Fluorescent lights

When choosing lighting fixtures, many cannot decide which type of lamp is best suited for home, office, or business. One of the most popular types of luminaires are fluorescent lamps, which are presented to customers in a rich variety. It is important to know their functions, characteristics and installation features. This will help you not to make a mistake in choosing and successfully combine the purchased device with the decor of the room.

Before buying, it is important to understand the structure of the fluorescent lamp. The design is filled with an inert gas containing mercury vapor. Inside the lamp is coated with a phosphor - a special luminescent compound.Along the edges of the device is equipped with spirals of tungsten coated with barium oxide. Such cathodes are connected to pins connecting the structure with an external power source.

Fluorescent lamps emit only daylight, which is often very bright and blinding. For convenient operation, the products of many firms for the manufacture of electrical appliances are equipped with a diffuser and reflector. The diffuser is necessary to evenly distribute the light in the room, most successfully combine the lamp with the interior and protect the structure from the ingress of foreign objects.

The function of the reflector is to reduce the sharpness of the light flux. Together with or without a diffuser, it creates perfect illumination without dimming the light or affecting the factory functions of the luminaire.Even powerful devices with a reflector do not give a strong load on the network and illuminate the room well without creating discomfort for the eyes.

Connecting a fluorescent device is not particularly difficult, because the lamp manufacturers have taken care to facilitate this process for consumers. Depending on the type of mounting the lamp can be located on the wall and on the ceiling. The type of fastening itself is selected according to the design of the electrical device and the network installation features.

When the case is fixed, it is necessary to make a hole in it in a specially marked place for the input cable. Then, disconnect the electricity, run the power cable and connect its wires to the junction box inside the lamp housing.

How to connect two fluorescent lamps through one choke, see the next video.

Connecting to an external power source can be done in different ways. Often installed special ceiling sockets, masking the hole from which the wires go. For wall constructions, sockets are placed at a short distance from the lamp, and a cord is connected from its case, which is connected to the power supply with a plug.

As with all types of lighting devices, fluorescent lamps have characteristics that will make you think about the need to purchase them.

The main advantages of fluorescent lamps:

• Brightness, which creates a good visibility in the room and makes it possible to perform fine work.
• Long service life. Compared with other types of lighting, luminescent products can last more than a year, the light is not dim and there is no need to buy spare light bulbs often.
• A variety of designs and types of lighting devices will allow you to choose those that will fit well not only in public spaces, but also in the home environment.
• The bulb of the lamp does not heat up to a high temperature.
• Energy saving with high power.
• Lamps are easy to clean from dust and dirt, because the case is not a complex structure.

The disadvantages of products include:

• The lamp cannot be powered by direct current.
• The ambient temperature affects the characteristics of the product, sometimes reducing its light output.
• Mercury content makes the lamp dangerous in case of damage to its structure.

Fluorescent lamps are used as indoor lighting devices for various functions:

• The presence of such lamps in the field of medicine is especially popular. They can be found in the offices of clinics. Daylight allows doctors to most closely examine the condition of patients and to make the necessary medical actions.

• Often, fluorescent devices can be found in the manufacturing sector. Covering large areas with their light, they facilitate the work of people in production and allow them to operate with small details.

• The kitchens of the restaurant should have good illumination, so fluorescent lamps, compactly mounted on the ceiling are ideal.

• Fluorescent lamps are installed in scientific laboratories and research rooms.

• Lamps are used in the educational sphere, because quite often in educational institutions a powerful luminous flux is needed to illuminate large rooms and audiences.

• As outdoor lighting, such lamps are used near various extensions for practical purposes or as decoration. Many provide a visor before entering the garage with a similar lamp to make it safer at night.

• Office rooms use fluorescent light embedded in the ceiling to save on electricity and provide comfortable working conditions for all employees.

• You can see similar devices in stores and warehouses.

Depending on the application, there are two types of fixtures.

For work at the enterprises and in the organizations lamps of various sizes and a design are used.The largest can be called spotlights, which are used to illuminate huge rooms with high ceilings.

At highly hazardous enterprises associated with the production of chemical or alcoholic products, explosion-proof lighting devices are used to ensure safe working conditions.

For office and industrial premises, such luminaire models are selected that are protected from moisture and dust. Details of such lamps are connected very tightly.

This kind of lighting is used in office or administrative buildings, various organizations. Their size depends on the number of lamps in one design.

Often this type of lamp is used in homes to illuminate work areas, such as the kitchen or part of the office.

There are many types of fluorescent lamps according to the design features, location and functions performed:

• The most popular are ceiling products, because the range of their light covers the largest space.As a creative solution, choose a few large lamps, which are located on a common axis attached to the ceiling.

• Not less in demand recessed lights. They are mounted in the ceiling without disturbing the overall height of the room. Such lighting is often used in office space or for the home. You can embed a single lamp or an entire structure consisting of several lamps.

