 Though renowned for both energy efficiency and long life, fluorescent light still got no respect – until recently.
Early fluorescents were notorious for hum, flicker, and unpleasant color rendering. Better fixtures and fixture ballasts (integral voltage regulators) have largely remedied the first two problems; new tube technology has vastly expanded color options. And while fixture designs for traditional tubes are still limited, new compact fluorescent bulbs are impacting fixture styling.
Fluorescents diffuse light evenly in all directions, so they’re great for broad, ambient light or for close-at-hand tasks. Cool operating temperatures and long life make them excellent for hard-to-vent, hard-to-reach soffits, coves, and other architectural built-ins. Fluorescents won’t, however, provide much accent punch. And they’re trickier to dim than both halogen and incandescent, requiring a dimmable fixture ballast and a matching fluorescent dimmer.
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 FLUORESCENT TUBES come in four basic diameters: T-2, T-5, T-8, and T-12. Remember that bulb/tube diameters are usually specified in 1/8-inch increments; thus the popular T-12 size is about 11/2 inches across. Tubes commonly come in lengths from about 12 inches to 6 feet. You’ll need to buy the right pin configuration for your fixture: for example, single-pin, recessed pin, or twin-pin, as shown on the facing page. You’ll also need to match the tube to your fixture’s ballast – either preheat or rapid-start.
Besides energy-conscious improvements to fluorescent tubes (especially in the T-8 size), the big news is color temperature. Once limited basically to cool white or warm white, fluorescents now come in a dizzying spectrum of colors from very warm (2,700 degrees K) to distinctly cool (6,300 degrees K) – allowing you to match other lights and to choose the effect that suits your taste and your décor.
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CIRCLINE TUBES fit rounded
ceiling fixtures and pendants, providing an energy efficient,
ambient alternative to incandescent A-bulbs. Older circline
tubes had pin connections, but newer versions screw right into
standard light sockets. The circline tube shown above is suitable
for any fixture big enough to accept it.
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 COMPACT FLUORESCENTS (CFLs) directly replace incandescent A-bulbs: they have built-in ballasts and screw bases, so you simply screw a CFL’s medium-size base into a standard fixture socket. Some CFLs resemble ordinary A-bulbs or globes; others have exposed tubes bent into a U shape or a coil. CFLs may be too big for some ceiling fixtures. For these, you can use the flatter circline tube.
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PL – FLUORESCENTS look like small traditional tubes that have been bent back on themselves, allowing fluorescent light to be used in smaller, trimmer fixtures – recessed downlights, for instance. PL- fluorescents come in both twin-tube and quad-tube versions, in a variety of wattages and color temperatures.
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| COMPARING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS |
Incandescent Bulbs
(watts) |
Compact Fluorescents
(watts) |
| 40 |
10 |
| 60 |
15 |
| 75 |
20 |
| 100 |
25 |
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The table shows the energy requirements (watts) of incandescent bulbs and CFLs that produce comparable brightness (usually expressed in lumens). CFLs produce 40 to 60 lumens per watt compared with 8 to 18 lumens for incandescent bulbs. |
