1. How do I minimize UV
radiation from fluorescent lamps?
Lamp manufacturers generally
strive to minimize ultraviolet (UV) radiation in all lamps used
in general lighting applications.
The amount of UV produced by
standard fluorescent lamps, such as those in your office, home,
or school, is not hazardous and does not pose a major health
concern. In fact, a paper by the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) in the U.S. explores this subject in more
detail. It cites a study in which it was determined that UV
exposure from sitting indoors under fluorescent lights at typical
office light levels for an eight hour workday is equivalent
to just over a minute of exposure to the sun in Washington,
D.C. on a clear day in July.
Some applications require the
absence of UV. To completely eliminate UV, we would recommend
using UV sleeves or filters.
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2. 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.
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3. Does an MR16 Halogen
lamp provide much UV?
Tungsten filament lamps, such
as halogen and incandescent, provide minimal UV. FIREFLY's Dichroic
Reflector Halogen MR16 lamps are made and fitted with glass
that enable it to shield all the UV.
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4. What is the ultraviolet
(UV) output of FIREFLY lamps?
FIREFLY does not market Full
Spectrum Lamps.
In other brands, full spectrum
lamps in the visible range are designed to simulate the color
range of sunlight. Its visible light is found in the wavelength
range of 400-700 nanometers and emits some UV, but the amounts
are well below those found in daylight and sunlight. These are
not considered harmful. This is where normal, everyday use lamps
(incandescent and fluorescent) fall. Ultraviolet radiation is
any radiant energy within the range of 100-380 nanometers. It
is beyond the blue or violet region of the spectrum, and is
invisible to the eye just like the silent ultrasound dog whistle
is inaudible to the ear.
Incandescent lamps are not a
source of ultraviolet radiation, and do not normally need UV
filters. Incandescents do, however, generate heat (infrared
radiation, or IR), which should be considered when illuminating
plants or materials subject to drying damage.
FIREFLY does not make any UVB
lamps which are sometimes used for medical purposes or tanning
beds.
You can find more information
and spectral distribution curves in the Know
About Light section of our site.
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5. How can I find the
surface temperature of a lamp?
FIREFLY does not publish the
surface temperatures of our lamps because there are too many
factors which can affect the measurement of the bulb wall temperature,
such as:
• The ambient temperature
of the room?
• Whether or not the surrounding air is still or moving
(from wind, a fan, air conditioning, etc.) and at what rate?
• The specific characteristics of the recessed fixture
used, such as its baffling, reflection, insulation, and ventilation
properties.
For more information, contact
your fixture manufacturer directly. Fixture manufacturers are
able to specify the maximum wattage and bulb shape of the lamp
which can be safely utilized in your fixture.
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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.
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