Fluorescent Lamps 101

Understanding the basics of fluorescent lamps guarantees that you'll select the most appropriate fluorescent lighting, maximize lamp life, and dispose of spent lamps correctly.

A fluorescent lamp or fluorescent tube is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapor in argon or neon gas, resulting in a plasma that produces short-wave ultraviolet light. This light then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light.

Unlike incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps require a ballast to regulate the flow of power through the lamp. In common tube fixtures, the ballast is enclosed in the fixture. Compact fluorescent light bulbs may have a conventional ballast located in the fixture or they may have ballasts integrated in the bulbs, allowing them to be used in lamp holders normally used for incandescent lamps.

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