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ARE YOU AWARE OF THE LIGHT-BULB BAN?
New European Union Legislation Comes Into Effect From 1st Sept. 2009

From 1st September 2009, the manufacture of many popular light bulbs will be banned under the EuP Directive and they will become unavailable when current stocks are depleted.

The legislation bans the manufacture of all non-clear (eg. pearl, opal & frosted) filament lamps regardless of wattage or shape, plus clear filament lamps 100 watts or above. In addition, all non-reflector lamps over 75 watts are also going to be banned. The types of lamps affected are GLS, Candle, 45mm Round, 95mm Globe, Halogen & Tungsten Halogen.

Netlamps.co.uk continue to hold stocks of all affected lamps, however, all manufacturers will exhaust their stocks in due course and are already charging a premium as the supply comes to an end. We suggest now is a good time to look at alternatives for these lamps and offer a large range of energy-efficient replacements to cover all types of the affected lamps.

LIGHT BULBS

Light bulbs have a very simple structure. At the base, they have two metal contacts, which connect to the ends of an electrical circuit. The metal contacts are attached to two stiff wires, which are attached to a thin metal filament. The filament sits in the middle of the bulb, held up by a glass mount. The wires and the filament are housed in a glass bulb, which is filled with an inert gas, such as argon.

When the bulb is hooked up to a power supply, an electric current flows from one contact to the other, through the wires and the filament. Electric current in a solid conductor is the mass movement of free electrons (electrons that are not tightly bound to an atom) from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area.

As the electrons zip along through the filament, they are constantly bumping into the atoms that make up the filament. The energy of each impact vibrates an atom -- in other words, the current heats the atoms up. A thinner conductor heats up more easily than a thicker conductor because it is more resistant to the movement of electrons.

Bound electrons in the vibrating atoms may be boosted temporarily to a higher energy level. When they fall back to their normal levels, the electrons release the extra energy in the form of photons. Metal atoms release mostly infrared light photons, which are invisible to the human eye. But if they are heated to a high enough level -- around 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,200 degrees C) in the case of a light bulb -- they will emit a good deal of visible light.

The filament in a light bulb is made of a long, incredibly thin length of tungsten metal. In a typical 60-watt bulb, the tungsten filament is about 6.5 feet (2 meters) long but only one-hundredth of an inch thick. The tungsten is arranged in a double coil in order to fit it all in a small space. That is, the filament is wound up to make one coil, and then this coil is wound to make a larger coil. In a 60-watt bulb, the coil is less than an inch long. Tungsten is used in nearly all incandescent light bulbs because it is an ideal filament material.

Most metals will actually melt before reaching such extreme temperatures -- the vibration will break apart the rigid structural bonds between the atoms so that the material becomes a liquid. Light bulbs are manufactured with tungsten filaments because tungsten has an abnormally high melting temperature. But tungsten will catch on fire at such high temperatures, if the conditions are right. Combustion is caused by a reaction between two chemicals, which is set off when one of the chemicals has reached its ignition temperature. On Earth, combustion is usually a reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and some heated material, but other combinations of chemicals will combust as well. The filament in a light bulb is housed in a sealed, oxygen-free chamber to prevent combustion. In the first light bulbs, all the air was sucked out of the bulb to create a near vacuum -- an area with no matter in it. Since there wasn't any gaseous matter present (or hardly any), the material could not combust.

The problem with this approach was the evaporation of the tungsten atoms. At such extreme temperatures, the occasional tungsten atom vibrates enough to detach from the atoms around it and flies into the air. In a vacuum bulb, free tungsten atoms shoot out in a straight line and collect on the inside of the glass. As more and more atoms evaporate, the filament starts to disintegrate, and the glass starts to get darker. This reduces the life of the bulb considerably.

In a modern light bulb, inert gases, typically argon, greatly reduce this loss of tungsten. When a tungsten atom evaporates, chances are it will collide with an argon atom and bounce right back toward the filament, where it will rejoin the solid structure. Since inert gases normally don't react with other elements, there is no chance of the elements combining in a combustion reaction.

Cheap, effective and easy-to-use, the light bulb has proved a monstrous success. It is still the most popular method of bringing light indoors and extending the day after sundown. But by all indications, it will eventually give way to more advanced technologies, because it isn't very efficient.

