When buying a particular lamp in a store, we must first of all pay attention to which bulbs are suitable for it. They are not included with the device, so it is important to know those varieties that are on sale today. Light bulbs differ in shape, size, power, as well as the base with which they are fixed in the lamp socket. Through it, an electric current flows into the lamp.
The plinths themselves are made of metal or ceramic. Inside them there are contacts for supplying current to the working element of the lamp. Each luminaire is equipped with one or more lamp sockets. The bases of the purchased light bulbs must correspond in shape and size to them. Therefore, when buying a lamp, it is important to be guided by what types of light bulbs and types of socles are suitable for it.
In addition, most lamps need to be replaced from time to time as they do not last very long. In order to make the best choice and not get lost in all their diversity, it is important to know what types of lamps and types of socles generally exist. In addition to the base, when buying a lamp, you must also take into account the power consumption of the lamp, voltage, its dimensions and the connection scheme to the chandelier.
What are the types of plinths
There is a wide variety of types of lamp bases that are used today in certain areas. In this regard, there is their classification, according to which all types can be divided into several groups. At the same time, in everyday life we most often encounter only two of them: threaded and pin. Let's take a closer look at each of these two types.
Screw base
It is considered traditional to consider a threaded base, or in another way - a screw base. It is marked with the Latin letter E. This type of base is widely used in many types of lamps, including most household ones. After the letter, there must be a number that indicates the diameter of the threaded connection. In household light bulbs, two sizes of threaded connection are used - E14 and E27. For more powerful lamps, for example, street lighting, there are E40 socles.
We are used to seeing the threaded type of the base in almost all home lighting fixtures. Most modern lamps are equipped with just such a connection design. It is considered the most convenient for general consumption. The dimensions of the threaded connections for lamps have not changed for several decades, so even the modern LED light bulb that you purchased today may well be screwed into an old rare chandelier of the 30s and 40s of the last century. This is very important for those who are fond of the revival of antiques.
In the US and Canada, plinth sizes are not the same as in Europe. This is due to the fact that there the voltage in the network is 110 V. Therefore, in order to avoid accidentally screwing in European bulbs, their diameter is: E12, E17, E26 and E39.
Pin base
This is also a fairly popular base, which is successfully used in various types of lamps. It consists of two metal pins that simultaneously play the role of electrical contacts. Holding the lamp in the socket is carried out by these pins, as they are inserted into the socket quite tightly. The pins can be different in diameter and distance between them. Hence the marking with the letter G, which means that this is a pin base, and the number after it determines the gap between the two pins. For example, plinths G4, G9 or G13.
This type of base is found in almost all types of lamps: incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, LED.
In addition to the traditional ones listed above, there are several more rare types of socles that are less popular, but, nevertheless, are used in some types of lamps.
- Plinths with recessed contact (R). They are mainly used in high intensity appliances that are powered by alternating current.
- Pin bases (B) make it possible to most conveniently and quickly replace the light bulb in the cartridge due to the fact that their side contacts are asymmetrical. In fact, this is an improved analogue of the threaded type of base.
- Single-pin (F), which come in three different subspecies: cylindrical, with a corrugated surface and a special shape.
- Soffit bases (S) are used in lamps of various hotels and car lighting fixtures. They are distinguished by a peculiar bilateral symmetrical arrangement of contacts.
- Fixing (P) bases are used in special high-power spotlights and lanterns.
- Telephone (T) bases are equipped with light bulbs for various control panels, one or another backlight, signal lamps mounted in automation panels.
Often, available on the base, the marking of the lamp consists of several letters. The second letter most often means a subspecies of this lighting device:
- V - base with a conical end.
- U - energy-saving fluorescent.
- A - car light bulb.
Types of lighting bulbs
We will talk about the most common lamps that we usually use at home, in offices and various industrial premises. These include incandescent, energy-saving, halogen, fluorescent and LED lamps. Let's take a closer look at each of these types.
Ordinary incandescent lamp
This is probably the most common lamp, despite the fact that its age is already more than 150 years old, and over the past 100 years it has hardly undergone significant changes, we still use it. The thing is that its production is very cheap, and the design is simple. It is a flask without air, in which a tungsten filament is placed. Under the action of an electric current, it heats up to high temperatures and emits light. Modern incandescent lamps with a tungsten filament have one feature: at room temperature, the resistance in the tungsten filament is very low, about 15 times lower than the working one, which increases the risk of its burnout when a stronger current is passed at the time of switching on. The first lamps used graphite filaments, the resistance of which, on the contrary, decreased with increasing temperature. This had the effect of gradually increasing the brightness. At the same time, graphite threads developed their resource faster.
