Commercial Fluorescent Lighting

1
Commercial Fluorescent Lighting

• For any business owner, you will need to light
  your workplace, but you do not want to have to
  pay the high costs of electric bills that can
  accompany the use of traditional incandescent
  light bulbs. One of the most cost effective
  method of saving energy is to use commercial
  fluorescent lighting.

2

• Unlike incandescents, fluorescent lights use less
  energy, but they put out an equivalent amount of
  light. The electricity that they do use is not
  wasted in the production of heat as can be seen
  with other bulbs such as halogens or
  incandescents. By keeping your place of business
  lit without generating excess heat, which can
  lead to higher cooling costs, the use of
  commercial fluorescent lights will help to keep
  your bottom line down.

3

• There might be some misconceptions which could
  steer you away from choosing fluorescent lights.
  Among these are issues that were frequently seen
  in older generation lights. Twenty to thirty
  years ago, having fluorescent lights meant having
  to deal with several problems. While commercial
  fluorescent lighting then was the most energy
  efficient of lights, it was still very poor in
  color rendering.

4

• In fact, women in the 1980s were instructed to
  wear more red tones in their makeup than usual if
  they worked under fluorescent lights all day
  since the yellowish coloring of the light would
  make them look washed out otherwise. This
  coloring was due to the mixture of gases used in
  the bulbs. This formulation has been changed, so
  that now, even with commercial fluorescent
  lights, you can have bright, white light. Another
  problem with fluorescents of the past was their
  flickering. This is due to the way that these
  lights illuminate. In order to turn on, a
  fluorescent light excites the electrons of the
  gases inside the tube.

5

• These then light up. The amount of power going
  into the lamp is controlled by a ballast. In the
  past, the power would drop down to zero during
  operation causing a flicker and or hum. Modern
  bulbs have electronic high frequency ballasts
  which more evenly regulate the power, thus
  ridding the light of its flickering and humming.

6

• When you are looking for commercial fluorescent
  lighting, you need lights that are quick and easy
  to install, as well as offer ready access for
  bulb and ballast changes and repairs. This is
  true of all lighting for commercial applications
  whether it is for indoor or outdoor use. Keep in
  mind, that if you are in an area prone to
  freezing temperatures, you might need another
  type of light for your outdoor illumination since
  fluorescent lights do not operate well in very
  cold conditions.

7

• The type of fixture you choose will determine the
  ease of installation and access for future
  repairs. There are many commercial fluorescent
  lighting fixtures which do not require removal of
  the fixture itself in order to replace the bulbs
  or ballasts. The ballasts for the lights are very
  important as well. Look for high frequency
  electronic ballasts if you wish to avoid humming
  and flickering which can lead to increased
  fatigue and eyestrain for those working under
  such conditions.

8

• If you are ever unclear about what type of
  commercial fluorescent lights you need or how to
  install them, ask an expert's advice. There are
  many sources where you can get the right amount
  of guidance to help you choose and install your
  project on your own.  You can also ask an expert
  anything about indoor residential lighting or
  outdoor landscape lighting at RLLD.