Incandescent light bulbs give off most of their energy in the form of heat-carrying infrared light photons -- only about 10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum. This wastes a lot of electricity. Cool light sources, such as fluorescent lamps and LEDs, don't waste a lot of energy generating heat -- they give off mostly visible light. For this reason, they are slowly edging out the old reliable light bulb.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - General Lamps

PAR LAMPS

A parabolic aluminized reflector luminare, or PAR light, is a stage lighting fixture widely used in theatre, concerts and motion picture production when a substantial amount of flat lighting is required for a scene. They are nearly identical in principle to the old-style sealed beam automobile headlight. They are frequently used in patterns of multiple lights such as 3 by 3 (known as a "nine light") when large areas are to be lit. In situations where sunlight or other specular light is available, a white foam reflector is often used to accomplish the same effect as a PAR array.

PAR lights possess a lens and reflector that are integral parts of the lamp, the position of which cannot be altered relative to the filament. A notable exception is ETC's Source Four PAR, which uses the same halogen lamp as their Source Four ERS. In this case, the lens is a separate piece from the lamp. The relative position of lamp and lens remains unalterable. In PAR 64s, Raylite reflectors and two pin base lamps are often used as a cheaper alternative as the lamp is replaced but the reflector remains. Lamps such as the 500 watt A1/244 can be as much as half the price of the sealed beam units. Narrow, medium and wide Raylite refectors are quite readily available. The two-blade (pin) Mogul lamp connector need not be replaced — this is integral to the Raylite reflector, Although some Raylite reflectors have "tails" which then require connection to the mains flex with the use of a ceramic connector block (ideally fixed to the can's body).

The sealed beam lamp produces an intense oval pool of light with unfocused edges. The only focus adjustment is a knob that allows the lamp/lens unit to be rotated within its casing, thus changing the orientation of the oval. With some models this control is via the mogul ceramic connector which connects directly to the Mogul prongs of the lamp. With the SourceFour PAR, the interchangeable lens is what is rotated. The type of lamp may be changed, and options include extra-wide flood (XWFL), wide flood (WFL), medium flood (MFL), narrow spot (NSP), and very narrow spot (VNSP). These types of instruments come in varying diameters, the most common being designated PAR56 and PAR64. The number indicates the diameter of the housing in eighths of an inch (so a PAR64 is eight inches (~20 cm) in diameter).

PAR lights are often used in theatrical or live music shows. Commonly they are used to generate colours by fitting them with colored sheets called gels. The cans are arranged into rows of different colours and identical rows placed on different sides of the stage. Due to their affordability, they are ideal for color washes in several different colours. However, because of the lack of control over the beam diameter, shape and sharpness, PARs are rarely used as front of house lights or general wash lights but can be used for special effect lighting such as lighting from directly above or from extreme angles. If used cleverly, par cans can provide low budget productions with good effects.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Entertainment Lamps

FLUORESCENT LAMPS

A fluorescent lamp or fluorescent tube is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapor. The excited mercury atoms produce short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light.

Unlike incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps always require a ballast to regulate the flow of power through the lamp. However, a fluorescent lamp converts electrical power into useful light more efficiently than an incandescent lamp; lower energy costs offsets the higher initial cost of the lamp. While larger fluorescent lamps have been mostly used in large commercial or institutional buildings, the compact fluorescent lamp is now being used as an energy-saving alternative to incandescent lamps in homes. Compared with incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps use less power for the same amount of light, generally last longer, but are bulkier, more complex, and more expensive than a comparable incandescent lamp.

A fluorescent lamp tube is filled with a gas containing low pressure mercury vapor and argon, xenon, neon, or krypton. The pressure inside the lamp is around 0.3% of atmospheric pressure. The inner surface of the bulb is coated with a fluorescent (and often slightly phosphorescent) coating made of varying blends of metallic and rare-earth phosphor salts. The bulb's cathode is typically made of coiled tungsten which is coated with a mixture of barium, strontium and calcium oxides (chosen to have a relatively low thermionic emission temperature).

