We pay very little attention to the familiar things that surround us. Meanwhile, they are often the determining factors in creating the impression of the interior. Surprisingly, even simple light bulbs can affect our mood and well-being. Pavel Gorchakov, an expert at Philips Lighting Solutions, told Lady Mail.Ru about the main nuances when choosing lamps and shared four important parameters that you should pay attention to when purchasing.
Incandescent lamp- the most common option today and also the oldest technology. It is distinguished by its low price and the familiar warm yellow light. However, it is the least energy efficient and will only last about a year (sometimes less). An incandescent lamp “gives” to us no more than 10-15% of the energy consumed in the form of light, and the remaining 90-85% of the energy is converted into heat. In other words, it warms rather than shines.
Halogen lamp- the same incandescent lamp with a bulb filled with gas. It will last approximately two to three years, but it has a serious drawback - the lamp heats the surrounding space quite strongly, which significantly reduces the range of its use.
Energy saving (fluorescent) lamp Lives up to its name and actually reduces lighting costs by up to 80%, but requires special disposal because it contains mercury.
The most innovative and with the greatest number of advantages compared to other lamps - LED lamp. It has the longest service life - up to 25 thousand hours, high energy efficiency - it can save up to 85% of lighting costs - and the absence of thermal, IR and UV radiation. It does not need to be disposed of in a special way. Also, some types of LED lamps have the ability to dim (adjust the brightness), which will allow you to choose the ideal level of illumination for any situation. In addition, LEDs light up instantly, unlike fluorescent lamps, which take 2-4 seconds, which irritates many.
Today you can buy an LED lamp for a price of 200 rubles. At the same time, technology does not stand still, the scale of production is growing, due to which the price is becoming lower every year.
The main parameters in choosing light bulbs:
amount of power consumption (watt). Incandescent lamps are standard 40-60 W. The power of LED lamps varies from 1 to 14 W. However, it is important to understand that the indicator of electricity consumption does not characterize the luminous flux, which determines the brightness of the lamp. So a 7W LED bulb will shine as brightly as a 60W incandescent bulb.
Colorful temperature. There are several standard configurations: 2700 K (incandescent light), 4000 K (daylight, neutral) and 6500 K (cold). In the living room or bedroom, lamps that emit warm light are usually used to create a cozy atmosphere. Cold light, on the contrary, is preferable in an office or sports room, as it helps to concentrate and gives a boost of vivacity and energy. Color temperature has no effect on the amount of light or its quality, so the choice depends only on your preferences.
color rendering index (Ra)- characterizes the correct perception of the color of objects when illuminated by a lamp, which, if chosen incorrectly, can be a fatal factor for your interior. Manufacturers of quality products indicate it on the lamp packaging. For example, for LED lamps Ra should be 80.
luminous flux stability coefficient. This coefficient states the service life during which the brightness of the luminous flux will decrease by no more than 30% of the nominal value. This is especially true for LEDs, because they do not burn out at once, but gradually fade away. For example, an LED lamp has a service life of 25 thousand hours (approximately 25 years), and the luminous flux is approximately 1000 Lumens. After the specified period, the luminous flux must be at least 70% of the nominal, that is, at least 700 Lumens.
Unfortunately, at the moment there are no strict standards in Russian legislation, so on the shelves today we see a huge number of LED lamps from unscrupulous manufacturers. Therefore, the best decision when choosing a lamp is to focus on well-known brands, whose product quality meets the highest international standards.
A lot depends on the correct choice of lamp. First of all, high-quality energy-efficient lamps can significantly reduce lighting costs. Today, LEDs already save up to 85% of lighting costs. Also, the light of LEDs is as close to natural as possible. This allows us to talk about a beneficial effect on human health and well-being. In addition, the lamp can serve as a decorative element, and its light, depending on the choice of color temperature, will give a feeling of warmth and comfort or, conversely, will invigorate and tone.
Incandescent lamps have served us at home for decades. Everyone knows what their shortcomings are; they have already come to terms with them. Only a small part of the energy is converted into light visible to the eye, which explains their low efficiency. The rest is dissipated as heat. The economic effect of fluorescent light bulbs is better, but they are more difficult to use for the home due to their large size. The service life of incandescent light bulbs depends on the frequency of switching on and the supply voltage.