According to their technical characteristics, incandescent lamps are much inferior to other types of lamps. The life of a typical light bulb is about 1000 hours. It is noteworthy that in the fire department of the small town of Livermore, California, there is a light bulb that has been continuously lit since 1901. This, of course, is an exception to the rule. In addition to a short service life, incandescent lamps become cloudy over time due to the vapors formed in the bulb. This greatly reduces their luminosity. Incandescent lamps emit yellow light, which is close to the spectral characteristics of sunlight. Almost all incandescent lamps are produced with E14 and E27 sockets. The exception is small light bulbs, which a couple of decades ago were screwed into lanterns and Christmas tree garlands. Today it is already difficult to find a cartridge for such light bulbs.
Among lamps of this type there are special reflector lamps. Their distinguishing feature is the silver-plated inner surface of the flask. Such devices are used to create a beam of directional light when it is necessary to illuminate an object. On store shelves there are reflector lamps that are marked R50, R63 and R80, where the number is the diameter of the lamp. As for the base, it is the same as that of simple incandescent lamps. Some light bulbs have frosted glass for more diffused light. There are also multi-colored lamps used to create various lighting effects.
Halogen lamp
Such a light bulb can last about four times longer than a conventional incandescent bulb. Manufacturers claim that its service life can be about 4000 hours, and the so-called color rendering index is 100%. According to its design, such a lamp is not much different from a conventional one, but vapors of substances such as iodine or bromine are added to the flask. This greatly improves light output and service life. Modern halogen lamps have a light output of 20-30 lm / watt, which is maintained throughout the intended life and is not lost over time, like a conventional incandescent bulb.
Most often, halogen lamps are much smaller than conventional ones in size. They have many different shapes, and plinths are: G9, G4, R7S, GU10. There are even halogen lamps built into the bulb of a conventional light bulb with an E27 base.
There is only one drawback with halogen lamps - this is low-frequency noise when used in conjunction with dimmers that control the luminosity. This type of lamp has found the widest application in the automotive industry. Modern car headlights are equipped with halogen lamps.
Fluorescent tube lamps
These light sources have a characteristic elongated shape in the form of a tube of various lengths and diameters. The latter is indicated by the letter T on the label. For example, T12 (diameter 12/8 inch=3.8 cm). For such lamps, special lamps with a starting device are required. It is required in order to create an electromagnetic field inside the bulb that can cause the phosphor to glow under the influence of mercury vapor. In such lamps, there are no incandescent parts, which significantly increases their efficiency and efficiency, since there is no need to heat up the substance and almost all of the energy is converted into a luminous flux. The bases of this type of lamp are most often pin and located on both sides of the bulb.
Energy saving types of lamps
This term is commonly used for small fluorescent lamps. They have gained high popularity today, as they are able to reduce energy costs very significantly. They are sold in any stores, and installing them in a regular threaded cartridge is not a problem, since they are equipped with the same bases.
Thanks to modern technological developments, energy-saving light bulbs have a very compact size, various power variations, a large variety of shapes, but definitely a long service life and extraordinary efficiency. However, it must be remembered that such lighting devices “do not like” too frequent switching on and off, and also, like all fluorescent lamps, require special disposal conditions, since the mercury vapor they contain is very dangerous for humans and the environment. Today there are energy-saving lamps with any type of socles: E14, E27, GU10, G9, GU5.3, G4, GU4.
They can also be called "energy-saving", but this is not their main advantage. With significant energy savings, they have a truly enormous service life, which can amount to tens of thousands of hours and years. From 25,000 to 100,000 hours, an LED lamp will last, which is equal to 3-12 years of continuous operation. In addition, their light output is almost one hundred percent. LEDs do not use heat, so these lamps are completely safe in the fire sense. Most LED lamps are equipped with standard sockets, which allows them to be used in any fixtures. They are completely environmentally friendly, as they do not contain any harmful substances.
Of the shortcomings, only a very high cost should be noted. This, of course, is offset by a very long service life. Buying cheaper LED lamps is not recommended, because due to savings on capacitors, they shine with an invisible flicker, which in a hidden form affects vision. Another disadvantage is the blue-shifted emission spectrum, which does not correspond to natural sunlight. LEDs shine with a rather cold unnatural light.
