Litetronics Education

Dimmable Bulbs Enhance the Dining Experience, While Cutting Energy Costs

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Many restaurant operators are looking for ways to cut back on utility expenses and invest in energy-efficient technologies but can’t necessarily make huge investments in expensive equipment and machinery. A quick and easy solution for these restaurants is to switch to energy efficient lighting.

Think Cinemas Can’t Find Energy-Saving Dimmable Bulbs? Think Again!

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:43:46 +0000

Cinemas dim their lights to near darkness when the feature presentation starts playing to keep movie-goers engaged with the action on the screen. This light design enhances the movie-going experience and keeps customers coming back to experience movies the way they were meant to be seen.

Casinos Attract More Gamers with Long Life Light Bulbs

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:25:01 +0000

A brightly-lit, eye-catching outdoor sign is an important asset to many casinos. The flashing lights help attract gamers into your doors and add profit to your bottom line, but the high cost of maintaining the sign can do almost as much damage to your profitability as it helps.

Energy-Saving Light Bulbs Tough Enough for Poultry Barns

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:30:29 +0000

Saving money on utility bills by using energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can help reduce your operating expenses, but these light bulbs could pose a problem when it comes time to sanitize the barn in between flocks.

Prevent Merchandise Returns with the Right Light

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:53:14 +0000

Seeing accurate colors on merchandise is important to consumers. They want to be sure that they are buying navy pants, not black. They want to be sure that the mint green bath mat matches the color of the hand towels.

Keep Hotel Guests Comfortable with the Right Lighting

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:00:46 +0000

Many hotels have replaced inefficient incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to increase profitability through reduced operating expenses and to increase their environmental stewardship. While this is certainly a great step in the right direction, some hotel operators have experienced a few guest complaints about the new light bulbs. Here’s a list of what to look for in a CFL to maximize energy savings and keep guests comfortable.

What Color Temperature is Right for My Restaurant?

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:32:06 +0000

Fluorescent light bulbs are available in a variety of shades of white light. These color choices allow you to customize the mood of your restaurant. Read about the different color temperatures below to help you decide which color temperature is right for your restaurant.

High Watt CFL FAQ

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:39:32 +0000

Litetronics High Watt CFLs increase performance and ROI in high and low bay lighting applications. Learn more about how High Watt CFLs can help solve your lighting challenges by reading these frequently asked questions.

How Is the Lifetime of LEDs Determined?

Marketing2@litetronics.com (Amelia Leubscher) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:48:48 +0000

One of the main advantages of LEDs is their potentially very long life; however, determining the lifetime of LED light bulbs is trickier than determining the life of other light sources

Coming Soon in 2011: New Labels for Light Bulb Packaging

Marketing2@litetronics.com (Amelia Leubscher) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:09:58 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in the process of finalizing a Lighting Facts label to be included on all light bulb packages, starting in 2011. Designed to look like the Nutrition Facts label found on food and beverage packaging, the Lighting Facts label aims to make it easier for consumers to compare light bulbs and make informed decisions about which bulb is best for them.

Consumer Energy Tax Incentives

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:09:40 +0000

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extended many consumer tax incentives for purchasing energy efficient products. The home energy efficiency improvement tax credits are available to consumers who purchase and install specific products for their homes, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment.

UL’s CFL Study Finds Light Bulbs Safer Than Perceived

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recently released the results from its compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) safety study, which found that consumers may by able to use CFLs more broadly and safely than previously believed or understood. UL’s Safety Study found no fire or shock hazards in CFLs when used in light fixtures, lighting controllers, and switches traditionally used with incandescent light bulbs.

Deciphering the Hype: Are T5s Better Than T8s?

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

As T5 linear fluorescent light bulbs become more prevalent in the lighting industry, many end users wonder how to decide whether the T5 or T8 is better for their particular needs. Here are some guidelines to help you decide which is best for your application.

Litetronics Launches More Informative, User-Friendly Web Site

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:52:11 +0000

Litetronics International redesigned its Web site, www.litetronics.com in order to provide more information and usability to users. Here’s a guide to help you navigate through some of the exciting new features:

Hot and Cold Cathode Dimmable Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Which One is Right For You?

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

When looking for an energy efficient alternative for dimmable lighting applications, you have many different options.However, one of the biggest sources of confusion is the difference between hot and cold cathode dimmable fluorescent light bulbs. To determine which one is right for you, just ask yourself a few questions.