Fluorescent lamp tubes are typically straight and range in length from about 4 inches (100 mm) (miniature lamps) to 8 feet (2400 mm), for high-output lamps. Some lamps have the tube bent into a circle, used for table lamps or other places where a more compact light source is desired. Larger U-shaped lamps are used to provide the same amount of light in a more compact area, and are used for special architectural purposes. Compact fluorescent lamps have several small-diameter tubes joined in a bundle of two, three, or four, or a small diameter tube coiled into a spiral, to provide a high amount of light output in little volume.

The mercury atoms in the fluorescent tube must be ionized before the arc can "strike" within the tube. For small lamps, it does not take much voltage to strike the arc and starting the lamp presents no problem, but larger tubes require a substantial voltage (in the range of a thousand volts).

Preheat lamps use a combination filament/cathode at each end of the lamp in conjunction with a mechanical or automatic switch that initially connect the filaments in series with the ballast and thereby preheat the filaments prior to striking the arc. These systems are standard equipment in 240 V countries (and for 120 V lamps up to about 30 watts), and generally use a glow starter. Before the 1960s, four-pin thermal starters and manual switches were also used. Electronic starters are also sometimes used with these electromagnetic ballast lamp fittings. An automatic glow starter consists of a small gas-discharge tube, containing neon and/or argon and fitted with a bi-metallic electrode. The special bi-metallic electrode is the key to the automatic starting mechanism. When starting the lamp, a glow discharge will appear over the electrodes of the starter. This glow discharge will heat the gas in the starter and cause the bi-metallic electrode to bend towards the other electrode. When the electrodes touch, the two filaments of the fluorescent lamp and the ballast will effectively be switched in series to the supply voltage. This causes the filaments to glow and emit electrons into the gas column by thermionic emission. In the starter's tube, the touching electrodes have stopped the glow discharge, causing the gas to cool down again. The bi-metallic electrode also cools down and starts to move back. When the electrodes separate, the inductive kick from the ballast provides the high voltage to start the lamp. The starter additionally has a capacitor wired in parallel to its gas-discharge tube, in order to prolong the electrode life. Once the tube is struck, the impinging main discharge then keeps the filament/cathode hot, permitting continued emission without the need for the starter to close. The starter does not close again because the voltage across the starter is reduced by the resistance in the filaments and ballast. The glow discharge in the starter is sensitive to voltage and will not happen at the lower voltage so it will not warm and thus close the starter. Tube strike is reliable in these systems, but glow starters will often cycle a few times before letting the tube stay lit, which causes undesirable flashing during starting. (The older thermal starters behaved better in this respect.) If the tube fails to strike, or strikes but then extinguishes, the starting sequence is repeated. With automated starters such as glowstarters, a failing tube will thus cycle endlessly, flashing as the starter repeatedly starts the worn-out lamp, and the lamp then quickly goes out as emission is insufficient to keep the cathodes hot, and lamp current is too low to keep the glowstarter open. This causes flickering, and runs the ballast at above design temperature. Some more advanced starters time out in this situation, and do not attempt repeated starts until power is reset. Some older systems used a thermal overcurrent trip to detect repeated starting attempts. These require manual reset.

In some cases, a high voltage is applied directly: instant start fluorescent tubes simply use a high enough voltage to break down the gas and mercury column and thereby start arc conduction. These tubes can be identified by a single pin at each end of the tube, and the lampholders that they fit into having a "disconnect" socket at the low-voltage end to ensure that the mains current is automatically removed so that a person replacing the lamp cannot receive a high-voltage electric shock.

Newer rapid start ballast designs provide filament power windings within the ballast; these rapidly and continuously warm the filaments/cathodes using low-voltage AC. No inductive voltage spike is produced for starting, so the lamps must be mounted near a grounded (earthed) reflector to allow the glow discharge to propagate through the tube and initiate the arc discharge. In some lamps a "starting aid" strip of grounded metal is attached to the outside of the lamp glass.

Electronic ballasts often revert to a style in-between the preheat and rapid-start styles: a capacitor (or sometimes an autodisconnecting circuit) may complete the circuit between the two filaments, providing filament preheating. When the tube lights, the voltage and frequency across the tube and capacitor typically both drop, thus capacitor current falls to a low but non-zero value. Generally this capacitor and the inductor, which provides current limiting in normal operation, form a resonant circuit, increasing the voltage across the lamp so it can easily start.

