economical the lamp operates.

For an incandescent lamp this value is very low - less than 10 lm/W, therefore, it has a very low luminous efficiency. This is its most significant drawback. For comparison: the average efficiency of an ice lamp is 90%; for most energy-saving ones it is below 90%.

To make it easier to make a choice, it is worth considering how else these types of lamps differ.

Comparison of quality indicators of light sources

The fundamental differences in the main parameters of such characteristics should be summarized by highlighting the most basic criteria. Namely:

1. Brightness. This parameter is also called luminous intensity. Measured in cd (cd). Data on this indicator are found on the packaging of lamps intended not for home use. This important criterion when choosing an artificial source for the “running lights” of cars.
2. Color temperature. Also called color rendering index, color temperature. It is measured in K (kelvins). The basis is an indicator of the hue of the color of the source, which can be divided into:
   • warm color. It is indicated on the packaging by numbers from 2700 K to 3300 K. This shade is comparable to the diffused color of the sky at sunset;
   • daytime or natural color. Designated 4000 K; 4200 K. Compare with the shade of a dim sky;
   • cold. The packaging indicates 5000 K.

To determine the priority in this choice, it is also worth considering the difference in the sizes and shapes of the lamps.

Appearance: base type

The perception of interior design largely depends on the quality of lighting in the room. A correctly selected lighting option will highlight the advantages of the interior and hide the shortcomings. An important aspect, without which it will not be possible to implement such a design move, is the choice of a suitable shape and pleasant appearance of lamps for modern lighting fixtures.

Having decided on the type of light bulb, a person pays attention to the type of base. They are:

1. Standard or screw. The most common in everyday life are E14 (minion) and E27. The number indicates the diameter of the base. There are no installation features provided. Light bulbs with sockets of type E40, E27 or E14 are allowed to be mounted in standard incandescent lamp sockets. The E27 base has a thread of 27 millimeters, and the E14 has a reduced thread of 14 millimeters.
2. Pin. In everyday life they are not used as often as screw ones. Pin contacts are more often used in luminaires of modern lighting options. The marking of the cartridge is very important.

The number that follows the letter marking of this type of base is the distance between the pins, indicated in millimeters (GU4 or GU5.3, etc.).

After selecting the base, the type and size of the lighting electrical elements is selected. More original shape (candle, ball) and beautiful design- for LED and halogen lamps. Luminescent ones can only have the shape of a spiral or tube.

Comparison of shapes and sizes

For the modern consumer, it is important not only how economical the operation of one type of lamp will be compared to another, but also the priority of their appearance.

Having picked up optimal size, you can eliminate the situation when a lamp that is not suitable in size and shape sticks out of a regular lamp.

Energy-saving lighting elements can often be found in the form of a complex spiral tube with a phosphor deposited inside. They are as compact as possible - they can be mounted in a medium-sized lampshade.

LED devices have a much more varied interpretation of shapes and sizes. Of these, the two most common are:

1. Mini size. The diameter of the crystal circumference is 1.5–3 cm. A source with this LED size will turn out to be very small - less than three centimeters. Very often, such a light bulb is installed in furniture and suspended ceilings.
2. Standard format. It all depends on the size of the flask. Its presence is not required. The diode does not require a specific environment. Bulbless LED lamps (called “corn” for their characteristic appearance) are increasingly being used.

As a result, when choosing which type of lighting sources is better, you can see that LED lamps have more advantages - many different forms and sizes.