Now energy-saving and LED lamps have appeared, designed to eliminate the main disadvantages of existing light sources. Their efficiency and service life are much higher, and their performance is better than that of the previous generation of lighting devices.
In order to decide which is better to use, energy-saving lamps or LED lamps, we will consider separately their designs, advantages and disadvantages.
So, which light bulbs are better for the home, LED or energy-saving?
Energy-saving lamps
They are also called “compact fluorescent”. That’s how it is: the principle of operation is the same, but the dimensions are smaller. Miniaturization was possible due to the fact that a long lamp was twisted into a spiral or folded several times.
The rest remains unchanged: the tube inside is coated with a phosphor, filled with gas, and at the ends there are two electrodes that are heated during startup. Inside the base there is a control circuit and elements of its power supply.
Advantages of energy-saving lamps
With the same luminous flux, energy-saving bulbs consume less power than incandescent bulbs, but LED bulbs are even better in this regard.
The service life of a high-quality energy-saving lamp, under equal conditions, exceeds the service life of an incandescent lamp.
Selecting the shade of light output:
- warm white- corresponds to light from an incandescent lamp (color temperature - 2700 K);
- white— almost never used at home (3300-3500 K);
- cold white- has a faint blue tint (4000-4200 K);
- day- corresponds to the glow of powerful fluorescent lamps (6000-6500 K).
Typically, warm light is used for the home, and cool light for the office.
The price of energy-saving light bulbs is lower than LED ones.
Disadvantages of energy-saving lamps
Energy-saving lamps do not like frequent switching. In this regard, they are not recommended for use in places where lights are often turned on for a short time. For a home, this is a corridor, a bathroom, a toilet. Optimal operating mode: turn on the light for at least 5-10 minutes, with breaks of more than 5-6 minutes.
They do not immediately show the full brightness of the glow; for some time they shine dimmer. There are models that turn on with a slight delay.
Energy-saving light bulbs require ventilation. Inside hermetically sealed lamps, their service life is sharply reduced; this is also facilitated by changes in temperature and air humidity. They don't light well in the cold.
Like fluorescent ones, they need to be disposed of, but collection points are very difficult to find. The lamps contain mercury, which, if damaged in the premises of a residential building, must be neutralized.
Not all models meet the requirements for the luminous flux pulsation coefficient. Depending on the control scheme, it varies widely and for some models can reach up to 60%. These flickers are not visible, but have a detrimental effect on the human body, causing fatigue and decreased performance. It is impossible to measure the ripple factor at home.
As the phosphor wears out, infrared and ultraviolet radiation appears in the emission spectrum.
It is impossible to adjust the brightness of the light with a dimmer. Dimmable versions are available, but adjusting their brightness is not effective.
LED bulbs
LED lamp with diffuser
Their main element is semiconductor devices - LEDs. The number of them required for operation is installed on the board, and is electrically connected to a power device called a “driver”. The driver includes a rectifier (LEDs operate at constant current) and a circuit that reduces the voltage to the required value.
Advantages of LED lamps
The service life is longer than that of energy-saving ones. In this parameter they are second only to metal halides.
In terms of energy savings, LED light bulbs are 2-3 times more effective than energy-saving ones.
Environmentally friendly.
The most compact and durable, not afraid of shocks and vibrations.
They start working instantly and are not afraid of frequent switching.
The range of glow colors is much wider than that of compact fluorescent ones, since LEDs can be manufactured in almost any shade of glow. This expands the possibilities of their application, creating scope for designers.
LED light bulbs are better, but not all of them, only special models.
Disadvantages of LED lamps
The main drawback is the price, which is 2 - 3 times more than energy-saving lamps.
Looking directly at a working LED produces an effect similar to being blinded by the arc of a welding machine. Therefore, light bulbs that do not have diffusers in their design should be used only for ceiling or street lighting.
There are also disadvantages common to energy-saving light bulbs. LEDs also have a ripple coefficient, although less. If new lamps do not have it, then over time, especially after exposure to high temperatures, it may appear due to the drying out of electrolytic capacitors in the control circuits.
In pursuit of cheaper products, they try to simplify driver designs as much as possible, which leads to reduced reliability and deterioration of performance.
So should you choose LED lamps or energy-saving ones?
