What is the difference between fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps?

What’s the difference between a compact fluorescent light bulb and a fluorescent bulb? In addition, most compact fluorescent lamps have an “integral” ballast that is built into the light bulb, whereas most fluorescent tubes require a separate ballast independent of the bulb. Both types offer energy-efficient light.

Are all fluorescent tubes the same?

All fluorescent lamps use the same technology, but there are several different variations and sizes.

Do they still make compact fluorescent light bulbs?

Now CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, are slowly disappearing from stores. Home retailer IKEA stopped selling them in all its locations last year, and now manufacturer GE has penned a cheeky Dear John letter to the technology, saying it will stop making the bulbs in the United States.

Are all fluorescent lights the same size?

Fluorescent tubes come in a range of sizes. Fluorescent tubes are measured in eighths of an inch. A T8 has a one inch (8/8 inch) diameter, a T5 has a 5/8 inch diameter, and a T12 is a 12/8 inch (1.5 inch) in diameter.

Are compact fluorescent light bulbs good for the environment?

Thus, by using up to 75\% less energy than incandescent lamps, CFLs decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere and help off-set global warming. Standard CFLs contain approximately 4 milligrams of mercury inside the tube. That’s 75\% less mercury than the industry standard!

How do I identify fluorescent tubes?

Lamps are typically identified by a code such as FxxTy, where F is for fluorescent, the first number (xx) indicates either the power in watts or length in inches, the T indicates that the shape of the bulb is tubular, and the last number (y) is the diameter in eighths of an inch (sometimes in millimeters, rounded-up to …

Why are CFL bulbs banned?

Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain toxic mercury, which complicates their disposal. In many countries, governments have banned the disposal of CFLs together with regular garbage. These countries have established special collection systems for CFLs and other hazardous waste.

What is the standard size fluorescent tube?

While there are multiple types of LED and fluorescent tube lights, the three most common are T12, T8 and T5. The terminology comes from “T” for “tubular” and the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch, so “T8” represents a tube of 8/8ths of an inch, or 1 inch.

Why are CFL light bulbs better?

CFLs are up to four times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. You can replace a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 22-watt CFL and get the same amount of light. CFLs use 50- to 80-percent less energy than incandescent lights. Just one bulb can reduce a half-ton of CO2 from the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.

What are the benefits of using CFL light bulbs?

Because CFLs use less electricity than traditional light bulbs, they reduce demand for electricity; that reduction means less greenhouse gas emissions (including less mercury) from power plants. CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury — an average of 4 milligrams in each bulb.

What is a compact fluorescent lamp?

A compact fluorescent lamp ( CFL ), also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent lamp; some types fit into light fixtures formerly used for incandescent lamps.

What is the difference between a Tubelight and a CFL?

Tubelight is the generalised name for Fluorescent Tubular Lamp (FTL). This is a linear lamp. Available in different diameters (16mm, 26mm, 38mm) CFL is the compact version of the same (Compact Fluorescent Lamp). Because of the long size of the FTL lamp, there is very less or practically no shadow.

What is the difference between led and fluorescent light bulbs?

The long glass tube used in fluorescent lighting makes them easily breakable, costing you more money to replace them and causing a glass hazard (not to mention the mercury). While LEDs are quite tiny, allowing them to be often used in the making of computers and other electronics.

How many different fluorescent tube sizes are there?

There are 4 different fluorescent tube sizes; T4, T5, T8, and T12. The T stands for tubular and the numbers are an index for the diameter (in inches) of the tube light.