Advantages of LEDs compared to fluorescent analogues

Of course, if you have the opportunity to choose, it is better to buy ice lamps to illuminate your home or apartment. To justify such a decision, it is enough to highlight the advantages of this type of light bulbs and compare them with an analogue, based on the above material, namely:

1. Increased operational efficiency. The average luminous efficiency level in relation to operating power is 130–160 lm/W. For comparison: most energy-saving light bulbs have a maximum of 100 lm/W.
2. Immunity to temperature. This means that this type of light source is capable of operating at different ambient temperatures, both at –60 °C and at +40 °C.
3. The presence of different directions of light flux. An important advantage, especially when installing table or wall lighting devices. The ice bulbs mounted in them will provide a uniform luminous flux for a specific narrowly focused device.
4. Quality of luminous flux. The design of this type of lamp is made with different amounts LEDs. Due to their significant concentration, the quality of light output will be as high as possible.
5. Some modern devices with ice technology are designed with the ability to adjust the brightness level.
6. Durability. The structural elements of ice light sources are immune to most external factors, do not have elements that burn out (as in old lamps - tungsten filament). The service life of an average energy-saving light bulb, according to manufacturers, is about 10,000 hours of operation, for an LED light bulb - from thirty to sixty thousand.

It all depends on the manufacturer, the price-quality ratio. Preference should be given to global brands: OSRAM; Philips or domestic - “Era”; "Space". These companies are stable in terms of selling high-quality products.

In addition to the technical and operational advantages of LED sources, it is also worth dwelling on a comparison of the impact on the user’s health.

Effect on the human body: comparison of fluorescent and ice lamps

This criterion can most easily be determined by highlighting the following main points of impact:

1. Radiation. LED light bulbs absolutely coherent. This means that the LED itself acts as an emitter of light in the working spectrum. Compared to energy-saving ones, it does not have a noticeable effect on human vision. Fluorescent lamps are the opposite. The principle of producing light is based on the interaction of a discharge and a phosphor, which is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the discharge. This creates lighting. Moreover, such a discharge also creates an additional luminous flux - ultraviolet radiation. The effect on vision is minor, but negative.
2. Flicker. This performance characteristic is not typical for an ice lamp; flickering is practically absent, due to the fact that for the operating power of the LED it is necessary constant voltage. And the flickering frequency of fluorescent lamps is about fifty hertz.
3. Mercury. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury vapor. If the flask breaks, the body is poisoned by certain doses of these fumes. LED sources do not contain any harmful substances.

Choosing an LED or energy-saving lamp to illuminate your home is a very pressing issue. It’s quite easy to decide by assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each type: both operational and structural. After such a comparison, the user will understand how to distinguish an ice lamp from an energy-saving one not only by appearance, but also to find differences in their functionality. Then you will be able to select the optimal light source for a specific lighting design solution and for the individual operational features of the room.

Power, equivalent power and luminous flux

The power of energy-saving lamps is very small - from 4 W, and at first it is difficult to navigate: how much light will it give? We know very well how a regular incandescent lamp with a power of 40, 60, 75 or 95 W shines, and the lamps are designed for incandescent lamps of a certain power. Therefore, choosing energy saving lamp, you need to pay attention to the power equivalent written on the packaging. For example, a power of 4.5–6 W is the equivalent of 40 W for an incandescent lamp, 6–10 W is the equivalent of 60 W. The boxes usually have inscriptions in Russian: for example, “5.5 W corresponds to 50 W,” but in English it is also easy to understand: “5.5 W similar to 50 W.”

Pay attention to the equivalent power

True, for some types of lamps, experts advise looking not so much at the power and equivalent, but at the luminous flux: power may not directly affect the brightness of the lamp, and there is no single standard for the relationship between power and brightness.

How do you know how much light a lamp will produce? This parameter best reflects the luminous flux measured in lumens. If you want an LED lamp to produce the same light as a 60 W incandescent lamp, then you need a lamp with a luminous flux of about 600 lm. If you want to replace a 40 W lamp, then the luminous flux should be 400 Lm, etc.

Color temperature

The lower the color temperature, the “yellower” and warmer the light; the more, the whiter (or bluer) and “colder”. It is measured in kelvins, just like normal temperature(kelvins are like degrees Celsius, only their zero is not at the freezing point of water, but at absolute zero), but you don’t have to think about it, just correlate the numbers.

Conventional incandescent light bulbs have a color temperature of less than 3000 K: about 2700–2800 K, so when switching from incandescent lamps to energy-saving ones, many feel that the light has become less pleasant, harsh, and irritating.

