Tag: Light

Help Solar Light For The Third World

Posted on by gogreen

Moving a change to switch on an easy is one thing the majority of us ignore, however in many

places, you will find no switches with no electric lights.

While coal fired energy generation certainly has

reasonable environment impact, for 100s of huge numbers of people lighting is not

powered by electricity, but as candle lights or oil lamps.

Besides the cost, measure for measure, oil has a much more significant effect on the atmosphere and individuals health.

Oil pollutants include co2, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and black

carbon – which are being produced within the room in which the light is use.

Fine contaminants of black carbon (smoke) clog the breathing, resulting in chronic lung disease.

Lighting adds towards the dying of huge numbers of people every year.

Based on a study from Lighting

Africa ( 2010 – PDF), over 55 millions homes use oil lamps his or her primary source of light.

It’s thought the pollutants from burning oil for lighting comes down to around 190 million a lot of co2 yearly round the same

amount as $ 30 million cars would produce.

It’s staggering considering that case for fundamental lighting, nothing like the way in which

a lot of us illuminate our houses.

There’s a relatively simple fix for your problem – photo voltaic lights.

Photo voltaic lighting originates lower in cost incredibly during the last decade. I recall the very first photo voltaic light I purchased in 2001 was $50 – also it wasn’t

extremely effective. I have seen exactly the same type of light, but more effective, now selling for 10 dollars.

10 dollars mightn’t appear just like a large chunk of switch to we, however for a household inside a developing country will still be lots of money – lots of these individuals are held in the vicious loop of investing

a lot of their earnings on oil with little hope of saving enough for any photo voltaic light.

Fortunately, you will find numerous initiatives in position to get photo voltaic lighting to those homes – and this is when we are able to help by giving money to purchase lights to become distributed.

It is not only a humanitarian gesture, but strikes a blow for that atmosphere too!

Apart from lowering your environment impact, you are able to help another person reduce

their own while enhancing their high quality of existence. Giving cash for any photo voltaic light may be a present on another person’s account.

Listed here are a couple of of those projects:

Energy The Planet

An initiative of rock group, Linkin Park, Energy The earth has an objective of delivering photo voltaic lighting to at least one million families through the finish of 2012. $10 buys an easy which will visit a family in Haiti.

WUSC Shine an easy Campaign

Centered on aiding women in Africa, every $10 contributed will enable yet another girl to gain access to photo voltaic-powered light.

a million Lights

The organisation’s goal would be to distribute a million 1,000,000 photo voltaic lights in a variety of nations/

Photo voltaic Light For Africa

A $25 donation supplies a photo voltaic-Brought lantern to some village family.

Photo voltaic Without Frontiers

A non-profit organisation established to bring solar power to disadvantaged towns in Africa. 10 Pounds (around USD $14) gives one light.

Beyond giving photo voltaic lights, you will find other interesting programs that offer

solar power systems to third world countries for example:

Photo voltaic Sister

Assists women in Africa to construct micro-companies which help tackle energy poverty with the purchase of photo voltaic powered lights.

We Love Them Photo voltaic Suitcase

Donate $25 that will go towards delivering any adverse health clinic having a small photo voltaic energy system

Start your personal photo voltaic light initiative

If you are particularly motivated and wish to run your personal photo voltaic light project, they at

Flexiway Photo voltaic Solutions supply low-cost quality photo voltaic lights.

Flexiway’s core focus is on aiding non profit organizations along with other light distribution projects.

Following a full day’s charge, Flexiway’s light lasts as much as 8 hrs

before dimming gradually. The photo voltaic light includes 3 batteries that do not need

changing for a long time. Based on the Flexiway site, the lights could be provided

for approximately $7-8 each (I am unsure exactly what the minimum quantity is).

While you might not possess the understanding or capability to distribute these lights

straight to families overseas, possibly connecting track of a non-profit in your town

having a presence in third world countries might be a great way to go – or even the

Flexiway team may have the ability to place you in connection with an energetic project they’re

conscious of.

