Synergy

What is the difference between amalgam and non-amalgam (mercury) filled compact fluorescent lamps?
Amalgam filled compact fluorescent lamps were introduced to overcome the problems associated with poor light output at elevated temperatures encountered with mercury filled lamps when they are installed in compact light fittings. Amalgam filled CFLs give their optimum light output at around 90ºC, whereas mercury filled lamps peak at around 40ºC.
Amalgam filled lamps are fine when they are up to temperature, but they have a much reduced light output when they are cold. This leads to a longer ‘warm-up’ time than mercury filled lamps, with levels of less than 10% of the rated light output at switch on. At temperatures below 10ºC, amalgam CFLs can also give strange colour temperatures such as orange or violet. This fades to white as the lamps warm.
This thermal behaviour also means that amalgam lamps suffer from significant light output reduction when they are cooled by airflow through the fitting. This must be taken into account when designing CFL luminaires into suspended ceilings with a pressure differential between the areas above and below the ceiling due to the heating and ventilation design.
When using amalgam lamps for emergency lighting installations, you must ensure that the control gear is designed to drive the lamps sufficiently hard to reach the required emergency lighting level within the specified time. Unless the gear is specifically designed to run amalgam lamps, use mercury filled lamps.


Are IBL Synergy products supplied with lamps?
IBL Synergy products are not supplied with lamps. However, these can be ordered separately if required.

How do I know which type and rating of lamp to fit?
All IBL luminaires have the lamp information displayed on a label that is clearly visible when proceeding to install/replace the lamp.



What type of control gear is used in IBL Synergy luminaires?
Synergy Choice, Synergy Standard, Synergy Compact and Mini Synergy luminaires have integrated high frequency electronic control gear with an Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) of A2. The switch-start, magnetic choke versions of Synergy Choice incorporate conventional gear with an EEI of B2.

What are the light output comparisons between compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), and tungsten GLS lamps?
Here is an approximate comparison. As you can see, the energy savings are enormous!
Tungsten/CFL - 40W/10W, 75W/18W, 100W/26W, 150W/32W


What is the life comparison between compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), tungsten halogen lamps and tungsten GLS lamps?
On average, a tungsten GLS lamp lasts for 1000hrs and a tungsten halogen lamp lasts for 2000hrs, whereas a CFL lasts for typically 10,000hrs.