• Wall construction can be of various sizes and lengths - from a small lamp for decoration to long models that occupy a significant part of the wall. Linear type is oriented to length. Such lamps are convenient for lighting long objects.

• Corner Lighting can be built into the joint between the wall and the ceiling in the form of a structure similar to the ceiling plinth. This design includes several small lamps of the same model and size. This type of luminaire is often chosen for the kitchen, the luminescent model is installed on the tap between the wall and the lower part of the cabinet, illuminating the work surface.

Sometimes lamps are installed above the drawers for additional lighting and originality in the interior. Often, the eaves pendant is decorated with a fluorescent garland, which makes the interior piquancy.

Among the built-in and overhead types of lamps are often found round models. They can be located in the headset, highlighting certain parts of it. Sometimes fluorescent lamps mounted in the design for the shelves.

Fluorescent lamps can be attached to the top of the table to illuminate the work area. For such purposes, used models on batteries that are mobile and compact.

The production of luminescent devices is not limited to only one type of lamp; technologies are being developed and more economical models are being developed that operate on the basis of the use of a special phosphor gas. This gas under the influence of current contributes to the emission of ultraviolet light without heating the device.

On the basis of fluorescent lamps, devices have been created that are very popular in various fields of application:

• Suspended devices are attached to the ceiling with a cable. They can be connected by equipping one wire with several lamps or by mounting a single device.
• When attaching overhead models, anchors are used that attach the structure to the base of the ceiling or wall. The use of such lighting devices in public organizations and shopping centers is very popular.
• For stretch ceilings often use closed types of lamps that are not prone to overheating. The main advantage is a wide range of light shades, which can be advantageously used for interior decoration.

Before you buy a luminescent type luminaire, carefully read its characteristics:

• The undoubted advantage will be protection from a cold start. In such bulbs, the electrodes warm up gradually and the light comes on a few seconds after pressing the power button.
• It is necessary to correlate the power of the incandescent lamp with the power of the daylight device. Choose a lamp for 12-15 W, which will become an alternative to 60 W incandescent lamps, but the indicators of the luminous flux of ordinary and energy-saving products must match.
• Depending on the room should choose a certain color of the lamp. Cold light will be appropriate for the work area or kitchen to promote concentration. Warm shades of white will fit well into the bedroom, corridor, living room and recreation room. This light does not irritate the eyes and has a reduced sharpness. In bathrooms or garage rooms, only dust and moisture proof devices work.
• Energy-saving lamps are perfect for a child's room. It is recommended to purchase devices both in a warm and in a cold tone.

The most advantageous fluorescent lamps look in modern interior styles. They connect one by one and in combination with each other in living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, corridors:

• The most appropriate and common direction of the interior for such lighting is the style high tech. For him, appropriate long lamps installed at the junction of the wall and ceiling, emphasizing the geometry of the room. The light of such products, as a rule, is cold.

• Minimalism It will look good if round-shaped fluorescent lamps are enclosed in plastic frames or presented in the form of massive flat luminaires on the ceiling.

• Eco-design sometimes allows the use of warm daylight to create harmony between the natural texture of materials and plants.

• Important functional and decorative element of style loft there will be a single light bulb in a casual style hanging from the ceiling. Without violating the concept of direction, such a device will decorate the room, becoming a bright accent in the interior.

• Eclecticism allows for the presence of energy-saving lamps, made in the form of strict lines.

In order to choose a device that will serve you for a long time and efficiently, you need to get acquainted with the manufacturers of fluorescent lamps in advance. There are a number of proven companies for the production of lamps in Europe and in Russia:

• The leading brand popular in Europe is Philips, which represents a huge variety of lamps for outdoor and indoor use.
• Italian brand Ares specializes not only in the above types of lighting, but also in architectural.
• Austrian company Thorn lighting famous for the production of lighting fixtures for warehouses and projectors.
• Company Osram is known in Europe for the excellent quality of its lighting products and a wide range of products.

Among domestic manufacturers are popular such as:

• Firm Navigator - one of the most popular manufacturers of energy-saving lamps for the home and garden, their products are equipped with protection against dust and moisture.
• "New World" - a leader in the production of high-power fluorescent lamps and spotlights.
• Jazzway - a company that produces not only lamps of various sizes, but also LED panels.
• Firm "Xenon" specializes in the manufacture of lamps for industrial premises and organizations.
• The company has become the guarantor of the quality of street lighting "Aton"which also makes lamps for the enterprises and the sphere of housing and communal services.
• "Leader Light" - a company with a huge variety of light products, which even includes lamps for roads and highways.

Among consumers, fluorescent lighting products receive mostly positive reviews.

Many people point out that wall lights are quite simple and easy to install, because the manufacturers along with the device provide additional attributes for connecting the lamp.

Fluorescent lights find a positive response from the owners of private homes. With the technology of protection against external factors, such products create a pleasant atmosphere in the summer cottage and illuminate the territory.

Some users were not satisfied with the price of products of well-known companies, but later noted that the cost was fully justified by the long service life and the preservation of the quality of light.