Lamp

A lamp is an appliance, which produces light, along with some amount of heat (unwanted). Usually, there are two types of lamps; they are traditional oil lamps and electric lamps. Traditional oil lamps use oil to give light, whereas electric lamps consume electricity to provide light.

History of Lamp

The lamp was invented as early as 70,000 BC. In early days, before invention of an ideal lamp, the cavemen used to make fire with the help of animal fats inside the caves to illuminate them. After that, other oils/fuels were invented such as fish oil and veg. oil. Then, the usage of oil began for generating light and from that time, traditional oil lamps have been continuously used. In modern days, electric lamps were invented that consume electricity.

Different lamps are used for various applications. They are divided into following categories, based on the construction-

• Fluorescent,
• Incandescent,
• Light Emitting Diode (LED), and
• High Intensity Discharge (HID).

Coming to the incandescent lamp, it is very inexpensive but at the same time it is not that efficient. However, installation of this lamp is very easy; it has better color rendition, and the low cost is the biggest plus point.

In the case of low pressure sodium lamp, cost factor is the biggest downside. But, despite the fact that they are expensive, these bulbs are pretty efficient in converting energy to light. The remaining light sources fall between these two types of lamps.

Selecting the Right Lamp

In selecting lamp among the various choices, efficiency is the main consideration, followed by pricing, and lifespan. In most situations, a highly efficient light source can be replaced by a less efficient light source without any loss in color rendition and tank visibility. But, the overall annual operating and owning cost savings will help in cutting down the electric bills.

Here is the listing of lamps with the watts each can produce, and rated lifetime.

Type of Lamp Lamp Watts Rated Life Hours
Fluorescent 40.7 12-20,000
Incandescent 200 750
Self-Ballasted Mercury Vapor 450 1,600
Mercury vapor 400 16-24,000
High Pressure Sodium 400 20-24,000
Metal Halide 400 7.5-15,000
Low Pressure Sodium 180 18,000
LED Varied Varied

Some Interesting Facts on Bulbs and Lamps

How Incandescent Bulbs Are Developed

The glass corrals are developed by using a ribbon of hot glass, which is first solidified and then carried into molds to create the bulb forms. Then these enclosures are cooled, cut from the ribbon, and their inside portions are painted by using diffusing material, which provides the finished bulb with soft and white appearance.

The filament is created with the help of thin tungsten wire, which is made from tungsten. The dimensions of this wire are 0.0017 inches length, and 42 microns in diameter.

How one is safe while dealing with fluorescent and incandescence light bulbs?

Relatively, fluorescent tubes evolve little heat; so they are comparatively fire safe. In case of incandescent light bulbs, these are very hot. So, you have to be very careful while dealing with them. If you want to remove the bulb from holder, first switch off the light and wait for some time for all its heat to get dissipated. With the help of a cloth or any insulating material, hold the bulb gently and remove it from the holder.

For more information, follow this link: http://www.goiit.com/posts/list/community-shelf-some-interesting-facts-on-bulbs-and-lamps-918317.htm