cfl bulbs | Synergy Lighting

Why Fluorescent Light Bulbs Are Having Price Increases | Rare Earth Metals Shortage

03/08/11 0 COMMENTS

We realize that there have been numerous articles and stories trying to explain how rare earth metals are effecting fluorescent light bulbs prices. Most of these articles are very elaborate and tell you a lot of information you might not understand. So here is a very simple explanation we can give you.

rare earth phosphor shortage fluorescent bulbs

The United States ceased production of rare earth metals in 1999 in an effort to protect our natural resources. When the United States made the decision, it forced manufacturers to purchase these rare earth elements from other countries such as China. China realized that the U.S. and Arabian countries have oil, but the shear size of the rare earth deposits in China could be China’s version of a natural resource super power. Currently China produces 97% of all rare earth metals in the world.

China Reduces Export Of Rate Earth Metals

China has reached a point in their economic growth where the needs of China for rare earth metals are becoming much greater. Given the economic growth needs of China, the Chinese government has drastically reduced the export of these metals to other countries. This is a move on their part to protect their own growth, but also force more manufacturing to come to china.

Rare Earth Metals In Fluorescent Lamps

phosphor mineral shortage poored in to make fluorescent bulbs

Of the rare earth metals mined in China are Yttrium (Y), Europium (Eu), and Terbium (Tb). These rare earth metals are phosphors, and are refined and processed into blended phosphors used to produce fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs. This is what is know as Tri-Phosphor Technology. In the reduction of export of these metals to the U.S. and for fluorescent lamps being made in China for export to the U.S., the costs have risen exorbitantly on the simple basis of supply and demand.

Every light bulb manufacturer has been victim of this situation now referred to as the “Phosphor Crisis” or “Rare Earth Mineral Crisis”, and the costs are rising rapidly. The white powder inside each fluorescent lamp is made from the processed rare earth minerals. Manufacturers such as Sylvania, Philips, General Electric and other major manufacturers of fluorescent bulbs can’t buy the amounts of phosphors needed to meet U.S. production requirements.  As the cost of these rare earth minerals rises, and the supply is reduced, the cost of fluorescent and CFL light bulbs is rising on a daily basis.

Will Fluorescent Price Increase Level Off?

It is very hard to predict where the end of this crisis will be without Government interference. Many U.S. mines that were previously mothballed are recommencing mining of the U.S. supply. Not only are these elements rare, but they are also used in the production of hybrid cars, defense navigation and weapons technology, and electronic devices. The United States Congress is more than aware of the problem and claims that this situation will not only effect Americans economically, but it also poses a risk to our national security. The U.S. mines will not be completely up and running, nor at a level of price competitiveness for several years to come. For now and the foreseeable future, these costs affecting several industries and the lighting industry will continue to rise incrementally.

Learn more about Rare Earth Metals with the video below from CNN.

FLUORESCENT PRICE INCREASE RARE EARTH METAL CRISIS

Get CFL Light Bulbs FREE For Any Business Using Over 20 Lamps

25/08/10 0 COMMENTS

18 WATT GU24 CFL WITH LOCKING BASENo, you didn’t make any mistake when you read the headline of this article. Synergy Lighting has a special program for businesses within Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Lee & Collier Counties. This program will entitle your business to receive Energy Saving CFL Bulbs absolutely free of charge. The only catch is that you have to replace all the bulbs that use these lamps.  Example: If you have 36 recessed can lights, you can not do 20, you have to do all 36 and they have to be used indoors.

Switch and Save

By switching to CFL (Compact Fluorescent Bulbs) businesses can save huge on their electric bill and replacement bulb costs. Typically these lamps replace a 60, 75 or 100 Watt Incandescent lamp while reducing energy consumption down to only 18 watts. The CFL bulbs available to qualified business on this special program must use either the 18 or 23 watt CFL with locking base.

What Is A Locking Base?

GU24 LOCKING BASEThe locking base is a very simple device that ensures the business owner and the Department of Energy that once you begin using the CFL bulb, that an employee will not accidentally insert the wrong bulb into the socket thus defeating the concept of energy savings. Additionally this lowers your replacement cost of replacement light bulbs in the future. For installation just simply screw the base into the lamp socket and it stays there. The posts on the base of the bulb simply plug and turn into the base and lock tight until time for replacement.

How Much Will I Save?

Well, alone on the price of the initial light bulbs, you are saving big because they are FREE of charge. The socket adapters are required and cost $ .89 cents each. Energy savings for a business operating 12 hours per day is $34.95 per bulb per year.

Guarantee

Every light bulb is warrantied for 2 years from the date of purchase against any premature failure! You will save huge on your electric bill! All Standard CFL Lamps are Energy Star Approved and UL Listed. Additional colors are available.

 

For more information on CFL Bulbs, view our website  or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

 

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

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* Please not Hotel Rooms and Living Spaces do not qualify on this program. However common areas for hotels and condos are qualified.

What is Scotopically Rich Lighting?