Obviously, LED lighting has fewer disadvantages than energy-saving lamps. Does this mean LEDs are better? There is no need to rush to conclusions. When choosing which lamps are better to buy, LED or energy-saving, you need to take into account additional nuances.
Unfortunately, in addition to high-quality lighting devices, the market is flooded with products of dubious quality. When purchasing an expensive product, the buyer invests money, hoping over time to receive economic benefits in the form of energy savings. In fact, he is often disappointed: the light bulb fails after not having served the period stated in the passport. The reason does not necessarily lie in the quality of the purchased product. To extend the service life, you need to take into account the operating features described above in order to understand which LED or energy-saving lamps can be installed in luminaires in specific places.
Not everyone has the opportunity to spend a lot of money on LED lamps, but they can afford energy-saving ones. In some places, the use of incandescent lamps is still quite justified. What kind of lighting devices to install in the lamps is decided on the spot.
Another disappointment is related to the different susceptibility of the color shades of the glow of the lamps in different people. Some people feel better in the cold white light of an energy-saving lamp, while others feel uncomfortable from it. Therefore, saving is good, but it is better to put health and comfort first. Unfortunately, choosing a lighting device “for yourself” is only possible through trial and error.
Thus, you just need to choose the right energy-saving or LED lamps for your home, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages.
Electricity prices are now such that, willy-nilly, you begin to think about saving. The easiest way to lower your energy bills is to reduce your lighting costs. It is this that “eats” most of the kilowatts in an ordinary apartment or house. We will discuss which lamps are better for the home and according to what parameters in this article.
You can see different lamps on store shelves. Let's take a closer look at those that are installed in private houses and apartments.
Lighting in the house should be cozy, comfortable... preferably economical
Incandescent lamps
The oldest lighting devices are more than a century old. They provide light that is pleasant to the eye, but during operation they get very hot, as they have low efficiency - about 97% of the energy is spent on heat generation. Therefore, lighting using conventional incandescent lamps is expensive. It is for this reason that many decide to replace them with more economical ones, while deciding which lamps are better for the home and for the wallet.
There is another unpleasant property of incandescent lamps - their service life is not very long. On average it is about 1000 -3000 hours. Since the price of these lighting fixtures is low, it is a small burden on the wallet. However, frequent replacement can be nerve-wracking - you have to always have a couple of pieces in stock.
A widespread trend - traditional incandescent lamps are being replaced by more economical ones
It is also worth taking into account that, due to the design features, they are produced only with a screw base, but they operate from a 220 V network and do not require any converters or special devices. Due to the large amount of heat, they are not used for lighting furniture; they are not compatible with all suspended ceilings, and they are not at all friendly with suspended ceilings. In general, this is a classic lighting, but not ideal.
Halogen
Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp. They differ in that the flask is filled with halogen vapor (most often iodine or bromine), which increases the service life by 2-3 times. The design allows them to be made not only with a screw base, but also with a pin base. Different bulb shapes and the use of reflective coating make it possible to create light sources with different scattering angles. Therefore, at one time, they were widely used as built-in ceilings or furniture.
Halogen incandescent lamps - a more “advanced” option
Since these are also incandescent lamps, they have almost the same disadvantages - significant heat generation. And that's the problem. But the energy consumption is less (about 2-3 times). So they are more economical compared to the classic design. But they have an additional disadvantage - they do not tolerate contaminants on the flask. A fingerprint can cause burnout. Therefore, installation must be done with gloves.
Luminescent: tubular and compact (housekeepers)
The operation of these lighting devices uses another principle - the property of certain phosphor substances to emit light under certain conditions. Structurally, it consists of a glass tube coated with a phosphor. Inside the tube there are electrodes and a certain amount of mercury vapor. An electric charge is created on the electrodes, the energy of which is converted into light radiation using a phosphor.
To create and maintain an electric charge, fluorescent lamps need a starting and regulating device - a voltage transformer and a starter. In the standard version, these devices are mounted on the body of lamps, which can only work with this type of lighting fixture.
Available in two types:
If we talk about comparison with incandescent lamps, they are 3 times more economical and hardly heat up. A serious disadvantage is that due to the pulsation, the light is unpleasant for the eyes and potentially hazardous to health (leads to increased fatigue and can cause a bad mood). In this type of lighting fixtures, it is almost impossible to get rid of pulsation. What can be done is to minimize it and, by adding one incandescent lamp, reduce the negative effect to a minimum.
