Which lamps are better - LED or fluorescent? All the benefits of a compact fluorescent lamp

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) falls under the definition of energy efficient. All light sources that consume at least 10% less electricity than incandescent lamps can be classified as energy efficient. After all, it is known that analogs with an incandescent filament are characterized by low efficiency due to strong heating, but at the same time the power level is high.

How does a CFL lamp work?

The design of such light sources and linear fluorescent lamps is similar. The difference between these options is the shape of the flask. There is another difference - energy-saving lighting elements (CFLs) are equipped with an electronic ballast. The electronic ballast is hidden inside the product body. Electrodes are located inside the flask.

A compact fluorescent lamp can be installed in different types of luminaires, which is possible thanks to a wide range of models with different holders (pin, threaded).

The device of a compact energy-saving lamp

The operation of such light sources is based on the phenomenon of luminescence. To implement this, the inner walls of an energy-saving light bulb are coated with phosphor.

Various tube shapes

This is a powder of a special composition, thanks to which the ultraviolet radiation produced by the light source becomes visible to humans. The appearance of UV glow is due to the processes that take place inside the flask when mains voltage is applied. This is facilitated by gaseous filling (inert gas and mercury vapor).

Main problems

Before purchasing an energy-saving CFL lamp, you should learn about a number of problems that may arise if the product is used incorrectly:

1. Illuminated switches are not recommended. Such switching equipment will contribute to the spontaneous ignition of the lighting element, which will greatly reduce its service life. You can go the other way and turn off the backlight power circuit in the circuit of such a switch.
2. It is better not to connect compact fluorescent lamps with motion, light or noise sensors. Frequent activation of the light source with interruptions of less than 2 minutes. will lead to a reduction in the life of the product. For the same reason, you should not connect a regular dimmer. There are special versions of dimmers for CFLs.
3. Increased humidity levels will negatively affect the operation of the energy-saving lamp. For example, light sources installed in the bathroom often burn out due to a breakdown in the electronic ballast circuit.
4. The lower the temperature environment, the more complicated the process of starting CFLs becomes. The recommended maximum is -25 degrees.
5. Compact fluorescent lamps heat up noticeably less than halogen and incandescent lamps. But, nevertheless, it is important to ensure effective cooling of the light source, or, more precisely, the part of the housing inside which the electronic ballast is installed. CFLs typically have holes in the base to promote natural cooling. But if you install such light bulbs in closed lamps, this will not save you from overheating. The lack of heat outflow from the light source will first lead to a decrease in the intensity of the luminous flux and a significant change in the shade of the glow, and then the energy-saving lighting elements (CFLs) will fail.
6. If the seal of the flask is broken, mercury will enter the surrounding space.
7. If you stay under the radiation of this type of lamp for a long time, health problems may arise. The severity of the disease depends on the intensity of the radiation, as well as the duration of exposure.
8. Presence of pulsations when switched on. Even more advanced electronic ballasts did not completely solve this problem.

In order for the purchase of products of this type, made at a fairly high price, to pay off over time, it is necessary to avoid the impact of negative factors on the lamps.

What to base your choice on

It is recommended to pay attention to such parameters as color rendering index, color temperature, luminous flux, power. And, of course, the service life that energy-saving lighting elements are characterized by is also important.

Electronic ballast condition

The ballast circuit includes quite a few elements: rectifier, generator, filters, power factor corrector, different types protection, electrode heating device, unit providing instant start. In order for compact fluorescent lamps to function with a high degree of efficiency, all these elements must be characterized by parameters with values ​​sufficient for normal operation.

This means that the parts in the electronic ballast circuit cannot be too small. Consequently, the ballast built into the CFL housing must also be large in size. Almost all energy-saving lamps with minimal body sizes tend to heat up quickly, which will ultimately negatively affect their service life.

Color rendering, color temperature: The emphasis is mainly on the energy efficiency of the light source, so not everyone knows that when choosing, you need to take into account such a parameter as the color rendering index, which is responsible for matching the colors when lighting a room with a CFL lamp.

Kelvin color temperature

The best products are those whose color rendering index exceeds 90 points. A score between 80 and 90 is considered acceptable. The acceptable minimum is 80 points. If compact fluorescent lamps have a color rendering index below 80, the quality of light will be lower.

You can find out which group the selected lighting element belongs to by examining the markings on the lamp body. It is almost impossible to find such information among other parameters in the accompanying documentation.

The color temperature is also determined by the markings. The value of this CFL parameter can vary from 2,700 to 6,800 K. The lower this value, the more comfortable the lighting will be for the eyes.