Renewable power supports the response to lots of our problems and not simply

environment – photo voltaic energy can alter the planet for that better :).

Common Residential Brought Light Panel

Posted on by gogreen

Isn’t an regular light, Brought panel lights developed a special system a lot more than individuals the greatest professional standards. This innovative Brought technology improves the brand new in a home, office or commercial space and sweetness.

The primary benefit of Brought lighting is significant benefits. Extreme energy efficiency permits this new Brought panel to pay for itself many occasions every year in electricity savings. It save 50% to 90% energy than incandescent or fluorescent tubes. When they may purchase a lot more than the price of the first point, Brought lights can last a really very long time.

They’re resistant against shock, drop and vibration, they’re relatively light by constantly adjust or turn off and on isn’t affected, they’re much more compact and supply an array of uses. Ideal office or home programs, the Brought panel lights will help reduce the quantity of energy consumption of your dwelling the greater traditional incandescent, fluorescent and halogen lamps.

Brought panel lights is using frosted glass, and attempts use a better feeling of your eyes, this is actually the concept of light from the power grid. You will find two on the market, Brought panel lights around the primary species. The first is the energy supply, another is outdoors the panel the energy supply.

Brought lighting doesn’t contain mercury or any other harmful substances, being that they are mercury-free, purchase or damage isn’t a problem, and can lessen the pollution from the atmosphere and landfills. It doesn’t run hot, just warm. You won’t experience unsightly brown burned once they accidentally touch the Brought.

Å™ enter and exit, they’re much more compact and supply an array of uses. Additionally, they are able to appear in a number of colors of the diodes and semiconductor materials, which removes the special filters or color application, thus greatly reducing the total cost of lighting needs they are manipulation.You will find a number of other reasons, we ought to pick the Brought panel lights. The time is right for any light color Brought lights your world.

How to Check the Good Quality of LED Panel Light

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Brought fluorescent office lighting, the character of items

From the Brought panel that lights, office lighting items is really the essence from the entire LED’s light / watt, using space continues to be opened up 80lm panel light efficiency, energy conservation is very natural, energy is no more the most crucial consideration . Brought panel lights should pursue a far more fundamental sense, the best direction to its lighting items. It’s thought that low-carbon energy is essential, lighting quality and get more attention. Only a few of the lighting excellence of the premise, Brought panel lights energy-saving is important. Brought panel lights to energy-efficient lighting quality and balance.

Brought panel lights how you can assess the standard and-efficient lighting?

Evaluation of Brought panel lighting quality and from the current office lighting design standards-based savings, such as the average luminance, luminance uniformity, brightness, vertical uniformity, glare, centrifugal fan atmosphere compared to energy density along with other indications. Target the lighting through the office. There Brought panel lights their very own indications, including lighting, light, color temperature, color rendering index, light failure, existence, input energy, however the Brought panel light performance and quality, they’re different but related. Assessment by two fundamental Brought panel lights quality and-efficient lighting.

Based on March 2009, Shenzhen Brought light panel light because the test data, standard office lighting design and related indications from the Brought panel lights of the primary outcomes of this year’s All-optical Brought display roughly 50 – 80lm light efficiency comprehensive analysis / W It’s about the mainstream level this year 70 – 90lm / W, having a combination look at the information path continues to be capable of meeting the requirements of all amounts of illumination.

Based on design standards, considering lighting, energy density, maintenance factors along with other indications, and also the Shenzhen office from the training learned the need for the particular situation. Brought panel lights from the mainstream over sodium, index even greater compared to 400-watt sodium light 250W, saving rate of 50% full.

