LIGHTING MATERIALS

incandescent light bulbs

arc lamps

gas-discharge lamps, e.g., fluorescent lights and compact fluorescent lamps, neon lamps, flood
lamps, modern photographic flashes

lasers

light-emitting diodes, including OLEDs

sulfur lamps

Different types of lights have vastly differing efficiencies and color of light.

Name

Incandescent
light bulb

Optical

Nominalefficienc Lifetime

spectrum

Continuous

Halogen lamp Continuous

Color

Color

(MTTF)

temperature

(lm/W)

(hours)

(kelvin)

4-17

16-23

6000

(yellowish)

Warm white

3200

rendering
index

Warm white

2-20000 2400-3400

3000-

Color

(yellowish)

100

100

White (various
Fluorescent

Mercury line

lamp

+Phosphor

52-100 (white)

800020000

color
2700-5000

temperatures), as 15-85
well as saturated
colors available

Metal halide

Quasi-

lamp

continuous

Sulfur lamp

Continuous

80-110

Broadband

55-140

Narrow line

100-200

High pressure
sodium

Low pressure
sodium

Light-emitting Line plus

diode

Induction
Lamp
(External Coil)

phosphor

Mercury line
+Phosphor

50-115

10-110 (white)

70-90 (white)

600020000

1500020000

1000040000

1800020000

50,000100,000

80,000100,000

3000-4500

Cold white

65-93

6000

Pale green

79

1800-2200*

Pinkish orange

0-70

1800*

Various white
from 2700 to
6000*

Various white
from 2700 to
6000*

Yellow, no color
rendering

Various color
temperatures, as 70-85
well as saturated (white)
colors

Various color
temperatures, as 70-85
well as saturated (white)
colors

Color temperature is defined as the temperature of a black body emitting a similar spectrum; these

spectra are quite different from those of black bodies.

The most efficient source of electric light is the low-pressure sodium lamp. It produces, for all practical
purposes, a monochromatic orange/yellow light, which gives a similarly monochromatic perceprtion of any
illuminated scene. For this reason, it is generally reserved for outdoor public lighting usages. Lowpressure sodium lights are favoured for public lighting by astronomers, since the light pollution that they
generate can be easily filtered, contrary to broadband or continuous spectra.

Incandescent light bulb

The modern incandescent lightbulb, with a coiled filament of tungsten, was commercialized in the 1920s
developed from the carbon filament lamp introduced in about 1880. As well as bulbs for normal
illumination, there is a very wide range, including low voltage, low-power types often used as components
in equipment, but now largely displaced by LEDs
There is currently interest in banning some types of filament lamp in some countries, such as Australia
planning to ban standard incandescent light bulbs by 2010, because they are inefficient at converting
electricity to light. Sri Lanka has already banned importing filament bulbs because of high use of
electricity and less light. Less than 3% of the input energy is converted into usable light. Nearly all of the
input energy ends up as heat that, in warm climates, must then be removed from the building
by ventilation or air conditioning, often resulting in more energy consumption. In colder climates where
heating and lighting is required during the cold and dark winter months, the heat byproduct has at least
some value.
Halogen lamp
Halogen lamps are usually much smaller than standard incandescents, because for successful operation
a bulb temperature over 200 C is generally necessary. For this reason, most have a bulb of fused silica
(quartz), but sometimes aluminosilicate glass. This is often sealed inside an additional layer of glass. The
outer glass is a safety precaution, reducing UV emission and because halogen bulbs can occasionally
explode during operation. One reason is if the quartz bulb has oily residue from fingerprints. The risk of
burns or fire is also greater with bare bulbs, leading to their prohibition in some places unless enclosed by
the luminaire.
Those designed for 12 V or 24 V operation have compact filaments, useful for good optical control, also
they have higher efficiencies (lumens per watt) and better lives than non halogen types. The light output
remains almost constant throughout life.
Fluorescent lamp
Fluorescent lamps have much higher efficiency than filament lamps. For the same amount of light
generated, they typically use around one-quarter to one-third the power of an incandescent.
Fluorescents were mostly limited to linear and a round 'Circline' lamp until the 1980s, with other shapes
never gaining much popularity. The compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) was commercialized in the early
1980s.
Most CFLs have a built-in electrical ballast and fit into a standard screw or bayonet base. Some make use
of a separate ballast so that the ballast and tube can be replaced separately.
Typical average lifetime ratings for linear fluorescent tubes are 10,000 and 20,000 hours, compared to
750 hours (110 V) and 1000 hours (240 V) for filament lamps.