Ripple, luminous flux

The efficiency of a lighting system is determined by a parameter such as luminous flux (lm) or luminous efficiency (lm/W). The higher the value of these parameters, the brighter the light in the room will be. But not all manufacturers indicate this value among other parameters.

This is due to the fact that compact fluorescent lamps do not have a very intense luminous flux (higher than their incandescent counterparts and lower than their diode versions).

When choosing, you need to take into account such a factor as pulsation. Moreover, this drawback cannot be completely smoothed out, even using electronic ballasts, since a significant decrease in pulsations is observed, but they do not disappear.

The maximum permissible limit is 5%. But today, more often, the intensity of pulsations differs from the normalized values ​​in a larger direction.

Service life, warranty

The duration of operation can be indicated in units of hours or years, respectively: up to 10,000 hours or up to 10 years. Considering that compact fluorescent lamps last much longer than most analogues, therefore the warranty can be provided for a period of 3 to 5 years.

But not all manufacturers provide information about warranty period, in this case it is recommended to refrain from purchasing.

What is the difference between fluorescent and energy-saving?

The design of all types of fluorescent lighting elements is the same. The only difference is in the ballast circuit (external, built-in) and the shape of the bulb. Accordingly, any type of light source (compact, linear) fully falls under the definition of an energy-saving lamp.

This is due to the fact that the special operating principle provides significant energy savings during operation. Compact fluorescent lamps are usually called energy-saving lamps due to their more convenient design, which allows them to be used in everyday life.

Impact on the power grid and consumers

The design features of this kind of lighting elements, in particular the presence of a rectifier in the design, contribute to the appearance of interference in the network, which leads to a decrease in the power factor. For comparison, incandescent lamps are characterized by a coefficient of 1, and compact fluorescent lamps - 0.65.

Until recently, most Ukrainians did not even think about the existence of such terms as “energy saving” and “energy efficiency”. However, the winter cold promises to be a challenge and a rethinking of lifestyle for many people. Probably, only a person who has abandoned the benefits of civilization is now not interested in the problems that arise again and again in our country in the energy sector. And almost every month, ordinary users receive utility bills at new tariffs.

So, let’s be honest, Ukrainians really don’t know how to save money - most apartment owners spend energy extremely uneconomically through their own fault. But you can and should learn to save on electricity bills if you rationally use all the capabilities of modern technology.

We talked about how electricity tariffs have increased and the advantages and disadvantages of multi-zone metering in this article. Now it is proposed to talk about the most effective and accessible way for everyone to save the family budget - replacing incandescent lamps with more economical LED and fluorescent lamps.

100% - savings

The basis of electricity consumption in an apartment building in a city is lighting (excluding households equipped with electric stoves). Replacing incandescent lamps with energy-efficient LED lamps will save you 100% money and reduce your electricity bills.

Fun fact: Almost 20% of the world's electricity use is for lighting.

By replacing conventional light bulbs with energy-saving ones, consumption can be reduced by 5-7 times (energy savings are 75-80%), since their light output is on average 5 times greater. A 100 W light bulb can be replaced with an energy-saving power of 12-20 W. The service life of a conventional incandescent lamp is 1 - 1.5 thousand hours, an energy-saving lamp is 10 thousand hours, and an LED lamp is up to 50 thousand hours. By replacing lamps, you save twice: firstly, economical use of electricity, and secondly, savings on the cost of the light bulb.

Depending on the number of lamps, power and burning time, on average you can save from 50 to 100 kWh of electricity per month. First of all, the average consumer is horrified by the cost of LED lamps, but this is exactly the case when the goal justifies the investment.

The cost of a 12 W LED lamp (with a low luminous flux - analogous to 100 W) is on average 100 - 115 UAH, a regular incandescent light bulb costs 6.50 UAH. So, in order to cover the service life of an LED lamp, we need 50 pieces of ordinary lamps, and this in turn is 325 UAH (6.50 x 50). The savings are obvious.

Let's calculate how much electricity and money such lamps actually consume. First, let's calculate the electricity consumption per year for both types of lamps, provided that they burn 10 hours a day:

100 W incandescent lamp: 0.10 kWh x 10 x 365 days = 365 kWh per year;

12 W LED lamp (low lumen): 0.012 kWh x 10 x 365 days = 43.8 kWh per year.

This shows that the energy consumption of an LED lamp is 8 times less due to the lower power consumption. Now let’s calculate the cost of electricity consumed by one lamp at the new tariffs. As a basis for the calculation, we will take the averaging data that the annual savings from using one LED lamp is about 150 kWh.