Lighting priority, considering the power

Shenzhen City recently, test results, within the light giving off efficiency of Brought panel manufacturing, light failure much better than the worldwide brands for example low quality, however the light (brightness index), light color (color temperature spatial uniformity), along with other large gaps. Brought panel lights because the technology matures, increasingly more broadly used, these defects will be to promote the resistance keeps growing. For that promotion of one’s efficiency Brought panel lighting is apparent, there can be stopped because the standard of low light. Are only able to be considered a good lighting effect to win the support from the user, thus marketing large-scale application. Hydraulic add-ons, therefore, close the wings from the lighting quality and-saving Brought panel lights effects, it’s possible to not, must cope with the total amount between your two. Give high priority to economical lighting ought to be the focus from the current application.

Illuminating The Great Outdoors With Energy-saving Light Bulbs

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Hey, it is possible to recession happening? This timely article particulars how slack interest in electricity last year can lead to the very first consecutive year decline in electricity use within the U.S. since 1950. Such news may tempt some customers to unwind a normally robust resolve for reducing home and office electricity consumption. Conservation and efficiency are effort, and harder still in becoming regular habits, particularly when energy pricing is low.

However, with days growing shorter and nights growing longer once we mind into fall, lighting costs is going to be increasing for customers, even when rates per kilowatt hrs are ticking lower. Now might be the optimum time to create a change to more effective, energy-saving bulbs to lessen energy consumption, but there’s you don’t need to get caught up. Rather, we recommend folks start gradually having a deliberate approach that targets fittings which are lit most often but for the longest periods. This frequently leads our clients who wish to reduce energy consumption outdoors.

Eco-friendly Bulbs Reduce Energy Consumption

Exterior fittings are available in as numerous designs as indoor lights plus they mainly serve three reasons: security lighting, accent lighting and convenience lighting. In some instances, single fittings perform double as well as triple duty.

The finest savings, both in dollars and reduced carbon pollutants, are most easily recognized by setting up energy-saving bulbs in a fittings that are lit from dusk-to-beginning but aren’t controlled with a motion sensor. This may be a floodlight over the front yard or back deck or a set of decorative sconces or lamps straddling the leading entrance. Publish lighting is generally lit through the night too. If you are like us, you receive satisfaction understanding that these lights result in the home look greatly occupied as you sleep.

Selecting energy-saving bulbs using the greatest efficiency rankings for the quantity of light preferred will reduce energy consumption and also have the greenest impact. Think about this comparison: similarly, you will find there’s traditional (incandescent) bulb and alternatively, a power-efficient bulb. At 60 w and 850 lumens, the efficiency of the incandescent bulb could be only 14 lumens per watt, by having an annual utilization of 2,920 hrs (8 hrs/day). The annual cost to light? – roughly $20, however with a CO2 emission degree of about 349 pounds. Now have a 15 watt energy-efficient bulb. Despite the fact that it features a lower wattage and uses less energy, the creation of light is identical. Lumens are less at 825, and efficiency has enhanced to 55 lumens per watt. The annual cost to light drops $15, and CO2 pollutants are nearly three-fourths less.

$15 annual savings per socket is ample to upgrade to energy-saving bulbs to be able to lower your energy consumption. Your time efficiency investment is going to be compensated in under twelve months. For CO2 pollutants, a 75% reduction will not do your eco-conscience any harm.

For houses, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) really are a solid option for dusk-to-beginning lighting situations. They are obtainable in several wattages, shapes (including decorative), dimensions and colours and therefore are typically made to last 8,000 hrs or even more. One disadvantage to energy-saving bulbs within an exterior setting is the fact that they are impacted by ambient temperature. Our advice: if you reside inside a cooler climate, search for lamps with “amalgam” technology for the best performance or buy ones using the next greater incandescent w equivalent (example: if you are changing a 60 watt incandescent, purchase a CFL equal to a 75 watt bulb). And if a fixture is not weather protected, make sure to choose a bulb ranked to be used inside a wet location.

