The History of Fluorescent Lights
- The Development of Fluorescent Lights. In 1857, the French physicist Alexandre E. ...
- Edmund Germer, Friedrich Meyer, Hans Spanner, Edmund Germer: Fluorescent Lamp Patent U.S. 2,182,732. ...
- George Inman and Richard Thayer: The First Commercial Fluorescent Lamp. ...
- Other Inventors. ...
Who is the real inventor of light bulb?
The first electric light bulb, invented by Thomas Alva Edison in 1879 and patented on January 27, 1880. Around the same time Edison was experimenting with his bulb -- using carbonized filaments of bay wood, cedar, bamboo and other fibers -- so was Latimer.
Who invented the enrgy saving light bulb?
Energy saving lighting The Philips Company created a fluorescent energy saving lamp. It used an integrated conventional ballast, but it was expensive for consumers to purchase. 1991: Longer lasting bulbs When Edison patented his 16-watt bulb, it could last for 1500 hours.
Why did my fluorescent light stop working?
What are the Signs of a Bad Ballast?
- No lights. Though it could be potentially indicative of other problems, no lights are a sure sign that something is wrong. ...
- Buzzing. Contrary to what TV says, your fluorescent lighting should not be buzzing or humming. ...
- Dimming or Flickering. When the bulbs take a while to get up to full brightness or even strobe, the reason is often the ballast. ...
Who invented car fog lights?
- Make sure this fits by entering your model number.
- Comes as a full set (driver & passenger side) with H11 halogen Bulbs; Lumens:1500LM; Power: 55W
- Increase visibility during heavy rain, snow, dense fog and night time driving. ...
- Become an ideal replacement for your cracked or non-functioning units. ...
Who is the real inventor of fluorescent light?
Edmund Germer's development of the fluorescent lamp and the high-pressure mercury-vapor lamp increased the efficiency of lighting devices, allowing for more economical lighting while producing less heat than incandescent light. Germer was born in Berlin, the son of an accountant.
Who invented the fluorescent light and when?
American Peter Cooper Hewitt patented the first low-pressure mercury-vapor lamp in 1901 (U.S. patent 889,692), which is considered the first prototype for today's modern fluorescent lights.
When was the first fluorescent light invented?
1926In the 1926, the idea of fluorescent lighting came to the forefront by way of the works of Jacques Risler. He was the first to place a coating of fluorescence inside the glass tubing of a mercury lamp.
Did Agapito Flores invented the fluorescent?
Agapito Flores did not invent the fluorescent lamp. It's a myth that was mistakenly presented as a fact in some Philippine school textbooks. The story goes that he presented a glowing fluorescent lamp to President Manuel Quezon. This was then bought by the General Electric company for mass production.
Is fluorescent light invented by Filipino?
As our elementary and high school textbooks proudly recounted, an Agapito Flores, born in Bulacan, invented the fluorescent lamp and its very name is indelible proof of its inventor.
What did Filipino invented?
Inventions by Filipino inventors include the graphics accelerator chip, wearable camera, and the lunar rover. The next time you watch a video on your PC or play a video game, consider thanking Filipino inventor Diosdado Banatao who invented the graphics accelerator chip for personal computers.
Did Nikola Tesla invented the fluorescent light bulb?
Nikola Tesla is the father of fluorescent lighting. In the 1890s he experiment with filament-less, gas-filled tubes and bulbs that glowed in the presence of high voltage. He saw these as a progression from the small, hot light bulbs invented by his rival Thomas Edison.
Why was fluorescent invented?
In an attempt to get more energy and less heat from an incandescent lamp, he invented “The Cooper Hewitt mercury-vapor lamp,” which resulted in electrical currents passing through mercury gas sealed in a tube–the basis from which fluorescent lights operate.
Who invented fluorescent lighting and an induction motor?
Nikola TeslaMeet Nikola Tesla: Inventor of the Induction Motor, Polyphase Electricity, Fluorescent Lighting, and the Tesla Coil.
Who is Rolando dela Cruz?
Rolando C. Dela Cruz is an award-winning Filipino scientist and inventor. Back in 2000 he developed a patented formula that allows to remove deep grown moles or warts.
Who is Benjamin Almeda?
This Father's Day, we pay tribute to Benjamin Almeda Sr., known as the "Father of Filipino Inventors." Almeda is known in the innovation industry for inventing various food processing machines, including the meat grinder, rice grinder and coconut grater, which remain widely and commonly used today.
Who invented the fluorescent lamp?
Together with Friedrich Meyer and Hans Spanner, Edmund Germer patented an experimental fluorescent lamp in 1927.
