Light bulbs come in a number of different shapes and sizes. There are certain factors for every light that contribute to its final level of performance.

The reason why many of the light bulb types that were used in past decades are no longer used today is because we have discovered a great deal more scientific knowledge about artificial light emission and how it works.

Types of Lightbulbs

In this guide, we explain the few different factors to give you a better understanding of modern light bulbs and look at the three most popular types used today.

Lightbulb Fittings

The fitting of your light bulb is the part that connects the bulb to the electrical circuit. Every fitting is designed to fit a certain type of light bulb to ensure safety when using them.

The size of your light fitting should perfectly attach to the light bulb type you are using. Generally, you will bulb a light bulb with a fitting already attached to it.

Lightbulb Brightness

Brightness is another factor, and one which we have learned quite a bit about in recent years. Did you know that the number of watts in your light bulb does not determine exactly how bright it is? In the past, the higher the wattage, the brighter the bulb was the expectation.

Now, we know that brightness is determined by the number of lumens rather than the number of watts. The basic definition of a lumen is the portion of light that is visibly exhumed from the bulb.

For example, an old-style light bulb may have a higher wattage than a newer light bulb. However, it has fewer lumens because more of its light potential is being exhumed as heat instead of visible light.

When you check a light bulb to determine how bright it will shine, check the number of lumens rather than the wattage. This way you won’t get confused about how some lights with more watts are dimmer than those with lower watts.

LEDs, for example, require very little wattage to shine brightly as they produce almost no heat at all. Things like that are very important to know, especially now that businesspeople are fully aware of the difference!

Lightbulb Technology

We’re going to look at three different types of light bulbs today. These are some of the more commonly used bulb types in recent years. Take a look!

Halogen Lightbulbs

Halogen bulbs use halogen gas to produce light. They use far less energy than most other light bulb types. They also last much longer than the average light bulb. A halogen bulb will last between two and three times longer than the typical incandescent light bulb.

Thanks to the low level of energy and efficiency of halogen gas in producing light, halogen light bulbs can produce a large number of lumens in a single bulb. You can expect to get anywhere between 750 and 1000 hours of use from a good-quality halogen light bulb.

CFL

A CFL or Compact Fluorescent light bulb wastes very little energy compared to other light bulb types. CFL light bulbs produce next to no heat, limiting the number of watts required to get a pleasant color and brightness from them.

In fact, CFL lights are so good at focusing light and generating a high lumen count they are often used for reading, writing, and desk work. The only downside to CFL light bulbs is that they do not work with dimmers. What you see is what you get, literally!

Learn: How To Dispose & Recycle Old Fluorescent (CFL) Light Bulbs?

LED

LED stands for ‘light-emitting diode. LEDs are the most efficient light bulb types that we have developed so far. If your goal is to save our limited energy resources, then LEDs are the way to go!

The material surrounding the light source of an LED is solid, which is unusual for most lights. The solid material causes the lifespan of an LED to be much longer than that of other light bulb types. Some people have used the same LED light bulb for over five years without once needing to change it! The lifespan of a light bulb is based on hours, so it depends on how often you use it as to how many years it will last.

LEDs are great both inside and out as they produce plenty of light and generate no heat at all – which also saves power from your air conditioner. We can use them for a variety of light types, such as spotlights, sign lights, indicators, and more.

Lightbulb Temperature

Temperature and light bulbs. The temperature of a light bulb varies based on how much heat is generated by that type. As you’ve learned, incandescent light bulbs generate a great deal of heat, while LEDs generate none at all.

When a light bulb generates less heat, the resulting color is lighter than for those who do. LEDs are typically a light yellow color, whereas incandescent light bulbs are often described as orange. The exact temperature color varies depending on the wattage of each bulb and type as well.

Explore: Light Bulb Color Temperatures

Light Bulb Types, Conclusion

 Now you know everything you need to know about light bulb types and how they differ from one another. It is our hope that you will now be able to make a more informed decision about what light bulbs you need and where. Happy light bulb hunting!