Some electronic ballasts use programmed start. The output AC frequency is started above the resonance frequency of the output circuit of the ballast; and after the filaments are heated, the frequency is rapidly decreased. If the frequency approaches the resonant frequency of the ballast, the output voltage will increase so much that the lamp will ignite. If the lamp does not ignite, an electronic circuit stops the operation of the ballast.

Since introduction in the 1990s, high frequency ballasts have been used with either rapid start or pre-heat lamps. These ballasts convert the incoming power to an output frequency in excess of 20 kHz. This increases lamp efficiency. These are used in several applications, including new generation tanning lamp systems, whereby a 100 watt lamp (e.g., F71T12BP) can be lighted using 65 to 70 watts of actual power while obtaining the same lumens as magnetic ballasts. These ballasts operate with voltages that can be almost 600 volts, requiring some consideration in housing design, and can cause a minor limitation in the length of the wire leads from the ballast to the lamp ends.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Fluorescent Tubes

SINGLE ENDED HALOGEN CAPSULE - M32/M74

The earliest tungsten halogen lamps were available only in the form of a linear quartz tube, pinched closed at both ends and containing an axial filament. While this arrangement was perfectly suitable for large area floodlights, they lacked the point-like nature of conventional incandescent lamps. Additionally, the manufacturing process required the fabrication of two glass-to-metal seals, which were rather difficult and expensive to form at this time.

In 1961 H.G. Jenkins, working at the Hirst Laboratories of the General Electric Company in Wembley, presented a new direction in halogen lamps with his Single Ended concept. By pinching both tails of the filament into one single seal the contruction was greatly simplified, and the introduction of a low voltage filament made the lamp remarkably compact. The first commercial lamp was the type A1/215 (FCR), a 24V 250W capsule intended for slide projection applications.

While the GEC quickly expanded its range to offer miniature halogen capsules to replace a number of photographic and projector lamps, another pioneer, Thorn Lighting, recognised the potential for these capsules in general lighting mass markets. The single ended concept was ably exploited by Alex Halberstadt of the Enfield laboratories, and Thorn's first product was the 12V 50W capsule featured here.

Thorn had introduced a few years earlier a number of accent & display luminaires using 12V incandescent reflector lamps, offering tremendous performance increases over mains volt reflector lamps thanks to the higher efficacy and smaller size of the low volt filaments. It was quick to build new luminaires around its 12V 50W halogen capsule, which became very popular in the UK from the early 1970s. Low voltage halogen has since become a global standard for interior accent and display lighting, spurred on by GE's later invention of the lamps with integrated dichroic reflector.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Capsule Lamps

PHILIPS MASTERCOLOUR CDM-T 35W / 83

In the Autumn of 1994 Philips unveiled a radically new kind of light source, and announced the first successful design of metal halide lamp employing a ceramic arc tube. This 35W single ended product was the first to market.

Ceramics have several advantages over quartz as an arc tube material, most notably that they can better withstand the corrosive nature of the metal halide salts. Thus the arc tube wall temperature can be raised, bringing with it an increase in the vapour pressures of the halides and a consequent gain in luminous efficacy. Colour rendering properties are also improved. Colour stability from lamp-to-lamp is enhanced in this high temperature state, and the greater consistency in shape of the ceramic tubes also minimises colour variations.

The lamp was made a commercial success by mastering a new kind of seal technology. Niobium is the traditional seal in ceramic lamps, but it is vigorously attacked by the halides and is unsuitable for a metal halide lamp. Thorn's earlier design, the TSH lamp , employed halide-resistant cermet seals but the frit was only semi-resistant, and had to be kept so cold that full lamp performance could not be achieved. The Philips Protruding Plug concept is employed in this arc tube, a further development of the White SON lamp. The seals are made to niobium wires in narrow capillaries, some distance from the arctube to keep the temperature down, and so narrow that the halide remains in the hot arc tube body. The niobium is welded to a short molybdenum piece, the join being also frit sealed, making the seal fully halide resistant. To prevent cracking due to the different thermal expansion coefficient of moly, it takes the form of thin wire spiralled over a central rod which acts as a successful stress relief mechanism.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Metal Halide Lamps

