Lighting Supply Warehouse Blog

What is Mercury?

2010-04-24T09:55:00.002-05:00

Did you know that you can find Mercury not only in Energy Efficient Bulbs, but even HDTV’s and even some Computer Monitors?

More surprisingly you can even find trace amounts of Mercury in Fish! So what does all of this mean?

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment, and its also known as quicksilver

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury

Mercury is an essential element in the operation of fluorescent lighting; it allows the bulbs to be an efficient light source. Because CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury, it is important to educate yourself on proper use, recycling and disposal of these products.

The Facts about CFLs and Mercury

· Because CFLs use less electricity than traditional light bulbs (about 75%) , they reduce demand for electricity; that reduction means less mercury is emitted from power plants.

· CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury — an average of 4 milligrams in each bulb. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury.

· No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use.

Why the EPA, DOE, Lighting Supply Warehouse and others are promoting the use of CFLs

CFLs use significantly less energy than traditional light bulbs (75% less). If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 800,000 cars. And even though CFLs contain a small amount of mercury that could ultimately end up in the environment, that amount is significantly less than the amount of mercury avoided as a result of the energy savings

Learn what you should do if a CFL breaks in your home (27KB), and get EPA’s recommendations for recycling and responsibly disposing of CFLs at the end of their life cycle

What should I do if I’ve already cleaned up a broken CFL, but did not follow EPA’s recommended procedures?

Don’t panic, CFLs contain a very, very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 4 milligrams. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury.

If the CFL broke recently, review the EPAs clean up guidelines to see if there are any reasonable actions that you could take today. For example, if you vacuumed up the debris and you haven’t yet changed and disposed of your vacuum bag, then do that.

EPA’s clean up guidelines are conservative, because they are based on the few scientific studies available to date. These studies are based on chronic (long-term) exposure to mercury vapors (exposure to mercury on a regular basis in your job). EPA plans to conduct a study to quantify the exposure levels from a broken CFL in the home and we will update our clean up guidelines as more information becomes available.

If you are still concerned about your exposure to mercury, you should consult your physician.

Where to Recycle your Fluorescent Bulbs

2010-04-08T17:51:00.003-05:00

It happens to even the best of us. That Fluorescent Bulb has finally made it to its last days, now what? All fluorescent bulbs, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Plug-in Fluorescents included have trace amounts of Mercury. Mercury is an essential component in many energy-efficient light bulbs. The two most common bulbs that contain mercury are Fluorescent bulbs (Fluorescent tubes, Circline, and CFL Bulbs) and High Intensity Discharge Bulbs (Mercury Vapor, High Pressure Sodium, and Metal Halide).

And although lighting manufactures have greatly reduced the amount of mercury used (about 5 milligrams is used or about 1/100^th of the amount of mercury found in a mercury thermometer) in lighting over the past 20 years, they still need trace amounts to allow for energy-efficient lighting.

But proper disposal of Fluorescent lights and High Intensity Discharge bulbs are very important, especially with their effect to the environment. And it is simple and easy; just check your state laws on how to properly dispose of your Compact Fluorescent, Fluorescent Tubes, Electric and Magnetic Ballasts, even High Intensity Discharge Bulbs.

Thank you from Lighting Supply Warehouse for properly disposing of all of your lighting.

Finding the Right Ballast (Starters)

2010-02-04T13:36:00.002-06:00

So you want to make sure you get the right ballast for your Fluorescent, Compact Fluorescent, Metal Halide, or High Pressure Sodium Lights

But you have to also understand the parts of a Ballast to make sure you get the right one. One important factor to you may be the way the light starts. They can come in various parts, here is a few:

From Universal Lighting Technologies -

Rapid Start

Rapid start ballasts ignite lamps by providing cathode voltage (heat) and voltage across the lamp simultaneously. As the cathodes heat, the voltage required to ignite the lamp is reduced. At some time after both voltages are applied, the cathodes reach a temperature sufficient for the applied voltage to ignite the lamps. During this starting scenario, voltage across the lamps creates a glow current that damages the lamp by sputtering off the cathode’s emissive material. The sputtering results in end blackening and a reduction in lamp life. After all of this material is depleted from the cathode, the lamp ultimately fails.

