FLUORESCENT LAMP

THIS IS A TUBULAR DISCHARGE LAMP IN WHICH IS PRODUCED BY THE

FLUORES-CENT OF PHOSPHORS COATING THE INSIDE OF THE TUBE. THIS LAMP IS
FIRST INTRO-DUCED IN 1937 AND IT IS CONSIDERED AS THE BEST AND MOST
WIDELY USED TYPE OF LAMP. IT COMES IN VARIETIES OF SIZES, WATTAGES,
COLORS, VLTAGES AND SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS.

PARTS OF INCANDESCENT LAMP

BASE BULB

GAS

MERCURY

PHOSPHOR

STEM PRESS CATHODE

LEAD-IN-WIRE EXHAUST
TUBE

DEFINITIONS
1. BASE
THIS IS THE PART THAT IS USED TO CONNECT THE LAMP TO THE ELECTRIC
CIRCUIT AND TO SUPPORT THE LAMP IN THE LAMPHOLDER.

2. MERCURY
THIS IS A MINUTE QUANTITY OF LIQUID MERCURY THAT IS PLACED IN THE
BULB TO FURNISH MERCURY VAPOR.

3. STEM PRESS
LEAD-IN-WIRES HAVE AN AIR TIGHT SEAL HERE AND ARE MADE OF DUMET
WIRE TO ASSURE ABOUT THE SAME COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION AS THE GLASS.

4. LEAD-IN-WIRE
THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE BASE PINS AND CARRY THE CURRENT TO AND
FROM THE CATHODES AND THE MERCURY ARC.

5. BULB
THIS IS USUALLY A STRAIGHT GLASS TUBE BUT IT CAN ALSO BE CIRCULAR OR
U-SHAPED.

6. GAS
THIS IS USUALLY ARGON OR A MIXTURE OF INERT GASSES AT LOW PRESSURE.
KRYPTON IS ALSO SOMETIMES USED.

7. PHOSPHOR
THIS IS THE COATING INSIDE THE BULB THAT TRANSFORMS ULTRAVIOLET
RADIATION INTO VISIBLE LIGHT. THE COLOR OF THE LIGHT THAT IS PRODUCED
WILL DEPEND ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE PHOSPHOR.

8. CATHODE
THE HOT CATHODE AT EACH END OF THE LAMP IS COATED WITH EMISSIVE
MATERIAL WHICH EMITS ELECTRICTRONS. IT IS USUALLY MADE OF COILED
COIL OR SINGLE COILED TUNGSTEN WIRE.

9. EXHAUST TUBE
THE AIR EXHAUSTED THROUGH THIS TUBE DURING MANUFACTURE AND INERT
GAS INTRODUCED INTO THE BULB.

FLUORESCENT LAMP CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO SHAPE

1. T BULB
 T BULB OR A TUBULAR BULB IS USED FOR INCANDESCNET, FLUORESCENT AND
HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE LAMPS.

2. CIRCLINE LAMP

THIS IS A DOUGHNUT SHAPED FLUORESCENT LAMP USED FOR CIRCULAR

LUMINAIRES.

3. U-BENT LAMP

THIS U-SHAPED FLUORESCENT LAMP IS USED FOR SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR

LUMINAIRE.

4. COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMP

THESE ARE ANY VARIOUS SMALL IMPROVED EFFICACY FLUOROSCENT LAMPS

HAVING A SINGLE, DOUBLE OR U-SHAPED TUBE AND ARE OFTEN AN ADAPTER
FOR FITTING AN INCANDESCENT LAMPHOLDER.

SHAPE AND SIZE OF FLUORESCENT LAMP

1. STRAIGHT LAMP

DESIGNATIO DIAMETER DIMENSIO WATTS CAP LUMINOUS

N N (mm) (W) FLUX LEVELS
 (lm)
T16 16/8” 549 14 G5 1200-1250
849 21 1900-1920
1149 28 2600-2640
1449 35 3300-3325
849 39 3100-3220
1449 49 3450-3700
1149 54 3550-3800
1449 80 6150-6550
T26 26/8” 590 18 G13 900-950
895 30 1920
970 36 2600
1500 58 3350-3670

