Fluorescent Lighting Myths Dispelled

By Stan O. Humphries, P.E.

In this series of articles I’ve noted when it is advantageous to use fluorescent lighting.  I’ve also noted when you might be at a disadvantage using fluorescent lighting.  In this article I want to familiarize you with what’s the latest in lighting technology and why fluorescent is being used more and more.  The three main myths to dispel are: The quality of light is inferior, the ballast is noisy and there is flicker when turned on and fluorescent fixtures cost much more than incandescent.  Lets look at each of these separately.

First, in previous articles, I’ve suggested that incandescent lighting provides the best quality lighting.  High quality light is normally described in terms of the color temperature and how well color is rendered by the artificial light source.  And incandescent does provide the best quality light.  On the other hand, fluorescent lighting can provide very high quality lighting also.  In recent years they have improved the fluorescent lighting technology to the extent that it is a very near equal to the quality of the incandescent lighting.  Further, most people would have a very hard time telling the difference between the two lighting sources.

One of the reasons fluorescent lighting has always gotten a bad wrap is that it started off as a very poor lighting source.  Originally the fluorescent light produced a very cold bluish light that turned your clothes a funny color.  That was thirty years ago.  Since then they have improved the technology immensely so that now you have a choice of color temperatures to choose from and some as warm as incandescent.  Also improved is the color rendition or how well the color in you clothes or building finishes look.  Fluorescent lighting technology is becoming the state of the art for a lot of lighting applications.  Incandescent lighting technology on the other hand hasn’t changed immensely over the last ten years.

The second myth of fluorescent lighting is noisy ballast and lamp flicker when turned on.  Again this deficiency of fluorescent lighting has been removed through improved technology.  Electronic ballasts have replaced magnetic ballasts.  These electronic ballasts provide quiet operation and immediate light with out flicker when turned on.

The last myth is in regard to the higher cost of a fluorescent fixture when compared to the incandescent.  This myth is no myth at all.  For a price comparison, a good quality incandescent downlight will cost $30, a good quality fluorescent downlight can cost as much as $100.  So the costs of the fluorescent light can be 2 or 3 times the cost or even more.  The reason fluorescent lighting is gaining popularity is that it is a better value than incandescent lighting.  Value meaning that the energy savings and maintenance savings of the fluorescent lamp justifies the additional costs.  In most commercial applications, a fluorescent fixture will of paid for itself within the first two years of operation.

The most improvement in lighting technology over the last ten years has been in fluorescent lighting.  Like any other technology it requires an investment and recognition that it will pay off in the short term let alone the long term.  Further, there are still low cost fluorescent fixtures on the market.  Review with your contractor or designer to make sure electronic ballasts are being specified and good quality lamps are being specified.  For commercial applications, you should have very few incandescent sources.  For residential applications, you’ll find it to your advantage to use fluorescent lighting sources at high use areas and areas that are hard to maintain.  Take a critical look at the lighting source.  Fluorescent lighting represents the cutting edge of technology.

As always if you want a copy of any of my past articles, please call.  Also call me if you have any lighting subjects that you’d like to see written about.

Stan Humphries is a lighting professional who is the president of the mechanical and electrical design firm, Architectural Engineering Consultants.  You can contact him at work, 970-748-8520, or via email at stanh@aec-vail.com .