Some types of fluorescent lamp ballast have difficulty starting lamps in very cold conditions, so lights used
outdoors in cold climates need to be designed for outdoor use to work reliably.
Fluorescents come in a range of different color temperatures. In some countries cool white (CW) is most
popular, while in some, warmer whites predominate.
In the United States, fluorescents most often come in cool white (CW), with some home bulbs being a
warm white (WW), which has a pinkish color. In between there is an "enhanced white" (EW), which is
more neutral. There is also a very cold daylight white (DW). Compact fluorescent lamps are usually
considered warm white, though many have a yellowish cast like an incandescent. "Warm" and "cool" are
entirely relative terms and almost arbitrary so color temperature and the color rendering index (CRI) are
used as absolute scales of color for fluorescents, and sometimes for other types of lighting.
LED lamp
Solid state LEDs have been popular as indicator lights since the 1970s. In recent years, efficacy and
output have risen to the point where LEDs are now being used in niche lighting applications.
Indicator LEDs are known for their extremely long life, up to 100,000 hours, but lighting LEDs are
operated much less conservatively (due to high LED cost per watt), and consequently have much shorter
lives.
Due to the relatively high cost per watt, LED lighting is most useful at very low powers, typically for lamp
assemblies of under 10 W. LEDs are currently most useful and cost-effective in low power applications,
such as nightlights and flashlights. Colored LEDs can also be used for accent lighting, such as for glass
objects, and even in fake ice cubes for drinks at parties. They are also being increasingly used as holiday
lighting.
LED efficiencies vary over a very wide range. Some have lower efficiency than filament lamps, and some
significantly higher. LED performance in this respect is prone to being misinterpreted, as the inherent
directionality of LEDs gives them a much higher light intensity in one direction per given total light output.
Single color LEDs are well developed technology, but white LEDs at time of writing still have some
unresolved issues.
1. CRI is not particularly good, resulting in less than accurate color rendition.
2. The light distribution from the phosphor does not fully match the distribution of light from the LED
die, so color temperature varies at differing angles.
3. Phosphor performance degrades over time, resulting in change of color temperature and falling
output. With some LEDs degradation can be quite fast.
4. Limited heat tolerance means that the amount of power packable into a lamp assembly is a
fraction of the power usable in a similarly sized incandescent lamp.

LED technology is useful for lighting designers because of its low power consumption, low heat
generation, instantaneous on/off control, and in the case of single color LEDs, continuity of color
throughout the life of the diode and relatively low cost of manufacture.
In the last few years, software has been developed to merge lighting and video by enabling lighting
designers to stream video content to their LED fixtures, creating low resolution video walls.
For general domestic lighting, total cost of ownership of LED lighting is still much higher than for other
well established lighting types.
Carbon arc lamp

Carbon arc lamps consist of two carbon rod electrodes in open air, supplied by a current-limiting ballast.
The electric arc is struck by touching the rods then separating them. The ensuing arc heats the carbon
tips to white heat. These lamps have higher efficiency than filament lamps, but the carbon rods are short
lived and require constant adjustment in use. The lamps produce significant ultra-violet output, they
require ventilation when used indoors, and due to their intensity they need protecting from direct sight.
Invented by Humphry Davy around 1805, the carbon arc was the first practical electric light. They were
used commercially beginning in the 1870s for large building and street lighting until they were superseded
in the early 20th century by the incandescent light. Carbon arc lamps operate at high powers and produce
high intensity white light. They also are a point source of light. They remained in use in limited
applications that required these properties, such as movie projectors, stage lighting, and searchlights,
until after World War 2.
Discharge lamp[edit
A discharge lamp has a glass or silica envelope containing two metal electrodes separated by a gas.
Gases used include, neon, argon, xenon, sodium, metal halide, andmercury.
The core operating principle is much the same as the carbon arc lamp, but the term 'arc lamp' is normally
used to refer to carbon arc lamps, with more modern types of gas discharge lamp normally called
discharge lamps.
With some discharge lamps, very high voltage is used to strike the arc. This requires an electrical circuit
called an igniter, which is part of the ballast circuitry. After the arc is struck, the internal resistance of the
lamp drops to a low level, and the ballast limits the current to the operating current. Without a ballast,
excess current would flow, causing rapid destruction of the lamp.
Some lamp types contain a little neon, which permits striking at normal running voltage, with no external
ignition circuitry. Low pressure sodium lamps operate this way.

The simplest ballasts are just an inductor, and are chosen where cost is the deciding factor, such as street
lighting. More advanced electronic ballasts may be designed to maintain constant light output over the life
of the lamp, may drive the lamp with a square wave to maintain completely flicker-free output, and shut
down in the event of certain faults.