28/07/10 0 COMMENTS

Often we talk to customers about Scotopically Rich Lighting, and for those who have never heard the term before it can be a little confusing. Manufacturers have performed studies for year on the photopic lumens that are produced by a light source such as a light bulb. The photopic lumens are a measurement of brightness by a lumen meter. This measurement can be translated by how light is percieved the cones in the human eye. These light meters completely ignore the effect of rod activated vision (scotopic). As a result, lighting practice accepted this single sensitivity function because it was erroneously assumed that the more light sensitive rods only functioned at very dim light levels.

How the eye perceives light

Human Eye Rods and ConesLight arrives at our eye from all portions of an illuminated space. At the back of the eye there is a light sensitive membrane called the retina which contains millions of very tiny light receptors. These receptors convert light into electrified signals that are sent to the vision centers of the brain. The retina contains two major categories of light receptors (photoreceptors) called the cones and rods because of their geometric shapes. The central part of the retina, the fovea, contains only cones. In the rest of the retina there are both rods and cones, with the number of rods dominating the cones by about 10 to 1.

Scientists have recently discovered that the rods in the human eye can perform in dim light levels as well as interior lighting levels of those commonly found in office environments and stores.  These rods are sensitive to light sources that emit bluish-white color tones like those found in higher kelvin temperature fluorescent light bulbs.   Vision specialists put both functions of the rods and the cones together to measure a complete value of light sensitivity know as a Scotopic/Photopic (S/P) Ratio. The S/P Ratio of most fluorescent and incandescent lamps is very low. For example, a Warm White Bulb has an S/P Ratio of 1:14 while a full spectrum 5000K lamp lamp such as an Ultra 50 or Skybrite has a ration of 2:47.  These number can be hard to understand, so lets look at it in a more simple light.

Human Eye Scotopic Lighting

Lamps that are in the yellow kelvin temperature range 2700-4200 use primarily the cones in the eye. The pupil becomes enlarged to allow more light to enter the eye, and therefore causing more muscles in the eye to work harder to provide visual clarity. Lamps in the 5000 Kelvin range allow the rods to work better, which in turn constricts the pupil and allows for easier visual clarity which is a scotopic response. In otherwords, thwo light sources can have the same photopic lumens, but the lamps with higher scotopic values will apear to the eye  as being percieved brighter. This scotopic response reduces visual fatigue, increase reading ability and reduces “disability glare”, especially in the electronic office.

Scotopically Rich Lighting Redues Fatigue and Glare

Disability glare is defined by the Illuminating Engineering Society as “glare resulting in reduced visual performance and visibility.” It is often accompanied by discomfort. Disability glare occurs as a result of “light scatter” in the eye. Light scatter is caused by imperfections in the optical media of the eye (the cornea & lens). These imperfections are common to some degree in everyone, and become more severe with age. The imperfections in the optical media cause a scattering of light rays coming from the non task area, causing undesirable light to fall on the central part of the retina (the fovea) where the task is focused. This causes a background haze of useless light on the central retina (the fovea) and reduces retinal contrast. Because the fovea contains only cones, just the photopic content of the ambient or general light is responsible for disability glare. Because people of age suffer from other conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts, one must understand that the visible spectrum of light becomes diminished.  In the case of a retail store or office, a customer may only see 60% of the visible light produced, therefore the increase of both photopic and scotopic light levels can be increasingly important to reduce glare and visual fatigue thus increasing productivity and sales.

Benfits of Scotopically Rich Lighting

 

For more information on Scotopically Rich Lighting, view our website or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

 

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

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Light Bulbs Banned | Bradenton, FL

30/06/10 0 COMMENTS

Light Bulbs Banned Synergy Lighting is Florida’s #1 Provider of wholesale lighting, and the largest selection of Light Bulbs. However we find that most businesses are not aware of the recent ban of incandescent, halogen and many popular fluorescent tubes.

On July 1, 2009 Congress passed an amendment to the Energy Independence and Securities Act of 2007. This amendment called specifically for the ban of manufacturing any incandescent or halogen floods, all 13oV commercial grade light bulbs as well as most 2′, 4′ and 8′ models. This comes just after the July 1, 2010 ban of magnetic ballasts.

What does this mean for you business?

This means that 90% of all businesses will have to make significant changes to their lighting by 2012. The push is to achieve greater energy savings and efficiency. Synergy Lighting carries all the new lighting including CFL and LED Light Bulbs as well as High Lumen T8 and Natural White light bulbs. A business owner should be cognisant of these changes before purchasing any lighting or light bulbs that are discontinued under this new rule. Some companies may attempt to liquidate old stock or surplus inventories of these discontinued lamps, which we do not recommend anyone to purchase as it will increase the replacement costs in the future.

 

Synergy Lighitng Provides free delivery and great pricing on over 5000 of the most popular light bulbs to customer in Sarasota, bradenton, Clearwater, Tampa, Naples, and all surrounding areas. To learn more about the new DOE Law 2012 , visit us online at www.synergylightingusa.com or call us toll free at 1-877-220-5483.

 

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

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