What is Xenon Lighting?
The xenon light is a kind of incandescent light bulb. It has the
familiar tungsten filament within its glass envelope that fills with xenon gas, which glows when
electricity flows through it.
How Long To Xenon Lamps Last?
Xenon light last an average of 10,000 hours – 10 times longer than
regular incandescent lights, and 5 times longer than halogen light
bulbs. This is because the xenon gas slows down the tungsten filament degradation making it lasts longer than regular incandescent bulbs.
How Efficient Are Xenon Lamps?
The xenon gas also allows the lamp to generate more light using less
energy. When excited by electricity, the gas itself glows bright white.
This makes it easier for the light to achieve its lumen output. On
average, xenon light bulbs are about 33% more efficient than regular
incandescent light bulbs.
Where Can You Use Xenon?
Xenon lights are commonly found in homes and businesses, used for
task lighting, accent lighting, cove lighting, and under cabinet
lighting. They’re also a common source for car headlights.
How You Can Go Green with Xenon Light Bulbs
1. When Using a Dimmer…
A dimmer switch is one of the most environmentally-friendly lighting
accessories you can invest in and xenon light bulbs are compatible with standard dimmers, but there are
many CFLs and LEDs that aren’t dimmable at all.
If you dim a
light bulb by 10%, you will save 10% of the energy and double the light bulb lifespan. If you dim
by 50%, you will save 40% of the energy and increase
the light bulb lifespan by 20-fold.
2. In Unstable Environments…
If your area is prone to voltage fluctuations, xenon
lighting is also one of the greener choices, especially when compared
with fluorescent lights. Xenon lights are very tolerant of unstable voltages, which results in
a longer rated life. However, voltage spikes can shorten the rated life
of a fluorescent, sometimes dramatically.
3. When Recycling…
Xenon light bulbs are much easier to dispose of especially compared
to CFLs as CFLs
contain mercury that require special treatment. Xenon light bulbs don’t contain any mercury, so they’re much easier
to recycle. If one breaks in your home or building, you won’t have to
worry about exposing yourself to harmful toxins, or introducing them
into the atmosphere.
Every day you hear lots of ‘eco’ words being bandied about: ecological, green, environmentally friendly, planet friendly, carbon footprints. And every day you are being asked – increasingly by your ecologically aware children! – to make more environmentally-friendly, or more sustainable choices!
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