Using energy-saving lighting sources can save a lot on electricity. At the same time, when buying them, you should be attentive to the choice of manufacturer and buy only well-known models, otherwise many advantages become not so obvious.
Incandescent lamps are the most widespread among artificial light sources. Wherever there is an electric current, a transformation of its energy into light can be found, and incandescent lamps are almost always used for this. Let's figure out how and what heats up in them, and what they are.
The features of a particular lamp can be found by examining the index stamped on its metal base.
The index uses the following alphanumeric designations:
- B - Bispiral, argon filling
- BK - Bispiral, krypton filling
- B - Vacuum
- G - Gas-filled, argon filling
- DS, DSh - Decorative lamps
- RN - various purposes
- A - Lampshade
- B - Twisted form
- D - Decorative form
- E - With screw base
- E27 - Plinth version
- Z - Mirror
- ZK - Concentrated light distribution of a mirror lamp
- ЗШ - Wide light distribution
- 215-230V - Recommended voltage scale
- 75 W - Electric power consumption
Types of incandescent lamps and their functional purpose
- General purpose incandescent lamps
- Projector incandescent lamps
- Incandescent mirror lamps
- Halogen incandescent lamps
According to their functional purpose, the most common are general purpose incandescent lamps (LON). All LON produced in Russia must comply with the requirements of GOST 2239-79. They are used for outdoor and indoor, as well as for decorative lighting, in household and industrial networks with a voltage of 127 and 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. 
LONs have a relatively short life, on average, about 1000 hours, and low efficiency - they convert only 5% of electricity into light, and the rest is released as heat.
A feature of low-power (up to 25 W) LON is the carbon filament used in them as a filament. This outdated technology was used in the first "" and was preserved only here.
Seismic-resistant lamps, also included in the LON group, are structurally capable of withstanding a seismic shock with a duration of up to 50 ms.
Incandescent projector lamps are much more powerful than other types and are designed for directional lighting or signaling over long distances. According to GOST, they are divided into three groups: film projection lamps (GOST 4019-74), for general-purpose spotlights (GOST 7874-76) and beacon lamps (GOST 16301-80).
The use of three-core wiring in a home network provides a high level of fire safety and reduces the risks to human life. In solving the issue - - it is enough to follow the elementary rules and installation scheme.
To equip the electrical networks of residential premises with safety equipment, it is necessary to make a choice between installing an RCD or a difavtomat. Can help with this. You can install a difavtomat in several ways, which you can read about.
The filament body in projector lamps is longer and at the same time located more compactly, to enhance the overall brightness and subsequent focusing of the light flux. The task of focusing is solved by special focusing plinths provided in some models, or optical lenses in the designs of searchlights and lighthouses.
The maximum power of projector lamps produced in Russia today is 10 kW.
Mirrored incandescent lamps are distinguished by a special bulb design and a reflective aluminum layer. The light-conducting part of the bulb is made of frosted glass, which gives the light softness and smooths out contrasting shadows from objects. Such lamps are marked with indices indicating the type of light flux: ZK (concentrated light distribution), ZS (medium light distribution) or ZSh (wide light distribution).
This group also includes neodymium lamps, the difference of which is the addition of neodymium oxide to the formula of the composition from which the glass bulb is blown. Due to this, part of the yellow spectrum is absorbed, and the color temperature shifts to the region of brighter white radiation. This allows the use of neodymium lamps in interior lighting for greater brightness and maintaining shades in the interior. The letter "H" has been added to the index of neodymium lamps.
The scope of mirror lamps is huge: shop windows, stage lighting, greenhouses, greenhouses, livestock farms, lighting of medical offices and much more.
Before you determine which incandescent lamp you need, you should study the features and markings of existing types. With all their diversity, you need to accurately understand the purpose of the selected lamp and how and where it will be used. The inconsistency of the characteristics of the lamp with the tasks for which it is purchased can lead not only to unnecessary costs, but also lead to emergency situations, up to damage to the mains and fire.
An entertaining video characterizing the work of three types of light bulbs
Electricity prices are now such that, willy-nilly, you begin to think about saving. The easiest way to lower your energy bills is to lower your lighting costs. It is it that “eats” most of the kilowatts in an ordinary apartment or house. Which lamps are best for the home and by what parameters, we will discuss in this article.
On the shelves of shops you can see different lamps. Let's take a closer look at those that are installed in private houses and apartments.
