灯泡——选择很复杂
白炽, 紧凑型荧光灯(CFL)及发光二极管(LED), 你怎么知道在哪里用哪个灯泡?
- 当它不再工作时,能把它扔进垃圾桶吗?
- In the event that one breaks, can you clean it up with a broom or a vacuum?
- Which one is bright enough that it can be used for reading? 所有灯泡的显色性都一样吗?
- They can get very expensive, which one is the most 成本 effective to use?
我知道,我知道,这些问题让人多么痛苦. They are a pain because they make you realize that the lighting industry is changing and we need to know more about what we are buying. 是时候进行电灯泡教育了. 这是很重要的信息. 让我们开始吧!
The incandescent bulb is being phased out by the Federal Government. The phase out is to begin this year with the 100 watt bulb. If there are areas where you would like to continue using this bulb, 你最好多买一些, 今天——如果你能在商店货架上找到的话. 整个淘汰工作将于2014年完成. The incandescent bulb uses 60-70% more electricity than a CFL bulb. 减少能源消耗是有意义的. 但是你需要知道更多
节能灯的 有限制. 它们不是适用于所有应用的理想灯泡. Listed below are several areas that the CFL is not the best choice. 如果您确实在列出的任何领域使用它们, please know that they will not last for the listed life expectancy as stated on the box.
- Frequent On/Off: Areas such as closets and pantries where you pop in for a minute, 打开灯, 找到你需要的,然后关掉它. The 10,000 hour life expectancy is greatly reduced when used in this type location. An LED or 白炽 is better suited for these areas.
- 调光开关:很少有节能灯是可调光的. 在购买或安装之前请阅读包装盒. The bulbs hum and the life expectancy is greatly reduced when used on a dimmer switch. You may be able to find a CFL that can be used with a dimmer switch. Read the boxes carefully before purchasing and/or installing.
- 户外使用:低温会降低光输出. Read the box to ensure that it is rated for outdoor use at low temperature. In a garage the CFL is slow to respond and give off enough light as a result of the cooler temperature.
- Recessed applications: Light fixtures and sockets that create a heat build-up will reduce the lifespan of the CFL. It is recommended that you buy a specially designed 节能灯的 for this application. 白炽灯或LED更适合这种用途.
- 回收 & Clean-up after breakage: CFLs contain small amounts of mercury which is a toxic metal. This metal may be released if the bulb is broken, or during disposal. 节能灯需要回收. 询问你的零售商是否有可用的计划.
领导的 是初始成本更高的灯泡吗. 查看包装盒上的能源之星和UL认证. The lifespan of this bulb is greatly affected by the manufacturing. 并非所有的LED都是一样的. 买家要小心低成本的LED!
- Warm/Cool light: We are accustomed to the warm light from incandescent bulbs. LED发出一种近乎蓝色的冷色调. 可以使用发出暖色光的LED灯泡. The 成本 for the warm color rendering is much higher than any other bulb.
- Overheating the bulb: A side challenge in manufacturing is that when the bulbs are made to burn very bright, 它们也会变得很热. 热量会缩短灯泡的寿命. To overcome this challenge, the high brightness bulbs have a small fan built in it. 风扇类似于处理器风扇. This bulb uses dramatically less electricity than an incandescent and a CFL.
- Initial Cost: To replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb with an LED bulb with matching color rendering will 成本 from $40.00-$80.00. Most bulbs sold do not match the color rendering and the sell price is much lower. 这些灯泡的价格从10美元起.00-$36.00,通常.
The purchase price for an LED bulb will definitely cause a gasp the first time you price one. 因为据说它们能使用50年,000小时, you should only need to make one or possibly two purchases of a bulb over your entire lifetime. 如果这是准确的, 科学证明确实如此, you will want to purchase the brightness that you are looking for and the color rendering that you like. This bulb is going to be illuminating your home for the rest of your life! If you plan on being in your home for at least 20 years, the LED will pay for itself. 它的前期成本最高, however it lasts the longest (by at least 5 times) and the operating watt usage is 1/10th to ½ of the other choices.
以下是关于我的决策的底线.
LED bulbs are making technological and manufacturing advancements at a rapid rate. As the sales go up for these bulbs the price will continue to come down. The goal at my house is to convert to 领导的, eventually. I have also decided that if I move, I am taking my 领导的 with me. 在我研究过球茎之后, 回收, concerns regarding the mercury released if the CFL is broken, 成本, 光的颜色和光的体积, I have made determinations of what type of bulb I will use in different locations in my house this year. This is going to be a topic to revisit yearly as we continue through the phase out of the incandescent bulbs.
请记得登录http://epa.gov /节能灯/ 节能灯cleanup.html for detai领导 instructions on how to clean up if you break a CFL in your home. Read it today so that you will be prepared when you find yourself dealing with a broken bulb in your home.
Although there is more to say on this topic, I have to go. 我正在去当地五金店的路上. I am going to buy a few incandescent bulbs so I have them on hand when I need them this year for the areas that I have dimmer switches, 阅读灯, 户外灯, 因为我住在寒冷的地区. Oh, I also need them for the recessed lighting fixtures. I am going to switch to medium 成本 领导的 for areas where I turn the lights on and off frequently, 比如化妆室和壁橱. 节能灯的? 我不能说我想在哪里使用它们. 我还没想明白. One thing I do know is that I don’t want to worry about the clean up if I break one, 或者是回收. The exhaust from my car as I drive to the 回收 center may negate the reduced environmental impact of using the CFL in the first place. 唷!! Who knew that there would be so much to learn about a 灯泡???????