METAL HALIDE LAMPS

Metal halide lamps, a member of the high-intensity discharge (HID) family of lamps, produce high light output for their size, making them a compact, powerful, and efficient light source. Originally created in the late 1960's for industrial use, metal halide lamps are now available in numerous sizes and configurations for commercial and residential applications. Like most HID lamps, metal halide lamps operate under high pressure and temperature, and require special fixtures to operate safely. They are also considered a "point" light source, so reflective luminaires are often required to concentrate the light for purposes of the lighting application.

Metal halide lamps consist of the following main components. They have a metal base (in some cases they are double-ended) that allows an electrical connection. They are covered with an outer glass shield (or glass bulb) to protect the inner components and provide a shield to UV light generated by the mercury vapor. Inside the glass shield, a series of support and lead wires hold the inner fused quartz arc tube and its embedded tungsten electrodes. It is within the arc tube that the light is actually created. Besides the mercury vapor, the lamp contains iodides or sometimes bromides of different metals and noble gas. The composition of the metals used defines the color of the lamp.

Instead of the quartz tube used in mercury vapour lamps, many metal halide types have an alumina arc tube similar to the high pressure sodium lamp. They are usually referred as ceramic metal halide or CMH.

Some bulbs have a phosphor coating on the inner side of the outer bulb to improve the spectrum and diffuse the light.

Metal halide lamps require electrical ballasts to regulate the arc current flow and deliver the proper voltage to the arc. Probe start metal halide bulbs contain a special 'starting' electrode within the lamp to initiate the arc when the lamp is first lit (which generates a slight flicker when the lamp is first turned on). Pulse start metal halide lamps do not require a starting electrode, and instead use a special starting circuit referred to as an ignitor to generate a high-voltage pulse to the operating electrodes. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) lamp-ballast system standards establish parameters for all metal halide components (with the exception of some newer products).

A few electronic ballasts are now available for metal halide lamps. The benefit of these ballasts is more precise management of the lamp's wattage, which provides more consistent color and longer lamp life. In some cases, electronic ballasts are reported to increase efficiency (i.e. reduce electrical usage). However with few exceptions, high-frequency operation does not increase lamp efficiency as in the case of high-output (HO) or very high-output (VHO) fluorescent bulbs. High frequency electronic operation does however allow for specially designed dimming metal halide ballast systems.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Metal Halide Lamps

L.E.D. LAMPS

A LED lamp is a type of solid state lighting (SSL) that utilizes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of illumination rather than electrical filaments or gas.

LED lamps (also called LED bars or Illuminators) are usually clusters of LEDs in a suitable housing. They come in different shapes, including the standard light bulb shape with a large E27 Edison screw and MR16 shape with a bi-pin base. Other models might have a small Edison E14 fitting, GU5.3 (Bipin cap) or GU10 (bayonet socket). This includes low voltage (typically 12 V halogen-like) varieties and replacements for regular AC mains (120-240 V AC) lighting. Currently the latter are less widely available but this is changing rapidly.

The phenomenon of solid state junctions producing light was discovered in the crystal detector era. In the 1960s commercial red LEDs became available, and by the 1970s these were in widespread use as indicators in a very wide range of equipment. These early LEDs had much too small an output to be useful as lighting. They replaced the previously widely used indicator types of filament lamps and neons. Compared to neons, indicator LEDs have longer lifetimes and run on lower voltage; compared to underrun miniature filament lamps, indicator LEDs have much longer lifetimes, such that they do not require replacement, and consume less power. The lack of need for replacement also eliminates the need for bulb sockets and a user access port.

Commercial amber (yellow) and orange LEDs followed, and were used where differentiation of multiple LEDs was required. For many years LEDs came in infra-red, red, orange, yellow, and green. Blue, cyan, and violet LEDs finally appeared in the 1990s.

To produce a white SSL device, a blue LED was needed. In 1993, Shuji Nakamura of Nichia Corporation came up with a blue LED using gallium nitride (GaN). With this invention, it was now possible to create white light by combining the light of separate LEDs (red, green, and blue), or by placing a blue LED in a package with an internal light converting phosphor. With the phosphor type, some of the blue output becomes either yellow or red and green with the result that the LED light emission appears white to the human eye.