Lighting in the house should be cozy, comfortable ... preferably economical
Incandescent lamps
The oldest lighting fixtures are over a century old. They give light that is pleasant to the eyes, but during operation they get very hot, as they have low efficiency - about 97% of the energy is spent on heat generation. Therefore, lighting using conventional incandescent lamps is expensive. It is for this reason that many decide to replace them with more economical ones, while deciding which lamps are best for the home and for the wallet.
There is another unpleasant property of incandescent lamps - not too long service life. On average, it is about 1000 -3000 hours. Since the price of these lighting fixtures is low, this is a small burden on the wallet. However, frequent replacement can be unnerving - you have to constantly have a couple of pieces in stock.
A widespread trend - the usual incandescent lamps are replaced by more economical ones
It is also worth taking into account that, due to the design features, they are produced only with a screw base, but they work from a 220 V network and do not require any converters or special devices. Due to the large amount of heat, they are not used to illuminate furniture, they are not compatible with all suspended ceilings, but they are not friendly with stretch ceilings at all. In general, this is a classic lighting, but not ideal.
Halogen
Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp. They differ in that the flask is filled with halogen vapors (most often iodine or bromine), which increases the service life by 2-3 times. The design allows you to make them not only with a screw base, but also with a pin base. The different shape of the bulb, the use of reflective coating, allow you to make light sources with different scattering angles. Therefore, at one time, they were widely used as built-in ceilings or furniture.
Halogen incandescent lamps - a more "advanced" option
Since these are also incandescent lamps, they have almost the same drawbacks - a significant heat generation. And that's the problem. But the power consumption is less (about 2-3 times). So they are more economical compared to the classic design. But they have an additional minus - they do not tolerate pollution on the flask. A fingerprint can cause burnout. Therefore, the installation must be done with gloves.
Fluorescent: tubular and compact (housekeeper)
In the operation of these lighting devices, a different principle is used - the property of certain phosphor substances under certain conditions to emit light. Structurally, it consists of a glass tube coated with a phosphor. Inside the tube there are electrodes and some mercury vapor. An electric charge is created on the electrodes, the energy of which is converted into light radiation with the help of a phosphor.
To create and maintain an electric charge, fluorescent lamps need a ballast - a voltage transformer and a starter. As standard, these devices are mounted on the body of luminaires, which can only work with this type of luminaire.
Available in two types:
If we talk about comparison with incandescent lamps, then they are 3 times more economical, they almost do not heat up. A serious disadvantage is that due to the pulsation, the light is unpleasant for the eyes and potentially hazardous to health (leads to increased fatigue, can be the cause of a bad mood). In this type of lighting devices, it is almost impossible to get rid of the ripple. What can be done is to minimize it and, by adding one incandescent lamp, to minimize the negative effect.
Still many are alarmed that inside the flask contains mercury vapor, which carries a potential hazard. This is briefly about the main disadvantages, then we will take a closer look at the pros and cons of fluorescent lamps.
LED
This is the third type of lamp that uses semiconductor devices - LEDs. They do not need any special atmosphere, so the flask is leaky, and this is more a tribute to tradition than a necessity. All that LEDs need to work is a constant voltage of 12 V or 24 V. So it’s easy to operate - to connect to a 220 V network, you need a voltage converter (power supply, adapter). In LED lamps for standard fixtures, this converter is built into the body, so it is easy to replace the usual incandescent lamps with them.
Briefly about the properties. They have high efficiency - they require 7-8 times less electricity than similar incandescent lamps, many times longer service life (at the request of manufacturers, they can work for 25-35 years). Disadvantages - expensive, it is difficult to determine the quality, low-grade ones have a strong ripple that negatively affects the eyes and well-being, and often fail. Therefore, choosing an LED lamp is not an easy task, requiring certain knowledge. But the bills, indeed, become much smaller.
Which lamps are best for home
All these lighting devices are used to illuminate residential premises. It is definitely impossible to answer which lamps are better for the home - everyone has advantages and disadvantages. If you are most concerned about eye comfort, the answer to the question “which lamps are best for your home” is incandescent. But at the same time, you will not be able to save on lighting. Slightly better is the situation with halogen. But for the eyes, lighting from 12 V halogens is more pleasant, which requires the presence of transformers. For those that work from 220 V, the light is too bright.
If we talk about saving on electricity bills, then LED lamps will be the best. This is undeniable. But you need to buy with knowledge of the matter - so that they are of good quality and work for a long time, and such are expensive. But, even under such conditions, they are beneficial, as they really help to significantly reduce energy consumption. BUT
Why LED, and not housekeepers? Let's compare their properties.
