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

Lighting Center Home | Recycling Kits | Varieties of Lamps | Varieties of Ballasts | Varieties of Fixtures

	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). Eachrequires a ballast to effectively start the lamp and regulate itsoperation. With fluorescent lamps, the amount and color of lightemitted depends on the type of phosphor coating applied to theinside of the lamp. The wide range of phosphors available makes it possible toproduce many different color tones (color temperatures) anddifferent levels of color quality (as defined by the Color RenderingIndex) to fit the needs of the specific application. Because of therelatively large surface areas, the light produced by fluorescentlamps is more diffuse and is far less directional than "pointsources" like incandescent, halogen, and HID lamps. All of thesequalities make fluorescent lamps excellent for general lighting,wall-washing and task lighting in retail, office, industrial, andresidential applications. > Search for Fluorescent Lamps
	Compact Fluorescent Lamps The GE Lighting line of compact fluorescent lamps represents amajor breakthrough in fluorescent technology. Because of theirsmaller diameters and folded configurations, compactfluorescents can provide high light output in much smaller sizesthan conventional linear fluorescent lamps. Available in a varietyof plug-in (separate ballast required) and built-in ballast designs,compact fluorescent lamps have led to the design of new-generationlight fixtures for a complete range of industrial andcommercial applications, and provide energy savings and longerlife replacements for incandescent lamps. In fact, compactfluorescent lamps can provide the same lumens as anincandescent lamp at nearly one-fourth the cost. > Search for Compact Fluorescent Lamps

T12 Lamps With
Reduced Mercury
From GE
> Learn more

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

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