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How does lamp life of HW-CFLs compare to other light sources?
Rated lamp life for self-ballasted high-wattage compact fluorescent lamps (HW-CFL) ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 hours (h). Remote-ballasted products range from 10,000 - 20,000 h. Rated lamp life for other lamp technologies varies, from 750 h for incandescent lamps to over 60,000 h for electrodeless fluorescent lamp systems (Table 2). The specifier should keep in mind that different lamp families use different standard test procedures for average rated life, that life ratings carry significant uncertainties, and that performance for some lamps is highly affected by temperature in the field. Therefore, direct comparisons of average rated life can be misleading.
Table 2. Rated lamp life comparison of HW-CFL products with other lamp technologies |
|
Lamp Type (Lamps with comparable lumens) |
Power (W) |
Lamp life (h) |
|
Self-ballasted HW-CFL |
55-200 |
8000 - 10,000 |
|
Remote-ballasted HW-CFL |
55-140 |
10,000 - 20,000 |
|
Incandescent |
200-500 |
750 - 2500 |
|
Ceramic MH |
50-150 |
10,000 - 20,000 |
|
Standard MH |
70-175 |
10,000 - 15,000 |
|
Pulse Start MH |
70-175 |
7500 - 15,000 |
|
HPS |
50-150 |
24,000 |
|
Enhanced HPS |
70-150 |
10,000 - 15,000 |
|
Electrodeless Fluorescent |
55-165 |
60,000 - 100,000 |
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Some manufacturers of HW-CFLs recommend avoiding frequent switching with their products in order to preclude shortened lamp life. Therefore, this lamp type may not be appropriate for use with occupancy sensors or in applications that involve frequent switching.
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