Which light bulb is better - LED or energy-saving? Comparison of LED and energy-saving lamps. Energy saving light bulbs: pros and cons. The best energy-saving light bulbs

Today, people are increasingly using energy-saving lamps in their homes. The popularity of these lamps is primarily due to their economical energy consumption. After all, an energy-saving lamp saves money. Unlike an incandescent lamp, ESL produces a greater luminous flux with less power consumption.

An energy-saving lamp is installed in the same socket as a regular incandescent lamp. The advantages of ESL are obvious, while there are practically no disadvantages. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people have long switched to using so-called energy savers instead of conventional incandescent light bulbs.

A compact energy-saving lamp is a type of fluorescent lamps that have already become familiar to us. These ESLs are easily installed in a socket instead of an incandescent lamp. Lamps of this type have already become a fixture in our lives. And soon they will not be called “energy-saving lamps”, but simply “lamps”.

Many people see some kind of mystery in the operation of this lamp, despite the simplicity of the device. Let's take a look and try to understand the principle of its operation.

How does an energy-saving lamp work?

The design of almost all energy-saving lamps is the same. The lamp consists of several parts. The discharge tube is the visible part of the lamp that emits light. The gas discharge tube is connected to the housing. The housing contains the internal part of the lamp, which is an electronic start-up and power circuit. In another way, this circuit is called electronic ballast. The electronic circuit performs the task of lighting the lamp.

The base has contacts for powering the lamp and a thread for screwing into the socket. A regular incandescent lamp has almost the same base as an ESL. You can install a compact energy-saving lamp in small lamps. There are several types of bases that are common in Russia: G4, GU10, E40, E27, E14, G5.3.

Energy-saving lamps with socket E40, E27 and E14 can be installed in sockets designed for a regular incandescent lamp. E27 is a standard household cartridge, has a 27 mm thread, E14 is a reduced cartridge, the thread of which is 14 mm, E40 is a cartridge with a 40 mm thread, refers to standard industrial cartridges.

A tube sealed on both sides is called the bulb of an energy-saving lamp. The electrodes are located at opposite ends of this flask. An ES lamp has a curved bulb coated with layers of phosphor. This flask contains an inert gas and a small amount of mercury vapor. Ionization of mercury vapor causes the light bulb to glow when power is connected to it.

When voltage is applied to the electrodes, a heating current flows through them. It heats up the electrodes, causing thermionic emission to occur. When the electrodes reach a certain temperature, they emit a stream of electrons. Colliding with mercury atoms, electrons cause ultraviolet radiation, after which the ultraviolet radiation hits a phosphor, which converts this radiation into visible light. The color temperature of the lamp depends on the type of phosphor; it can be 2700-6500K.

Remember that mercury vapor is dangerous to the human body, so if an energy-saving lamp breaks, it is very important to properly dispose of the fragments and treat the area.

Have you ever wondered why the bulb in an energy-saving lamp has a bizarrely curved shape? Believe me, this was not done lightly. The curved shape of the bulb allows the length of the entire lamp to be reduced. Due to spiral winding, the length of the gas-discharge tube itself can be increased, while the length of the lamp with this shape will be reduced. If this were not done, then not every such lamp would fit into an ordinary lamp or chandelier.

Non-flammable plastic is used to make the lamp body. The bulb of the fluorescent lamp is attached to the top. The ballast, connecting wires and fuse are located in the housing. There is a marking on the surface of the lamp indicating the color temperature, power, and supply voltage.

Internal structure of an energy-saving lamp

Inside the ESL housing there is a round printed circuit board. A high-frequency converter is assembled on it. As a result of using a fairly high conversion frequency, there is no “blinking” that is characteristic of lamps with an electromagnetic ballast (where a choke is used) operating at a frequency of 50 Hz. Modern lamps have a ballast equipped with an interference filter. The filter protects against interference in the power supply network.

Getting to the electronic circuit is easy. Carefully examine the lamp; it is better to use a burnt-out one. It seems that the lamp body is impossible to disassemble. But this is a mistaken opinion. Closer to the bulb, there is a shallow groove at the top of the lamp. Take a small screwdriver or narrow blade and try to pry the case apart. After a little effort, you will already have two parts in your hands. Difficulties may arise the first time, but then this operation will take a matter of seconds.

After separating the base from the bulb, these elements are connected to each other by wires that must be carefully separated from the board. This can be done using a soldering iron, heating the soldering area, or simply cutting the wires (but cut so that they can be restored later).

In some types of lamps, the wires that go from the electronic board to the gas-discharge tube are simply wound on special pins. Once the wires have been pulled back, only then can you perform further inspection and diagnostics of the lamp. Next, disconnect the base from the electronic unit. For ease of extension of wires, they need to be cut in the middle.

