Usefull information

LED-lamps for the home. Research, testing, choice. Electricity should not just be saved because we pay a lot for it. High energy consumption deteriorates the environment of your home and raises the fire hazard.In our opinion, the stable functioning of every device at home that needs to be operable at any time, including lighting devices in particular, plays an important role in human life. Light bulbs have the tendency to burn out at the least appropriate moment.
The drawbacks of the oldest electric lighting source for homes - incandescent light bulbs - are well known to everyone. First of all they mean high energy consumption and low safety, which has become a significant problem during the years of the establishment of capitalism in Russia – the quality of incandescent light bulbs has become disgraceful. They just keep burning out! Regular incandescent light bulbs, as well as halogen - ceiling bulbs - they all are incandescent light bulbs, they are just more expensive and look better.
In terms of the principle of their action a compact luminescent lamp does not differ from regular daylight luminescent lamps, which were already known during Soviet times. 
"During the operation of a luminescent lamp a low-temperature arc-discharge is generated between two electrodes situated at opposite sides of the lamp. The lamp is filled with an inert gas and mercury vapour and the electric current that flows through it induces ULTRAVIOLET radiation. This radiation is invisible to the human eye, therefore it is transformed into visible light by means of luminescence. The internal walls of the lamp are covered with a special substance – luminophore, which absorbs UV radiation and radiates visible light. By changing the composition of luminophore the colour shade of the light can be changed. Haloposphates are most commonly used as luminophores; they are predominantly calcium halophosphates and calcium-zinc orthophosphates". (Wikipedia).
Ultraviolet rays are, in essence, rays of death. Greetings to lovers of tanning beds!
A high-voltage impulse is required for this lamp to light up. An electro-mechanic device, called a "starter" was used for this purpose during Soviet times. Nowadays an electronic circuit, which is hidden in the socket of the lamp, is used to "flare up" the energy saving lamp, while the tube with gas and mercury vapour has been curled into a compact spiral.
The need to "flare up" and the presence of the tube filled with gas using hermetic sealing, which is disrupted with time, essentially deteriorates the safety of such lamps.
Principal drawbacks of compact luminescent lamps:
1. The presence of ultraviolet radiation in the spectrum of the lamp (whatever effort you make, whatever luminophore you use, it remains). And it is really harmful for human health.
2. Essentially low safety. Irrespective of the advertising untruths of these lamps, 8 years of service life at home cannot possibly be achieved under any conditions. The time until the failure of such a lamp greatly depends on the number of times it is switched on and off and even on the construction of the switch. Furthermore, these lamps are sensitive to voltage surges in the grid, vibration and hits. In the event of a drop in grid voltage, such lamps can fail to light up, even if they are not damaged.
In terms of low safety, compact luminescent lamps are similar to regular incandescent light bulbs at much higher prices.
3. The fragility of the tube - one of these lamps broke in my hands as I tried to unscrew it. Breaking this lamp at home means releasing mercury vapour and other undesirable substances.
4. Difficulty of disposal. Theoretically, dysfunctional energy saving lamps may not be disposed of in the waste bin. They contain mercury - a poisonous 1st class hazardous substance - and a special company is required for their disposal.
5. At the moment such a lamp is switched on (as well as in the event of poor contact) electromagnetic interference is generated in the grid - reason: the necessity for a high-voltage impulse to light up the lamp.
6. The energy efficiency of luminescent lamps is lower than that of LED-lamps. Theoretically (I intend to check that).
The advantages and benefits of using LED-lamps and other lighting devices based on light emitting diode technology:
1.    High energy efficiency - high release of light per unit of consumed electric power.
2. Harmlessness during use - absence of any radiation that is hazardous to humans. Light emitting diodes radiate neither ultraviolet, nor infra-red radiation. Absence of light pulsation.
3. High safety light emitting diode lighting devices do not contain potentially unsafe nodes and details that are subject to ageing or otherwise depleting their service life; they also lack high-voltage launching devices.
4. Unaffected by switch-on, switch-off processes.
5. Stability in relation to increased or decreased voltage, as well as surges in voltage. Many of the light emitting diode lamps are designed to use alternating current with widely changing voltage limits, for instance: 85-265 volts.
 
7. Mechanical durability and resistance to vibration and hits.
8. Absence of poisonous substances in their construction and any special requirements for disposal.