Light Bulbs: specifications, types

Classic incandescent lamps are gradually becoming obsolete these days, with the market mainly featuring halogen, fluorescent and LED models. Traditional LED lamps can be either white or colored (RGB), and in addition to them, there are models of a rather unusual design - LED with a battery, on LED threads and phytolamps. Here is a more detailed description of the different types:

— Halogen. A slightly improved version of traditional incandescent lamps. "Halogens" also use a hot metal spiral in a sealed bulb; the difference is that the bulb is filled with a special gas containing bromine or iodine vapor. This design increases the service life of the spiral, increases brightness and efficiency, and provides a more uniform color spectrum. Another advantage of such lamps is compatibility with brightness regulators (dimmers). At the same time, they are not distinguished by their efficiency, and therefore gradually give way to more advanced types.

— Metal halide. A type of halogen lamp (see above), the luminous flux in which is formed by adding metal halides to the mercury vapor burner. Sodium or scandium iodide are used here as metal halides (special emitting additives). The burner of metal halide lamps is made of quartz gl...ass or ceramics, and the outer protective bulb is made of borosilicate glass. Such lamps are often used for outdoor and street lighting, in spotlights, etc. As a rule, they emit natural white light, close to daylight.

— Fluorescent. A type known as "daylight lamps" or "energy-saving bulbs." The bulb of such a lamp is filled with a special gas through which an electric discharge passes; under the influence of this discharge, a special coating applied from the inside of the bulb glows. In terms of efficiency, such lamps are inferior to LEDs, but they are several times more efficient than incandescent lamps (including halogen lamps), last longer and almost do not heat up during operation. Among the disadvantages of fluorescent lamps, in addition to a fairly high price, one can note an uneven glow spectrum and poor compatibility with dimmers - for this, it is necessary to provide additional control circuits. In addition, the filling gas contains mercury vapor, which is why the lamp cannot be thrown into the regular trash, and a broken bulb creates a health hazard.

— LED. LED-based lamps that emit light of one shade — usually classic white, but there are also colored models. LED lamps are characterized by extremely low energy consumption (they are several times more energy efficient than fluorescent lamps and an order of magnitude more efficient than incandescent lamps), high brightness and good color rendering, as well as almost complete absence of heating during operation. In addition, such bulbs are quite resistant to impacts and are much safer from an environmental point of view. And in many models, even a broken bulb does not lead to loss of functionality.

— LED with battery. LED bulbs with a built-in battery, which provides autonomous lighting regardless of the presence of voltage in the power grid. Such bulbs accumulate charge in the battery when there is light, and when the power goes out, they use these reserves, allowing autonomous lighting of the room for a certain time. Also, LED bulbs with a battery can be useful as mobile light sources in nature, in the garage, etc.

— LED (RGB). A type of LED lamp (see above) that uses not traditional white, but colored LEDs — usually three colors corresponding to the RGB color scheme (red, green, blue), hence the name. This allows you to change the color of the lighting in a fairly wide range — from one and a half dozen to several thousand shades. At the same time, such lamps cost accordingly.

— On LED threads. A type of LED lamp that imitates classic incandescent lamps. Such lamps also have a glass bulb, inside which luminous threads are installed on special supports; the difference is that these threads are made of LEDs, and not of a thin metal spiral. Thus, the lamp turns out to be as similar as possible to a classic incandescent bulb, while consuming several times less energy; such models can be useful, in particular, for retro-style lamps, where standard LEDs do not fit well. It is also worth noting that the glow from this type of lamp covers almost the entire sphere - unlike standard LED lamps, which usually have a narrower focus; in some situations, this is an advantage.

— Phytolamps are designed to stimulate the growth and development of plants. The products are used for auxiliary lighting: seedlings, cultivated and ornamental plants, indoor and outdoor vegetation. They are especially relevant during periods of the year when solar activity is at a minimum level. Light-emitting diodes of various shades and intensities act as light sources. White, red, blue, yellow and green LEDs can be collected within one phytolamp. The use of different color shades makes it possible to obtain light waves of different lengths. As a result, vegetation begins to develop comprehensively. Phytolamps are not suitable for the lighting that a person is accustomed to in conditions of insufficient visibility.

Battery capacity in rechargeable bulbs (see "Type").

Theoretically, higher capacity allows for greater autonomy, but in practice, not everything is so simple. At a minimum, the actual charge time will depend on the wattage of the bulb and its power consumption. For example, a conventional model with an 1800 mAh battery will definitely have a longer operating time on a full charge than a light bulb of similar brightness and power with an 800 mAh battery. But exactly how much higher the autonomy will be is impossible to say for sure. To assess autonomy, it is better to focus on more mundane characteristics - first of all, on the directly stated maximum operating time specified in the technical documentation.

