Energy-saving bulbs - how to choose?

Energy-saving light bulbs are products that are shrouded in a halo of mystery. It would seem that the main advantage of their use is clear even from the name - buy and rejoice. But, nevertheless, many consumers are in no hurry to acquire “miracle developments”, at first wanting to find out how they work, what their “frugality” is, and whether they are dangerous and much more.

Many users are also confused by the fact that reviews about the operation of such light sources are far from always the most flattering. All these doubts have the right to life. Therefore, in this article we will try to tell in detail about what energy-saving bulbs are, how to choose them so that they serve for a long time and efficiently.

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Benefits:

• The first and most important advantage of compact fluorescent bulbs is their high self-efficacy. About five times more than incandescent bulbs. If we talk about specific numbers, this means that the light output of a 100 W incandescent lamp will be equal to the light output of a 20 W luminescent lamp.

Important! The trump card of such a purchase is the ability to reduce lighting energy consumption by approximately 80%.

• A classic cause of breakdown of incandescent lamps is the burnout of a tungsten spiral. But the structure and working principle of CFL are radically different. This allows you to use such bulbs 6-15 times longer.

Important! The "housekeepers" average work resource is approximately 6-12 thousand hours.

• Since users need CFL replacement much less often than Ilyich’s lamps, they are conveniently used in hard-to-reach lighting devices (for example, in rooms with high ceilings).
• “Housekeepers” not only consume less electricity, but also generate less heat. This makes it possible to safely install them in luminaires and chandeliers with a temperature limit.
• Such bulbs allow you to organize a more uniform and soft lighting.

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Disadvantages:

• The simultaneous replacement of all ordinary light bulbs with economical ones can be quite difficult financially. One such lamp will cost 10-20 times more than usual.
• Turning on / off too often significantly reduces their life.
• Standard “housekeepers” cannot be used in luminaires that are controlled by dimmers. For these purposes, there are special CFLs with brightness control, but they cost an order of magnitude more expensive.
• CFL contains mercury and other toxic substances - they must be disposed of appropriately.

Important! Such bulbs should not be thrown into a simple trash can.

• To warm up completely, the “housekeeper” needs some time.
• When using compact fluorescent bulbs in the open air, the same bright light as indoors can not be achieved.

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How to choose and what to pay attention to?

To choose energy-saving lamps for the home, you need to weigh them all the pros and cons. In addition, you should pay attention to such parameters as power, cap type, shape, warranty and much more. Let's understand in more detail.

Power

Power is the first parameter that you need to decide when choosing a “housekeeper”.Considering the fact that the CFL light output exceeds the light output of a conventional incandescent lamp by about five times, you should use the following “transfer” rule: divide the necessary power of the “classic” light source by 5.

In practice, it will look like this: if your chandelier uses 75-watt bulbs, then a 15-watt housekeeper will be enough.

Important! But it should be remembered that the "law of division by 5" does not always work, since some Chinese manufacturers can "please" buyers with only a 4-fold increase in capacity. That is why it is necessary to study the information on the packaging.

Base Type:

• Most modern economical bulbs designed to replace burned-out incandescent bulbs use the “traditional” Edison base. Such housekeepers are designated e27.
• For small fixtures and sconces, light bulbs with an e14 base may be required - you need to pay attention to this. It differs from the classical one in a smaller diameter.
• Large "housekeepers" with a base e40 will be appropriate for powerful and marker lights.

Colour temperature

Unlike incandescent lamps, “housekeepers” are able to produce different lighting options. That is why some of these light sources may not seem comfortable for us.

Important! Such irritation may occur due to improperly selected color temperature of the lamp to a particular room.

So, how to choose energy-saving light bulbs correctly so that it is convenient when they are lit:

• For offices and office premises, the most optimal will be light bulbs having a color temperature of 6000-6500K. They are capable of emitting cold white light, with a slight blueness.
• For the living room and the nursery, it is advisable to choose a “housekeeper” with white natural light (4200K). This tone is most closely related to natural light.
• For bedrooms and kitchens, the KKL with a color temperature of 2700K is the ideal solution - the lighting that gives such a source is very similar to the atmosphere created by an incandescent lamp.

Service life and price

Do not be tempted not indecently cheap "housekeepers". Buying a cheap product, you run the risk of running into a “copy” that will not be able to work out even one thousand hours out of four or six hours declared by the manufacturer.

Important! If you are buying fluorescent bulbs for the first time, then do not immediately strive to take a dozen to all rooms of the house. To begin with, it is better to purchase two or three samples with different color temperatures - test them and see if your eyes get tired or if they create discomfort. And after a couple of days to buy the necessary amount of lamp.

Guarantee

As a rule, the warranty period for energy-saving lamps is from 6 to 36 months, depending on the manufacturer. Of course, the bigger it is, the better.

Important! Be sure to ask the seller the terms of the guarantee for this product. Do not forget to save the box from the product and the receipt.

The form

To choose an energy-saving light bulb for an apartment, the shape of the product is also important. It can be different, for example:

• Spiraling.
• U-shaped.
• Half spiral.
• Kolbovidnoy (candle, ball, pear).

You should choose the one that can most successfully match the overall interior design and your aesthetic preferences.

Important! The most popular are the "housekeepers" of a spiral and U-shape. The shape of the product does not affect the quality of its work, which cannot be said about the price. As a rule, spiral models are much more expensive due to the more complex production technology.

Manufacturing firm

If you decide on the power, type of cap and color temperature is not difficult, then when choosing a manufacturer, many have difficulties. In this matter, experts recommend giving preference exclusively to those manufacturers that have existed on the market for many years and can boast of positive reviews from many consumers.

According to experts, the following companies produce the best energy-saving lamps:

• Philips - is the first company to offer new “housekeepers” in the eightieth year. Since then, it has been fruitfully and actively developing the light of energy-saving technologies. The products of this company are always a huge assortment, excellent appearance, excellent quality and durability.
• Osram is another “pioneer” in the “housekeeper” market. This company produced its first lamp back in 85 of the last century. All lamps of their production have a long service life (up to 15,000 hours), and are also able to easily tolerate a large number of restarts (5000-500000).
• Navigator - lamps of this company appeared on the market in 2006. The range of their products has about a hundred positions, including: decorative light sources, spiral-shaped, U-like.
• Camelion - their range is able to surprise and satisfy the wishes of any consumer with any income level.

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Stock footage

Thus, we can conclude: in order to choose energy-saving lamps for the home, it is necessary to take into account a number of parameters, for example, the type of cap, power, shape, color temperature. In addition, you should choose a lighting source in accordance with the type of room in which it will be located.