Light Giving off Diode (Brought) lamps are striking the marketplace in a rapid pace and are generally worth thinking about for his or her superior capability to reduce energy consumption and very lengthy existence. Oddly enough, LEDs don’t emit ultraviolet light and do not attract bugs. To have an overnight fixture near a door, an Brought will be a good option to some yellow bug light. Advice: insist upon UL listed LEDs (not simple to find) for safety’s sake.

Energy-Saving Bulbs for Motion Sensors and Electronic Timers

For multiple reasons, energy-saving bulbs, for example CFLs, really are a poor option for fittings that light instantly by motion recognition. These are generally employed for security reasons but they are additionally a feature of garage door openers. CFLs aren’t designed to create short bursts of sunshine. Thus, a conventional incandescent bulb is really a fine choice (and most likely what’s within the fixture now). Advice: once the existing bulb burns out, think about a high-efficiency halogen light to lessen energy consumption. Presently, these energy-saving bulbs are thirty to fortyPercent more energy-efficient than traditional incandescents. Expect these savings multiples to develop as lighting producers still increase their halogen technology awaiting lighting efficiency needs which go into effect in 2012.

For LEDs, when they do achieve maximum brightness instantly, they’re still very pricey and therefore a bad investment for that short bursts of sunshine shipped by motion control sensors. Prices can come lower as demand increases for energy-saving bulbs. My advice: wait.

Many people depend on electronic timers to change on exterior lights as darkness forms in. Again, CFLs aren’t suited to this application. Within this application, where once on, the sunshine may remain lit throughout overnight hrs an Brought light, which generally works together with electric eyes (seek advice from the maker) could be a great option to reduce energy consumption and extend bulb existence versus an incandescent bulb.

Fall’s time to create the Change to Energy-Efficient Exterior Bulbs

They are saying the least expensive, cleanest kilowatt hour of electricity may be the one that’s never created to begin with. Because the shorter times of fall approach as well as your energy demands grow, you should get some eco-friendly glasses and check out the lighting fittings outdoors your house. You are almost sure to find possibilities to lessen energy consumption and live more gently with energy-saving bulbs.

Solar Post Lights to Light Your Driveway

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Photo voltaic lights for drive-ways are gaining popularity constantly. Many people rely on them as guides for evening-time visitors who come across auto or by walking. Others integrate photo voltaic front yard lights to their overall security arrange for their house. Others use photo voltaic lights to improve the wonder and worth of their house.

The attraction lots of people have for photo voltaic lights may be the financial savings and easy installation over regular lights. You no more have to search and run lines of energy in the nearest electrical socket. With photo voltaic lights you will find the freedom to put the m wherever you would like and character (the sun’s rays) will take over from there. The greater exposure to the sun you will find the better the lights works. Photo voltaic lights gather energy and charge throughout your day. During the night they release their energy and energy the LEDs within the lights.

Like rechargeable batteries used in your home, these photo voltaic lights provide long-term financial savings. There’s a preliminary cost in buying the lights, but many years of no discovered another means to operate the lights provides you with large savings that causes it to be all useful.

Photo voltaic publish lights are a good addition for your home’s overall security plan. It’s a undeniable fact that the greater lights a house is wearing during the night around the outdoors as well as in your garden and yard will turn it into a less enticing target for criminals and thieves. If your property is well lit, along with other houses nearby are nearly completely dark, the criminals and thieves will gravitate for the dark house, not yours.

Photo voltaic front yard lights and photo voltaic publish lighting is a newcomer towards the outside lighting scene. What made these lights possible are photo voltaic technology developments that transformed three primary obstacles, namely:

Solar power panels which are more effective. This breakthrough gave more compact solar power panels a chance to generate more energy output from less light. This meant that they’ll collect more energy you can use compared to older and far bigger solar power panels from an early on time.

Enhanced storage capacity. More recent photo voltaic publish lights use Lithium and Nicad batteries as a way of holding the power that’s provided through the solar power panels. Which means that a bigger quantity of energy could be held in a more compact battery. Also, these batteries rarely have to be maintained or changed.