For energy-saving lamps, the warmest light will be 3000–3500 K; such lamps glow yellowish. If this parameter is from 4000 to 4500 K, then the light will be white and cold. In principle, this is a good option for “public places”; you can have such light at home if necessary, but you won’t relax with it. There is an even higher color temperature - 5000-6500, such lamps are not suitable for household lighting, only for hangars, warehouses, shops, salons, etc.

Warm or cold?

Color rendering index (CRI)

The light source affects the perception of color by the human eye. It is considered standard sunlight, its color rendering index is 100. The closer the CRI is to this value, the more correct and natural colors we will see when illuminated by a lamp. For an energy-saving lamp, it is good if the CRI is greater than 80.

Service life

The “lifetime” of a lamp can be measured in hours (2000, 6000, 15000 hours), but this is more understandable to technical specialists, and it is convenient for consumers to count it in years, based on certain average conditions of use. So, led lamps can serve up to 15 years; luminescent - on average 5 years, but can be longer with proper use; halogen - much less.

Pay attention to service life

Flask shape

Do you want not just a light bulb, but a beautiful and original one - a ball, a candle? LED and halogen lamps. Gas-discharge and their household subtype - luminescent - come in the form of either tubes or spirals.

Standard screw bases

Energy-saving lamps with socket E40, E27 and E14 can be installed in sockets designed for a regular incandescent lamp. E27 is a standard household cartridge, has a 27 mm thread, E14 is a reduced cartridge, it has a 14 mm thread.

The screw bases of energy-saving lamps correspond to the bases of conventional incandescent lamps

Pin sockets

For home use sometimes lamps with pin contacts are used; in their markings, the number following the letters indicates the distance between the pins in millimeters: GU4, GU5.3, GU10. Therefore, it is necessary to know exactly the cartridge markings.

Adjusting brightness using a dimmer

This is also a way to save energy: instead of a regular key switch, a dimmer is installed (or the lamp is initially equipped with one) - and you can increase and decrease the brightness of the light bulb, forcing it to work at full power only if necessary. What is easy for incandescent lamps (they can all be controlled by a dimmer) has become a problem for energy-saving lamps: among them, only halogen lamps can be dimmed without any special restrictions. Fluorescent and LED lamps with adjustable brightness are available, but they are less common and are more expensive; be sure to look at the packaging for the inscription “with dimmer” or “without dimmer”).

Lamp with dimmer

Main or accent lighting lamps

Light can be scattered throughout the room or concentrated and narrowly directed: this type of lighting is called “spot” (“spot” - English) and is suitable for creating light accents in the interior or for reading.

Disposal

Many people are afraid to buy energy-saving lamps because they have heard that they cannot be disposed of with household waste, that is, simply thrown into the “trash” - because they contain mercury. In fact, its vapors are only found in fluorescent lamps, while LED and halogen lamps can be disposed of like regular incandescent lamps.

Fluorescent lamps

This type of gas-discharge lamps is used in everyday life for residential premises. Gas-discharge is a bit of a scary name, but it is these lamps, in the flasks of which there is an inert gas under pressure with an admixture of mercury vapor and other substances, that have come to be called energy-saving because of their minimal electricity consumption, long service life (5-20 times longer than incandescent lamps, 15–20 thousand hours) and a greater luminous flux than them (5–10 times). At the same time, such lamps require careful handling and proper disposal, therefore, when buying them, you must immediately be prepared for the fact that you cannot simply throw them in a bin.

Compact fluorescent lamp

Fluorescent lamps, which replace the usual “home” incandescent lamps, are called compact (CFL), because non-compact ones are those that are used in large rooms, they have infinitely long bulbs, and in CFLs the bulb shape is a twisted spiral.

In a CFL, electric discharges pass through an inert gas and mercury vapor, causing ultraviolet radiation, and from it a special powder begins to glow - a phosphor applied to the bulb from the inside, and it is this that simultaneously prevents the penetration of UV rays to the outside and glows with the light that we see and which is safe for our eyes. CFLs are sensitive to voltage fluctuations and frequent starts: they should not be constantly turned on and off if you leave the room for a short time.