Who discovered the fluorescent light?
The Development of Fluorescent Lights. In 1857, the French physicist Alexandre E. Becquerel who had investigated the phenomena of fluorescence and phosphorescence theorized about the building of fluorescent tubes similar to those made today.
What was the name of the lamp that put off UV light?
It was a low-pressure mercury arc lamp. In 1934, Edmund Germer created a high-pressure arc lamp that could handle a lot more power in a smaller space. Hewitt's low-pressure mercury arc lamp put off a large amount of ultraviolet light. Germer and others coated the inside of the light bulb with a fluorescent chemical that absorbed UV light ...
When was the first fluorescent lamp invented?
Patent No. 2,259,040) that was first sold in 1938 . It should be noted that General Electric bought the patent rights to Edmund Germer's earlier patent.
How do incandescent bulbs work?
Incandescent light bulbs work by using electricity and a filament. Heated by electricity, the filament inside the light bulb exhibits resistance that results in high temperatures that cause the filament to glow and emit light.
Who invented the mercury vapor lamp?
American Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861-1921) patented (U.S. patent 889,692) the first mercury vapor lamp in 1901. The low-pressure mercury arc lamp of Peter Cooper Hewitt is the very first prototype of today's modern fluorescent lights. A fluorescent light is a type of electric lamp that excites mercury vapor to create luminescence.
How does an arc lamp work?
Arc or vapor lamps work differently (fluorescents fall under this category), the light is not created from heat, the light is created from the chemical reactions that occur when electricity is applied to different gases enclosed in a glass vacuum chamber.
What is the history of fluorescent lights?
The history of fluorescent lighting is a story of how they slowly take over use of incandescent technology. In 1938, GE introduced the MAZDA line of fluorescent lamps in the market. These lamps emitted lights of different colors: red, gold, green, blue, pink, daylight, and white. The T12 range had lights of 15 watts, were 18 inches long, ...
Who was the first person to make fluorescent lights?
During the same time, an American engineer named Charles Brush also worked on improving the crude arc-lamp. The above-mentioned bodies of work and products influenced the development of Hewitt’s mercury vapor lamp, the first prototype of today’s fluorescent lights.
How does a lamp work when it's cold?
Once the lamp is on, electricity flows in and will pass through the electrodes on either end of the lamp. This creates an electric current arc between the two, and flows through the inert gas inside the lamp.
What is the inert gas in fluorescent lamps?
Commonly the inert gas choice is argon, but other options include krypton, xenon or even neon. Also in the tube is a small amount of mercury vapor, about 4-5 milligrams worth, however manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury used in a fluorescent lamp.
How long do T5 lamps last?
This lamp also lasts longer than its predecessors. For instance, the T-8 lamps last an average of 15,000 hours while the T-5 lamps have an average lifespan of 20,000 hours. In 1980, Phillips developed the SL line of fluorescent lamps with a screw-in base design and integral magnetic ballast.
What is the importance of phosphors in a fluorescent lamp?
The Importance of the Phosphor Coating. On the inside of the glass tube is a coating of phosphors that have fluorescence capabilities, which is what gives a fluorescent lamp its glow. The phosphors are usually about 10 micrometers in size, which is the size for the best results.
How long is a T5 fluorescent lamp?
The T-5 lamps are 50 mm long and have a diameter of 16 mm.
Who invented fluorescent lighting?
In the 1926, the idea of fluorescent lighting came to the forefront by way of the works of Jacques Risler . He was the first to place a coating of fluorescence inside the glass tubing of a mercury lamp. While this was a step in the right direction, it was still a mercury lamp as opposed to a new lamp type altogether.
When was the first fluorescent lamp made?
While this was a step in the right direction, it was still a mercury lamp as opposed to a new lamp type altogether. It wasn’t until 1934 when the first commercially produced fluorescent lighting would hit the market. With decades of research and a team of skilled individuals, General Electric introduced the first fluorescent lamps.
Why is fluorescent lighting so popular?
It is one of the most widely sold options on the market because it is still an affordable lighting solution that offers a lot in return.
When did Philips start screw in fluorescent lights?
For example, in 1980 , Philips designed the first line of screw-in fluorescent for magnetic ballasts which served to effectivity replace incandescent by a landslide. The affordability of the lamps coupled with the performance made them a staple in both commercial and residential lighting for that day forward.
When looking at the history of one type of lamp in the lighting world, it is important to note that progress doesn'
When looking at the history of one type of lamp in the lighting world, it is important to note that progress doesn’t occur in a vacuum. When a new advance is made in one area of lighting, it naturally inspires new innovations in other areas of lighting.