Greater quality lights. Almost all of present day photo voltaic publish light use Light Giving off Diodes or LEDs. LEDs tend to be more effective than traditional florescent, incandescent, halogen or any other lights. LEDs are famous for moving rates of one’s into light which are much greater compared to other lights with without any warmth produced. LEDs also last considerably longer than the rest of the kinds of lights.

The breakthrough during these three areas allow photo voltaic lights which are small, economical and efficient.

LED Light Bulbs Why They Are Better Than CFLs

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Individuals are now starting to take real notice of Brought bulbs because by 2012, incandescent lights will no more be accessible because of new mandatory rules on energy efficiency. This information will demonstrate the main difference of utilizing Brought lights and CFLs to exchange your old incandescent ones. It will likewise provide you with a concept of just how much you actually invest in your utility bill each year on lights. Most houses have 3 sleeping rooms, 2 lavatories a basement and garages large enough to suit two cars. Many of these houses also employ an overall total around 36 bulbs, which typically include ceiling lights, lights used over mirrors within the lavatories, garage lights, etc. Let us say you take in about 60 w daily on each bulb. 60 x 36 x 365 is equivalent to 788400 w annually alone around the lights.

Suppose to energy all individuals w, you will have to pay $80.33. Remember, you’re still using incandescent lights that have a lifespan of 1000 hrs, pretty much. Say you have to change them. That’s another addition for your annual cost. 36 x .84 (the usual cost of the incandescent lamp) is $30.12 adding that for your annual utility bill for that light could be $110.57, that’s just how much you have to pay annually for that lights. Changing your incandescent lights with CFLs and Brought lights that are both emery-saving bulbs will help you reduce your power bills.

CFL lights are cheap and lots of them have changed the incandescent lights on the market. An autumn when it involves using CFLs is they have poisonous mercury, that is essential to produce light. This causes it to be hazardous otherwise saved or discarded properly. You will find known impacts that mercury can perform to landfills or any other waste control systems. Tries to cleanup increasing mercury content within our air and ground water happen to be done because the 70’s. You will find strict rules on the amount of mercury a business can emit. Fostering to recycle correctly is among the ways we are able to caused by minimize mercury contamination, especially as using CFLs within our houses. Brought lights however will vary.

Brought lights might be a little more expensive then CFLs however they certainly do keep going longer than them. Brought lights with more compact w can hand out the equivalent light a 60 watt incandescent lamp gives. Additionally they don’t use any toxic chemicals and the majority of the plastic components included are constructed with plastic, Brought lights will also be recyclable.

A Look Into The Phase Out of Incandescent Light Bulbs

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Even though US government’s initiative to phase out incandescent bulbs might not be everything well-liked by customers, the mandate has nonetheless arrived at the Florida winter home of Thomas Edison themself, the guy broadly credited because the inventor from the first incandescent lamp. In 2007, the federal government passed a law that will require lamp producers to phase out incandescent bulbs, changing all of them with more energy-efficient lighting options for example compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), new halogen lights, Brought bulbs along with other low-energy solutions.

The mandate is going to be completed in yearly batches-producers will be to completely phase out 100-watt incandescent bulbs through the first quarter of 2012, with 75-watt lights to become stopped by 2013, and also the 60- and 40-watt incandescent versions in 2014.

The final place anybody would expect to adjust to the modification the quickest may be the summer time home from the incandescent bulb inventor themself. But that is exactly what’s happening in the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Florida, with all the incandescent bulbs within the garden already being changed for additional energy-efficient lights.

But based on Chris Pendleton, the estates’ Boss, Edison themself might have supported the modification, because he was always the kind of person and visionary who desired to seek methods to improve and discover an easy method to do nearly anything.