The number of lamps supplied in the kit. Indicated if it is a set of several products ; the most modest such kits include only 2 light bulbs, in the most extensive this number can reach 10 pieces.

Anyway, all lamps included in the set are of the same type and characteristics. And such a complete set is convenient, first of all, because the set is cheaper than the same number of lamps bought one at a time.

The base is the part of the lamp that is fixed in the socket and functions both as a mount and as a contact system for connecting electricity. For normal operation, the socket (or other mount) in the lamp must match the base of the lamp. The options used today include, in particular:

— E27 (regular). Standard "Edison" base with a size of 27 mm, used for 230 V lamps in Europe and the CIS countries. If you are looking for a light bulb for a regular home chandelier, floor lamp or socket on the wall (for example, in the bathroom), you will most likely need this type of base. It is also used by many small lamps - table lamps, sconces, etc.

— E14 (minion). A smaller version of the Edison base compared to the popular E27, with a size of 14 mm. It is found much less often, mainly in minion-type lamps, which are distinguished by their small size and elongated bulb. Such lamps are intended for lamps where the use of full-size versions for E27 is impossible or unjustified — in particular, miniature sconces and relatively small chandeliers.

— E40. The largest of the "Edison" bases used in modern lamps, with a size of 40 mm. Used in high-power models, with an LON analogue (see below) of the order of several hundred watts.

— G4. All G-type sockets have two contacts in the form of characteristic pins and diffe...r in the size of the contacts and the distance between them. In this version, these figures are 0.65-0.75 mm (up to 1.05 mm in some modifications) and 4 mm, respectively.

— GU4. A two-pin base with a 4 mm pin spacing, used primarily in MR11 form factor lamps. These are small lamps with a standard size of 35 mm, usually LED, designed for low voltage — most often 12 V. They are mainly used for spot decorative lighting.

— G5. Standard base for tubular fluorescent lamps. The distance between the pins is 5 mm.

— G5.3. Two-pin base with a distance between contacts of about 5.3 mm and a contact thickness of 1.5 – 1.7 mm. Can be used in lamps of various types and designs, but usually these are 230 V models.

— GU5.3. Two-pin base with standard contact size of 1.4-1.6 mm and distance between them of 5.33 mm.

— G6.35. A two-pin base with a pin spacing of 6.35 mm. Found primarily in halogen lamps.

— GY6.35. Two-pin base with a distance between contacts of 6.35 mm and a pin thickness of 1.2 – 1.3 mm. It is used mainly among halogen lamps, including those with switchable power and voltage, and is found in spot and landscape lighting systems.

— G8.5. A base with two pins that are spaced 8.5 mm apart. Relatively rare, mostly found among metal halide lamps.

— GX8.5. This base is usually used in metal halide lamps for built-in luminaires. Structurally, it is assumed to have a round protrusion and two contacts on the sides. When installed in the socket, the contacts are fixed by turning the lamp.

— G9. Two-pin base with standard 9mm contact spacing.

— GU10. Two-pin base with a standard distance between contacts of 10 mm. Has thickenings on the ends of the pins, designed for fixation in the socket by turning.

— G10q. A specific type of base used in fluorescent lamps that have a ring shape. Incompatible with the original G10.

— G13. Two-pin base with standard contact size of 2.35 mm and distance between them of 13 mm, standard option for most household fluorescent lamps.

— G22. Two-pin base with a distance between contacts of 22 mm. Despite the “closeness” to G23 (see below), it differs significantly from it both in design and in application — it is used mainly in halogen lamps.

— G23. A two-pin base with a standard contact size of 2 mm and a distance between them of 23 mm. It is used mainly in fluorescent lamps with tubes in the shape of an elongated letter U; such models are used in table lamps, as well as some types of wall lamps.

— G24. Slightly larger in size than G23 (see above), the G24 base is used in noticeably larger and, accordingly, more powerful lamps: for example, fluorescent models with such contacts usually have a pair of U-shaped tubes installed in parallel. The main area of application of such lamps are wall and ceiling lights, including industrial ones. Lamps with the G24 base are available in versions G24d-1, G24d-2, G24d-3(with 2-pin contacts) and G24q-1, G24q-2, G24q-3(with 4-pin contacts). They differ from each other in the location and shape of the base.

— G53. The distinctive feature of the G53 base is the use of flat plates instead of pins, as well as the presence of two screws (one per plate) that act as terminals for connecting wires. Such lamps are used, in particular, as built-in lamps; most of them are LED.

