Specialty and Architectural Lighting — Fluorescent

If you've ever had to work for 16 months in an office with overhead fluorescent tubes that flicker or buzz, you know how annoying they can be. If you work in an office with flickering lights AND buzzing ballasts, you may have a permanent headache (in addition to your boss). While the effects are headache-inducing for some people, you may wonder why no one has called the maintenance manager to replace what appears to be...

Commercial fluorescent lighting systems consist primarily of T8 lamps and electronic ballasts. While LED linear tubes now compete as replacements for traditional fluorescent, the vast majority of existing and replacement ceiling lighting in offices, schools, hospitals, and other institutions is fluorescent. At it's best, fluorescent lamp/ballast systems can offer efficiencies, lamp life and cost effectiveness that rival LED. A key feature of fluorescent lighting is the type of lamp starting technology used. There are three...

Most germicidal bulbs look like linear fluorescent light bulbs. They have the same shape. They share similar base types. Both use low pressure mercury arc technology. They both have hot cathode and cold cathode lamp types. They both use external ballasts to regulate voltage between the building and the lamp. And both produce the same ultraviolet radiation inside the bulb. However, germicidal light bulbs can't usually be purchased in general home improvement stores, where fluorescent...

About 8 to 15% of the electricity budget of an average household is consumed by lighting. The different types of lighting technologies that are installed, the design, and the user behavior are significant determinants to the total amount consumers can spend just on lighting for the home. With a well-designed and efficient lighting system, you can save big on household energy expenses. You need to carefully select light bulbs when improving your outdoor lights for...

With the phase-out of the 60 watt incandescent light bulb, finding these classic bulbs will get more and more difficult over time. Even now, just a few months after the ban came into effect in January 2014, home improvement stores are doing everything they can to shift consumers into alternative, more energy-efficient light sources. The big box stores are pushing LED bulbs, and hard. The reason? LED is getting all the media hype and is...