Although CFLs are broadly recognized to be as much as 75 % energy-efficient when in comparison to incandescent bulbs, lots of customers also have voiced complaints regarding the standard of sunshine they generate. CFLs are belittled to be dim, producing an easy that’s “sickly” or otherwise as warm his or her incandescent alternatives.

LEDs however, are largely held back to be too costly. However with the pace of growth and development of Brought technology, experts believe that it’s only dependent on time before they become cheaper and much more common.

The interest in incandescent bulbs however, still can not be overlooked. In Fort Myers, there has been reviews of individuals stockpiling incandescent lights as a way of anticipating the phase out. But just like any introduction of the new standard, all case a part of a trend which will eventually cave in to advance.

Let There Be Light With Solar Garden Lamps

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Photo voltaic garden lamps really are a blessing in disguise. The reason being solar power is free of charge, sustainable, safe, and eco-friendly. They purchase their cost within several weeks of the purchase. They’re harmless for that atmosphere because they neither emit dangerous substances nor offer the depletion of non-renewable causes of energy. On the other hand, they boost the décor of the patio, garden, or yard.

The good thing about your small patch of flowers, kitchen garden for herbal treatments and veggies, or lawn could be enhanced by these photo voltaic lights. The prettily illuminated landscaping design and also the false feeling of elevated functionality from the space could make you happy.

Mechanism

Photo voltaic garden lamps focus on the easy mechanism of utilizing free sunlight. Each photo voltaic fitting consists of a scientifically planned solar panel section that converts daytime-sunlight into electrical power. Once the light is positioned in a right position where it receives sufficient sunlight, the photo voltaic energy panel robotically charges the interior battery for your reason why the photo voltaic light becomes operational in the evening and switches off instantly in the evening. A number of them also employ ultra vibrant LEDs.

Features

Aside from photo voltaic garden lamps, photo voltaic lights are available in many types including photo voltaic security lights, photo voltaic place lights, shed lights, and globe lights. Aside from these, you may also order solar power panels, photo voltaic security lights, floodlights, Christmas and fairy lights, street lights, and vehicle parking lights. You will find various kinds of photo voltaic garden lights on the market. For example, stake lights could be placed into the earth of the garden, lawn or flower pot to include a mystifying element towards the garden.

These come in different colors and may withstand warmth, cold, rain, and snow. Photo voltaic lighting is wireless. They’re functional for approximately eight hrs when they’re fully billed. Photo voltaic battery battery chargers will also be easily available for sale. Photo voltaic lights require little if any maintenance and remain functional for several years. Choose from all of these beautiful photo voltaic and mains powered garden lights and employ the exciting marketing discount rates while offering online.

Benefits

Photo voltaic garden lamps are a power-efficient choice to light a garden. They’re fast and simple to set up and may be installed without the assistance of an electrical installer. This is an incredible option so far as saving electricity can be involved. Furthermore, the price of electricity is rising each day and for that reason it seems sensible to make use of photo voltaic lights.

Another advantage of photo voltaic lights is they instantly turn off and on. But, you will find also turn off and on buttons placed on them just in case you have to operate them by hand. They’re durable this will let you rust-resistant frame. They enhance the good thing about the landscape and may keep trespassers away.

The only real drawback to photo voltaic lights that involves the forefront is the fact that people cannot control their education and also the amount of the daylight. However, there’s an optimistic aspect into it. Inadequate sunlight often means that it’s pouring down rain or freezing out outdoors meaning substantially a shorter period could be spent outdoors.

Ways to Make The Most Efficient Use of Energy Saving Light Bulbs

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In present times, the folks who are concerned towards welfare of the earth make utilize of every last trace of the life recovering advances and strategies that are ready in the business. Some of the proposed procedures are simple to accomplish like LED knobs, CFLs, retrofits and others much the same and some are challenging for the normal folks to bring about like solar boards and power safeguarding homes. Yet, at the close, the fundamental require untruths in life preservation, which is never realized as, anticipated. This happens resulting from the fact that the folks are not cognizant that in case their force safeguarding mechanics is illuminating its reason or not. There are some methods that might be took in by the users to guarantee that any life sparing innovation utilized by them furnishes the sought consequences.