LEDs come in multiple colors, which are produced without the need for filters. A white SSL can be comprised of a single high-power LED, multiple white LEDs, or from LEDs of different colors mixed to produce white light. The inherent advantages and disadvantages of SSL are currently the same as those of a LED. Advantages include:
High efficiency - LEDs are now available that reliably offer over 100 lumens from a one-watt device, or much higher outputs at higher drive currents
Small size - provides design flexibility, arranged in rows, rings, clusters, or individual points
High durability - no filament or tube to break
Life span - in properly engineered lamps, LEDs can last 50,000 - 60,000 hours
Full dimmability – unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs can be dimmed using pulse-width modulation (PWM - turning the light on and off very quickly at varying intervals). This also allows full color mixing in lamps with LEDs of different colors.
Mercury-free - unlike fluorescent and most HID technologies, LEDs contain no hazardous mercury or halogen gases

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - L.E.D. Lamps

HISTORY OF THE LIGHT BULB

In addressing the question "Who invented the incandescent lamp?" historians Robert Friedel and Paul Israel list 22 inventors of incandescent lamps prior to Swan and Edison.

They conclude that Edison's version was able to outstrip the others because of a combination of factors: an effective incandescent material, a higher vacuum than others were able to achieve and a high resistance lamp that made power distribution from a centralized source economically viable.

Another historian, Thomas Hughes, has attributed Edison's success to the fact that he invented an entire, integrated system of electric lighting. "The lamp was a small component in his system of electric lighting, and no more critical to its effective functioning than the Edison Jumbo generator, the Edison main and feeder, and the parallel-distribution system. Other inventors with generators and incandescent lamps, and with comparable ingenuity and excellence, have long been forgotten because their creators did not preside over their introduction in a system of lighting."

Incandescent light bulbs consist of a glass enclosure which is filled with an inert gas to reduce evaporation of the filament. Inside the bulb is a filament of tungsten wire, through which an electric current is passed. The current heats the filament to an extremely high temperature (typically 2000 K to 3300 K depending on the filament type, shape, size, and amount of current passed through). The heated filament emits light that approximates a continuous spectrum. The useful part of the emitted energy is visible light, but most energy is given off in the near-infrared wavelengths.

Incandescent light bulbs usually contain a glass mount, which supports the filament lead wires and allows the electrical contacts to run through the envelope without gas/air leaks. Many arrangements of electrical contacts are used. Large lamps may have a screw base (one or more contacts at the tip, one at the shell) or a bayonet base (one or more contacts on the base, shell used as a contact or used only as a mechanical support). Some tubular lamps have an electrical contact at either end. Miniature lamps may have a wedge base and wire contacts, and some automotive and special purpose lamps have screw terminals for connection to wires. Contacts in the lamp socket allow the electric current to pass through the base to the filament. Power ratings range from about 0.1 watt to about 10,000 watts.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - General Lamps

ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING - BACKGROUND FACTS

Lighting consumes 14% of all electricity within the European Union.

Lighting consumes 19% of all electricity in the world.

There has been a revolution in lighting technology during the past 10-15 years. Switching the older lighting to the latest technology will bring huge savings in energy costs and CO2 emisssions.

Approximately 2/3 of all lighting currently installed in the EU is based on older, less energy efficient technology (developed before 1970).

Our current changeover rate to new lighting technologies is simply too slow (eg. for street lighting the changeover rate is 3% per year, for office lighting 7%). Therefore, action is required to help speed up this rate of change.

A realistic energy saving of 20% on all the lighting currently installed globally would save £40 billion, this equates to 296 million tonnes of CO2.

Approximately 1/3 of Europe's roads and motorways are still lit using cheap, inefficient 1960's technology (mercury vapour lamps)

Some countries (eg. Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg,UK) use far less mercury vapour lamps than others (eg. Germany, Italy, Spain). The 35 million outdated mercury vapour lamps still in use consume twice as much electricity as necessary and create a cost burden both for local authorities & tax payers, while producing high CO2 emissions.