Many are also concerned that the flask contains mercury vapor inside, which carries a potential danger. This is briefly about the main disadvantages, then we will consider in more detail the pros and cons of fluorescent lamps.
LED
This is the third type of lamp that uses semiconductor devices - LEDs. They do not require any special atmosphere, so their flask is not airtight, and this is more a tribute to tradition than a necessity. All the LEDs need to operate is a constant voltage of 12 V or 24 V. So operation is not difficult - to connect to a 220 V network you need a voltage converter (power supply, adapter). In LED lamps for standard luminaires, this converter is built into the housing, so they can easily replace conventional incandescent lamps.
Briefly about the properties. They have high efficiency - they require 7-8 times less electricity than similar incandescent lamps, and have a much longer service life (according to manufacturers' requests, they can work for 25-35 years). Disadvantages - they are expensive, it is difficult to determine the quality, low-grade ones have strong pulsation, which negatively affects the eyes and well-being, and often fail. Therefore, choosing an LED lamp is not an easy task and requires certain knowledge. But the bills actually become significantly smaller.
Which lamps are best for home
All these lighting devices are used to illuminate residential premises. It is definitely impossible to answer which lamps are best for the home - they all have advantages and disadvantages. If your main concern is eye comfort, the answer to the question “which lamps are best for the home” is incandescent. But at the same time you will not be able to save on lighting. The situation is a little better with halogen ones. But the lighting from 12 V halogens is more pleasing to the eye, which requires transformers. Those that operate on 220 V have too bright light.
When it comes to saving on electricity bills, LED bulbs are the best. This is undeniable. But you need to buy them wisely - so that they are of good quality and work for a long time, but these are expensive. But, even under such conditions, they are beneficial, since they really help to significantly reduce energy consumption. A
Why LED and not housekeepers? Let's compare their properties.
Comparing fluorescent and LED light bulbs
When people have a desire to reduce their electricity costs, they begin to think about replacing incandescent lamps with more energy-efficient ones. These are considered energy-saving (compact fluorescent) and LED. To understand which lamps are best for your home, you need to take a closer look at their advantages and disadvantages.
Having decided to replace incandescent lamps with more economical ones, you need to decide the question: which lamps are better for the home - LED or compact fluorescent
Housekeepers
This is what compact fluorescent lamps are called. They were the first to appear on the market (compared to LED ones), which is why this name was assigned to them. Let's start with advantages:
At the time this was a very good offer. The ability to obtain “warm” and “cold” light and save on electricity - all this has led to the popularity of energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs.
But flaws they have serious:
There are many shortcomings, and almost all of them are serious. They are the ones who stop many, even despite the savings.
LED
These light bulbs are made on the basis of semiconductor elements - LEDs. A certain number of them are installed in a single housing and connected to a power source. Power supply is from a constant voltage of 12 V. In order to use lamps in standard lamps, a rectifier and a circuit that lowers the voltage to 12 V are built into the housing (both of these devices are often called a driver).
LEDs generate heat when operating. To remove it, a radiator is built into the body. And the bases of these lamps are different. They can be installed instead of incandescent lamps of different sizes, halogen, tubular fluorescent.
If we compare all four types in terms of power consumption with equal luminous flux
Advantages LED lamps:
- They consume 7-8 times less electricity than incandescent ones, and 2-3 times less than fluorescent ones (housekeepers too).
- They have a long service life.
- Not afraid of vibration and shock.
- Lights up immediately after switching on.
- They have a wide range of operating temperatures -40°C to +40°C.
- Can be of any shade (any color).
- There are dimmable ones (changing the brightness of the light).
The advantages are impressive. The efficiency and service life are particularly impressive. But the figures stated by the manufacturers (about 25-35 years) must be treated with skepticism. They are for ideal conditions, which are practically unattainable in our realities. The warranty period declared by the manufacturers actually indicates the service life. This is the time they will most likely work. But even despite this, the period is considerable - 2-5 years.
Without shortcomings it didn't work either:
- High price. 4-5 times more expensive than energy-saving ones and 20-40 times more expensive than incandescent ones.
