Difference between revisions of "Philips Master PL-Electronic"

Philips Master PL-Electronic (view source)

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 == History ==
-Flourescent lamps were an evolution of clear mercury vapour lamps. Development followed two avenues to increase efficiency, low pressure mercury vapour discharge and high pressure mercury discharge. High pressure mercury discharge created more useful light but the same deficit of no red and orange light was present so the light was still unsatisfactory. Low pressure mercury discharge is very efficient but not in outputting visible light, it is on UV-light emission. This UV-light is useless if it cannot be converted to visible light.
+Compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballasts were designed as a more energy efficient product that replaced incandescent lamps. Although there was another competing technology in late 70s that could have prospects as energy saving lamps, the small metal hallide lamps, the flourescent lamp won in the end. Flicker, colour variations, slow start and especially long delays on the restart made low power metal hallide lamps as entirely unsuitable. Also, there was the issue of cost and tighter manufacturing tolerances that made metal hallide lamps very expensive compared with incandescent lamps. The research on compact fluorescent lamps was centered on miniaturization of the lamp and integrated ballast while keeping a reasonably moderate efficiency. Tubes could be made slimmer if the flourescent coating could operate at higher temperature and avoid absorbing mercury so development was not entirely straightforward. Development of more powerful green an blue phosphorus than the standard halo phosphates was essential, while a good red phosphorus of Yttrium/Vanadium was already available from research on cathode ray tube high efficiency red emitting powders. In the end, cost was extremely important.
-While this lamp generally folows the typical progress of flourescent light sources, there is one major feature that was specific to this range. In late 1980s, a compact flourescent lamp was designed, the venerable SL. It was the first product to use a magnetic ballast and starter that were integrated into a rather bulky base. The lamp had a noticeable hum and flicker but it brought major advantages in terms of energy efficiency in replacing typical incandescent lamps. In the 1990s, compact lamps received an improved electronic ballast that improved lamp's efficiency and lifetime, with no visible flicker. This development lead to later mass market popularity of compact fluorescent lamps, as they were more compact and slightly more pleasant to use. Of course, there was also a downside. Philips noticed that lamp replacements at the end of their useful life was not popular due to the typical user mindset so Philips did not bother to create, from that point further, lamps that had separate bases and lamps, reducing user mistakes upon replacement.
+While this lamp generally follows the typical progress of flourescent light sources, there is one major feature that was specific to this range. In late 1980s, a compact flourescent lamp was designed, the venerable SL. It was the first product to use a magnetic ballast and starter that were integrated into a rather bulky base. The lamp had a noticeable hum and flicker but it brought major advantages in terms of energy efficiency in replacing typical incandescent lamps. In the 1990s, compact lamps received an improved electronic ballast that improved lamp's efficiency and lifetime, with no visible flicker. This development lead to later mass market popularity of compact fluorescent lamps, as they were more compact and slightly more pleasant to use. Of course, there was also a downside. Philips noticed that lamp replacements at the end of their useful life was not popular due to the typical user mindset so Philips did not bother to create, from that point further, lamps that had separate bases and lamps, reducing user mistakes upon replacement.
 As all compact fluorescent lamps were ultimately an economy prospect to replace consumer's incandescent lamps, price was always an important factor. Improvements in the PL-Electronic lamps centered on better designed electronic ballasts that could have higher rated components, able to better survive increased environment temperatures of enclosed fixtures, and improved lamp tube design that reduced impact of temperature variations. The compact fluorescent lamp market was increasing up until the early 2000s, when most incandescent fixtures were replaced, and it slowly declined with the transition towards led lighting. The worldwide incandescent bulb ban had a major impact in increasing sales but in a slightly different way: users simply purchased lower quality bulbs or cheaper integrated compact flourescent lamps, meaning that there was no improvement on the standard Genie lamps or PL-Electronic.