Current change over rates are running at 3% per year. This means that it will take more than 30 years for the full financial and environmental benefits to be realised. This is simply too slow.

City councils would save over £1 billion in energy costs per year by switching from mercury lamps to the latest road lighting technology such as Ceramic Metal Halide lamps (non-retrofit). This equates to 3.5 million tonnes of CO2.

New research has revealed that more than 75% of Europe's office lighting is based on outdated and energy inefficient lighting systems which do not comply with the EU quality standards for offices.

Massive energy cost savings of more than £1.5 billion per year are now available to both public authorities and private business owners across Europe who upgrade their lighting to more modern technolgy. Today only 1% of office lighting uses lighting controls (presence detection & daylight control). An additional £2.5 billion in energy cost savings can be achieved. This equates to 8 million tonnes of CO2.

The latest fluorescent lamps use extremely low levels of hazardous substances. The latest lamp & gear technology is up to 40% smaller and lighter than its predecessors. This means less raw materials are needed to create new fittings or luminaires. This also means less transport is needed to move products, saving CO2 emissions.

Figures show that around 2 billion incandescent lamps were sold within the EU in 2005. Of these lamps almost 3/4 are used in the home, but a massive 550 million are still sold to commercial & professional applications. By simply switching these incandescent lamps over to other energy saving lighting technologies (and achieving a realistic average saving of 50%) the EU could save £4 - £6 billion per year in energy costs, this equates to 20 million tonnes of CO2.

Figures show that approx. 75% of all the lighting used in the EU industry sector are based on older less energy efficicent lighting technologies. Energy cost savings of £500 million per year could realistically be achieved by upgrading to new energy saving technologies, this equates to 2.7 million tonnes of CO2.

Barriers to changing over to energy efficient lamps include:
- lack of knowledge & awareness
- lighting is low interest
- people don't see the electricity costs of lighting
- often, decision makers are not lighting experts
- initial investment costs

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Energy Saving Lamps

PHILIPS COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS (NON INTEGRATED)

For well over a century, Philips has successfully introduced innovative lamps and lighting systems for both indoor and outdoor applications. Our range of PL lamps (Compact Fluorescent) are energy efficient and long-lasting, which means you can now enjoy outstanding performance with more light and less impact on the environment.

One of the biggest technical innovations for PL lamps has been the Philips bridge technology. By changing the position of the bridge between the limbs of the lamps, Philips MASTER PL lamps provide more and brighter light in most common applications.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Compact Fluorescent Lamps

PHILIPS COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS (WITH INTEGRATED CONTROL GEAR)

Philips invented the compact fluorescent lamp and in 20 years they have become more efficient, lifetime reliable and smaller.

Features
• Use 80% less energy, reducing greenhouse gases and saving on energy bills
• Last 10 to 15 times longer, reducing the number of replacement lamps required and saving on the amount of final waste
• Provide same warm light, but with considerably less heat
• Lower the total lighting cost

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Energy Saving Lamps

PHILIPS MASTER FLUORESCENT LAMPS

Philips invented the T5 fluorescent concept in the 1990s, making Philips MASTER TL5 lamps the original 16 mm lamps. They are now tried, tested and proven in countless installations. It has always made sense to recommend the original, but now the original is even better because you can choose different types to perfectly answer your needs. Moreover, we offer a large portfolio in MASTER TL5 and TL-D lamps.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Fluorescent Tubes

PHILIPS MASTER COLOUR CDM LAMPS

Philips MASTERColour CDM lamps offer unrivalled light quality. Its crisp, white light gives merchandise – and especially clothing, footwear and fashion accessories – an added vibrancy. Colour reproduction is exceptional. Reds are deep and luxurious, yellows become brighter and warmer, while blues and greens are extremely vivid.The texture of materials is also enhanced and accentuated. Philips MASTERColour CDM lamps maintain their excellent colour stability.

The fashion industry never stands still; new developments are taking place all the time. The same applies to lighting. Philips are constantly evaluating what their product offer so they can create an even more satisfying experience for end-users. An extension of the MASTERColour family, Elite lamps naturally have all the characteristics which have proved so popular, such as stable colour temperature, crisp, white light and reduced heat generation.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Colour Lamps

PHILIPS HALOGEN LAMPS

Halogen lamps can provide brilliant, contrast-rich light.This contributes to creating just the right ambience for every need.Whatever the purpose, Philips halogen lamps will add the touch of brilliance that makes all the difference.