— GX24. A base with a characteristic rectangular protrusion and two pairs of contacts located diagonally from this protrusion at a distance of 24 mm. It is used in compact fluorescent lamps (usually with a U-shaped bulb) that do not have a ballast (starting device). There are several versions of this base: GX24q-2, GX24q-3, GX24q-4. The differences between them are in the base format.

— GX53. A base with a round protrusion and two contacts on either side of it. The contacts have thickenings for fixation in the shaped cutouts of the socket by turning the turn (similar to G10). Lamps with this type of base have a flat shape and are designed primarily for installation in stretch and suspended ceilings.

— GX70. The base is similar to the GX53 described above, but differs in the increased distance between the contacts.

— R7s. A socket with a so-called recessed contact: the design includes a recess into which a special pin installed in the socket enters when installing the lamp. Often found in high-power halogen lamps with characteristic elongated bulbs, but can also be used in other types - in particular, fluorescent.

— RX7s. This base has the form of a flat rod with two contacts, one of which is recessed. The RX7s base is found in high-pressure gas discharge lamps.

— 2G7. Four-pin base, used similarly to the G23 described above — in compact fluorescent lamps with U-shaped bulbs. The difference between such lamps and models with G23, in addition to the number and shape of contacts, also lies in some operating features (in particular, they can be used with electronic ballasts, and there is no starter in the design).

— 2G11. A four-pin base consisting of two pairs of contacts, the distance between which in each pair is 11 mm; in fact, a combination of two G-type bases (paired). Rarely used, mainly in compact energy-saving lamps.

— 2GX13. A specialized base designed for ring-shaped fluorescent lamps. It differs from G10q, which has a similar purpose, not only in the shape and size of the contacts, but also in their placement — two pins are located on the outside of the ring, two — on the inside.

— B15d. Another type of bayonet cap, similar to the B22 described above, but with smaller dimensions. Also known as SBC — “Small Bayonet Cap”, that is, “small bayonet cap” (as opposed to the “large” B22 and its varieties).

— B22. A round base with a size of 22 mm, similar to the E-type mounts (see above), but without a thread — instead, two pins are used, which are fixed in the socket cutouts during installation of the lamp using the so-called bayonet method. In addition to the fact that such a mount is quicker to connect and disconnect than a threaded one, it has another important advantage — the ability to withstand constant vibrations without loosening. Due to this, B22 has found application, in particular, among luminaires installed in transport.

The type of bulb that the light bulb is equipped with.

— Transparent. Transparent flasks practically do not reduce the brightness of the light, but the light itself is sharper than from frosted lamps. They are considered optimal for lighting fixtures with transparent shades, as well as for crystal chandeliers and other similar fixtures, the design of which is designed for a beautiful play of light on corners and edges. In addition, in halogen lamps (see "Type"), other types of bulbs are practically not used — for a number of technical reasons.

— Matte. Frosted flasks have a soft glow — due to a slight decrease in brightness compared to transparent ones. They are recommended for use in lamps with frosted shades, as well as for lighting children's rooms: the light attracts the attention of small children, and it is safer to look at a frosted light bulb. Also note that non-coloured fluorescent lamps (see "Type") are, by definition, made opaque.

— Coloured. Flasks painted in a certain colour provide a glow of the corresponding shade. Usually, such lamps are used for decorative purposes, but other uses are possible — for example, for colour temperature correction in a photo studio. In addition, this category also includes the so-called. "black light lamps" — lamps that emit mainly ultraviolet light and very faintly glow in the visible range. Ult...raviolet from such lamps is relatively safe for humans, while it makes various substances and materials glow brightly. This effect is used both for entertainment and decorative purposes, and in quite practical areas of activity — chemistry, medicine, forensic science, etc.

Operating voltage of the light bulb.

— 230 V. Standard voltage of household electrical networks in the CIS.

— 12 V. This operating voltage is typical for small lamps that are used in special lighting systems — spotlights, suspended ceilings, built-in systems, etc.

The power consumed by the light bulb during normal operation. The lower this indicator, the more economical the model and the cheaper it will cost to operate. In traditional incandescent lamps, the brightness of the glow also depended on the power, however, different types of lamps are presented on the modern market, with different efficiencies. Therefore, it is possible to uniquely link the power consumption and brightness only in lamps of the same type (see above), and to compare different types of models, you need to use the LON analogue (see below).

A parameter that describes the brightness of the lamp compared to a general purpose lamp (LON — a conventional incandescent bulb). Simply put, an analogue of LON is the power of an incandescent lamp, which is equal in brightness to the model in question. For example, a 75W LON analogue means that the lamp glows as brightly as a 75W incandescent lamp.