Saving UAH per year with monthly consumption up to 100 kW*hour

As you can see, the savings are obvious. Moreover, even at 2015 tariffs, the payback for an LED lamp is a little more than a year.

Lamp characteristics:

Power, W

Luminous flux (light output outward) - lumen - lm (Lm) - the higher the indicator, the lighter it will be;

Color temperature - Kelvin (K): “warm light” - 2700-3300 K (color temperature of the sky during sunset, “daylight” - 4000-4200 K (natural color - diffused), “cold light” - about 5000 K;

Base E14 (minion) and E27;

Efficiency factor (efficiency) - the ratio of luminous flux to power (Lm / W);

Brightness (unit of luminous intensity) - candela - cd (cd).

Which lamp to choose: advantages and disadvantages

Let's evaluate all the pros and cons of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, energy-saving (fluorescent) and incandescent lamps.

Ilyich lamps- expensive, ineffective, uneconomical and fire hazardous.

The cost of the lamp could be called an advantage, but according to our calculations, this indicator confidently moves into disadvantages:

• They consume a lot of electricity, but only work for 1.5 thousand hours;
• Current surges and frequent switching on/off lead to a reduction in service life;
• They have a low luminous flux, that is, the lighting quality is worse than that of all other lamps;
• Fire hazard - the surface heats up to 120 degrees. During operation, it can cause burns and cause a fire.

Interesting fact: the incandescent lamp was created and tested by Thomas Edison in December 1879.

Energy saving - fluorescent lamps- this type of lighting has been in Ukrainian stores for quite some time and has won its fans.

Advantages:

• Light return fluorescent lamp on average 5 times more than an incandescent lamp. At the same time, electricity consumption is reduced by approximately 80%, and the usual level of room lighting remains;
• The resource is 6-10 times longer than that of an incandescent lamp - 6 - 12 thousand hours;
• Energy-saving lamps heat up less (an incandescent lamp heats up to 120 degrees), so they can be used in devices with a limited temperature level;
• An energy-saving lamp has a large surface area. Thanks to this, the distribution of light throughout the room is more even and soft (the eyes are 100% less tired)

Interesting fact: the official date of creation of the first fluorescent (or fluorescent) lamp by the American engineer-inventor Peter Cooper Hewitt is September 17, 1901. This lamp contained mercury, the vapor of which was heated by passing current through it. Hewitt's lamp was shaped like a slightly curved ball; it produced more light than Edison's lamp, but the light was a bluish-green color that was unpleasant to the eye. That is why the first mercury lamps were used only by photographers and they were not widely used.

Some dispute Hewitt's primacy in the invention, calling the little-known German physicist Martin Arons (who conducted experiments with mercury lamps at the end of the 19th century) the “father” of the fluorescent lamp. In addition, Nikola Tesla also patented an electric lighting system using gas discharge lamps in 1891.

Flaws:

• Uneven glow or flicker, which causes eye fatigue and irritation over a long period of time;
• There is a so-called “warming up effect” - when the lamp is turned on, it gradually gains brightness;
• Another, but extremely significant drawback is the mercury content from 1 to 3 mg. This indicator does not pose a direct threat to human health. But if such a lamp breaks in your home, you must carefully collect all the remains, then treat the crash site with a regular solution of potassium permanganate, and ventilate the room well.

That is why such lamps should not be thrown away with regular garbage. Moreover, doing this is prohibited by the current legislation of Ukraine, and for failure to comply with waste management requirements, a fine in the amount of 340 to 1,360 UAH is imposed on individuals, and on officials and citizens - business entities - from 850 to 1,700 UAH.

Of course, in practice, no one will catch violators near the landfill, but who will take care of our safety if not ourselves? Mercury tends to accumulate in living organisms, and this leads to disorders of the central nervous system and internal organs (primarily the liver, kidneys and respiratory tract are affected). In addition, 1 gram of mercury, when released into the environment, pollutes (an indicator of exceeding the level of maximum permissible concentrations) more than 3.3 million cubic meters of air or 200 thousand cubic meters of water. According to experts, more than 500 kg of mercury end up in Ukrainian landfills every year. And it’s easy to imagine what consequences this could lead to.

LED lamps - LED lamps- gradually winning the favor of Ukrainian consumers.

Interesting fact: On October 7, 2014, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Japanese inventors - Isamu Akasaki, Amano Hiroshi, Shuji Nakamura. Their invention is blue LEDs, which can, in combination with green and red LEDs, form White light. The jury called this invention “revolutionary”, since previously only red and green diodes were known, and with the advent of blue it became possible to create white ones LED bulbs, having high energy efficiency, long service life and are environmentally friendly. Incandescent light bulbs illuminated the 20th century. The 21st century will be illuminated by LED lamps.