Compare fluorescent and LED light bulbs
When people have a desire to reduce electricity costs, they begin to think about replacing incandescent lamps with more economical ones. These are considered energy-saving (compact fluorescent) and LED. To understand which lamps are best for your home, you need to take a closer look at their advantages and disadvantages.
Having decided to replace incandescent lamps with more economical ones, it is necessary to resolve the question: which lamps are better for the home - LED or compact fluorescent
housekeepers
So called compact fluorescent lamps. They were the first to appear on the market (compared to LEDs), which is why this name was assigned to them. Let's start with pluses:
At the time, this was a very good offer. The ability to receive "warm" and "cold" light, save on electricity - all this has led to the popularity of fluorescent energy-saving light bulbs.
But limitations they are serious:
There are many shortcomings, and almost all of them are serious. It is they who stop many, even despite the savings.
LED
These light bulbs are made on the basis of semiconductor elements - LEDs. Some of them are installed in a single housing, connected to a power source. Power supply - from a constant voltage of 12 V. In order to be able to use the lamps in standard fixtures, a rectifier and a circuit that lowers the voltage to 12 V are built into the case (both of these devices are often called a driver).
LEDs generate heat during operation. To remove it, a radiator is built into the case. And the bases of these lamps are different. They can be installed instead of incandescent lamps of various sizes, halogen, tubular fluorescent.
If we compare all four types in terms of power consumption with equal luminous flux
Advantages led lamps:
- They consume 7-8 times less electricity than incandescent ones, and 2-3 times less than fluorescent ones (housekeepers too).
- They have a long service life.
- Not afraid of vibration and shock.
- Light up immediately after switching on.
- They have a wide operating temperature range -40°C to +40°C.
- Can be any shade (any color).
- There are dimmable (changing the brightness of the glow).
The benefits are impressive. Particularly impressive is the economy and service life. But one should be skeptical about the figures announced by the manufacturers (about 25-35 years). They are for ideal conditions, which in our realities are practically unattainable. Really indicates the period of work declared by the manufacturers warranty period. This is the time they will most likely work. But even despite this, the period is considerable - 2-5 years.
Without shortcomings didn't work either:
- High price. 4-5 times more expensive than energy-saving ones and 20-40 times more expensive than incandescent ones.
- Low-quality LED lamps have a significant ripple.
- Without a diffuser, the light blinds the eyes, because most LED lamps are made with milky glass. Those in a transparent flask can only be used in conjunction with frosted shades.
- LEDs are afraid of overheating. When the critical temperature is exceeded for a long time (about 90°C), they lose their brightness. Therefore, it is unreasonable to use LED lamps in closed-type lamps.
When compared with the properties of fluorescent lamps, the advantage is clearly behind the LED. But everything is not so rosy in reality.
Which lamps are better for home: LED or fluorescent
In fact, LED lamps are better in all respects. But there it hurts "BUT". These should be high quality LED bulbs. The thing is that the manufacturing technology is simple, does not require super complex or very expensive equipment. It is difficult to make LEDs, and it is not difficult to assemble an LED light bulb from them. Therefore, there are a lot of fakes and low-grade goods on the market. They use cheap low quality crystals, the driver is made the simplest, which does not suppress flicker and quickly fails.
The difficulty is that it is impossible to determine “by eye” the quality of LEDs or the same driver. Some experts are able to distinguish good LEDs by their appearance. But in lamps they are hidden under a frosted bulb. Having set a goal, their quality can be checked by indirect signs - by measuring the illumination, pulsation, evaluating the color rendition. But the quality of the parts used in the power supply cannot be assessed. You only know when something breaks.
All this leads to the fact that many consider LED lamps unreliable - they burn out quickly, but are expensive. So it turns out that there is no savings. Moreover, there are problems with flickering ... It seems so, but this is true only if you buy cheap LED lamps. Branded lamps really serve for years without problems, they give out an even, pleasant light for the eyes. So the main task is to find good quality LED lamps. And then you will know for sure which lamps are best for your home.
In summary: Replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs will save on lighting bills only if they last a long time, and perhaps only if they are of high quality. Quality light bulbs are not cheap. So, perhaps, this is the case when saving during the acquisition is not worth it.
