CFLs VS LEDs: Which One is Better?

The invention of incandescent light bulb by Thomas Alva Edison and his team, was one of the greatest invention in the history. After continuous research on the bulbs, scientist have discovered that LED and CFL bulbs are far better than the incandescent ones. When it comes to making choice in bulbs, LED bulbs are much more efficient than CFL bulbs in terms of power consumption and life years, but at the same time, their cost is high. Energy experts agree that the incandescent bulb is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. In fact, in 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which requires that all light bulbs sold on the market have a 30 percent increase in efficiency over today’s standard incandescent bulbs. In the past decade, many consumers have shifted to using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs). Lighting can account for up to 20 or 25 percent of a home’s energy costs, so switching can result in savings on your monthly energy bill. One have to make a choice between these two as they are found in a wide variety in the market which is available as per the requirement and demand. This article will give you a thorough understanding on the differences between LED and CFL bulbs.

Why fluorescent lights gradually disappear?

Invented by Thomas Edison in last quarter of the 19th century, modern incandescent electric light bulbs have been lighting much of the world for more than 100 years. Incandescent bulbs are lit by heating a wire tungsten filament until it begins to glow. Because approximately 90 percent of the energy generated in these bulbs is heat instead of light, they are extremely inefficient. The average incandescent bulb has a lifespan of about 1,500 hours—a fraction of what you can get from a CFL or LED bulb. Halogen lights are a more efficient form of incandescent lighting because they last longer; however, they get hotter than regular incandescent bulbs and pose fire and burn hazards. For nearly every incandescent bulb still in use today, there’s a CFL or LED bulb that can replace it—saving energy and curbing carbon emissions. If you still have incandescents at work or home, it’s time to send them back to the Dark Ages.

What is CFLs: Compact Fluorescent Lights?

CFLs work differently than incandescent bulbs in that, instead of running an electric current through a wire filament, they drive an electric current through a tube that contains argon and mercury vapor. This process creates ultraviolet light that quickly translates into visible light, unlike incandescent lights which put off a warm glow. The big difference between CFLs and incandescent bulbs is how much energy it takes to use them over time. CFLs use about 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs. They also last years longer than traditional bulbs, and only cost about a dollar more per bulb. However, one of the biggest drawbacks of CFLs is that it takes a few moments for them to warm up and reach full brightness. That means they’re not ideal in spots where you want lots of light as soon as you flip the switch, such as a dark, steep basement stairway. They also cannot be used with a dimmer switch. Plus, modern CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, which is very harmful to both your health and the environment and they shouldn’t be disposed of in your regular household trash.

What is LED light?

LED bulbs also referred to as “Light Emitting Diode” light bulb, is the most energy efficient lighting devices invented till now. These bulbs consume very less energy as compared to other light sources. These energy efficient devices are becoming very popular in different areas, including aviation, traffic signals, mining industry, lifts and much more. It does not contain mercury like CFL bulbs do, but contains other harmful components like lead and nickel. The most notable feature of LED bulbs is that they can be recycled. You may wonder, how do they work? Well, The electrons are passed through the semiconductor material which illuminates the tiny particles, known as LEDs.

Differences between CFL and LED:

a. The CFL is defined as the light bulb which uses fluorescence for producing the light whereas the LED uses the semiconductor diode for producing visible light. b. The CFL stands for compact fluorescent lamp whereas the LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. c. The CFL is more efficient as compared to the LED. The efficiency of the bulb depends on the luminous flux emitted by the bulbs. The luminous flux is the rays of the visible light which are measured in Lumens. Thus, the bulb which has high Lumens for the same power is considered to be more efficient. d. The power consumption in CFL is more as compared to LED. Because CFL uses mercury, which requires more power for ionisation. e. The CFL contains mercury vapour inside the glass tube of CFL which affect the health of living beings whereas the LED does not contain mercury. f. The destruction of CFL bulbs is difficult because it contains toxic mercury vapour. This mercury vapour has the harmful effect on the health of the human and environment whereas the destruction of LED is easy because it is free from toxins metals. g. The cost of the CFL is more as compared to the LED. The CFL requires additional components like gas filled tubes and the electronic component which increases their cost. h. The CFL requires ballast whereas the LED did not use it. The ballast is the electronic device which controls the current passes through the lamp. It also supplies the sufficient voltage requires by the lamp to start. If the ballast is not used and CFL is directly connected to the supply, then the lamp will draw the heavy current to the source. Because of which the lamp gets heated and within a second get damage. i. The turn-on intensity of the CFL is less as compared to LED because CFL contained mercury vapour which takes time for ionisation. j. The brightness of a CFL is less as compared to LED because LED emits light only in the one direction. The LED has a PN junction diode which operates only in the forward biasing. Whereas, the CFL emits light in all the direction. k. The CFL emits most of their energy in the form of heat as compared to the LED. The CFL uses mercury as a filament which emits visible light when their ions are ionised. The ionisation occurs in high-voltage and this high voltage increases their temperature. l. The CFL works on the principle of ionisation.While the LED work on the principle of the electroluminescence phenomenon. In this phenomenon, the diode emits light with the passage of the current. m. The frequent on/off of CFL reducing their capacity because CFL requires lots of energy for turning on. Thus, continuously switching reduces the ionisation property of the mercury vapour. Whereas, the LED is unaffected by constantly switching. n. The recycling of CFL is difficult as compared to LED because LED does not have any toxic substance. The LED has semiconductor which is easily recycled by adding impurities through doping. o. The CFL are used in houses or for lighting the small areas whereas LED is used for making the headlight of vehicles, traffic signals, the message displayed board, etc.

Conclusion:

The decision is tough for a person to choose between the two: LED and CFL. Both are good in place, but there are many differences between them which we have already discussed. These differences may help you to choose among them according to your requirement and the ability to pay. LED bulbs are no doubt way ahead of Compact Fluorescent light bulbs. Nowadays, the cost of LED bulbs are decreasing gradually, and in the coming time, you may expect a LED bulb costing less than a CFL bulb.