Their rich variety of halogen lamps outperforms standard incandescent lamps in terms of lifetime and energy efficiency.The quality of the light remains constant for the lifetime of the lamp. Moreover, their halogen lamps provide widespread, soft, shadow-free illumination or sharply defined narrow beams and can be dimmed to adjust the lighting level to your every need. Whether for mood setting in the home, in restaurants and hotels, or for general-purpose and accent lighting of merchandise in shops, halogen light is the ideal solution.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Halogen Lamps

FLUORESCENT TUBES

The key benefits of fluorescent tubes are well known - proven energy efficiency, long life and a wide choice of sizes, shapes and colours.
The introduction of improved phosphor coatings, the more efficient T8 tubes and the new generation of T5 tubes have brought significant improvements in lamp efficacy and colour rendering, lumen maintenance and life.
Our suppliers have always been at the forefront of these developments, and in caring for the environment, by continually introducing innovative products and improvements in lamp manufacture, technology and performance.
We offer a comprehensive range of high efficiency fluorescent tubes in various lengths, diameters, wattages and colours, including tubes for specialist applications.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Fluorescent Tubes

COLOUR LAMPS

Our coloured lamps have a heat resistant coating applied internally ensuring colour durability, unlike many externally coated lamps currently available. They provide strong bright colours and value for money for applications such as decorative garlands, christmas trees and other festive & party aplications.

Colour lamps are available in many types including GLS, Round 45mm, Reflector, Par 38, Pygmy, Low Voltage Dichroic 12v, GU10 & LED lamps.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Colour Lamps

HALOGEN LAMPS

Halogen light is distinguished by its brilliance and its perfect use for both general and accent lighting. It provides contrast rich and lively illumination of spaces and promotes active and creative work. Under halogen lighting colours seem fresher and highly-reflective objects of chromium, crystal and silver radiate a particularly attractive sheen.

The many available types of lamps offer the freedom to create individual lighting solutions in different sizes, colours and with or without reflector. Main application areas, like fashion shops and hotels choose halogen for its perfect sparkling light, best colour and pleasant ambience. They can provide widespread, soft, shadow-free illumination or sharply-defined, narrow beams for many varieties of lighting and thus generate creative and personal accents. Compared with incandescent lamps, halogen lamps have a slightly higher colour temperature giving the light a fresh and crisp appearance.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Halogen Lamps

GENERAL LAMPS

Incandescent lamps, with a typical average rated life of 1000 hours, are still widely used throughout the world in commercial and domestic lighting applications.

Research shows on-going improvements in lamp performance and the introduction of new shapes and colour tones is stimulating user purchases. As a result, general lamps are undergoing continual development and improvement leading to better lens and reflector designs, more efficient filaments, gas fillings and infrared reflective coating.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - General Lamps

ENERGY EFFICIENT LAMPS

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL's) have been in the market for a long time. Interest in the these lamps has increased dramatically over recent years mainly because of the negative environmental issues associated with more conventional light sources.

The pressure on everyone to reduce energy costs has now become a global issue and already governments around the world have started to put in place legislation which will ultimately see the demise of old technology lamps.

All of the leading lamp manufacturers have invested millions of pounds into improving the quality and performance of their CFL's overcoming some of the problems associated with the first CFL's that came onto the market. Now CFL's work efficiently in a wider ambient temperature range, they last longer, they do not flicker - in fact CFL's can be used in almost any domestic or commercial lighting application.

Couple this with the low running and maintenance cost, CFL's have become the lamp of today and the future.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Energy Saving Lamps

QUICK START ENERGY SAVING LAMPS NOW AVAILABLE

Mini-Lynx Fast Start is a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) with its own self-contained control ballast within the base. This means that Mini-Lynx Fast Start can be used as a direct retro fit for less efficient incandescent light bulbs with E14, E27 or B22 lamps.

The complete range can be viewed by clicking on this link - Quick Start Energy Saving