This parameter appeared for the convenience of evaluating and comparing different types of lamps in terms of brightness. Data on the luminous flux say little to the average user, and it makes no sense at all to evaluate the brightness by power — different types and even different models of lamps of the same type can differ markedly in efficiency. On the other hand, many users are accustomed to dealing with incandescent lamps, and comparison with such a lamp is familiar and understandable to them. In addition, the LON analogue allows you to compare different types of lamps, and it can also be very convenient when replacing incandescent lamps with more economical ones: for example, if 100-watt lamps were used in the chandelier, then the new lamps must have an LON analogue of at least 100 W — otherwise they may be too dim.

The conditional "amount of light" produced by a light bulb in normal mode. The higher the luminous flux, the brighter the light and the more clearly the illuminated scene will be visible. Note that lumen values are used primarily for special purposes; in everyday life, the estimation of brightness by the analogue of LON is more popular (see above), and here the ratio is as follows:

— 40 W analogue LON corresponds to a brightness of 370 lm;
— 60 W — 550 lm;
— 75 W — 800 lm;
— 100 W — 1200 lm;
— 150 W — 1900 lm;
— 200 W — 2700 lm.

Note that the principle "the more the better" in the case of the brightness of light bulbs is not always applicable. And the point here is not only energy consumption: too bright light is harmful to the eyes, leads to rapid fatigue and psychological discomfort.

This parameter describes the general coloration of the light of the lamp in "warm" or "cold" tones.

Initially, colour temperature is the temperature (in kelvins) of an object at which it begins to glow in a certain colour. Interestingly, the higher its value, the more “cold” the colour is: for example, the dull red glow of a heated metal corresponds to 800-1000 K, and the bluish-white tint of a fluorescent lamp corresponds to about 6000 K.

The temperatures encountered in modern light bulbs can be described approximately as follows:

2700 – 3000 K — "warm" white light, similar to traditional incandescent lamps;
3000 – 3500 K — "slightly warmer than average";
3500 – 6000 K — neutral white, similar to daylight;
More than 6000 K — cold shades of white.

Note that the colour temperature is not directly related to the quality of colour reproduction provided by the light of a particular lamp — much depends on the features of its design and, accordingly, the spectral colour balance.

The angle of light dispersion is the space in front of the light bulb, which is illuminated by the source itself, and not by the light reflected from the walls and interior items. In other words, the angle of light scattering determines the zone of the best illumination. Classic incandescent bulbs demonstrate the widest dispersion angle — they shine almost 360˚. LED spotlights have the smallest illumination angle, which are able to illuminate well only the area directly under the bulb — the scattering angle in such cases is about 15˚. Of course, a large angle of light scattering is not always needed. Working in the evening at the table, you need light only in front of you, so as not to disturb anyone. For spotlights that light up only small objects in front of them (a painting, sculpture, bas-relief, etc.), the scattering angle can even be from 4 °. As for the top (general) lighting, in this case it is better to choose something with a wider dispersion angle. These bulbs provide extremely uniform illumination.

The parameter characterizes the degree of correspondence between the natural color of an object and the visible color of this object when it is illuminated by a given light source. The color rendering index Ra (also known as CRI from the English Color Rendering Index) is expressed as a number from 1 to 100. A low index means that colors look dull or unnatural, a high index indicates bright and natural color rendering. In fact, many manufacturers manipulate the value of the color rendering coefficient for their own benefit. After all, ordinary buyers cannot check the reliability of this indicator without using a specialized spectrometer.

This function is indicated for lamps with a beam angle of less than 180° — in other words, the luminous flux is directed in a certain direction, usually opposite from the base. One of the varieties of such lamps is models equipped with reflectors; however, the presence of a reflector is not mandatory, there may be other options (for example, a set of LEDs on a flat substrate).

The main application of directional lamps is obvious — situations when there is no need to shine "on the sides", if not even desirable. In particular, they are well suited for luminaires "recessed" into the ceiling or walls. When choosing, note that the scattering angle can be different.

This category includes all lamps with the ability to adjust the brightness.

The simplest and most common variety is the so-called dimmable lamps. They are compatible with external regulators (dimmers), but they do not have their own control systems, and when installed in a luminaire without a dimmer, it is impossible to control the brightness of such a lamp. At the same time, such models are only slightly more expensive than non-dimmable counterparts.

A more advanced option are RGB LED lamps (see "Type") with remote controls (see below). In such models, brightness control is carried out using a built-in converter, and an external dimmer is not required; however, such equipment is expensive.

A remote control is included with the lamp.