Inside you will see a round board. This is the internal thing that makes it work. Due to overheating, the radio elements of the board are usually blackened (if you have a non-working lamp in your hands).

The wires from the bulb are wound to four pins with a square cross-section. They are located in pairs along the edges of the board. There is no soldering of wires, they are just attached, which is worth paying attention to.

The fuse is the main element of the circuit. It protects all components of the electronic board from burnout. Sometimes an input limiting resistor is used instead of a fuse. When any malfunction occurs in the lamp, the current in the circuit increases, which leads to the burning of the resistor, then the power circuit is broken.

One terminal of the resistor is connected to the board, and the second is connected to the threaded contact of the base. The resistor is seated in a heat-shrinkable tube. The ripples of the rectified voltage are smoothed out by a capacitor. A choke or toroidal transformer has a ring magnetic core, usually 3 windings are located on it.

The lamp blinks at a network frequency of 50 Hz 100 times per second. Therefore, an energy-saving lamp can adversely affect a person’s general physical condition and performance, especially if he is in such light conditions for a long time. All these harmful components are eliminated in modern electronic ballasts. Therefore, there is no negative impact on the health of others.

A modern electronic ballast is a small electronic circuit that implements the functions of igniting a lamp without blinking, as well as smoothly heating the spirals of the lamp cathodes. In a modern energy-saving lamp, gas glows with a frequency of 30-100 kHz. There is absolutely no noise during operation, and there is practically no electromagnetic field. At high frequencies (30-100 kHz), due to the electricity consumption coefficient close to unity, increased light output is formed.

The lamp can light up at full intensity almost immediately, or the brightness can increase gradually. It depends on the ballast circuit. In some lamps, the process of increasing brightness may take a couple of minutes. In this case, immediately after switching on, twilight is observed. Unfortunately, the energy-saving lamp does not indicate which switching algorithm is used. You can understand the algorithm only after you have screwed the light bulb into the socket.

The principle of operation of an energy-saving lamp

With a question , we figured it out, now let's understand in general terms how the lamp works.

On both sides inside the flask there are two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, in the form of spirals. A discharge between the electrodes occurs after power is supplied. The current flows through a mixture of mercury vapor and inert gas. The lamp lights up when fast-moving electrons collide with slow-moving mercury atoms.

However, most of the light radiation (98%) produced by an energy-saving lamp is ultraviolet. It is invisible to human vision. The light visible to humans, which comes from the lamp, appears due to layers of phosphor.

When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, these layers glow. The color of the light produced by a fluorescent lamp depends on the chemical composition of the phosphor. The phosphor is applied to the inner surface of the glass bulb.

You will need

decide on the most suitable type of energy-saving light bulb;
visit a specialty store;
buy an energy-saving light bulb.

Instructions

When buying an energy-saving light bulb, be sure to ask the seller to check it in your presence - it should light up completely, and not just turn on. This process usually takes no more than 2-3 seconds. After the lamp goes into “mode”, pay attention to what color it emits: warm white or cool. The last option is most suitable for non-residential or utility premises. But for a house or apartment it is best to give preference to a warm color. You can also purchase an energy-saving lamp that has a minimum color temperature - an excellent option for rooms such as the bedroom or kitchen. The color of the device and, accordingly, its color temperature must be indicated on the packaging.

If you purchase an energy-saving lamp for a specific lighting device, then be sure to take into account the fact that such products usually have quite impressive dimensions. Therefore, the big question is whether the lamp will fit, for example, in a small table lamp. But, at the same time, unlike incandescent lamps, such devices do not heat up during operation, as a result of which you can safely install them in lighting fixtures made of a wide variety of materials.

In addition, when choosing an energy-saving light bulb, keep in mind that most experts recommend purchasing products made not in Europe, but in our country. This is explained by the fact that it is the light bulbs of domestic manufacturers that are most suitable for use in our homes and apartments (if we take into account some operating features: sudden voltage surges, sudden power outages, etc.).

Energy-saving light bulbs can also be made in the form of an arc or a spiral - choose whichever you like best. Despite the fact that they differ in the shape of the gas cylinder, their characteristics are absolutely the same. Therefore, the main thing here is that the light bulb fits in size - its base must be identical to the socket of your lighting fixture. Energy-saving light bulbs can have standard or narrow bases (E14 and E27).

And, of course, when choosing an energy-saving light bulb, do not forget about the warranty. Serious manufacturing companies establish a warranty period for such light bulbs of at least 2 years. However, some sellers simply deceive buyers and give their guarantee - much more modestly. It’s probably not worth saying that purchasing an energy-saving light bulb in such a store is not the best option.