How many watts does a T8 light have?
They introduced the T12 and T8 models which would expand the usage of the lamps to new areas. The T12 offered 15 watts whereas the T8 offered 30 watts which made these options high performing compared to other options on the market at the time.
Who invented the fluorescent lamp?
Edmund Germer , who invented a high-pressure vapor lamp, also invented an improved fluorescent lamp. In 1927, he co-patented an experimental fluorescent lamp with Friedrich Meyer and Hans Spanner.
Who discovered fluorescence?
While fluorescence had been observed by many scientists as far back as the 16th century, it was Irish physicist and mathematician George Gabriel Stokes who finally explained the phenomenon in 1852.
When did Thomas Edison get his patent for a fluorescent lamp?
Let There Be Light. On May 19, 1896, about 40 years after Becquerel postulated his light-tube theories, Thomas Edison filed a patent for a fluorescent lamp. In 1906, he filed a second application, and finally, on September 10, 1907, he was granted a patent.
Why did Edison never make lamps?
Unfortunately, instead of utilizing ultraviolet light, Edison's lamps employed X-rays, which is likely the reason his company never produced the lamps commercially. After one of Edison's assistants died of radiation poisoning, further research and development were suspended.
Who invented fluorescent light?
A Brief History of Fluorescent Lighting. At the turn of the 20th century Peter Cooper Hewitt, an American electrical engineer, developed the basis for the modern fluorescent light. In an attempt to get more energy and less heat from an incandescent lamp, he invented “The Cooper Hewitt mercury-vapor lamp,” which resulted in electrical currents ...
When did fluorescent lights start to become popular?
It took 30 years and a number of inventors along the way to develop the standard fluorescent light for commercial use in the 1930s. The next surge in the growth of fluorescent lights was during the oil crisis in the early 1970s. In the mid 70s a GE engineer created a fluorescent tube into a spiral shape, which became the first compact fluorescent ...
When did CFLs become viable?
Also, the lights were bulky and hard to fit into fixtures. Since the 1990s, improvements in the performance, price, and efficiency of CFLs have made them a viable option for businesses and homeowners.
When was the first fluorescent lamp invented?
1926: In Germany Edmund Germer, along with Friedrich Meyer and Hans J. Spanner, invented what we know to be the first true fluorescent lamp, using a fluorescent coating on the inside of the glass envelope.
Why were fluorescent lights used in the 1970s?
Early 1970s: Due to the 1973 oil crisis, all the major lighting corporations began attempts to shrink the fluorescent for residential use , to lower utility costs for homeowners.
What did Galileo say about neon signs?
He wrote: “It must be explained how it happens that the light is conceived into the stone, and is given back after some time, as in childbirth.”.
When did CFLs become popular?
CFLs started becoming popular. 2001: The price of CFLs began to decrease, and they rapidly started to infiltrate the homes of our nearest and dearest. 2009: China began restricting exports of rare earth elements, causing the price of CFLs to increase rapidly. Today: The Rare-Earth Crisis has started to stabilize.
When did Nikola Tesla experiment with fluorescence?
Birth: 1890s-1930s. 1893: Nikola Tesla experimented with fluorescence, and displayed his works at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Edison also dabbled with fluorescent lights briefly during this time, using X-Rays to excite calcium tungstate. Neither model succeeded commercially, and both men found better things to do.
Do fluorescent lights have a bright future?
Fluorescents have had a colorful, quirky, and sometimes uncomfortable past, but they certainly have a bright future.
Who invented the Geissler tubes?
Conception: 1850s. Heinrich Geissler, a German glassblower and physicist, created his famous Geissler Tubes during this time. Geissler filled the tubes with different gases to be excited by metal electrodes at each end. They came in many intricate shapes and bright colors and were used as art for their very brief lives.
When did fluorescent lamps become common?
Fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent lamp first became common in the late 1930s. These lamps are a form of discharge lamp where a small current causes a gas in the tube to glow. The typical glow is strong in ultraviolet but weak in visible light.
Why are fluorescent lights so popular?
Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent lamps, and for a short time became popular in street lighting both because of the efficiency and the novelty value . Fluorescent lamps for street lighting were first introduced to the public for commercial uses at the 1939 World's Fair .
How long do induction lights last?
