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Lighting Questions
When should I turn off standard fluorescent fixtures?
It is a myth that it costs more to turn off fluorescent lights
than to leave them on. This was true in the 1940s when
fluorescent lamps first became popular because turning them off
and on again greatly shortened the lamp life. Today's lamps
are not as affected by start-up damage and the energy surge
to start them up is so small that it's cheaper to switch
them off when they're not needed.
What is the most efficient lighting source available today?
The most efficient lighting sources available today are high intensity
discharge (HID) and low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps. HID and
LPS lamps produce the most light per watt of any light source.
They create up to one-third less heat and last as much as 24
times longer then incandescent lights.
Most parking lots and shopping centers use HID lamps, called
High Pressure Sodium, since they are especially useful for
outdoor security lighting.
Can I do anything to reduce my lighting costs?
Use only the amount of light you need. Compact fluorescent
lights and 3-way incandescent bulbs let you choose.
For maximum lighting efficiency use a higher lumen-per-watt
bulb. Watts measure the amount of energy going into a bulb.
Lumens measure the light output or brightness of a bulb. This
information is printed on bulb packages. To determine
efficiency, divide the lumens by the watts of electricity used.
For example, the efficiency of a 100-watt bulb measuring 1710
lumens would be 17.1 lumens-per-watt.
Is there any advantage to using fluorescent lighting?
Fluorescent lighting delivers three to four times the light of
incandescent bulbs of the same wattage and last up to 10
times longer.
Are long-life bulbs more economical?
Long-life bulbs are less efficient, so use them only in
hard-to-reach places where it's difficult to change bulbs.
Other FAQs
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