Types of Light Bulbs: Which bulb to buy?
Electric bulbs have been a great invention for human beings since the early era. The light bulbs are the one element that comes first in our mind when it is a matter of lighting our house.
Light bulbs have been the most valuable lighting factor for people since their invention. It has been upgraded as time passes by.
What is Light Bulb?
A light bulb is an electrical device that converts electrical energy into light energy. The bulb contains a wire which heats until it glows to produce light.
Evolution of the Light Bulbs
Over these years, the evolution of light bulbs has been significantly impacting the whole human-kind in many more ways. From being the constant companion in the darkness to getting into the part of basic human needs, light bulbs have played a vital role in our lives.
It has been transformed and continually transformed over the years, which has stepped up the level for many future inventions.
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Evolution of the Types of the Light Bulbs
Arc lamps
Humphry Davy first created the idea for the invention of the Arc lamps in the early 19th century. Arc Lamps were the first artificial source of light. It worked with the idea to generate an electrical sparkle through the air in between the two carbon rods.
The gap created between the two carbon rods had to be the perfect size to create the maximum amount of light. If the gap is too small, the light wouldn’t be produced much and if the gap is large, the spark would flicker for a moment and go out.
As it was the first source of lighting used, it had many disadvantages. The carbon rods had to be replaced manually. Even the longest rods used last for only 75 hours.
Incandescent Bulbs
Thomas A. Edison first did the invention of incandescent light bulbs in the 80s. Incandescent bulbs contain a thin wire filament from which the electric current passes by to turn the electricity into light. The filament inside the bulb is made up of tungsten enclosed in the glass for protection from oxidization.
The incandescent bulbs were pretty affordable and worked well for daily use in the houses or the streets. It used to have carbon filaments until the tungsten ones were developed. It is less efficient than the other bulbs as they only tend to produce 20 % of the visible light.
Incandescent bulbs used in the old days used to waste 90% of the energy into heat. Such a massive amount of energy wastage negatively impacted the surrounding.
Halogen bulbs
Halogen Light bulbs were somehow similar to the incandescent bulbs but more efficient in comparison. It was a lot more convenient than the incandescent ones as they used to take very less energy and didn’t produce much heat.
However, sometimes just like the incandescent bulbs, it can produce a lot of heat. It is really harmful even to touch until it gets thoroughly cooled down. It can cause a lot of damage if it comes in contact with certain fabrics or artwork.
However, they tend to last more than the incandescent bulbs but not as long as the LEDs.
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Compact Fluorescent Bulb (CFLs)
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) combine ultraviolet light with the fluorescent coat inside the glass to produce light. The light produced by the fluorescent lamps is poor in comparison to the LEDs.
The light produced by the CFLs is omnidirectional. The light is not focused on a specific area and is omitted in a 360-degree direction, making it difficult to light a specific area.
Compact fluorescent lamps aren’t recommended much as they contain very toxic chemicals. If these bulbs ever get broken, they can become a hazard. The glass tube of CFLs is filled with a little bit of mercury and argon gas. After they get turned on, the cathode gets heated up, and it sends out the electrons, which hit the mercury and argon gas inside the glass.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED BULBS)
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are one of the best choices for the source of natural lighting. LED bulbs have been a great invention among the other light bulbs as it takes up to 80 % of less energy than the other light bulbs.
LED light bulbs are comparatively expensive yet more convenient than other light bulbs.LED light bulbs don’t consist of harmful and toxic chemicals and can last up to 25000 hours. It is shatterproof and doesn’t get heated as much as the other types of light bulbs.
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How to choose the right bulb for your home?
Even after looking at all of the information about the various types of bulbs, you still might get confused about what kind of bulb should be suitable in your house. It is essential to look after what kind of base is most suitable to connect the ballast and socket of the lighting source.
You have to choose the correct size and the correct bulb base type to make sure that fit well and functions correctly in the fixture.
If you’re looking for cheaper options, incandescent bulbs can be for you. It also emits all kinds of colors of lights.
Halogen bulbs can be suited for detailed workspaces as it provides high light output. It is suitable for any applications in which the type of standard incandescent is used.
Compact Fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) are more convenient than other light bulbs as they use less energy and radiate less heat. Such bulbs have very low operating rates and are available in different shapes and sizes.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED BULBS) is the best option. It is very efficient compared to the other light bulbs and produces less heat and energy.
The use of the right light bulbs is essential while lightening your home. Knowing the correct type of bulb is necessary to create a comfortable flow throughout the surrounding of your home. Remember Khojsewa if you have any issue in related wiring which requires a professional electrician.