In this article: the history of the creation of the compact fluorescent lamp; its structure and principle of operation; the spectrum of an energy-saving lamp depends on the composition of the phosphor; pros and cons of energy-saving fluorescent lamps; how to choose an energy-saving lamp.

The ban on the sale and production in Russia of the usual incandescent lamps has given rise to a number of persistent rumors around energy-saving lamps. For the average consumer, like you and me, the main task of lighting devices was and remains the quality of lighting itself. And, of course, you don’t want to incur extra costs for purchasing these “newfangled” lamps, because they cost much more than “Ilyich’s lamps.” Let's look at the characteristics of energy-saving lamps in this article.

History of creation

Officially, the first luminescent or, as it is also called, fluorescent lamp was created at the beginning of the last century by American engineer-inventor Peter Cooper Hewitt, who received a patent for it on September 17, 1901. Although some researchers dispute his primacy in the invention, calling the “father” of the fluorescent lamp the little-known German physicist Martin Arons, who experimented with mercury lamps at the end of the 19th century.

The fluorescent lamp invented and patented by Hewitt contained mercury, the vapor of which was heated by an electric current passed through it. The Hewitt lamp was spherical and slightly curved; it gave more light than the Lodygin-Edison lamps, but this light was bluish-green, unpleasant to the eye. For this reason, the first mercury lamps were used only by photographers and they were not widely used.

Peter Cooper Hewitt. 1861-1921

The fluorescent lamp in its almost modern form was created by a group of German inventors led by Edmund Germer, who patented their invention on December 10, 1926. It was Germer who came up with the idea of applying a fluorescent coating to the glass surface of the lamp from the inside, which converted the ultraviolet glow of a mercury lamp into white light that did not hurt the eyes. Albert Hull, an engineer at General Electric, had developed a fluorescent lamp with a similar coating by early 1927, but the company was forced to purchase the patent from Edmund Germer, who had filed it earlier.

Since the acquisition of Germer's patent, General Electric engineers have actively begun to improve fluorescent lamps, trying to bring them to mass production. To reduce the size of the bulb, round and U-shaped lamps were created, demonstrated at the GE stand at the 1939 New York World's Fair; lamps with a compact spiral bulb were developed by General Electric engineer Edward Hammer in 1976. However, spiral-shaped fluorescent lamps were never put into production in the 80s, because company executives considered the costs of building new factories excessive. In 1995, Chinese manufacturers took advantage of the slowness of General Electric by launching the production of energy-saving lamps with spiral bulbs.

Edward Hammer with his invention - a lamp with a compact spiral bulb

The screw-in lamp with magnetic ballast (SL) was created by Philips in 1980 - it was the first fluorescent lamp of its kind to compete with incandescent lamps. An energy-saving lamp with an electronic ballast (CFL) was first demonstrated by the German concern Osram in 1985.

The main structural elements of a fluorescent lamp are the bulb, electronic ballast and base. The socket with a thread for screwing into the lamp socket and with contacts for powering it is practically no different from the socket of a conventional incandescent lamp.

The curved bulb of a fluorescent lamp is covered with layers of phosphor, filled with an inert gas and, in small quantities, mercury vapor - their ionization causes the lamp to glow when the power is connected. The mercury content in fluorescent lamps ranges from 1 to 70 mg. Inside the flask are tungsten electrodes coated with a mixture of oxides of barium, calcium, zinc and strontium. The phosphor applied to the inner surface of the glass bulb in compact fluorescent lamps contains alkaline earth metals and is therefore 40% more expensive than the phosphors used in oblong fluorescent lamps for ceiling luminaires. Alkaline earth metals in the phosphors of compact lamps ensure operation at high radiation intensity; thanks to them, it has become possible to reduce the diameter of the lamp bulb. The bizarrely curved shape of the bulb in fluorescent lamps makes it possible to reduce its length by dividing it into several short sections that communicate with each other.

The lamps themselves, coated with phosphor and containing mercury vapor, will not work when the power is connected - a ballast starter is required, built into the lamp between the base and the bulb. By drawing a high frequency current of approximately 50 kHz, the electronic ballast (CFL) eliminates the flicker effect of energy-saving lamps while increasing light output. The electronic ballast increases the high-frequency current for itself - it contains an inverter in its circuit. The ballast’s tasks also include heating the electrodes and maintaining the power of the fluorescent lamp at the nominal level, regardless of voltage drops in the network. The service life of an energy-saving lamp depends on how well the electronic ballast is made.

How does a fluorescent lamp work? The supply of power causes a discharge between the electrodes, the current passes through a mixture of inert gas and mercury vapor, fast electrons collide with slow mercury atoms - the lamp lights up. However, 98% of the light radiation produced by an energy-saving lamp is ultraviolet, invisible to human vision. And the visible light coming from it is provided by phosphor layers that glow under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The color of the light produced by fluorescent lamps depends on the chemical composition of the phosphor applied to the inside of the glass bulb.

