Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underrated

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

Ballasts are usually considered when calculating flourescent wattages. Lumens are calculated based on actual light output with current technology circuit drivers in mind including efficiency losses at nominal.. (new battery) voltage.
One way I compare flourescent wattage is to put it up against a 4-5 times incandescent light and it should be similar lumen output. That would make a 4 watt tube about 15-20 watt incandescent equiv.

 

[VidPro]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

""Ballasts are usually considered when calculating flourescent wattages.""

mabey in them specs but not on consumer 120V bulbs, i have tested the wattage of 5 different sizes, and they all are a FEW minor watts over thier ratings, even 40x2 balasts are 94W total.
13 watt cfls at 17
45s come in at 49
27s were 29& 30
ETC, not one AC CFL that i have purchaced has used the stated watts, neither have they output these "comparable to incadescent ratings"
ALTHOUGH they are indeed LOTS brighter than an incadescent even halogen at the same wattage, and well worth the funds.

 

[James S]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

yes, you have to look at the lumens rating. There are 100 watt equivalent bulbs that are several hundred lumens different in their ratings.

if you live in a hotter climate, like this one is rapidly becoming now that summer is setting in, then CF bulbs savings are 2 fold. for every 100 watt traditional bulb you have running, your AC has to remove 90 watts of heat! That adds up in a hurry. I invested several hundred dollars last year in CF bulbs for almost everywhere in the house I didn't need a dimmable bulb (I still haven't seen a really usable dimmable CF bulb, but I'm keeping my eyes open) and my AC electric bill went down considerably. In the worst month of last summers AC usage I can credit over $50 savings to nothing but putting in all those CF bulbs! It might even have been more. That will pay for them before the end of this summer.

Also you can put much more light into the same fixture. I've got 13 recessed cans in the family room, the previous owners had 60 watt floods in there and they were dim and hot and gloomy in the evening. Replaced with 85watt equivalent CF's and the room is bright and cheery in the evening and doesn't overheat.

 

[NewBie]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

[ QUOTE ]
java_man said:
FLs produce about 30 - 60 lumens per watt... Halogen lights typically produce 15-18 lumens per watt, and the most efficient white LEDs on the market produce 23 lumens per watt.

[/ QUOTE ]


LumiLEDs just raised their Luxeon I to 45 lumens per watt on the average. They have a new Luxeon that is claimed to run at 50 lumens per watt that we are waiting for.

CREE has been selling their 50-60 Lumens per watt LED for awhile now.

 

[java_man]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

The data posted are bare bulb for the bi-pin and CCFL and include the attached ballast for the CFL.

Because of the myriad combinations of bulbs and ballasts, and the lack of data, its not practical to include all...and I'm to lazy to try.

Some of the small battery FL lamps are underdriven, hence lower light levels and longer run times.

Cree's XL7090 LEDs achieve 40 minimum, 45 typical, 60 maximum lumens at 350 mA. I believe the typical voltage drop is 3.4 volts. This equates to an efficiency of 33.6 minimum and 37.8 typical lumens per watt.

 

[NewBie]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

[ QUOTE ]
java_man said:
The data posted are bare bulb for the bi-pin and CCFL and include the attached ballast for the CFL.

Because of the myriad combinations of bulbs and ballasts, and the lack of data, its not practical to include all...and I'm to lazy to try.

Some of the small battery FL lamps are underdriven, hence lower light levels and longer run times.

Cree's XL7090 LEDs achieve 40 minimum, 45 typical, 60 maximum lumens at 350 mA. I believe the typical voltage drop is 3.4 volts. This equates to an efficiency of 33.6 minimum and 37.8 typical lumens per watt.

[/ QUOTE ]


And 50.4 Lumens per Watt maximum.


That is if you use your 3.4V typical. Though I do have a batch of them that are 3.2V. This puts you into the 53.4 Lumens per Watt range.

CREE's N flux bin (51.7-67lm) is pretty easy to get.

 

[Zelandeth]

Re: Compact Fluoros and Cold Cathode lights underr

Well, I tried to write this reply earlier, but the net server at college died. Lovely.

Not sure if things are different over there, but I recently ran tests on a few CFL's (I'd just got a new Wattmeter), and found that all of them were drawing their rated power, if not slightly less. This was around 15 lamps as I recall, if I can track down the notepad with the results in, I'll post here. And yes, those results were taking into account power factor, as I'd got the apparent power as well. PF seemed to vary between 0.4 and 0.7 depending on the lamp, usually improving as the lamp warms up.