 

The predominant and the principal approach to guarantee force preservation are by knowing the warming and cooling proportion at the place. A truly protected house needs one third of the hotness to stay warm, which could be more unreasonable to construct. In this manner, a few additional transactions might be put in isolation, ventilation, and towering power coating. In a comparative route, through right ventilation framework the towering power expenditure for aeration and cooling systems might be minimized in the smoking areas of the house. In connection to the life recovering light bulbs being utilized in the house, their ideal utilize is made when they are fitted in the place, which are darker as contrasted with different territories of the house. Domains that interaction sufficient daylight from windows make a point not to need them. Likewise, supplanting the greater part of the machines in your home with greatly effective and capacity sparing apparatuses can diminish the power devouring to as flat as 1300k watt/y.

 

Separated from right putting of the force recovering spheres like LED and reduced fluorescent light spheres and utilize of vigor effective machines, some revamped power recovering mechanics can in addition be received. These incorporate lessening power expenditure made by electrical geezers by trading them with gas geezers. Different routines incorporate watchfulness with the utilization of machines such as not laving the TV, laptops, and PCs in standby mode, switching off lights and fans before leaving the room, on the whole fulfilling the requirement of apparatuses such as iron, washing machine, dryer, dishwashers, and whatnot. This intimates utilizing them once a week rather than utilizing them day by day. Moreover, dodging the utilization of electrical apparatuses like dishwashers and washing machines through manual denotes is likewise an eco-amicable and powerful choice of safeguarding power.

Energy Efficient Vs Regular Light Bulbs

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Have you ever wondered what the real difference between energy efficient and regular light bulbs are? The choice of efficient home lighting systems is a sure way to reduce your domestic energy consumption. The average household commits over 10% of energy consumption to lighting. Advances in bulb design have given potential power savings of 50-75% before better controls and conservation techniques are considered. The incandescent bulb was very cheap and gave instant light when turned on and too many of us had a certain pleasing look to it.

The early commercial versions of CFL’S [compact fluorescent light bulbs] offered much more efficient energy consumption. There are verifiable claims of 70% reductions in power needs but at a cost. The benefit to the environment of CFL’s is therefore apparent when reductions can be made in the demand for electricity. The much publicized downside of these bulbs is their containment of mercury and the disposal of this toxic metal.

The very real threat of pollution to water and air may be overstated but even small bulbs contain several milligrams of this toxic substance.

One of the major benefits of CFL’s is their long life and this has increased from early levels of 6-8 times incandescent to up to 12 times from the latest designs. Major energy savings here in the cardboard boxes required and plastic shell cases that are needed to wrap them for display. For the consumer the lower use of energy can mean savings of up to $30 over the life of a bulb. The CFL’s produce about 75% less heat energy; this is reducing the need for home cooling. They are also claimed to be safer to operate with this reduced heat output particularly in recessed lighting situations.

Dimmers can save considerable amounts of energy when a direct light is not required. Where you have torchiere fittings with halogen lamps there are compact fluorescent torchieres that use less than 30% of their halogen equivalent. The rapid improvement in CFL technology has seen a recent test conducted by Popular Mechanic showing that as well as benefits to the wallet and the environment they can also produce better light. The savings you can make a year in the average household of 45 bulbs are enough to give these bulbs the thumbs up from the energy conscious.$180 plus per year is a significant boost to the household budget.

The latest technology is LED light bulbs used for years in watches and cell phones to display information. This has been a costly option, relying on expensive semiconductor technology and not suited to larger applications. The maximum output is around 35 watts which is scarcely enough for reading but the plus side is the low yearly cost to run. On Balance CFL’s are the light for the immediate future as long as recycling is an option!