FIXTURES

A light fixture (US English), light fitting (UK English), or luminaire is an electrical device used to create
artificial light by use of anelectric lamp. All light fixtures have a fixture body and a light socket to hold the
lamp and allow for its replacement. Fixtures may also have a switch to control the light. Fixtures require
an electrical connection to a power source; permanent lighting may be directly wired, and moveable
lamps have a plug. Light fixtures may also have other features, such as reflectors for directing the light,
an aperture(with or without a lens), an outer shell or housing for lamp alignment and protection, and
an electrical ballast or power supply. A wide variety of special light fixtures are created for use in
the automotive lighting industry, aerospace, marine and medicine.
Portable light fixtures are often called "lamps", as in table lamp or desk lamp. In technical terminology,
the lamp is the light source, what is typically called the light bulb.

Fixture Types
Free-standing or portable

Table lamp fixtures, standard lamp fixtures, and office task light luminaires.

Balanced-arm lamp is a spot light with an adjustable arm such as anglepoise or Luxo L1.

Gooseneck lamp

Nightlight

Fixed

Recessed light the protective housing is concealed behind a ceiling or wall, leaving only the
fixture itself exposed. The ceiling-mounted version is often called a downlight.

"Cans" with a variety of lamps this term is jargon for

inexpensive downlighting products that are recessed into the ceiling, or sometimes for uplights
placed on the floor. The name comes from the shape of the housing. The term "pot lights" is often
used in Canada and parts of the US.

Cove light recessed into the ceiling in a long box against a wall.

Torch lamp, torchire, or floor lamp.

Troffer recessed fluorescent light fixtures, usually rectangular in shape to fit into a drop
ceiling grid

Surface-mounted light the finished housing is exposed, not flush with surface

Chandelier

Pendant light suspended from the ceiling with a chain or pipe

Sconce provide up or down lights; can be used to illuminate artwork,

architectural details; commonly used in hallways or as an alternative to overhead lighting.

Track lighting fixture individual fixtures ("track heads") can be positioned

anywhere along the track, which provides electric power.

Under-cabinet light mounted below kitchen wall cabinets

Ceiling fan - May sometimes have a light, often referred to as a light kit mounted
to it.

Emergency lighting or exit sign connected to a battery backup or to an electric

circuit that has emergency power if the mains power fails

High- and low-bay lighting typically used for general lighting for industrial
buildings and often big-box stores

Strip lights or Industrial lighting often long lines of fluorescent lamps used in
a warehouse or factory
Outdoor lighting and landscape lighting used to illuminate walkways, parking lots, roadways,

building exteriors and architectural details,gardens, and parks.

High-mast, usually pole- or stanchion-mounted for landscape, roadways, and parking

lots

Bollard A type of architectural outdoor lighting that is a short, upright ground-mounted

unit typically used to provide cutoff type illumination for egress lighting, to light walkways, steps,
or other pathways.

Solar lamp

Street light

Yard light

Special-purpose lights

Accent light Any directional light which highlights an object or attracts attention to a particular
area

Background light for use in video production

Blacklight

Christmas lights-also called fairy lights or twinkle lights and are often used at Christmas and other
holidays for decoration.

Flood light

Safelight (for use in a darkroom)

Safety lamp (for use in coal mines)

Searchlight (for military and advertising use)

Security lighting

Step light

Strobe light

Traffic light

Theatrical

Stage lighting instrument

Intelligent lighting

Followspot

Wallwasher

Lamp Types

Arc lamps
Xenon arc lamp, Yablochkov candle

Fluorescent
Fluorescent lamp, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), Induction lamp, blacklight.
Fuel lamps
Betty lamp, butter lamp, carbide lamp, gas lighting, kerosene lamp, oil lamp, rush
light, torch, candle, Limelight, gas mantle
Safety lamps: Davy lamp & Geordie lamp
Gas-discharge lamp and high-intensity discharge lamp (HID)
Mercury-vapor lamp, Metal-halide (HMI, HQI, CDM), Sodium vapor or "high-pressure sodium"

Neon sign

Incandescent lamp
A-lamp, Parabolic aluminized reflector lamp (PAR), reflector lamp (R), bulged reflector lamp (BR)
(refer to lamp shapes)

Obsolete types: limelight, carbon button lamp, Mazda (light bulb), Nernst glower

Novelty: Lava lamp

Special purpose: heat lamp, Globar, gas mantle

Halogen special class of incandescent lamps

Nuclear: self-powered lighting

Plasma lamp

Light-emitting diode (LED) (solid-state lighting)

Light-Fixture Controlls

3-way 2-circuit switch

Dimmer

Light switch (often part of the light socket or power cord on portable fixtures)

Lighting control system

Motion detector

Timer

Touch

X10 (industry standard) systems

Manuel, Bryan
Justin B.
201120019
Arch. Doctor,
Reynald