Dependence of the visible spectrum of a fluorescent lamp on the phosphor

The light generated by cheap energy-saving lamps is most often unpleasant to the eye - blue and yellow colors predominate in its spectrum, as a result, the color of objects in the illuminated room is unnatural. The reasons lie in the type of phosphor containing inexpensive calcium halophosphate. Such lamps, having a high luminous efficiency, are intended for lighting non-residential premises (warehouses, etc.) - they externally produce white light, but its reflection from objects reveals an incomplete spectrum (the absence of red and green colors).

Energy-saving lamps for home lighting have a higher price because... The phosphor in them creates 3-5 color stripes (for example, red, green and blue) from the spectrum visible to the human eye and imitates the effect of natural light, but reduces light output.

It’s worth mentioning right away that the positive characteristics given below depend on the manufacturer of the lamp - his desire to save on raw materials and components seriously reduces the quality and service life of fluorescent lamps.

pros energy saving lamps:

significantly lower, compared to incandescent lamps, energy consumption with greater light output. If a 100 W incandescent lamp has a light output of 100-150 lumens, then the light output of a 20 W fluorescent lamp will be 1,100-2,000 lumens - the difference is obvious. The low power consumption of energy-saving lamps, among other things, significantly reduces the load on electrical wiring;
significant service life, 8-10 times longer than the service life of incandescent lamps. When operating on average 2.5-3 hours a day, a fluorescent lamp will illuminate the room for 8,000-11,000 hours and will last for several years (depending on the model and manufacturer), approximately 6-8 times longer than a regular “Ilyich lamp”;
during the entire period of operation, the intensity of illumination with compact fluorescent lamps does not change;
The highest temperature of an operating energy-saving lamp will not exceed 60 °C. 95% of the energy in incandescent lamps goes to heating, i.e. with a power of 100 W, the incandescent lamp will heat up to 95 ° C;
Lamps of several light shades of illumination are produced, the main ones are warm daylight (similar to the color of lighting from incandescent lamps), daylight and cold daylight;
There is no flickering (stroboscopic effect) in the produced light flux; lighting stability is ensured by the electronic ballast of the lamp;
factory warranty from the manufacturer for each energy-saving lamp. There have never been any guarantees for Ilyich lamps.

Minuses energy saving lamps:

high price. If incandescent lamps cost 10-25 rubles, then fluorescent lamps will cost 80-400 rubles. Chinese and domestic energy-saving lamps are cheaper, European ones are more expensive;
the protrusion on the base where the lamp ballast is located sometimes makes it difficult to install it. A lamp with electronic ballast does not look good when installed in a chandelier, because... the base is too noticeable;
These lamps require from 30 seconds to two minutes to warm up to full brightness;
The service life of compact fluorescent lamps depends on the frequency of turning the power on and off - the more often this happens, the faster the lamp will fail. There must be a pause of at least 5 minutes between turning off and turning on again;
Such lamps cannot be used by people with skin diseases and epilepsy, because the lighting intensity of energy-saving lamps is higher than usual and can lead to negative consequences;
Do not break the glass bulb of the lamp, because mercury vapor will enter the premises and they will have to be ventilated for several hours at any time of the year, and residents will need to leave the premises of the house (apartment) for the entire period of ventilation - this is important. If several lamps are broken at once, you will need to call specialists from the Ministry of Emergency Situations to carry out demercurization. Do not break fluorescent lamps;
It is not at all clear how to dispose of broken fluorescent lamps - it is prohibited to throw them away, and there are no specialized collection points in most populated areas.

How to choose an energy-saving lamp

First of all, make sure that the lamp offered by the seller is intact and that the bulb is securely connected to the base - weak connections are usually caused by lamps from small Chinese manufacturers that are assembled by hand.

The power of a new lamp is determined by the power of incandescent lamps previously used in a given room, with a reduction of 4-5 times. Those. if you used “Ilyich lamps” of 100 W, you will need a fluorescent lamp of 20-25 W (it is better to take one with a small power reserve).

The illumination intensity of this lamp is determined in temperature on the Kelvin scale indicated on its packaging: from 2,700 to 4,000 oK - warm light (analogous to light from incandescent lamps), such lamps are suitable for lighting the bedroom and kitchen; from 4,000 to 5,000 oK - warm white light, suitable for living rooms and halls; from 6,000 to 6,500 oK - cool white light, used for study rooms and offices. Lamps of the latter type are not worth purchasing for home lighting - the light is too saturated and difficult to tolerate.