Compact fluorescent lamps

Power and dimensions

CFLs have very little wattage compared to incandescent bulbs, but interestingly, the higher the wattage of a CFL, the larger it is. Incandescent lamps also have this dependence, but it is not so pronounced: the size will not interfere with using even a large incandescent lamp in a compact lampshade, but a large and powerful CFL may not fit. CFL power ranges from 5 to 55 W, but lamps up to 23 W are more common.

Energy saving lamps work on the same principle as conventional fluorescent lamps, with the same conversion principle electrical energy into the light. Often the term "energy saving lamp" is usually applied to compact fluorescent lamp, which can be installed in place of a conventional incandescent lamp without any modifications.

To calculate the room illumination, you can use the room illumination calculator.

ESL has a fairly high service life (depending on the type and manufacturer) - 10,000 hours, and it is five times more economical than a lamp incandescent, the service life of which is only 1000 hours.

The operating principle of an energy-saving lamp.

The tube has two electrodes at the ends that heat up to 900-1000 degrees, as a result of which many electrons are formed in the tube, accelerated by the applied voltage, which collide with argon and mercury atoms. Low-temperature plasma appears in mercury vapor, which is converted into ultraviolet radiation. The inner surface of the tube is coated with a phosphor that converts ultraviolet radiation into visible light. Supplied to the electrodes alternating voltage, therefore their function is constantly changing: they become either an anode or a cathode. The voltage generator supplied to the electrodes operates at a frequency of tens of kilohertz, so energy-saving lamps do not flicker compared to conventional fluorescent lamps.

Differences between incandescent lamps and energy-saving lamps.

Ordinary incandescent lamps contain thin metal threads that glow when electricity passes through them. However, 90% of electrical energy is transferred as thermal energy rather than light.

Modern energy-saving lamps work on a different principle: they transmit 25% of electrical energy in the form of heat, and a larger share - 75% of electrical energy - are transmitted as light energy.

ESLs are produced with powers from 7 to 250 W. Their power is 5 times less than the power of incandescent light bulbs, so it is advisable to choose based on the proportion of 1 to 5.

Comparative table of power of incandescent lamps and energy-saving lamps.

Main indicators of ESL.

Power. measured in Watts (W or W). The higher the power, the brighter the lamp will shine, but the higher the energy consumption.

Luminous flux. Measured in lumens (lm or Lm). It means how light the room will be, i.e. how much light the lamp will “give” out. The higher this number, the lighter it will be. It has a “bad habit” of decreasing over time of use.

Light temperature. It is measured in kelvins (K). Lamp color index, i.e. the shade that we see and most often divide into:

. “like a regular lamp” (approximately 2700-3300 K), also often called warm color. This is the temperature the sky has at sunset;

Daytime (4000-4200 K), called natural color; This is the color of a dim, diffused sky;

Cold (about 5000 K).

Luminous efficiency of an energy-saving lamp- this is a parameter of the efficiency of a light source, which shows how much light a particular lamp produces for each watt of energy expended on it. Luminous output is measured in lm/W. The maximum possible output is 683 lm/W and theoretically can only exist from a source that converts energy into light without loss. The luminous efficiency of incandescent lamps is only 10-15 lm/W, while fluorescent lamps are already approaching 100 lm/W.

Light level - This is a parameter that determines how illuminated a particular surface is by a given light source. The unit of measurement is lux (lx). This value is defined as the ratio of a luminous flux with a power of 1 lm to an illuminated surface with an area of ​​1 sq.m. In other words, 1 lux = 1lm/sq.m. The acceptable level of illumination of a working surface for a person according to Russian standards is 200 lux, and according to European standards it reaches 800 lux.

Color rendering index - this is a relative value that determines how naturally the colors of objects are conveyed in the light of a particular energy-saving lamp. The color rendering index (Ra) of the reference light source (i.e., ideally conveying the color of objects) is taken as 100. The lower this index is for a lamp, the worse its color rendering properties. The color rendering range comfortable for human vision is 80-100 Ra.

