GYIK

What makes compact fluorescent light bulbs more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are more energy-efficient than standard bulbs because of the different method they use to produce light. Incandescent bulbs create light by heating a filament inside the bulb; the electricity makes the filament white-hot, producing the light that you see. Most of the energy used in an incandescent bulb is wasted through generating heat instead of light.

A fluorescent bulb, on the other hand, does not have to convert the energy to heat in order to generate light. Because fluorescent lamps don’t use heat to create light, they are far more energy-efficient than regular incandescent bulbs.

Is it true that traditional lamps will be soon banned?

Yes. The EU directive plans a gradual withdrawal. According to the directive, frosted bulbs, except for energy saving lamps (CFLi) with energy efficiency class A, and light bulbs of 80 Watts or greater can no longer be sold as of 1 September 2009. This means that, as of 1 September 2009, you will not be able to buy light bulbs of 80 Watts or higher. Year by year, more light bulbs with lower wattages will disappear from the shelves of shops within the EU. By 2012, all light bulbs of greater than 7 watts will be withdrawn from sale.

Energy efficient lamps are more expensive that traditionnal ones. Do I really save money?

If you only take the purchasing costs into consideration then energy saving lamps are more expensive that traditionnal lamps indeed. But throughout their life-time, energy-efficient bulbs can really save you money. Throughout their service life, energy-efficient bulbs pay off because they use considerably less electricity and last much more. Energy-saving light bulbs last for up to 10,000 hours, while a conventional light bulb only lasts 1000 hours. So you would have to buy ten light bulbs to achieve the service life of a single energy-saving bulb. At the same time, the energy-saving bulb saves around 80% of electricity throughout its lifetime. So a 20 Watt energy-saving bulb pays off after just one year.

What compact fluorescent light bulb do I buy to replace a 60-, 75- or 100- watt incandescent bulb?

While a regular incandescent bulb uses heat to produce light, a fluorescent bulb creates light using a far more energy-efficient method — in fact, 4-6 times more efficient. This means that you can buy a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb that produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt regular incandescent bulb.

Here are the watts needed by regular incandescent light bulbs to match the light output of an energy-efficient Earthmate CFL light bulb.

CFL Watts	Incandescent Watts
60 W	15 W
75 W	17 W
100 W	20 W

What is the actual benefit for the environment?

Over 1/3 of the electricity used worldwide for lighting can be saved. These savings of over 900 billion kWh of electric power would lead to a reduction in global emissions of more than 450 million tons of CO2.

CFL light bulbs contain mercury. is this dangerous?

Mercury in CFL lamps represent no danger. Some simple precautions should be taken: Handle them responsibly and take care whenever you’re replacing bulbs, Recycle them properly, don't throw them away in your trash but in a special container (found in most shops)

Did you also know that coal electricity power plants also release mercury?

A typical coal-fired power plant will release more than four times as much mercury to power an average incandescent bulb, than it will to power a comparable CFL bulb. With the typical mercury content of an un-recycled CFL added, the total release would still be well below that of an incandescent.

Where can I buy Fitlamp CFLs?

To find a Fitlamp shop near you, please go to the "Where to buy" page. A list of nearby retailers will appear.

Can I use a Fitlamp fluorescent light bulb with a dimmer switch?

Fitlamp does not yet offer light bulbs that are compatible with dimmer switches.

Can I use a compact fluorescent light bulb with an electronic timer or photocell?

Some electronic timers and photocells contain components that are incompatible with compact fluorescent light bulbs; using CFL light bulbs in incompatible products will result in a shorter light bulb life. It is recommended that you do not use a Fitlamp light bulb in an electronic timer or photocell.

Will a CFL flicker or appear dim when I first turn it on?

Due to technological advances, Fitlamp CFL light bulbs have a fast turn on, flicker-free start-up. However, these bulbs do require a short warm-up period before they reach full brightness, which is why they may appear dim when first turned on. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are best used in fixtures that are left on for longer periods of time, rather than in fixtures that are turned on and off frequently.

I don’t like the cold light emitted by energy-saving bulbs, what can I do?

But things have moved on enormously for energy-saving bulbs. They are now available in a wide range of formats which are virtually indistinguishable from conventional light bulbs. Whether a light is warm or cold depends on the colour temperature. And this is measured in Kelvin. The conventional warm white light from a light bulb corresponds to 2700 Kelvin. The “warm white” energy-saving bulbs from Fitlamp achieve 2700 Kelvin.

What are lumens?

Lumens are a measurement of light output. The higher the lumens generated by a particular light bulb, the greater the light output it will produce.

How long should light bulbs last?

Fitlamp follows a standard industry rating for light bulb life called "rated life".

The rated life is a measure of the median time in hours that it takes for a bulb to burn out. This is the point in laboratory testing at which half the test bulbs have burned out and half the test bulbs are still burning.

A typical incandescent light bulb has a rated life of about 750-1,000 hours, whereas Fitlamp CFL light bulbs have rated lives of 10,000 hours!

What should I do if I have a defective light bulb?

For the quickest and most effective service, please return the light bulb to the retail outlet from which you purchased it.