Light is the basis of life. Because thanks to it, photosynthesis exists - the basic process of the appearance of organic matter. In people's lives, light is also very important. But day turns to night. And in order to effectively overcome this pattern, the electric lamp was invented. Over time, various types of electric lamps have firmly entered our lives.
The first electric light bulbs
The first lighting lamps appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. The resistance of the metal was used to produce light. These incandescent lamps, whose name is associated with the principle of operation, function as follows.
In them, an electric current heats the metal to a high temperature. As the temperature increases, the metal first acquires a dark red color, but with further growth it turns yellow, and then turns white. At the same time, there is more and more visible light. To obtain the highest possible temperature and the greatest amount of light, incandescent lamps are equipped with a flask from which air is pumped out.
For light bulb applications, the most efficient form of metal conductor is the helix. It allows you to reduce the space occupied by the conductor. But in order to reach the highest temperature, special properties of the metal are needed. It should be as refractory as possible. For this reason, they are made of tungsten.
Despite the fact that more than a hundred years have passed since the appearance of the first electric light bulb and new varieties of lamps have appeared, the principle of obtaining light by simply heating a tungsten coil is still in demand.
Modern lamps, operating on the principle of incandescent spirals, are very diverse in size and power. Their main advantage is the minimum cost based on a simple device. When you turn on these bulbs, the maximum illumination of the space is immediately achieved. They can operate over a wide temperature range. For these reasons, incandescent bulbs are the main lighting fixtures in emergency lighting systems. Despite the variety of shapes and sizes, they are all arranged in the same way.
The principle of light emission by a hot tungsten filament has been improved, embodied in halogen bulbs. While a conventional light bulb has a limited life due to tungsten evaporation, this disadvantage is eliminated in halogen bulbs through the use of halogen reducing compounds. They made it possible to increase the temperature of the spiral and, accordingly, the brightness of the light bulb. At the same time, its resource has also grown.
But the heating and the heat associated with it, radiated in large quantities by the incandescent spiral, also increased. To get a greater luminous flux from a light bulb at a lower temperature and electrical energy consumption, it is necessary to change the principle of creating light.
Fluorescent lamps
Light in the form of luminescence was discovered at the end of the nineteenth century. Then they discovered that a weak electric current in a rarefied gas with a pressure of less than 100 Pa causes it to glow. This phenomenon was called a glow discharge.
Moreover, the composition of light for each gas is different. A very slight glow was observed in mercury vapor. This effect occurs because the radiation is strongest in the ultraviolet spectrum. Its energy is great and noticeably affects various substances. Some of them emit visible light when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. These substances are called phosphors.
It became possible to create new types of lighting lamps - fluorescent bulbs. Their production began in 1938 and continues to this day. Ordinary fluorescent lamps look like long white glass tubes. They have become part of the ceiling design of many offices and industrial spaces.
The tubular flask is coated on the inside with a white phosphor powder. In order for a fluorescent light bulb to function properly, it is necessary to limit the current through it. For this purpose, the so-called ballast in the form of a choke or inverter is used.
Modern types of lamps are more often supplied with inverter ballasts. They significantly improve the basic characteristics of the lamps. Along with powerful high-voltage transistors, new types of lighting lamps appeared - energy-saving light bulbs. In these, the tubular flask is curved into a compact design, reducing maximum dimensions to a minimum. To get acquainted with what energy-saving light bulbs are on the market, the image below is proposed.
Discharge lamps
Brightness and power consumption are the two most important characteristics of lighting lamps. They determine the search for technical solutions in order to create new types of lighting lamps with the best parameters. The principle of creating light in a fluorescent lamp requires a large phosphor surface to increase the luminous flux. It is sufficient for use in household and office premises. But as a powerful compact light source is not suitable. For this reason, the high-pressure discharge lamp was invented.
In it, a glow discharge occurs only immediately after switching on. Then the pressure inside the bulb increases simultaneously with the increase in the current in the lamp. The arc arising in the gas is a source of powerful radiation. This radiation is used in different ways depending on the composition of the gas. Discharge in mercury vapor at a high pressure of about 100 kPa gives a lot of both visible light and ultraviolet radiation.
But visible light has a tinge of blue. People and objects in such lighting look unpleasant. To correct color rendering, the light source - a quartz glass burner - is surrounded by a flask coated with a phosphor. It turns out a lamp called DRL - arc mercury fluorescent. These lamps are widely used for street lighting.