Lamp size. The base of fluorescent lamps, as noted above, is longer than the base of incandescent lamps - for home lighting, the optimal base would be the E27 standard (length - 105 mm, diameter - 60 mm), the dimensions of which are similar to sockets for “Ilyich lamps”.

Warranty and operational service life. They are indicated by manufacturers on the packaging: optimal service life in the range of 6,000-12,000 hours; warranty - from a year and above. Please note that not all brands of fluorescent lamps will have the stated deadlines valid - Chinese manufacturers may indicate high deadlines, but in fact the lamps will fail much earlier.

Manufacturers and brands. Energy-saving lamps of European brands are represented on the Russian market - German "Osram" and "Wolta", Dutch "Philips", Danish "Comtech", Polish "Ikea", American "General Electric"; Russian - “Ecola”, “Cosmos”, “Aladin”, “Lisma”, “Uniel”; Chinese - “Camelion”, “Navigator”, etc. Of course, the products of the largest European manufacturers are distinguished by high quality and performance characteristics, but it is worth noting that domestically produced compact fluorescent lamps also have good quality at a lower cost.

In custody

As can be seen from this article, fluorescent lamps really save energy and serve properly, provided that the requirements for their operation are met. The high cost and some content of mercury vapor, of course, remain a problem for consumers, but manufacturers are trying to solve them - for example, in modern models of energy-saving lamps, mercury is bound with calcium amalgam and will not evaporate, as manufacturers claim, if the lamp is damaged.

Another way to save energy and ensure that mercury vapor does not penetrate into living spaces is to use LED lamps, but this is a topic for a separate article.

Rustam Abdyuzhanov, rmnt.ru

Energy-saving lamps are now in trend and this is not without reason. With ever-increasing energy prices, many people want to reduce their electricity consumption to reduce costs.

And one way to save money is to use energy-saving appliances in your home.

And most often, savings begin with lighting fixtures. After all, changing light bulbs in a house is easier and cheaper than, for example, a refrigerator.

At the same time, the use of lamps that are economical in terms of energy consumption can significantly reduce the cost of electricity in the house.

So we’ll try to figure out what kind of energy-saving lamps there are, and whether they can really save us electricity.

General advantages and disadvantages of housekeepers

Let's start with the concept itself - an energy-saving lamp. To determine whether a lighting device is economical, it is compared with a conventional incandescent lamp. And any lamp that consumes less electricity than the “Ilyich light bulb” is considered energy-saving.

But there are few types of such lighting devices, and in domestic conditions three types of lamps are used:

halogen;
luminescent (gas discharge);
LED

These lighting devices have many advantages over incandescent lamps:

The first and most important of them is significantly lower energy consumption with the same light output, due to higher efficiency. An incandescent lamp has a very low efficiency - about 18%, that is, out of every 100 watts of energy consumed, such a lamp converts only 18 watts into light radiation, the rest of the energy is spent on heating the coil. For energy-saving lamps, the efficiency can reach 80%, but this depends on the design features of each device. Below we take a closer look at the efficiency of all types of lamps;

Increased service life, which also affects financial costs, but here again a lot depends on the design of the lamp and operating conditions;

Safety of use (does not apply to halogen lamps). The absence of a direct connection of contacts (in an incandescent lamp they are connected by a spiral) eliminates the occurrence of a short circuit.

Reducing the load on the network, which also increases security.

And these are just the main advantages inherent in all energy-saving lamps.

The main common disadvantage for economical elements is their cost.

There are also a number of advantages and disadvantages that each type of housekeeper lamp has.

Basic parameters of lighting elements

In order to further understand the operating parameters of the above types of lamps, we will consider each of them using the example of a conventional incandescent lamp, since all calculations are based on it.

The main parameters for any lamp are its luminous output, also known as efficiency, and light temperature - the intensity of light emission. This can also include a resource.

The efficiency of a lamp is the luminous flux (measured in Lumens) that it emits when consuming a certain amount of energy (measured in Watts).

In simple terms, this parameter means how much light the lamp will emit after consuming 1 Watt of electricity.

So, a 75-watt incandescent lamp provides a luminous flux of 935 lm and has a luminous efficiency of 12 lm/W.

Light temperature is the intensity of radiation from a light source, taken as a wavelength in the optical range (measured in Kelvin).

To make it clearer, this parameter indicates what brightness and color shade the emitted light will have.

A 100-watt incandescent lamp has a light temperature of 2800 K, which in the optical range corresponds to warm white light with an orange tint. This is the temperature of sunlight at dawn and dusk.

The average lifespan of an incandescent lamp is 2000 hours. We will proceed from these parameters in the future. The service life of lamps can be extended by special devices that not only regulate the degree of illumination of rooms, but also save electricity.

