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Fluorescent Light Bulbs

We offer a large selection of fluorescent light bulbs at very competitive prices. Our lamp choices include linear, circline, and many compact fluorescent styles in addition to lamps from major brands like GE, Sylvania, and Philips. Also view our cold cathode choices for dimmable, instant-on fluorescent lighting.

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Fluorescent Light Bulbs FAQ

Basic Makeup Q) What makes a light bulb a fluorescent light bulb?: A) It has mercury vapor in the glass envelope, an electrode at each end of the glass envelope, a white coating on the inside of the glass envelope, and uses a ballast.
Rated Life Q) What is the rated life of fluorescent light bulbs?: A) Depending on the lamp and the conditions under which it is being operated the rated life can be somewhere between 8,000 and 100,000 hours.
Q) What does the term, "rated life", of a light bulb mean?: A) The "rated life" of a lamp signifies the time at which 50% of a large quantity of these lamps will have burned out. This means that 50% of these lamps will burn out before the "rated life" and 50% will burn out after the "rated life”. The "rated life" does not mean that every one of the lamps will last at least that long.
Q) Is this definition of "rated life" true for all types of light bulbs or just fluorescent?: A) All.
Operation Q) How does a fluorescent light bulb create light?: A) By first passing electricity through the mercury vapor inside the glass envelope. Once the mercury vapor is properly excited by the electricity passing between the two electrodes at either end of the fluorescent lamp, it gives off with ultraviolet light, which, in turn, is converted into visible light by the white coating on the inside of the glass envelope.
Q) Are fluorescent lights relatively cool to operate?: A) Yes, without question, fluorescent is one of the coolest light sources available.
Q) Do I have to be concerned about touching a fluorescent light bulb with my bare hands?: A) Absolutely not. Unlike some halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps may be handled with bare hands without experiencing premature lamp failure. (Caution: always wait for the fluorescent lamp to cool down before touching it.)
Q) Can I replace my T12 fluorescent light bulbs with comparable T8?: A) Yes, as long as the T12 magnetic ballast is also replaced by the appropriate T8 electronic ballast.
Q) Are fluorescent light bulbs considered to be energy efficient?: A) Absolutely. They are still considered to be one of the most efficient light sources.
Q) Do fluorescent light bulbs require a ballast to operate?: A) Yes.
Q) Do fluorescent light bulbs require a transformer?: A) No.
Type of Light Q) Doesn't fluorescent look "cool" with a relatively high color temperature?: A) It all depends. Fluorescent lamps are now made in a variety of color temperatures: e.g., warm white, neutral white, cool white, and daylight. For the home we recommend using warm white with a color temperature of around 3000K. Fluorescent lighting was invented in the late 1930s and has come a long way from those days. The kind of fluorescent lighting used in offices for a long time was only cool white (slightly bluish) and, unfortunately, this relatively poor version is the only kind of fluorescent lighting that many people still know.
Q) Don't fluorescent light bulbs distort the color of the objects being viewed?: A) Again, this depends. Fluorescent lamps now come in a variety of color rendering indices (CRI). It is now possible to buy lamps with a good color rendition in the 70s, a very good color rendition in the 80s, and an excellent color rendition in the 90s. The "old" fluorescent lighting used in offices for many years had a CRI of about 60, a relatively poor color rendering index.
Q) What kind of fluorescent light bulbs should I consider using in my home?: A) Try to select lamps with a color rendering index greater than 80 and a color temperature of 3000K or less. This lamp will provide very good color rendition and the kind of “warm” light that most people like in their homes.
Q) What kind of fluorescent fixtures should I use in my home?: A) When selecting fluorescent fixtures for your home try to select those that have instant start electronic ballasts. This will ensure that the fluorescent lamp will turn on without flickering, that the fixture will not give off much heat, that the ballast will not emit an annoying humming sound, and that the fixture will accommodate the new energy-efficient fluorescent lamps.
Dimmability Q) Are fluorescent light bulbs dimmable?: A) Yes but only if they are operated by a special dimmable ballast and controlled by a special fluorescent dimmer.
Q) Will dimming a fluorescent light bulb increase its average life?: A) More often than not, dimming a fluorescent light bulb will reduce its average life.

Recycling Fluorescent Light Bulbs

If you are interested in recycling your burned out fluorescent light bulbs (linear, circline, or CFLs), you may want to visit these web sites.

http://www.lamprecycle.org

http://www.lamprecycling.com

http://www.crsrecycle.com

http://www.bethlehemlamprecycling.com

http://veoliaes-ts.com

http://www.thinkgreenfromhome.com/Products.cfm

If you want to learn more about recycling light bulbs that contain mercury (e.g., fluorescent, metal halide, high pressure sodium), here is the address of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website page that addresses this issue.

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/index.htm


Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs	Circline T9 Fluorescent Light Bulbs	Linear Fluorescent Tube Light Bulbs	Cold Cathode Fluorescent Light Bulbs


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The Colorful History of Fluorescent Lights

by Annie JoseyWhen you think of fluorescent light, what first comes to mind? Some might think of hideous, headache-provoking office lights. Others might conjure up images of neon signs à la Vegas... Read Entire Article

Fluorescent Lamps

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Fluorescent Light Bulbs FAQ
Recycling Fluorescent Light Bulbs

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