But a bulb with a phosphor increases the cost of the light source. The conversion of ultraviolet to visible light using a phosphor tends to deteriorate over time. Quartz glass becomes cloudy from crumbling phosphor. Color rendition even with a phosphor leaves much to be desired. For these reasons, DRLs were replaced in street lighting by sodium lamps. They are functionally the same. But instead of mercury vapor, sodium vapor is used.
The flask is transparent, and the burner is made of special materials, more refractory than quartz glass. Light covers the yellow colors of the spectrum, which are best perceived by human vision. Therefore, sodium lamps look brighter than DRLs of the same power.
They are widely used as the most modern and durable light sources not only for street lighting, but also in agriculture for greenhouses and premises of poultry and livestock complexes. But the main limitation of the use of sodium lamps is their incorrect color rendering due to the narrow emission spectrum.
Among gas discharge lamps, ultra-high pressure and xenon lamps have the most correct color rendering. DRSh lamp - arc mercury spherical - is a burner of a special form made of quartz glass. The shape in the form of a ball gives the flask the greatest strength. This is necessary because of the pressure inside the flask, which can be more than 1 MPa. Due to the high pressure and temperature, mercury vapor emits a wider spectrum. But at the same time, the lamp is explosive, and there is a lot of ultraviolet radiation in its spectrum.
A significant disadvantage of DRL, DRSh and high-pressure sodium lamps is the use of metal to produce vapors. For this reason, the lamps take a long time to start, and after extinguishing they cannot immediately light up due to the high pressure in the bulb. To light a lamp, a special ballast is needed.
Of the gas-discharge lamps, which have become widespread in connection with the development of semiconductor devices, xenon lamps stand out as sources closest to natural light. They are used in flashlights, car headlights, movie theater projectors, and high-power lighting fixtures. Among them there are also models of high and ultra-high pressure. These are the most powerful modern sources of high-quality light.
A real revolution in the lighting market occurred after the advent of blue and ultraviolet LEDs. It became possible to use LED lighting and make light bulbs for these purposes. Today they are the most efficient light sources for household lamps. Their design is based on the use of individual luminous crystals. Moreover, the crystal itself emits a blue spectrum, including ultraviolet. And visible white light with a particular shade creates a phosphor. Exactly the same as in a fluorescent lamp.
LED light bulbs
An LED always emits light in one direction. This feature is determined by its location on the substrate. The directivity of light in LED bulbs depends on the geometry of the location of the light emitters. With this in mind, you need to choose a light bulb for a lamp or chandelier. Newer design varieties are filament light bulbs. They mimic incandescent bulbs and create light that is most evenly directed in all directions.
They use microcircuits in the form of threads. The filament is actually a narrow sapphire tape-substrate. Crystals and resistors are formed on it, by analogy with an LED strip. These bulbs are ideal for a variety of luminaires with a design adapted to incandescent bulbs. An electronic ballast, similar to that used in an energy-saving light bulb, feeds the LED bulb.
To compare different types of light bulbs according to the main characteristics, the following table and illustration are given. They clearly show the advantages of LED lamps. Despite the higher price, these light sources pay off in full.
Table of the main characteristics of various types of lamps
For street lighting in settlements, energy-efficient lamps with sealed reflectors are now used. On highways and on major highways, reflective lighting is often used with a reflective surface inside the lamp, which allows you to create powerful streams of directional light. For secondary roads, both reflective and diffuse lighting are equally suitable.
The most powerful lights, with a power of 250 to 400 W, are installed on highways, less powerful ones - 70 - 250 W - are used to illuminate minor roads, and diffused lighting with a lamp power of 40 to 125 W is sufficient for pedestrian sidewalks and park areas. Street lighting fixtures in settlements have shades of various shapes: for parks these are balls and cylinders, for wide streets - directional spotlights, etc.
The lamps in these lighting fixtures are mainly gas-discharge of various types. It is gas-discharge lamps that are considered the most energy efficient and therefore are economically viable. Discharge lamps have become a kind of standard for street lighting.
Despite the flickering of light and the noise of their ballasts, the economic effect of the use of discharge lamps is very expressive, which is why they are still the standard. At the same time, the light of gas-discharge lamps is quite bright and stable throughout their entire service life. The color can vary from yellow to white.
The lamps are relatively compact, create intense light beams through a discharge arc, while the working position can be any - from horizontal to vertical - this is one of the advantages of gas discharge lamps used for street lighting.
Gas discharge lamps have their own characteristics. They need to warm up before reaching full power. Be sure to have a protective glass on the lamp. Of course, an incendiary unit with a so-called ballast is also needed. Be sure to install and current fuses. The use of ballasts allows you to avoid malfunctions due to power surges.