CFL Recycling Guidelines

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Small amounts of mercury are an essential ingredient in most energy efficient light bulbs; therefore, all CFL light bulbs should be disposed properly in order to recycle mercury and prevent it from leaching into the environment.

Broken CFL Clean-Up Guidelines

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

You should always use cautionwhen installing and removing compact fluorescent light bulbs from light fixtures, but occasionally, accidents happen. If a CFL light bulb breaks, follow these guidelines set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for proper CFL clean-up and disposal.

True Environmental Impact of Mercury in CFLs

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Despite their incredible energy savings, there is still concern over the mercury content of CFLs. Mercury is a necessary ingredient in the CFL because it is a main component in the process that creates visible light inside the fluorescent tube.

Color Rendering Index

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Colors appear differently under different light sources, and the Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures a lamp’s ability to render colors most naturally. It measures the degree of color shift objects undergo when illuminated by a reference source of comparable color temperature. If you’ve ever held up a pair of pants in a store window to see whether they were black or navy blue, then you’ve noticed the difference in the color rendering of the store’s light bulbs and natural sunlight.

Color Temperature

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

CFLs are available in a wide variety of shades of white light, ranging from yellowish white to clear white to bluish white. These color choices allow you to customize the mood of your different spaces. CFLs that generate warm white light are designed to match the yellowish light of incandescent bulbs, whereas CFLs that generate cool white light are designed for task lighting or applications that require bright light.

Light Bulb Shapes Guide

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

The names of light bulb shapes are denoted with a letter, which describes the shape, and a number, which indicates the size. The number associated with the shape indicates the diameter of the light bulb at its widest part in eighths of an inch. For example, an A19 light bulb has a maximum diameter of 19/8 of an inch, or 2.375 inches.

Light Bulb Bases Guide Part 1: Screw Bases

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

There are two main types of light bulb bases: screw bases and pin bases. Each works in a different way to connect the light bulb to the electrical voltage in order to light the bulb. In this article, we will discuss screw bases.

Light Bulb Bases Guide Part 2: Pin Bases

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Light Bulb Bases Guide Part 3: 3-Way Bases

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Screw bases for 3-way light bulbs have three contact wires soldered on the light bulb base. The wire soldered to the side of the light bulb remains the same as the standard screw base light bulb. However, whereas the standard screw base has one contact wire connected to the bottom of the base, the 3-way light bulb base has two contact wires soldered to the bottom of the light bulb in two different locations.

Light Bulb Bases Guide Part 4: Lock-Out Bases

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Lock-out screw bases are used in CFL and CCFL light bulbs. Utility companies will provide rebates and incentives to companies for retrofitting their properties with energy-saving compact fluorescents. However, the utility company wants to ensure that once the rebate is given, incandescent light bulbs cannot be placed inside the socket at a later time.

Trouble-Shooting Flickering Bulbs on Dimming Circuits

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Micro-Brite cold cathode fluorescent light bulbs are designed to dim on standard dimmers and most applications do not require any adjustments. However, it is important to remember that Micro-Brite bulbs use different technology to dim than incandescent; therefore, voltage setting adjustments may be necessary to maximize the dimming performance of the Micro-Brite bulbs.

Dimmable Differences Between Hot and Cold Cathode Fluorescent Bulbs

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

When looking for an energy efficient alternative for dimmable lighting applications, end users have many different options. However, one of the biggest sources of confusion is the difference between hot and cold cathode dimmable fluorescent light bulbs. Why do they operate differently on dimming circuits? The answer is in the lamp technology.

Why Do Covered CFLs Have a Long Warm-Up Time?

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:45:10 +0000

All compact fluorescent lamps require a slight warm-up time for the electrical current to fully heat the cathodes and reach their full lumen output. When a bare spiral CFL is first switched on, it lights up with approximately 80% of its rated lumens, but it will heat up to its full brightness in about one minute.

Let’s Get This Light Bulb Pulse Started – Advantages of Pulse Start Metal Halide

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:44:21 +0000

Traditional metal halide light bulbs use probe start technology, which uses three electrodes – a starter electrode and two operating electrodes – in the arc tube to start the light bulb. When the light bulb first turns on, a discharge is created across a small gap between the starter probe electrode and the nearby operating electrode.

How Does the Halogen Cycle Work?

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:31:37 +0000

Halogen light bulbs are hybrid incandescent bulbs also known as tungsten-halogen light bulbs. Similar to the incandescent light bulb, halogen bulbs have a tungsten filament; however, in a halogen light bulb, the tungsten filament is sealed into a small envelope filled with a halogen gas, such as iodine or bromine.