- Low quality LED lamps have significant pulsation.
- Without a diffuser, the light will blind the eyes, which is why most LED lamps are made with milky glass. Those in a transparent flask can only be used in conjunction with matte shades.
- LEDs are afraid of overheating. When the critical temperature (about 90°C) is exceeded for a long time, they lose their brightness. Therefore, it is unreasonable to use LED lamps in closed-type lamps.
When compared with the properties of fluorescent lamps, LEDs clearly have the advantage. But everything is not so rosy in reality.
Which lamps are better for the home: LED or fluorescent?
In fact, LED lamps are better in all respects. But eating it hurts “BUT”. These must be high-quality LED lamps. The thing is that the manufacturing technology is simple and does not require highly complex or very expensive equipment. It is difficult to make LEDs, but assembling an LED light bulb from them is not difficult. That’s why there are a lot of fakes and low-quality goods on the market. They use cheap, low-quality crystals; the driver is made to be the simplest, which does not suppress flicker and quickly fails.
The difficulty is that it is impossible to determine “by eye” the quality of LEDs or the same driver. Some experts are able to distinguish good LEDs by appearance. But in lamps they are hidden under a frosted bulb. Having set a goal, their quality can be checked by indirect signs - by measuring illumination, pulsation, and assessing color rendition. But the quality of the parts used in the power supply cannot be assessed. You will only find out when something burns out.
All this leads to the fact that many consider LED lamps unreliable - they burn out quickly and are expensive. So it turns out that there is no saving. And there are also problems with flickering... It seems so, but this is only true if you buy cheap LED lamps. Branded lamps really serve for years without problems and produce an even light that is pleasing to the eyes. So the main task is to find good quality LED lamps. And then you will know exactly which lamps are best for your home.
Instead of the bottom line: replacing incandescent lamps with LED ones will save on lighting bills only if they are used for a long time, and this is possible only if they are of high quality. High-quality light bulbs are not cheap. So, perhaps, this is the case when saving during the purchase is not worth it.
In the context of the ever-increasing price of electricity, we strive to save money and at the same time use normal lighting that does not hurt the eyes, is bright enough and does not cause irritation. That is why energy-efficient devices are the best solution for those who want to use high-quality light economically. From this material you will learn which lamps are the most energy-saving, what types currently exist, the better a particular type is, and whether their cost is really fully worth it.
Energy saving lamps: which ones are better
To understand which lamps are the most energy-saving, let’s compare them with the usual incandescent light bulbs that are already familiar to us all, or, as they were also called, “Ilyich light bulbs.” By purchasing one such device, in just a month you will understand how profitable it is, how pleasing to the eye and how economical it is. Compared to a conventional incandescent lamp they:
- They consume less energy but give the same light output. That is, the efficiency of this device is much higher. Unlike an incandescent light bulb, which produces an efficiency of no more than 18–20%, such a product achieves maximum performance of no less than 70–80%. In simpler terms, out of every hundred watts an ordinary lamp, working at full power and heating the spiral, produces only eighteen to twenty percent of light.
- They last longer and have a longer warranty period. Any store that sells energy-saving light bulbs will provide you with a guarantee for a certain service life. In some varieties it can be about twenty years. Considering how often ordinary lamps burn out, this is very beneficial, because you can always replace a burnt-out energy-saving device under warranty.
- Quite safe. All energy-saving lamps (except the halogen type) do not have direct contact connections, while the Ilyich light bulb has all contacts connected by a spiral. Therefore, in this case, a short circuit is practically impossible.
- They do not carry such a load on the general apartment network as conventional ones. This is also one of the safety indicators; thanks to the non-overloaded network, other household appliances will not be affected.
If we consider all these devices regarding their effect on human vision, energy-saving lamps, incandescent lamps, daylight, then they all flicker with a certain periodicity during their operation. This is due to the way the electron pulse passes through them. This is not noticeable to the naked eye, but upon detailed study, scientists discovered that:
- The cold spectrum affects vision more than usual and because of this, the retina is destroyed.
- Brightness and increased flicker in fluorescent lamps affect the brain and the stability of the nerve ganglia. People who work in an office with such lighting are 30 times more likely to seek help from psychoanalysts.