The remote control, as the name suggests, allows you to control the lamp from a distance. At the same time, anyway, the lamp is responsible for turning the light on and off, and it makes no sense to provide this remote control in the lamp itself (it does in the lamp, but this is a separate issue). Accordingly, only advanced models with additional functions such as brightness adjustment (see above) and/or colour settings are equipped with remote controls; most of them apply to RGB LED lamps (see "Type").

Ability to control the lamp from a smartphone or other gadget, such as a tablet.

Models with this function are called smart lamps, they are, among other things, well suited for smart home systems. To communicate with the control gadget, such a lamp is equipped with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module, and a special application must be installed on the gadget. As a rule, such an application allows you to at least adjust the brightness, and in RGB models (see "Type") - also the color; however, additional features may be provided, including very unusual ones - for example, work in color music mode.

Apple HomeKit -enabled light bulbs are compatible with software used in Apple's smart home eco-system. First of all, thanks to this, the operation of the light source can be controlled from an iPhone, iPad / iPod or even a MacBook. The HomeKit application opens up fairly wide possibilities for setting up lighting modes, allowing the user to change the colour shade and intensity of the light bulb, programme its operating time, etc.

The device supports the ability to integrate with the Google Home smart home eco-system, as well as control from smartphones and tablets with the Android operating system. Using Google Home, you can easily and easily adjust the glow parameters: colour gradient, luminous flux, operating time, etc. Proprietary software allows you to create profiles with preset glow parameters — this can be a profile for workflow, relaxation, watching movies, etc. Distinctive A feature of the Google Home system is the presence of the Google Assistant voice assistant.

The light bulb is compatible with proprietary Xiaomi Smart Home software, thanks to which the device can be integrated into the Xiaomi smart home ecosystem. This opens up the possibility of remote lighting control, including creating a schedule for the light bulb and automating its actions, remotely changing the color gradient and luminous flux, voice control, etc. In addition, the light source can be closely interconnected with other Xiaomi Smart Home devices to create comprehensive control scenarios for the entire smart home.

The operation of light bulbs with voice assistant support can be controlled using voice commands. The most widely used voice assistants are Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Most often, the voice assistant interacts with the Smart bulb through a special application. This can be Google Home, Apple HomeKit, etc. That is, the user sends commands to the software on his portable computer/mobile device.

Model of the LED or LEDs used as luminous elements in lamps of the corresponding type (see above). In normal household use, this parameter does not play a decisive role; however, if the lamp is planned to be used for professional purposes, where it is important that the light is as close as possible to certain parameters, you can find its detailed characteristics by the name of the LED and determine how much they meet your requirements.

The energy efficiency class characterizes the economy of electricity consumption by a light bulb. Initially, classes were designated by simple Latin letters - from A (the most economical) to G (the most "gluttonous"). However, later improved classes A +, A ++ and A +++ appeared. The more "pluses", the more economical the light bulb in the end.

Energy class according to the new European standard applicable from 2021.

In general, the energy efficiency class indicates how economical a light bulb is compared to other models with similar characteristics. In the old system (current until 2021), the most energy efficient class was designated as "A+++"; however, the development of technology inevitably leads to the emergence of even more economical devices, for which even more "pluses" would have to be added. To simplify marking, it was decided to switch to a new notation system. That is, manufacturers returned to the previous indices from G to A, where A is the most energy efficient indicator. The new classes D, E, F and G, respectively, became the approximate equivalent of the old classes A+++, A++, A+ and A. At the same time, the requirements for class A in the new standard are very high, its achievement is still planned in the foreseeable future.

The service life of the light source claimed by the manufacturer is implied, during which the illuminator is able to generate the claimed brightness and temperature colour spectrum. It is believed that light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs have the longest service life — their working life can be 10,000 — 50,000 hours ( 50 years of operation), depending on the modification of the bulb. But this parameter cannot be regarded as a guarantee, since a lamp with an operating time of 25 years can work less, and maybe even more, than a lamp with a "life" of 30 or even 35 years. In second place are energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs that are capable of generating daylight — the service life of such is in the range of 2000 — 20,000 hours. The average service life of halogen bulbs is about 2000 — 4000 hours, but when the power supply is equipped with a soft start device, it can be almost doubled. In last place are classic incandescent bulbs, the service life of which is within 1000 hours.

The warranty period declared by the manufacturer or store for this model. During the warranty period, a failed light bulb can be replaced with a new one without any problems. For LED light bulbs , 2 years of warranty is a sign of average quality, 3 years and 5 years of warranty are attributes of quality products, 10 years of warranty is an indicator of the highest class.