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Less Energy Light Bulbs - A Comparison Of CFLs And LEDs Light Bulbs
There are benefits as well as drawbacks to using less energy light bulbs like CFL and LED bulbs.
President Barack Obama has initiated plans to dismiss traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2014. The administration favors low energy light bulbs, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Both are employed in homes across the United States, but the CFLs have been available the longest. There are several advantages and disadvantages to using these technologies. Let's evaluate them here:
Pros and Cons of CFLs
In comparison with incandescent bulbs, lightweight fluorescent bulbs burn 10 times extended on average. CFLs with an Energy Star ranking use less energy, about 75%, resulting in savings of $30 over the life of a single bulb. However, CFLs take more time to get warm and produce a colder light than incandescent bulbs. Manufacturers responded to individuals who complained about the low quality of lighting produced by CFLs, by manufacturing a new generation of lights that appear like incandescent light bulbs.
CFLs that are closest to incandescent bulbs with regards to illumination fall between 2700 and 3000 on the Kelvin scale. CFL bulbs that produce a natural daylight hours tone, as opposed to the yellow tones of the incandescent bulbs, fall in the range of 5000-6500 on the Kelvin scale, and those in between 3500-4100 produce a much cooler, whiter light. (These numbers for the Kelvin scale appear right on the package.) A major disadvantage to using CFLs is the mercury found in every bulb. If the bulb breaks, it can be unhealthy to everyone in the home if you don't get rid of it properly. Cleaning up a single cracked bulb sometimes needs contracting a hazardous materials practitioner, and may cost thousands of dollars.
The buying price of 6 General Electric 26-watt CFLs is $16, which works out to $2.67 per bulb. This is the same as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. A General Electric 100-watt Reveal bulb (4-pack) costs $6.08, which works out to $1.52 per bulb. CFLs cost more but offer energy cost savings. However, CFL users are looking forward to inexpensive products.
Pros and Cons of LEDs
LEDs employ less wattage (2-10 watts) as compared to CFLs and don't produce much heat. They can be used for 4.5 years consistently before "dying," the equivalent of 40,000 hours. Unlike CFLS, LEDs don't contain mercury, which is a huge advantage. They don't have any kind of filaments, and so there's no chemical danger if they break.
There are negatives to LEDs. One being, they're simply useful for lighting downward or for work lighting. They don't cast light toward the base of the bulb, and the brightest ones available are only comparable to a 60-watt incandescent bulb. LED light bulbs look dimmer because the temperature of the light is cooler than incandescent bulbs and CFLs. However, they can be more useful as night lights since they give off a bluish hue. You may also use them for accentuate lighting.
New technology are being developed to solve the disadvantages of using LEDs. As an illustration, the LED light bulbs series by Sharp (a nine-bulb LED) is available in Japan. It comes with a remote control that enables users to change the light's shade tone. LEDs are still really expensive though, running $82 for the Sharp unit, and around $35 for standard LEDs. When the price for these bulbs does fall, it may end up being better value than both CFLs and incandescent bulbs. LEDs use $50 worth of electricity less over 4 to 5 years, and will end up surpassing them together.
Low Energy Light Bulbs
There are some things you need to know before choosing low energy light bulbs.
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