Despite all these features, gas-discharge lamps still do not lose their relevance. Thus, gas-discharge lamps are used for street lighting, for lighting squares, highways, tunnels, airfields, etc. In fairness, we note that in decorative lighting, gas-discharge lamps have taken their rightful place, for example, for the manufacture of artistic illumination of buildings.
The advantages of gas discharge lamps include: stable, even light throughout their life, high energy efficiency and low operating costs, a long service life compared to the outdated incandescent lamps and with, as well as the presence of protection from the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. So, mercury DRL, sodium HPS and metal halide DRI are gas-discharge lamps and are most often used today in street lighting.
DRL - high pressure mercury arc lamps, DRI - mercury arc metal halide lamps, as well as HPS - high and low pressure sodium gas discharge lamps - all these lamps operate on the principle of a gas discharge in mercury or sodium vapor, which serves as a light source. Mercury lamps are used more than others, but they are gradually being replaced by sodium lamps, which are more environmentally friendly.
DRL lamps have a high color rendering quality, are reliable and do not require maintenance. Inside are mercury vapor under pressure up to 105 Pa. A glass container with a base contains a mercury-quartz tube inside which contains argon and mercury. An electric discharge in vapors creates light radiation, with 40% being ultraviolet.
The phosphor, which is coated on the inside of the lamp bulb, allows you to convert ultraviolet into visible light. Open areas are traditionally illuminated with DRL lamps. The light output of DRL lamps reaches 60 lumens per watt.
DRI lamps are also gas-discharge lamps. Mercury and various additives such as bromides and iodides make it possible to achieve high light output, which reaches 95 lumens per watt and more. Metal halide lamps have excellent color rendering. Smooth white light with different color temperatures - this is about metal halide lamps.
A cylindrical or ellipsoid bulb has a burner inside, as in mercury arc lamps, only here the discharge occurs in metal and iodide vapors. The service life of the metal halide lamp reaches 10,000 hours.
The different composition of the mixtures filling the flask makes it possible to obtain different color temperatures and even colors other than white, such as green or purple, which can be important in order to emphasize the architectural component of the street.
Street lighting, lighting of large commercial facilities - these are the areas of frequent use of metal halide lamps, the power of which can reach 250 W, with commensurability of illumination with a 1 kW spotlight. Metal halide lamps are more expensive than high pressure mercury arc lamps (HPL).
They differ in bright orange light, characteristic of a gas discharge in sodium vapor. Sodium lamps as well as metal halide lamps replace mercury lamps. Sodium lamps are one of the most energy efficient lamps, they have the highest light output among gas discharge lamps - up to 200 lumens per watt.
The disadvantage of sodium lamps is that they shine worse in the cold season, and high-pressure sodium lamps contain sodium and mercury compounds inside, so the environmental aspect is not so clear.
Low pressure sodium lamps NLND and high pressure sodium lamps NLVD differ from each other. Low pressure NLND lamps are 30% better in light output than high pressure lamps, and they are most often used in street lighting in warm regions, they are just perfect because their even yellow color is comfortable for the human eye, although the color rendering is not close enough to natural.
High-pressure lamps of NLVD are distinguished by high efficiency, but, as noted above, they are inferior in light output to low-pressure lamps. Therefore, high pressure lamps are more applicable to gyms, industrial complexes and everything like that. Maximum light output 130-150 lumens per watt. Nevertheless, their light is also comfortable for the human eye, and the use of various phosphors allows you to change the color rendition closer to natural, like sunlight.
In recent years, the most promising are. They are comparable in terms of efficiency and light output to low pressure sodium lamps, and the color of the light can be any. The chemical composition of the semiconducting base can be different, and by changing it you can get monochromatic light of any color and light temperature. Compared to gas discharge lamps, LEDs are environmentally friendly, their disposal is not as specific as for lamps containing mercury. The service life of LEDs greatly exceeds gas discharge lamps - up to 100,000 hours.
LED lamps for lighting streets and highways are working today in the USA, everywhere in China, in Europe. Installed on lighting poles of varying heights, LED luminaires are used in these countries to illuminate highways outside cities.
Less powerful LED street lamps are also used to illuminate city streets, courtyards and roadways. The introduction of LED lighting is one of the significant components of a modern approach to energy saving, aimed at saving fuel and energy resources.
Andrey Povny
