Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs, also popularly known as CFLs, are energy efficient bulbs gradually replacing the age-old conventional yellow incandescent lamps. If you don’t know how they look like, they are those bulbs that have varying designs of twists, curves, and swirls. They are normally white, but a number of brands have also recently manufactured other colors. Compact fluorescent light bulbs cost a few dollars more than their predecessors, but such price difference is nothing compared to the savings that CFLs provide in terms of bulb life and electric consumption.

Present incandescent bulbs still follow the age-old bulb model of Thomas Edison’s invention: there is the presence of a filament being run by electricity. CFLs employ a little more complicated but definitely much efficient mechanisms. They basically consist of two parts: a burner and an electronic ballast. When a CFL bulb is switched on, the electronic ballast sends electricity to the burner. The burner then emits UV light which in turn activates a phospor coating that creates a soft, white, bright light.

CFLs can last anywhere from 6,000 to 16,000 hours, while incandescent bulbs burn out after 1,000 hours. In terms of energy use, CFLs use just ¼ of the total electricity that incandescent bulbs consume. And because the energy use is very minimal, it follows that the heat that CFLs emit in the room is less intense than incandescents.

The advantages that compact fluorescent light bulbs provide have persuaded many manufacturers to pursue the improvement of the new lighting technology. The quality of light of CFLs has continuously been improving in the past years; their levels of brightness are explored and made more versatile. Dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs are making their name in the market, as well as hi-tech CFLs with advanced motion sensors.