Instant Start

Instant start ballasts ignite lamps by applying a significant voltage across the lamp during starting. However, no cathode heating is applied before or after the lamps are ignited. The high voltage applied across the lamps typically ignites them within 50 milliseconds. Since the cathodes are not heated with instant start ballasts, emissive material is also released during this type of scenario.

Programmed Start

Programmed start ballasts incorporate a precise starting scenario which breaks the process into unique and well defined steps that eliminate the pitfalls of the other starting methods
The first step in the series is the application of cathode heat. While this heat is being applied (preheat interval), voltage across the lamp is reduced to a level that reduces damaging glow current. Glow current is actual lamp current that flows during this preheat interval and causes end blackening and degradation in lamp life. It is important during this step that sufficient voltage is applied to the cathodes for a long enough duration so the cathode’s temperature is at least 700°C. The duration of this step is pre-programmed into the ballast circuitry. Since the lamp voltage is kept very low, the lamps cannot ignite until the cathodes are heated to optimal temperature and the ballast program moves to the second step.
The second step of the starting process is the application of lamp voltage. After the programmed time of step one has been reached, a voltage is applied across the lamps, igniting them with minimal loss of the emissive material. Minimal loss of the emissive material equates to gentle treatment of and prolonged life for the lamp.

When to Use High Intensity Discharge Bulbs

2009-09-22T08:05:00.006-05:00

High Intensity Discharge Bulbs are great bulbs if you're looking to light up a very large area of space with great luminosity. These Bulbs are specifically designed to be more powerful than standard factory lights. Choosing where to use High Intensity Discharge Bulbs can be fun and easy, learn more about these efficient bulbs are when to use them in your own projects.

High Intensity Discharge Bulbs provide extreme bright light for large areas where lighting is a safety and security are necessity. High Intensity Discharge Bulbs are perfect because they provide two times the light output of mercury lamps. High Intensity Discharge Bulbs are most commonly used for lighting gymnasiums, large public areas, warehouses, movie theaters, football stadiums, outdoor activity areas, roadways, parking lots, and pathways. The uses are so numerous that people are continually finding news areas and places to use them. These Bulbs hold many perks such as, they are longer Lasting, and use 35% less power consumption, and generate much less heat. You can also use your High Intensity Discharge Bulbs for home garages and decks, stairwells, special effects, and garden lighting. High Intensity Discharge Bulbs are the preferred choice of many and have so many great uses. We carry the best brand names available for closed or open fixture Bulbs. Our Bulbs have an exceptionally long life of up to 20,000 hours. High Intensity Discharge Bulbs give off high intensity, yellow toned light to make everything completely visible. When you use High Intensity Discharge Bulbs you'll be ensuring safety while saving money.

Upgrade to Plug-In CFL Bulbs

2009-09-15T09:22:00.002-05:00

CLF Bulbs are slowly being instilled as the new standard light bulb in many homes. Our traditional and humble incandescent light bulbs are being swapped out for the newer, greener and more efficient Plug-In Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. Read on and learn about why you should make the change and join the millions around the world who have already started using CFLs.

Now you have a choice to use a Better Bulb: CFLs, Compact Fluorescent Lamps. CFLs last 10 times longer and consume less than a third of the electricity as Incandescents. These efficient Bulbs only cost a bit more, and experts claim they pay for themselves in energy savings in only a few months. More money in your wallet is always a great thing and these Bulbs need not be replaced as much as standard Incandescent Bulbs, that means less work! Now if certain things have turned you away from using CFLs such as mercury content, you can rest easy. The amount of Mercury found in the average Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb is about 5 milligrams. Only enough to coat the tip of your ball point pen. That's not much, simply recycling your bulbs and by choosing to use CFLs you can be helping keep our planet clean. Become more environmentally conscious and start doing your part by swapping your regular bulbs for CFLs. By simply replacing one single incandescent bulb with a CFL in each U.S. home would be the environmental equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off of our roads. Make the smart decision and use CFLs in your home starting today!

Keep Cool with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

2009-08-11T09:41:00.003-05:00

This summer it has only just started to get hot. With temperatures rising we will more than likely be turning down our thermostats to cool our homes to a more livable and comfortable degree. We know how energy savings and money can add up, so we wanted to let you in on a little secret, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. Discover how these amazing Bulbs can save you energy and money in many ways over these hot summer months.

