Light Bulb Buying Guide

Light Bulb Buying Guide

Caravan Light Bulbs Explained

 

Incandescent:

These are the traditional light bulb shape light bulbs that have been commonly used in households for decades. They produce a warm light (approx 2700K), have a short lifespan and are not very energy efficient.

 

Halogen:

Have the traditional light bulb shape but are much smaller than the traditional incandescent. They are often used in bathroom lighting as they can get very hot, last up to 2000hrs (about 2 times longer than incandescent), and consume about 10% less energy.

 

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs):

Resembling twisted white tubing, these are the most commonly used energy efficient globe style light bulbs in modern day homes. Traditionally they could flicker and often took a while to reach full brightness, however these problems continue to improve with constant technological developments. They produce a soft white light, can last up to 10,000hrs (10 times longer than incandescents), and consume about 75% less energy than incandescents.

 

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs):

Feature either a half globe or flat surface with many tiny bulbs backed by a tapered cage that houses the diodes. They produce a direct white light (more like a spotlight, making them a popular selection for downlights), last up to 20,000hrs (about 10yrs - making them a popular selection for hard to get to locations), and consume about 80% less energy than incandescents.

 

Watts, Lumens & Kelvin

 

Watts (W) = Energy Used

Lumens (lm) = Brightness of Light

Kelvin (K) = Light Bulb Colour Temperature

 

 Wattage Comparison For Equivalent Bulb Brightness 

 

450lm = 40W Incandescent = 29W Halogen = 9-13W CFLs = 4-5W LEDs

800lm = 60W Incandescent = 43W Halogen = 13-16W CFLs = 6-8W LEDs

1100lm = 75W Incandescent = 53W Halogen = 17-23W CFLs = 9-11W LEDs

1600lm = 100W Incandescent = 72W Halogen = 23-30W CFLs = 11-15W LEDs

 

Typical Kelvin Light Bulb Colour Temperatures

 

2700-3000K: Warm White - traditionally used in the home

3500-4100K: Cool White - traditionally used in work spaces

5000-6500K: Daylight - traditionally used outdoors or for reading

 

 

 

 


DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.


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