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Different Types of Electric Lamps and Their Features
An electric lamp is a device that can generate artificial light by consuming electric energy. There are different types of lamps available in the market, which include −
Incandescent Lamp
Fluorescent Lamp
Compact Fluorescent Lamp
Sodium Vapor Lamp
Mercury Vapor Lamp
Halogen Lamp
Metal Halide Lamp
Neon Lamp
LED Lamp
LASER Lamp
In this article, we will compare and contrast the various features of these lamps.
Incandescent Lamp vs. Fluorescent Lamp vs. CFL
The following table compares the features of incandescent lamp, fluorescent lamp, and CFL.
| Basis of Comparison | Incandescent Lamp | Fluorescent Lamp | CFL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle of operation | Heating effect of electric current | Gas discharge (or ionization of gas by electric current) | Gas discharge |
| Color of light emitted | Yellow | White | White |
| Production of heat during operation | More | Less | Moderate |
| Cost | Less | More | More |
| Need of starting device | No | Yes | No |
| Starting time | Starts immediately | Requires some time, around 5 seconds | Starts immediately |
| Lifespan | 2000 hours | 12000 hours | 800 hours |
| Lamp Efficiency | 15 to 20 lumens/watt | 50 to 60 lumens/watt | 50 to 75 lumens/watt |
| Environmental friendly | Yes | No, as it has mercury content | No, again due to toxic metals |
| Applications | Used for Residential and other indoor lighting | Used for residential and commercial lighting | Used for residential and commercial lighting |
Sodium Vapor Lamp vs. Mercury Vapor Lamp
The following table compares the features of sodium vapor lamp and mercury vapor lamp.
| Basis of Comparison | Sodium Vapor Lamp | Mercury Vapor Lamp |
|---|---|---|
| Principle of operation | Gas discharge | Gas discharge |
| Color of light emitted | Pale yellow | Diffused white |
| Production of heat during operation | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cost | More | More |
| Need of starting device | Yes | Yes |
| Starting time | Requires some time, around 10 minutes | Requires some time |
| Lifespan | 20000 to 30000 hours | Around 24000 hours |
| Lamp Efficiency | 80 to 150 lumens/watt | 28 to 50 lumens/watt |
| Environmental friendly | Yes | No, due to presence of mercury |
| Applications | Used for street lighting | Used for street and garden lightings |
Halogen Lamp vs. Metal Halide Lamp vs. Neon Lamp
The following table compares the features of halogen lamp, metal halide lamp, and neon lamp.
| Basis of Comparison | Halogen Lamp | Metal Halide Lamp | Neon Lamp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle of operation | Heating effect of electric current | Production of electric arc through gaseous mixture | Emission of electrons |
| Color of light emitted | Yellow | Yellow | Yellow |
| Production of heat during operation | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cost | More | More | Less |
| Need of starting device | No | No | Yes |
| Starting time | Starts immediately | Requires some time (around 3 to 5 seconds) | Requires small time |
| Lifespan | 2000 hours | 10000 to 20000 hours | 25000 hours |
| Lamp Efficiency | 22 to 33 lumens/watt | 60 to 115 lumens/watt | 50 to 65 lumens/watt |
| Environmental friendly | Yes | No (due to mercury) | No |
| Applications | Used for flood lighting and outdoor lighting | Used for flood lighting, Sports stadiums, High bay interior | Used for display applications and indicators |
LED lamp vs. LASER lamp
The following table compares the features of LED lamp and LASER lamp.
| Basis of Comparison | LED Lamp | LASER Lamp |
|---|---|---|
| Principle of operation | Electro-luminescence | Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation |
| Color of light emitted | Available in many colors | Available in many colors |
| Production of heat during operation | Least | More |
| Cost | High | High |
| Need of starting device | No | No |
| Starting time | Starts immediately | Starts immediately |
| Lifespan | 50000 hours | Depends upon type of LASER lamp and application |
| Lamp Efficiency | 50 to 100 lumens/watt | Depends upon the types of LASER lamp |
| Environmental friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Applications | Used for residential, commercial, street and decorative lightings | Used for medical instruments, metal process industries, media lighting, etc. |
Updated on: 27-Apr-2022
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