1. Can I use a compact
fluorescent lamp with an electronic timer or photocell (AKA electric
eye)?
Be sure to check the lamp package,
which will indicate if the lamp is not intended for use with
electronic timers or photocells. Some electronic timers and
photocells contain parts that are incompatible with compact
fluorescent lamps; using these lamps in incompatible products
will result in a shorter lamp life. To find out if an electronic
timer or photocell is compatible with compact fluorescent lamps,
check with the manufacturer of the timer or photocell.
However, FIREFLY
offers a lamp that has the combined features of a standard CFL
and a photocell - the Sensor Lamp. This lamp automatically switches
ON at dusk and OFF at dawn, simulating home occupancy and ends
coming home to a dark house. The Sensor lamp offers a measure
of safety, security and convenience. It requires no seasonal
adjustments as with timers and saves you money because your
light is ON only when needed. Also, it's suitable for outdoor
use in enclosed fixtures.
back
to top
2. Can I use a compact
fluorescent lamp in an enclosed light fixture?
Generally, compact fluorescent
lamps may be used in enclosed fixtures.
To use CFL fixtures outdoors,
check the lamp or package to make sure it is approved for outdoor
use, and verify the lowest operating temperature for the area
where the product is being used. If the lamp or package does
not state it can be used outdoors, then it is not approved for
outdoor use even in an enclosed fixture.
back
to top
3. Can
I use a compact fluorescent lamp with a dimmer switch?
To use a compact fluorescent
lamp with a dimmer switch, you must buy a CFL lamp that's specifically
made to work with dimmers (check the package). We don't recommend
using regular compact fluorescent lamps with dimming switches,
since this can shorten lamp life. (Using a regular compact fluorescent
lamp with a dimmer will also nullify the lamp's warranty.) FIREFLY
Standard lamp and Dichroic Reflector Halogen lamp, however,
can be used with dimming switches.
back
to top
4. Can I use a CFL in
applications where I will be turning the lights on/off frequently?
Compact fluorescent lamps work
best if they are left on for over 15 minutes each time they
are turned on. These types of lamps can take up to 3 minutes
to warm-up. Warm-up will probably not be noticeable from a user
stand point, but the lamp needs to warm-up in order to reach
the point of most efficient operation. Frequently switching
them on and off will shorten the life of the product. If the
life of the lamp is shortened significantly, you will not reap
the financial benefits (includes energy & life of lamp),
that are common to CFL lamps.
back
to top
5. Can
I use a CFL in applications involving vibration such as a ceiling
fan or garage door opener?
Currently it is not recommended
to use CFLs in vibrating environments. Vibration can cause the
electronics in the CFL to fail.
back
to top
6. What should I do if
I break a CFL lamp?
Fluorescent lamps contain mercury.
Mercury at atmospheric pressure is a silver colored liquid that
tends to form balls. Mercury is a hazardous substance. When
one lamp is broken, the best thing to do is to wear chemical
resistant gloves to clean it up. The gloves can be vinyl, rubber,
PVC, or neoprene. The gloves you buy in the supermarket for
household cleaning are sufficient. The gloves protect your skin
from absorbing mercury and from getting cut by the glass. The
remains of one lamp can be disposed as normal waste since the
amount of mercury is small. However, for future reference, when
large quantities of lamps are being disposed you must follow
your national regulation for disposing of mercury-containing
lamps.
back
to top
7. Why does the color
of CFLs seem different at start-up?
The variation in lamp color
at start-up of the lamp is a result of phosphor activation.
Phosphor is the coating on the inside of the lamp that glows
when lamp has an electrical charge to give the lamp a "white"
light effect. Different phosphor combinations produce different
colors and may have slightly different response times. These
differences are why the lamp sometimes looks pink or purple
when you start it.
back
to top
8. Do light bulbs (such
as fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lamps) give off hazardous
amounts of ultraviolet (UV) light?
Regular fluorescent lamps used
in your home and office do not produce a hazardous amount of
ultraviolet light (UV). Most light sources, including fluorescent
lamps, emit a small amount of UV, but the UV produced by fluorescent
lamps is far less than the amount produced by natural daylight.
(UV light rays are the light wavelengths that can cause sunburn
and skin damage.)
Your safety is important to
us. That's why, for all of our lamps designed for general public
use, we strive to minimize the amount of UV light emitted.
back
to top
9. How does a compact
fluorescent lamp work?
Fluorescent lamps (including
compact fluorescents) are more energy-efficient than regular
lamps because of the different method they use to produce light.
Regular lamps (also known as incandescent lamps) create light
by heating a filament inside the lamp; the heat makes the filament
white-hot, producing the light that you see. A lot of the energy
used to create the heat that lights an incandescent lamp is
wasted. A fluorescent lamp, on the other hand, contains a gas
that produces invisible ultraviolet light (UV) when the gas
is excited by electricity. The UV light hits the white coating
inside the fluorescent lamp and the coating changes it into
light you can see. Because fluorescent lamps don't use heat
to create light, they are far more energy-efficient than regular
incandescent lamps.
back
to top
10. What compact fluorescent
lamp do I buy to replace a 60-, 75-, 100- or 150-watt regular
bulb?
While a regular (incandescent)
lamp uses heat to produce light, a fluorescent lamp creates
light using an entirely different method that is far more energy-efficient
- in fact, 4-6 times more efficient. This means that you can
buy a 15-watt compact fluorescent lamp that produces the same
amount of light as a 60-watt regular incandescent lamp. Plus
fluorescent lamps last up to 13 times longer and use 2/3 to
3/4 less electricity than incandescent lamps with similar lumen
ratings.
Here are the watts needed by
regular incandescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps to
produce the same amount of light.
Incandescent |
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
|
CFL |
20
w
28 w
36 w
40 w
52 w
60 w
75 w
100 w
150 w
250-300 w |
5
w
7 w
9 w
10 w
13 w
15 w
20 w
26-29 w
38-42 w
55 w |
back
to top
11. How much heat (or
infrared radiation) is emitted by regular, halogen, and compact
fluorescent lamps?
Because incandescent and halogen
bulbs create light through heat, about 90% of the energy they
emit is in the form of heat (also called infrared radiation).
To reduce the heat emitted by regular incandescent and halogen
light bulbs, use a lower watt bulb (like 60 watts instead of
100).
Fluorescent lamps use an entirely
different method to create light. Both compact fluorescent lamps
and fluorescent tubes contain a gas that, when excited by electricity,
hits a coating inside the fluorescent lamp and emits light.
(This makes them far more energy-efficient than regular incandescent
lamps.) The fluorescent lamps used in your home emit only around
30% of their energy in heat, making them far cooler.
back
to top
12. How can I get lighting
product catalogs?
Downloadable PDFs, including
the latest product catalogs with in-depth product specifications
are located in the Products menu of this web site.
+Download
Product Catalogs
back
to top
