HOW TO BUY LIGHT BULBS: LEARNING ABOUT LUMENS IS A BRIGHT IDEA
The lamps are improving efficiency; Watts measure them no longer works. The new bulbs - such as halogen incandescent, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL for its acronym in English) and light emitting diodes (LED for its acronym in English) - have a longer life and use less energy than incandescent bulbs traditional, which means savings in electricity bills. In fact, from 2012, daily use bulbs will have to meet the new standards of the Department of Energy with respect to the amount of energy they consume. For the next two years, will eliminate any bulb that does not meet these standards .
Along with this change using more efficient light bulbs, a new way to select them when you go shopping.
What are Lumens?
For years, people have chosen to base bulbs in watts, learning by experience how much light bulb gives a typical 40 or 60 watts. But the wattage of a bulb consumes only tells you how much energy - does not tell you how much shine.
Because the new bulbs are designed to consume less power, wattage is not as reliable in measuring the brightness of a light bulb - you have to use the lumens.
Lumen = Brightness
W = energy
W = energy
The brightness of the bulbs
This table shows the number of lumens produced by traditional incandescent bulbs.To purchase a bulb that gives shine before giving him a 60-watt bulb, will now have to find a bulb 800 lumens.
You can use lumens to compare the brightness of any bulb, regardless of the technology used, and regardless if it is a halogen incandescent, CFL or LED. Using lumens allows you to compare the brightness of the bulbs when this cart. Once you know the brightness you want, you can compare other factors, such as the annual cost of energy, or the opening degrees of the angle of light emitted from the bulb; from 120 is suitable for illuminating a room from the ceiling; 60 or less is appropriate to focus on a table or something that we want to highlight.
A label that will help you make the purchase
When looking to buy a light bulb, you should also think about how it looks like the light it emits, or color. The appearance varies in a range from warm to cold. A warm light looks more yellow, like a traditional incandescent bulb, while a cold white light looks like sunlight in daylight.
For the appearance of a light bulb, check the label Lighting Data package.The Lighting Facts label gives the information needed to compare different types of light bulbs. He says:
- Brightness (lumens)
- Estimated Annual Energy Cost
- Duration or expected useful life of the bulb (in years)
- Appearance of illumination (how hot or cold the light will be)
- Wattage (energy used)
- If the bulb contains mercury
Maybe the label also includes the Energy Star logo if the bulb meets the standards of functionality and efficiency dictated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Star program of the Department of Energy. To learn more about Energy Star standards, visitenergystar.gov/espanol .
Label on Lighting Facts is available at most home use bulbs from the year 2012.
Dangers of CFL (compact fluorescent)
The number shall be expressed as lumens printed on the bulb. If a CFL, this may be specified in the base of the bulb. CFLs also include an internet address, epa.gov/cfl for information about recycling and waste. CFLs contain mercury, so care and attention to cleanliness and the disposal of them is required.
In case of breaking a compact fluorescent, it ventilate the room and removed 10 minutes to avoid breathing the poisonous gas with mercury CFLs.
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