- According to the latest data from ophthalmologists, the optimal brightness is considered to be 2700–3100 K. This is good for both the living room and the children's room. Therefore, when choosing a light bulb, take this into account.
- If the lamp is located opposite the mirror, it affects vision an order of magnitude higher. It is best to install energy-saving light bulbs near mirror surfaces and glass doors. By paying attention to your appearance, putting yourself in order before going out to the store or for a walk, your eyes and brain will not be so tired.
If we talk in more detail about what they are and what they are, then let's move on to the next point of our material.
What types of energy-saving lamps are there?
By definition, an energy-efficient lamp is a special device for uniform light distribution, powered by electricity. Compared to its analogues, this product has an increased level of light output and significantly saves electricity.
Such economical devices are linear (LL) and compact (CFL). They all contain mercury and LED substances. A common feature of linear and compact fluorescent lamps can be considered tangible savings in electrical energy consumption. And at the same time, they fill the space with much more light than conventional incandescent lamps. The latter are gradually falling out of use, as many countries around the world have recently set a course for the operation of energy-efficient devices due to their overall safety and cost-effectiveness.
Which lamps are energy-saving?
Energy-saving fluorescent lamps include compact and linear lamps, which differ from each other in technical indicators and functions. Let's take a closer look at them to understand which energy-saving lamps are better for the home:
- CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) It is characterized by an arched shape, which allows it to be placed in small lamps. They are almost always used at home, being an optimal replacement for conventional incandescent lamps. They are often included in the package of non-standard lighting fixtures. Such a light bulb contains inert gases (argon and neon, known to many), as well as mercury vapor. The outer casing is finished with phosphor. Due to the collision of electrons with mercury components, externally imperceptible UV radiation is released, which turns into scattered light (this is facilitated by the phosphor coating). Compact lamps consist of three parts: a base for connecting to the electrical network, an electronic control device for igniting and maintaining the light bulb. It makes the transition from a 220 W power supply to that required for stable operation of the lamp without flickering. The third component of the device is the bulb, which is the outer shell of the lamp. Due to the differences in these elements, the type of CFL is also determined: for example, by the color of the radiation, the features of the base (there are 2D categories, often installed in shower stalls, E27 - for a regular cartridge, E14 - for a smaller cartridge, E40 - for a large cartridge).
- Linear fluorescent lamps (LFL) They can be circular, straight, or a specific U-variation. Straight-line devices have the shape of long glass tubes, at the ends of which there are glass legs, where, in turn, electrodes are fixed. There is a phosphor coating on the inner surface of the lamp, and the tube cavity itself is filled with inert gases and mercury. The safety of people from the harmful evaporation of mercury is guaranteed by hermetically sealing the lamp. Linear lamps differ in terms of the diameter and length of the tube, and the width of the base element. As a rule, the larger the dimensions of the LL, the greater the electricity consumption. Often, such luminaires are used in manufacturing plants and enterprises, in offices and places of public importance. Compact fluorescent lamps have become most popular among consumers, and their linear alternative is slowly going out of production.
Proven benefits of energy efficient lamps
Summarizing all of the above, I would like to emphasize that the use of energy-saving lighting devices in everyday life or at work has many advantages, among which the following are especially noticeable:
- According to manufacturers of lighting devices, the use of energy-saving lamps can reduce electricity costs by up to 80%. The luminous flux of these devices is much higher than that of conventional incandescent lamps.
- Energy efficient lamps have a long service life. This is more than 10 times longer than ordinary light bulbs last. Such a long operating time is also a big plus for placing energy-saving lamps in places where frequent changes of light bulbs are very difficult (on high ceilings, between flights of stairs, etc.).
- Produce less heat compared to conventional lamps. Due to this, it is advisable to install small CFLs with a high power rating, especially in complex designs: sconces, chandeliers and twisted forms of lamps. Economical lamps will not melt the wires and plastic elements of the socket, which sometimes happens when using ordinary lamps.
- The light from energy-saving lamps is much healthier for vision because it is distributed evenly. A uniform glow is obtained due to the design of the lamp: the area of their body is larger than that of the spiral of conventional light bulbs.
- A choice of different color temperatures is possible. Lamps 2700K give white color, 6400K - cool white, 4200K - daylight. The specified data is measured on the Kelvin scale.
For more information about choosing energy-saving lamps, watch the video:
