Just Digital Photography Digital Photography – Digital Cameras Tips & Techniques

Fluorescent light bulbs have developed over the years to replace incandescent lamps. The most common of these lamps is the compact fluorescent lamp,(CFL), which easily fits in existing lighting fixtures and which therefore does not entail expensive adjustments to existing structures.

Despite the fact that they cost considerably more than incandescent bulbs, CFLs are preferred because they use less power and last much longer. For this reason, they are also known as energy saving light bulbs. It is estimated that a CFL can save over $30 in electricity costs over it's lifetime in addition to saving over 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gas emissions. A major drawback with CFLs, however, is that, like all fluorescent bulbs, they contain mercury which is hard to dispose of.

The original fluorescent lamp was invented in the 1890s and was used in photographic studios and industries. Various improvements have been made in CFLs, the latest of which is the improvement developed by Ed Hammer, an engineer with General Electric, in 1973. Global available of CFLs has been possible since the 1980s and they are available in either or non-integrated types.

A CFL has two main parts, a gas-filled tube and a magnetic or electronic ballast through which the gas flows to emit ultraviolet light. While incandescent are made to have a lifespan of 750 to 1,000 hours, CFLs have a much longer lifespan and can last for between 6,000 to 15,000 hours. Of course the lifespan of a bulb will depend on a number of factors such as operating voltage and manufacturing defects.

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