With our Air-conditioners constantly running during these high temp. months everyone is predictably going to see a big increase in their electric bill. When it comes to energy savings and costs, every little bit helps. That’s why Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are such a great buy! You’ll see a big difference in your bills once you start using Compact Fluorescents. These bulbs produce about 70% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs. That’s a huge difference, especially when you replace every bulb in your home with a compact, that’s major savings! But the savings don’t just stop there. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs give off more light with less wattage than incandescent bulbs. In other words a 10 Watt Compact Fluorescent Bulb is comparable to a 40 Watt Incandescent. That difference equals huge energy savings in the long run. Once you swap your regular bulbs with smarter alternative Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, you’ll be turning down the thermostat less and noticing a big difference in your monthly bills. Lighting is the one thing that can make a huge difference in the temperature of your home as well as your money savings. Make the right choice and order your Compact Fluorescent Bulbs from Lighting Supply Warehouse right away and start saving your hard earned dollars!

Make Sure You Have The Right Bulbs For Your Project!

2009-07-29T15:42:00.004-05:00

Having the right lighting is vital to the functionality and ambiance of any room, outdoor space or office. Determining the right bulb for any space you are creating or working on can be a very overwhelming and confusing. To help you make an informed decision, we have put together a some popular uses for various types of lighting supplies. Read on to find out the what type of lighting is best for your project whether it’s incandescent, fluorescent, compact fluorescent (CFL), HID, or halogen.

Incandescent Bulbs are one of the most widely used lighting products, plus they are inexpensive and available in a variety of styles. Incandescent lamps are popular for their warm, pleasing color that complements skin tones and are always priced low. These bulbs are ideal for any indoor or outdoor lighting project, from decorative lighting to night lights.

Fluorescent light bulbs have been traditionally a linear light source, but also come in u-shaped and circular. Fluorescent tubes will not work without a ballast. Fluorescent bulbs last longer than incandescent, and use much less energy. While traditionally used in businesses, these bulbs are becoming more popular for residential usage as well.

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are the most energy-efficient of all light bulbs. They use 67% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last longer. CFLs are most commonly used to replace any of the uses that incandescent bulbs are used for in the home, and are made to fit most light fixtures. Additionally, some CFLs are suitable for outdoor use.

High Intensity Discharge Bulbs are a perfect when you need high luminosity over large areas. HID Bulbs are very energy efficient and great for lighting gymnasiums, large public areas, warehouses, movie theaters, football stadiums, outdoor activity areas, roadways, parking lots, and pathways. They are long lasting, and use 35% less power consumption.

Halogen light bulbs use the same technology as an incandescent bulbs to produce light, last up to three times longer, and produce almost 50 percent more light for the same amount of energy. Halogens product the brightest, purest light and makes tasks like reading easier. Halogen lighting is most commonly used for outdoor athletic fields and courts, security lighting, indoor growing applications, aquariums and cars.

Now that you know a little more about these commonly used bulbs and their uses, you can more easily decide which bulb fits perfectly in the space you are working on. Whether you are looking for cost savings or energy savings, there are so many options to choose from, your perfect bulb is out there. Have fun completing your project and lighting your space with the Lighting Supply Warehouse.

New Compact Fluorescent Lighting

2009-07-02T15:18:00.003-05:00

Are you looking to save costs on your electrical bill and change out light bulbs less often?

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are the new way to go!

CFL's generally use less power than regualr incandescent bulbs, have a longer rated life span and can save you up to $30 in electrical costs over the life of a single bulb. Add up those savings!

The unique aspect of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs is the fact that you can pick a certain color temperature which best suits your comfort style in your specific location. Example: In a kitchen/bathroom you might prefer something whiter/cooler in color temperature, as a posted to in a dining room/living room, something warmer would be more suited. Whatever your purpose there is a compact fluorescent in the right color temperature for you.

Welcome To The Lighting Supply Warehouse Blog!

2009-06-29T15:11:00.001-05:00

Lighting Supply Warehouse provides lighting services for many applications. We give customers the best deals in commercial, industrial and institutional lighting. We specialize in hard to find bulbs and our prices are the lowest you will find.

Our new blog is a going to be a great way for us to keep in touch with you, the customer. We will be posting regularly with updates to make sure you are up to date with all that Lighting Supply Warehouse has to offer. Continue checking back with us to find out about new products, sales and special offers. Also, we would really love to here from you, so feel free to post your comments and questions on this blog!