An induction lamp features extremely long lamp life (100,000 hours), energy efficiency, high color rendering index, and a color temperature close to incandescent lights. The life of induction (also known as electrodeless fluorescent) lamps is negatively affected by heat, particularly as the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Since temperatures in this range commonly occur during early night hours in the summer in much of the US, induction lamp applications have not extended beyond test and demonstration projects for street lighting. The larger size of the induction lamps also inhibits the effective control of the light they emit, limiting their use to lower mounting applications. In 2009, PSEG in New Jersey began using induction lighting to replace very old and even some pre-2008 mercury vapor lights, and have had success in their reliability and output of the fixtures. Unfortunately, some failed induction lights were spot replaced with the HPS lights that were being removed to begin with and many new installs, PSEG is still using HPS. An updated design of the induction lights is now being used and these seem more reliable and brighter than the original design. Beginning in September 2011 the City of San Diego, CA will replace some 35,000 street lights with induction lamps costing $16,000,000.00. In Mexico, the city of Linares and Acapulco also have begun the replacement of 6,500 and 42,000 street lights with induction lamps, selected for their smart controls, since October 2011. A portion of these street lightswill feature smart grid compatibility to allow the lights to be remotely monitored and controlled via the Internet.
What is MH street light?
In recent years, metal halide lamp (MH) streetlights have illuminated roadways and parking lots. Metal halide has long been popular in business installations and can be found in warehouses, schools, hospitals and office buildings. Unlike the old mercury lights, metal halide casts a true white light. It is not nearly as popular as its sodium counterparts, as it is newer and less efficient than sodium.
What was the birthplace of street lighting?
For this reason, many regard Philadelphia as the birthplace of street lighting in the US. The colonial-era streetlights were lit by candles placed inside a glass vessel, which kept the candle from being blown out by wind. Franklin's design was four-sided, with four separate panes of glass, so that if one pane of glass was broken, ...
How many watts does a mercury bulb have?
Mercury Vapor Bulbs come in either clear or coated with powers of 50, 75, 100, 175, 250, 400, 700 or 1,000 Wat ts. The Mercury Vapor lamp is considered obsolete by today's standards and many places are taking them out of service.
What is a xenon lamp?
A xenon lamp is a high pressure sealed arc lamp, and is in common usage today where extreme brightness in a relatively small space is required, typically in motion picture projectors in theaters, and stage and motion picture lighting.
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Overview
Principles of operation
The fundamental mechanism for the conversion of electrical energy to light is the emission of a photon when an electron in a mercury atom falls from an excited state into a lower energy level. Electrons flowing in the arc collide with the mercury atoms. If the incident electron has enough kinetic energy, it transfers energy to the atom's outer electron, causing that electron to tempora…
History
The fluorescence of certain rocks and other substances had been observed for hundreds of years before its nature was understood. By the middle of the 19th century, experimenters had observed a radiant glow emanating from partially evacuated glass vessels through which an electric current passed. One of the first to explain it was the Irish scientist Sir George Stokes from the University of …
Phosphors and the spectrum of emitted light
The spectrum of light emitted from a fluorescent lamp is the combination of light directly emitted by the mercury vapor, and light emitted by the phosphorescent coating. The spectral lines from the mercury emission and the phosphorescence effect give a combined spectral distribution of light that is different from those produced by incandescent sources. The relative intensity …
Applications
Fluorescent lamps come in many shapes and sizes. The compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is becoming more popular. Many compact fluorescent lamps integrate the auxiliary electronics into the base of the lamp, allowing them to fit into a regular light bulb socket.
In US residences, fluorescent lamps are mostly found in kitchens, basements, or garages, but schools and businesses find the cost savings of fluorescent lamps to be significant and rarely u…
Comparison to incandescent lamps
Fluorescent lamps convert more of the input power to visible light than incandescent lamps. A typical 100 watt tungsten filament incandescent lamp may convert only 5% of its power input to visible white light (400–700 nm wavelength), whereas typical fluorescent lamps convert about 22% of the power input to visible white light.
The efficacy of fluorescent tubes ranges from about 16 lumens per watt for a 4 watt tube with a…
Disadvantages
Frequent switching (more than every 3 hours) will shorten the life of lamps. Each start cycle slightly erodes the electron-emitting surface of the cathodes; when all the emission material is gone, the lamp cannot start with the available ballast voltage. Fixtures for flashing lights (such as for advertising) use a ballast that maintains cathode temperature when the arc is off, preserving the life of t…
Lamp sizes and designations
Systematic nomenclature identifies mass-market lamps as to general shape, power rating, length, color, and other electrical and illuminating characteristics.
In the United States and Canada, lamps are typically identified by a code such as FxxTy, where F is for fluorescent, the first number (xx) indicates either the power in watts or length in inches, the T indicates that the shape of the bulb is tubular, and the last number (y) is the diameter in eighths …