Halogen devices

Now let’s talk about the energy-saving lamps themselves and start with halogen lamps. Essentially, this is the same incandescent lamp, but with some modifications. In her flask, in place of vacuum, there is a buffer gas (bromine, iodine vapor).

The use of these vapors made it possible to increase the light temperature to 3000 K, and the lamp efficiency is 15-17 lm/W to provide the same 900 lm of luminous flux.

Due to its better light output, the halogen element is able to provide the same amount of light as a 75-watt conventional incandescent lamp, but it only requires 55 watts of energy, meaning there are already electricity savings.

In addition, the use of buffer gas increased the lamp life to 4000 hours of operation.

The advantages of halogen elements, in addition to efficiency and increased resource, also include their availability, since they cost not much more than conventional lamps.

They are available with E14 and E27 sockets.

At the same time, they often have smaller overall dimensions than incandescent lamps, which allows them to be used even in miniature lamps.

The disadvantages of halogen elements are the same as those of conventional incandescent lamps.

Luminescent

These lighting devices are very reliable, safe, and immune to voltage surges.

Produced with the most common types of bases. There are elements in the design of which batteries are additionally included, which allows you to use the lamp from a regular network or from a battery in case of power outages.

There are also devices with a remote control.

The only drawback of such lighting devices is their very high price, approximately twice as high as the cost of fluorescent analogues.

Options to select

Now let’s talk about what parameters you need to consider when choosing an energy-saving light bulb. First of all, you need to decide on the type. In this case, you should immediately pay attention to the cost and resource.

Power.

The first selection criterion is the power of the lamps. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the correspondence of the selected elements to those already used at home.

For example, 100-watt incandescent lamps are used everywhere in housing, and the light from them is quite sufficient.

Based on luminous efficiency, we can determine that the same amount of light can be provided by a 70-watt halogen lamp, a 20-watt fluorescent lamp, and a 12-watt LED lamp.

If there is not enough light, then you can choose a more powerful energy-saving element.

In this case, you don’t even need to carry out any calculations; comparative tables are usually printed on the packaging of these lamps, which allows you to quickly and easily select a light bulb with the required power parameter.

Base type.

The second thing you need to pay attention to is the type of base. Lamp sockets with the designation E27 are suitable for conventional sockets.

In lamps and sconces, a cartridge for an E14 base is often used.

Before going to the store, you should definitely ask what types of bases are needed. But you can do it even simpler - unscrew and take with you the light bulb that will be changed and compare the bases.

Dimensions, shape.

The third selection criterion is shape and size. If there is a lot of space for installation, then you can buy almost any shaped lighting element. In limited installation spaces, you will have to select lamps according to size.

The only thing you need to pay attention to is the LED lamp - they can provide both diffused and directional lighting.

Elements with diffused lighting can be used almost everywhere, but those with directional lighting are better suited for installation in lamps.

Colorful temperature.

And the last parameter, and an important one, is color temperature. Here the selection is made according to the place of use.

So, in bedrooms and living rooms, the most optimal color is warm white in different shades. Therefore, in such rooms it is better to use lighting elements with a temperature of 2700-4200 K.

For kitchens, bathrooms, and garages, the best color is cool white, which is provided by light bulbs with a temperature of 5000-6500 K.

For work offices, daylight is more suitable, the light temperature of which is 4000-5000 K. Also, such lamps can be used in bathrooms and kitchens.

See below for other criteria for choosing energy-saving lamps.

Bottom line

Note that the savings from using “housekeepers” will not be immediate, because the lighting element must first pay for itself using the savings, and this may take quite a lot of time, and this also depends on the intensity of use. And it doesn’t matter whether you use such lighting devices in a private house or in an apartment.

A halogen lamp will pay for itself the fastest, but in the long run the savings from it will be negligible.

The luminescent element can pay for itself after just a year of use, and in the future it will begin to save money. As for LED bulbs, they have the longest payback period, about three years.

In general, only those lighting elements that have a significant resource and can operate without problems for more than two years can bring truly tangible savings.

Finally, let’s say that it is not necessary to immediately replace all the lighting elements in the house with energy-saving ones, because this can result in significant costs.

If you change them gradually, then the expenses will not be so noticeable, and ultimately it will be possible to completely switch to energy-saving lamps.

Are you planning to update the lighting in your home or office? Then pay attention to energy-saving lamps, especially since the luminescent type of such light sources has good power. Today, these light bulbs have become an excellent alternative to yellow incandescent lamps with high filament heating temperatures, which are already obsolete. With less power and electricity consumption, such products are becoming more and more in demand from year to year.

