Varieties of Lamps
This is a guide to help you better understand lamp type terminology.

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Incandescent Lamps Incandescent lamps are the most familiar type of light source, with countless applications in homes, stores, and other commercial settings. Passing electrical current through a thin wire filament, usually of tungsten, produces light. Their advantages include initial low cost, excellent color qualities, good optical control, and versatility. > Search for Incandescent Lamps Halogen Lamps Halogen lamps produce light by passing current through a thin wire filament, which operates at higher temperatures and in turn increases efficacy (LPW) by more than 20%. Color temperature is also higher, producing "whiter" light than standard incandescent lamps. Halogen lamps are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used effectively in a variety of applications, including accent and display lighting, car headlamps, and outdoor floodlighting. > Search for Halogen Lamps High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps The HID lamp relies on light emitted by a gas or vapor that has been excited by an electric current. A ballast is needed to start the lamp and regulate its operation. Discharge lamps have overwhelming energy efficiency advantages over incandescent sources. > Search for HID Lamps High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Lamps These HID lamps are highly efficient (up to 140 lumens per watt) and produce a warm, golden color. Excellent for roadway and floodlighting. > Search for High Pressure Sodium Lamps Metal Halide (MH) These HID lamps are also very efficient (up to 115 lumens per watt) and produce a crisp, white light with very good color rendering properties. They are best used in high quality outdoor lighting installations such as sports floodlighting and parking lots. > Search for Metal Halide Lamps Mercury Vapor Lamps As the oldest member of the HID family, these lamps are not as energy efficient as HPS or MH, and are used in landscape lighting and some interior applications where color quality is critical. > Search for Mercury Vapor Lamps Fluorescent Lamps Fluorescent lamps are low-pressure mercury discharge lamps, which are very energy efficient (up to 100 lumens per watt). Each requires a ballast to effectively start the lamp and regulate its operation. With fluorescent lamps, the amount and color of light emitted depends on the type of phosphor coating applied to the inside of the lamp. The wide range of phosphors available makes it possible to produce many different color tones (color temperatures) and different levels of color quality (as defined by the Color Rendering Index) to fit the needs of the specific application. Because of the relatively large surface areas, the light produced by fluorescent lamps is more diffuse and is far less directional than "point sources" like incandescent, halogen, and HID lamps. All of these qualities make fluorescent lamps excellent for general lighting, wall-washing and task lighting in retail, office, industrial, and residential applications. > Search for Fluorescent Lamps Compact Fluorescent Lamps The GE Lighting line of compact fluorescent lamps represents a major breakthrough in fluorescent technology. Because of their smaller diameters and folded configurations, compact fluorescents can provide high light output in much smaller sizes than conventional linear fluorescent lamps. Available in a variety of plug-in (separate ballast required) and built-in ballast designs, compact fluorescent lamps have led to the design of new-generation light fixtures for a complete range of industrial and commercial applications, and provide energy savings and longer life replacements for incandescent lamps. In fact, compact fluorescent lamps can provide the same lumens as an incandescent lamp at nearly one-fourth the cost. > Search for Compact Fluorescent Lamps