Fluorescent – Mercury anyone?

One of the first decisions in the design of a good Lighting system is the choice of a light source. Considerations when choosing a light source include efficacy, or lumens per watt; color; lamp life; and lamp lumen depreciation, or the percent of output that a lamp loses over its life.  A number of light sources are available, each with its own unique combination of operating characteristics. In this week’s blog we discuss Fluorescents.

Fluorescent lights are cheap and energy efficient! Yay, and produce light by activating selected phosphors on the inner surface of the bulb with ultraviolet energy, which is generated by a mercury arc.

They last much longer than Halogen and should work for approximately 8000 hours but frequently switching a fluorescent light on and off will significantly lower its lifespan, so in the end, it’s again the client that will need to replace it more often.

Other factors to consider is significant temperature drops or rises will affect their efficiency and the quality of the light they emit. But as a positive they give off more light per watt compared to halogen bulbs with more energy efficiency and a low heat. It’s a very user friendly and easily replaceable light that is why it is a good internal & external light for a switchroom.

The real issue with fluorescent is that they contain mercury, a dangerous heavy metal. If a bulb breaks it can be harmful to both people and the environment, which is why proper disposal is essential.

With various choices available to optimise your E-House / Switchroom lighting system you should speak to the experts who can provide outputs for the required lux level in your particular equipment room.  We understand the variables and standards of lighting applications, so contact us for all your equipment room lighting design optimisations.

For a no obligation impartial lighting review contact the team today https://www.eq-house.com/contact-services/