What are energy saving lamps

Today, energy-saving light bulbs are widely used not only for lighting in offices and institutions, but also in apartments and private houses. A product of this type is an electric light bulb, which has a significantly higher light output compared to many analogues, which allows you to save a lot on electricity bills. It can have the usual U-shape or spiral. An energy-saving light bulb is installed in the same conventional socket as an incandescent lamp. At the same time, some models have a cool white glow, while others have a warm glow.

Device

Inside the light bulb is filled with inert gas and mercury or indium almagama. There is no filament in it. When exposed to high voltage, electrons begin to move and collide with atoms of the filling substance. The internal part of the product is an electronic starting and power circuit called electronic ballast. Models used for household lighting have such basic parameters as color temperature and power. The surface of the bulb is coated with a phosphor to give the light flux a color.

Kinds

Currently, economical light bulbs are divided into several types, which must be taken into account when choosing the best option for good lighting. First of all, they are divided into LED lamps, which have a standard base, fluorescent (gas-discharge) and halogen. In addition, they come in spiral and U-shape. Depending on the diameter, products are 7, 9, 12 and 17 mm. Types of energy-saving lamps by color of radiation:

daytime;
neutral white;
warm white;
cool white color.

Power

Before you buy energy-saving lamps in an online store with delivery by mail, familiarize yourself with such a parameter as power. Today they produce products from 7 to 250 W. It should be taken into account that their power is approximately 5 times greater than the power of incandescent lamps, so it is advisable to choose in accordance with the proportion 1:5 to achieve the desired lighting. In general, the higher this setting, the brighter the light will be.

Advantages and disadvantages

When buying compact, economical lamps for ordinary lamps or general/spot lighting of a particular room, familiarize yourself with their pros and cons. Here are some disadvantages:

When choosing linear fluorescent daylight models or other energy-efficient light bulb options, remember that their cool or soft white color is different from the usual incandescent light bulb. If the color is chosen incorrectly, this can become a significant disadvantage, because... It will be very difficult to get used to such lighting.
Another disadvantage of energy-saving lamps is their high cost, which is 10-20 times higher than a regular light bulb. In addition, they contain mercury, which is considered a dangerous poison.
The most harmful is the presence of ultraviolet radiation, which affects the retina and cornea of the eye. In this regard, such lamps should not be placed closer than 30 cm from the eyes - this applies to a greater extent to lighting devices: table lamps, bedside lamps.

As for the advantages of energy-saving devices, they include:

low power consumption;
long service life;
high light output;
choosing the desired color;
low temperature.

Buy energy saving lamps

To find out how much an energy-saving light bulb costs, you need to do some kind of price monitoring and, in addition, compare the characteristics of several products from the same category. This is the only way you can choose compact-sized light bulbs with enough power for normal lighting. In this case, you need to pay attention to both the diameter of the base and the diameter of the flasks. It should be added that today on the market you can find fluorescent lamps not only made in China, but also in Russia, and in different color shades.

Linear

Indoor economical lamps with a linear shape are excellent for table lamps. With their help, you can create the comfort you need for work, not only in the office, but also at home. They are not only economical and durable, but also stylish. In addition, such products provide an even light that is comfortable for the human eye. At the same time, the question often arises: how much does an energy-saving light bulb of this type cost? You can find out about this below:

Model name: Camelion G5;
price: 120 rubles;
characteristics: power 20W, bulb shape – tube, not mirror;
pros: durability;
cons: there is no possibility of connecting a dimmer.

Another option, which has a good emission spectrum and a long service life, and is produced by a well-known company, is:

Model name: Philips G5;
price: 262 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, color temperature - 4000 K, diameter - 17 mm, height - 1.5 cm;
advantages: service life – up to 24 thousand hours;
cons: high cost.

Compact

To save electricity, pay attention to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Manufacturers produce them in a wide price range, so you can choose a model that will cost as little as possible. Remember that their service life greatly depends on the operating mode; for example, they do not like frequent switching on. A good compact option is:

Model name: Uniel G23;
price: 244 rubles;
characteristics: light - daytime, power - 15 W, base type - G23, color temperature - 4500 K, luminous flux - 900 lm, diameter - 27 mm, height - 19.3 cm;
pluses: they work for a long time, have a convenient flask shape;
Cons: expensive, takes a long time to burn.

Another well-known brand that produces products with good light emission is OSRAM. Today you can even order them online, especially since some virtual stores hold promotions. A good purchase for you might be:

Model name: OSRAM 2G1;
price: 282 rubles;
characteristics: power – 55 W, color rendering index – 80Ra, diameter – 17.5 mm, height – 2.36 cm, weight – 115 g;
advantages: service life up to 20 thousand hours;
Cons: The U-shaped base does not fit all fixtures.