2. CIRCLINE LAMP

LUMINOUS
DESIGNATIO DIMENSIO WATTS
DIAMETER CAP FLUX LEVELS
N N (mm) (W)
(lm)
T16-R 16/8” 225 22 2GX13 1800
300 40 3300
300 55 3990

3. COMPACT LAMP

DESIGNATIO DIMENSION LUMINOUS FLUX

WATTS (W) CAP
N (mm) LEVELS (lm)
TC-S 85 5 G23 250
115 7 400-425
145 9 600
215 11 900
TC-SEL 85 5 2G7 250-265
115 7 400-425
145 9 600
215 11 900

DESIGNATIO DIMENSION LUMINOUS FLUX

WATTS (W) CAP
N (mm) LEVELS (lm)
TC-D 95 10 G24d-1 600
130 13 900
150 18 G24d-2 1200
170 26 G24d-3 1800
TC-DEL 95 10 G24q-1 600
130 13 900
 150 18 G24q-2 1140
170 26 G24q-3 1710
TC-T 90 13 GX24d-1 900
110 18 GX24d-2 1200
130 26 GX24d-3 1800
TC-TEL 127 11 GR12q-1 810
90 13 900
127 14 1050
149 17 1250
110 18 GR12q-2 1200
130 26 GR12q-3 1800
145 32 2400
155 42 GR12q-4 3200
179 57 GR12q-5 4300
TC-L 225 18 2G11 950
320 24 1500
415 36 1750-2880
535 40 2950
535 55 4000

FLUORESCENT LAMP CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO

METHOD OF TUBE OPERATION

1. PRE-HEAT LAMP
THE ORIGINAL OR OLDER FLUORESCENT LAMP ARE OF THE PREHEATED DESIGN
WHERE THE CIRCUIT USED IS A SEPARATE STARTER. THE STARTER ENERGIZES
THE CATHODE WHEN THE LAMP CIRCUIT IS CLOSED AND AFTER A 2 TO 5
SECONDS DELAY, IT INITIATES A HIGH VOLTAGE ARC ACROSS THE LAMP
CAUSING IT TO START.

SPECIFICATIONS:
F 20 T 12 WW WHICH MEANS:
FLUORESCENT LAMP 20 WATTS,
TUBULAR SHAPED BULB 12/8” DIAMETER
WARM, WHITE

2. RAPID START LAMP

FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1952, THE RAPID START LAMP IS TYPICALLY THE SAME
CONS-TRUCTION AS THE PREHEAT LAMP AND THE BASIC DIFFERENCE IS THE
CIRCUITRY THAT ELIMINATES THE DELAY INHERENT IN PREHEAT CIRCUIT BY
CONSTANTLY KEE-PING THE CATHODES ENERGIZED OR PREHEATED.

SPECIFICATIONS:
F 48 T 12/CW/VHO WHICH MEANS:
FLUORESCENT, 49” LONG,
 TUBULAR 12/8” DIAMETER BULB
COOL WHITE, VERY HIGH OUTPUT (1500 mla)

3. INSTANT START FLUORESCENT LAMP

THIS TYPE OF FLUORESCENT LAMP WAS FIRST INTRODUCED ON 1944 AND THE
SLIM LAMP IS CONSIDERED AS THE BEST AMONG THE VARIETIES OF INSTANT
START FLUO-RESCENT LAMP. IT ONLY HAS 1 PIN AT EACH END ACTING AS A
SWITCH TO BREAK THE BALLAST CIRCUIT WHEN THE TUBE IS REMOVED. IT IS
MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS EFFICEINT THAN A RAPID START TYPE THAT IS
PREFERRED ON OUTDOOR INSTALLATIONS.

SPECIFICATIONS:
F 42 T 6 CW SLIM LINE WHICH MEANS:
FLUORESCENT, 42” LONG,
TUBULAR 6/8”, DIAMETER TUBE
COOL WHITE, INSTANT START

4. COLD CATHODE TUBE

THIS TYPE OF LAMP OFFERS A VERY LONG LIFE SERVICE COMPARED WITH THE
HOT CATHODE LAMP. IT IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE NUMBER OF STARTING OR
SWITCHING OF THE LAMP. IT HAS A LOWER OVERALL EFFICACY COMPARED TO
THE HOT CATHODE LAMP AND IS GENERALLY USED WHERE A LONG
CONTINUOUS BURNING IS REQUIRED.