Labeling of energy-saving lamps.

Domestic marking of fluorescent lamps contains a letter - an indicator of the parameter:

• L - luminescent;
• B - white color;
• TB - warm white;
• D - daytime color;
• C - with improved color rendering;
• E - with improved environmental friendliness;

International marking. The first digit in the color code is the color rendering index, the other two characterize color temperature in hundreds of degrees. The quality of the phosphor for the home should not be lower than eight. The ideal temperature for a home is 2700 - 3600 K. The marking should be 827, 830 or 836

Characteristics of energy-saving lamps.

ESL base type.

Modern ESLs can be easily screwed into a classic Edison base. It has the designation E27. The number determines the diameter of the base in millimeters.

In small lamps, table lamps, sconces, the E14 base is more often used (the so-called minion) , which differs from the classic one in its smaller diameter.

In powerful lamps, an E40 base is used, which has a larger diameter.

Energy-saving lamps may have other sizes of bases, for example: pin and threaded. The most common pin ones.

• G23
• 2G7
• G24Q1
• G24Q2
• G24Q3
• G53

There are also lamps for installation in E14, E27 and E40 threaded sockets with built-in electronic ballasts. The base sockets for such lamps are very simple to install in ordinary lamps; the declared service life of such lamps ranges from 3000 to 15,000 hours.

Diagram of operation of an energy-saving lamp (11W lamp).

The energy-saving lamp circuit consists of power circuits that include noise-protecting choke L2, fuse F1, a diode bridge consisting of four 1N4007 diodes and filter capacitor C4. The triggering circuit consists of elements D1, C2, R6 and a dinistor. D2, D3, R1 and R3 perform protective functions. Sometimes these diodes are not installed in order to save money. When the lamp is turned on, R6, C2 and the dinistor form a pulse applied to the base of transistor Q2, leading to its opening. After startup, this part of the circuit is blocked by diode D1. Each time transistor Q2 turns on, capacitor C2 is discharged. This prevents the dinistor from opening again. The transistors excite transformer TR1, which consists of a ferrite ring with three windings of several turns. The filaments receive voltage through capacitor C3 from the boost resonant circuit L1, TR1, C3 and C6. The tube lights up at the resonant frequency determined by capacitor C3 because its capacitance is much smaller than that of C6. At this moment, the voltage on capacitor C3 reaches about 600V. During startup, current peaks are 3-5 times higher than normal, so if the lamp bulb is damaged, there is a risk of damage to the transistors. When the gas in the tube is ionized, C3 is practically bypassed, causing the frequency to drop and the oscillator being driven only by capacitor C6 and generating less voltage, but still sufficient to keep the lamp glowing. When the lamp lights up, the first transistor opens, which leads to saturation of the TR1 core. Feedback to the base causes the transistor to close. Then the second transistor, excited by the oppositely connected winding TR1, opens and the process repeats.

Malfunctions of energy-saving lamps.

Capacitor C3 often fails. As a rule, this happens in lamps that use cheap components designed for low voltage. When the lamp stops lighting, there is a risk of failure of transistors Q1 and Q2 and, as a result, R1, R2, R3 and R5. When starting the lamp, the generator is often overloaded and the transistors often cannot withstand overheating. If the lamp bulb fails, the electronics usually fail too. If the bulb is already old, one of the spirals may burn out and the lamp will stop working. Electronics in such cases, as a rule, remain intact. Sometimes the lamp bulb can be damaged due to deformation, overheating, or temperature differences. Most often, lamps burn out the moment they are turned on.

Repair of energy-saving lamps.

Repair usually consists of replacing the broken capacitor C3. If a fuse blows (sometimes it comes in the form of a resistor), transistors Q1, Q2 and resistors R1, R2, R3, R5 are probably faulty. Instead of a blown fuse, you can install a resistor of several ohms. There may be several malfunctions at once. For example, if a capacitor breaks down, transistors may overheat and burn out. Typically, MJE13003 transistors are used.