Advantages:

• Economical and efficient energy consumption, long operating time;
• Environmentally friendly - do not contain mercury or other harmful impurities;
• The maximum luminous flux is achieved immediately after switching on;
• Resistance to shock and vibration;
• Purity and variety of colors, throughout the entire service life of the LED lamp does not lose color temperature (in some cases this indicator even increases) and a high level of color rendering;
• Relatively constant radiation direction – minimal loss of light flux;
• It has the ability to adjust the lighting intensity (they differ in price from conventional LED lamps), which allows them to be used in devices with brightness controls, motion sensors, timers, etc.;
• Fire safety - heats up only to 40 degrees;
• Operated at low temperatures;
• The emission spectrum is closer to natural, there is no flickering (does not cause eye fatigue);
• LED lamps do not require special technologies for disposal;

Flaws:

• These could include high cost, but world technologies are constantly changing, and soon such lamps will become significantly cheaper, moreover, our calculation shows that the price is very quickly covered by real savings;
• The luminous flux indicated on the box does not always correspond to the actual light output, which can decrease by up to 20% over time;
• They do not tolerate tightness and high humidity.

Practical tips:

When purchasing, pay attention to the power of the lighting device and the number of operating hours guaranteed by the manufacturer;

Take care of the packaging: if the lamp quickly burns out, you can contact the manufacturer or seller for a replacement;

Addresses of collection and recycling points energy saving lamps throughout Ukraine (and in the city of Kyiv) can be viewed on the page

One of the most effective ways to save energy is to replace incandescent lamps with other, more efficient ones. In order to save energy, standard light bulbs today can be replaced with either LED or fluorescent light bulbs (they are often called energy-saving). Where to choose? Let's compare two types of lighting sources to find out which lamp is better - fluorescent or LED.

Design of fluorescent and LED lamps

A hermetically sealed glass flask containing an inert gas and mercury vapor inside is what a fluorescent light bulb is. Under the influence of electricity, radiation appears in the flask. Passing through walls coated with phosphor, this radiation is transformed into a luminous flux.

The LED lamp is much more complex. It is a structure consisting of a set of LEDs mounted on cooling radiators, a voltage converter, a control circuit, and additional optics. All this is designed to produce lighting that meets the highest requirements.

Which lamps are better to choose - LED or fluorescent?

Based on what is known about these lighting devices, let’s compare them according to several criteria:

1. Electricity consumption. For example, let's take a standard 60 W light bulb. To replace it, provided that the illumination remains at the same level, you will need an energy-saving light bulb with a power of 12 W or a 5-W LED. The differences in energy consumption are noticeable to everyone - an LED lamp will provide savings of more than double compared to a fluorescent lamp. If we compare with regular lamp incandescent, consumption drops 12 times.

2. Durability. If you believe the statements of manufacturers of energy-saving lamps, their service life is an order of magnitude longer than that of conventional light bulbs. The following figures are announced: the maximum duration of work is 8000 hours, the average is about 4–5 thousand hours. LED lamps show a different result - about 50,000–60,000 hours. The comparison is clearly in favor of LEDs.

3. Persistence and unpretentiousness. Most energy-saving lamps, even the newest models, work less than the declared period due to difficult operating conditions. Voltage surges in the power supply network are harmful for fluorescent lamps, which leads to their earlier failure. Voltage drops do not have a serious impact on the normal operation and parameters of LED lighting devices. If cooling of LEDs is organized correctly, LEDs will work for at least ten years. In addition, LED lamps are less susceptible to low temperatures, humidity, and mechanical stress.

4. Qualitative characteristics of light. For rooms, the quality of illumination is determined by the light transmission index of the device. For LED and fluorescent lamps, the value of this parameter ranges from 80–85, with a maximum value of 100. However, it should be mentioned that fluorescent lamps have a smaller spectrum than LED lamps and flicker quite often.

5. Security. Speaking about safety for humans and the environment, we should remember that the bulbs of fluorescent lamps contain a certain amount of mercury vapor. Disposal of this type of lighting requires special equipment, so they must be handed over to the appropriate organization. LED lighting products do not contain any toxic or environmentally harmful compounds.

Conclusion. As a result, we can draw the following conclusion: LED lamps win the comparison in terms of most technical and user properties. The only criterion by which fluorescent lamps are still ahead is the price. However, today manufacturers of LED products are increasing the scale of production and reducing costs. The difference in price becomes smaller every year, but according to other criteria the choice is obvious.

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