For spotlights

Another good option for lighting an apartment is to use spotlights. You can find them on sale everywhere, be it Moscow, St. Petersburg or another city in the country. An important parameter when choosing is light temperature. Due to the shallow installation depth, spotlights are widely used by installers of suspended ceilings. One popular option is:

Model name: ERA GU10;
price: 130 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, power - 6 W, luminous flux - 500 lm, color temperature - 4000 K;
pros: works up to 30 thousand hours;
cons: expensive.

Another option that can be purchased on sale at various retail outlets is the model:

Model name: Elektrostandard G5;
price: 34 rubles;
characteristics: light – warm white, power – 11 W, luminous flux – 300 lm, color temperature – 2700 K, weight – 16 g;
pros: affordable price;
cons: short service life of 10 thousand hours.

Base E27

Lighting devices with such a base are the most widespread today. They fit standard sockets installed indoors. Energy-saving lamps of this type closely resemble conventional incandescent lamps. If you have not yet decided on the best option, then check out the characteristics of the model:

model name: Navigator E27;
price: 141 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, power - 15 W, bulb shape - pear-shaped, matte, color temperature - 4000 K;
pros: durability, pleasant soft light;
cons: expensive.

Check out another energy-saving option with LEDs, which, however, costs a little more:

Model name: ASD E27;
price: 215 rubles;
characteristics: light – warm white, power – 20W, color temperature – 3000 K, luminous flux – 1800 lm;
pros: durability, optimal light spectrum;
cons: expensive.

Base E40

This type of base is also called a goliath. It is used mostly in street lamps and for lighting industrial premises. By replacing conventional lamps with energy-saving ones with such a base, you can reduce energy costs by almost 10 times. One of the common representatives of this category of goods is:

model name: Wolta E40;
price: 742 rubles;
characteristics: light – cold, power – 85 W, color temperature – 6400 K, shape – spiral;
advantages: long service life;

Remember that you can buy economical light sources more or less cheaply only if you order them in bulk. This is the only way you will have the opportunity to purchase powerful 100 W light sources at a good discount. Another option:

model name: Feron E40;
price: 1379 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, power - 125 W, color temperature - 4000 K, diameter - 105 mm, height - 28.8 cm;
pros: durability, good brightness;
cons: very high cost.

Base E14

These sockets, called minions, are designed for miniature classic light bulbs. To a greater extent, sockets of this marking are used in chandeliers, sconces and small lamps. Modern energy-saving light sources are often manufactured in such a base, so they can replace standard incandescent light bulbs. One option is:

model name: Ecola E14;
price: 99 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, bulb shape - reflector, power -5.2 W, color temperature - 4200 K, light flux - 460 lm;
cons: reasonable cost.

If the described option does not suit you in some way, then check out the characteristics of another, no less popular product:

Model name: ASD E14;
price: 95 rubles;
characteristics: light - daylight, power - 5 W, bulb shape - candle in the wind, color temperature - 4000 K, light flow - 450 ml;
advantages: service life – up to 30 thousand hours;
cons: reasonable cost.

Professional

The rise in electricity prices is forcing users to look for new ways to save. One of them is to purchase professional and modern energy-saving lamps. With the same lighting, such light sources will consume 5 times less electricity than traditional incandescent lamps. In addition to this, they have virtually no flickering effect. If you are looking for an option for use in professional equipment, then pay attention to:

name Fancier 45W;
price: 899 rubles;
characteristics: power – 45 W, base – E27, creates an intense stream of bright light;
advantages: universal use;
cons: expensive.

Another option for professionals that is used for Lumifor AMATO studio lights is:

name Lumifor LLB-75W;
price: 359 rubles;
characteristics: power – 75 W, base – E14, provides even light;
pros: can be used both in home photo studios and small professional ones;
cons: expensive.

How to choose energy-saving lamps

To answer the question of how to choose an energy-saving light bulb for an apartment, you must first decide on the parameters:

Power. This figure for energy-saving models is 5 times higher than for incandescent lamps, so if you use a traditional 100-watt lamp, then the energy-saving model should have 20 watts.
Base. The most common type is the base with the designation E27. For large lamps, E40 is suitable, for sconces/table lamps - E14.
Type of glow. The higher the temperature spectrum, the whiter the lamp will shine. Work cubicles and offices are in most cases equipped with models with an indicator in the range of 6-6.5 thousand K. For a bedroom or kitchen, it is better to choose 2.7 thousand K. As for a room for children, the best option would be a lamp with 4, 2 thousand K.
Lamp shape. It does not affect anything other than the interior and design of the room. In order not to overpay and save money, make a choice in favor of U-shaped products, because... Spiral analogues are more expensive due to the complexity of manufacturing.
In addition, pay attention to cost, durability and the availability of a manufacturer's warranty.