Why do CFL's take about half a second to turn on, but normal bulbs are instant-on?

Question

Every single CFL that I own that is 15watts or under is not instant-on. The package claims that it is instant-on, but it is not. Why is this?

I own two 20watt bulbs, and one of them is instant-on. I'm really puzzled because I thought that if one of the 20watts was instant-on, then the both should be. Most of my bulbs are the same brand (GE), but three bulbs are from Sylvania.

Please explain!!! Thanks.

Answer 1

Lance is mostly correct - read on

You do not want to handle the ends of a fluorescent tube or the base of a CFL when it has beeen on for 15 minutes or more.

When you turn the lamp on, the current flows through the electrical circuit to the electrodes. These electrodes are actually filaments which when heated the emit the electrons. There is a considerable voltage across the electrodes, so electrons will migrate through the gas from one end of the tube to the other. This energy changes some of the mercury in the tube from a liquid to a gas. As electrons and charged atoms move through the tube, some of them will collide with the gaseous mercury atoms. These collisions excite the atoms, bumping electrons up to higher energy levels. When the electrons return to their original energy level, they release light photons.

As we saw in the last section, the wavelength of a photon is determined by the particular electron arrangement in the atom. The electrons in mercury atoms are arranged in such a way that they mostly release light photons in the ultraviolet wavelength range. Our eyes don't register ultraviolet photons, so this sort of light needs to be converted into visible light to illuminate the lamp.

This is where the tube's phosphor powder coating comes in. Phosphors are substances that give off light when they are exposed to light. When a photon hits a phosphor atom, one of the phosphor's electrons jumps to a higher energy level and the atom heats up. When the electron falls back to its normal level, it releases energy in the form of another photon. This photon has less energy than the original photon, because some energy was lost as heat. In a fluorescent lamp, the emitted light is in the visible spectrum -- the phosphor gives off white light we can see. Manufacturers can vary the color of the light by using different combinations of phosphors

Good Luck

Answer 2

In a CFL lamp there is no filament that glows upon being energized, rather, the gas contained in the long tube becomes ''excited'' emitting ultra violet photons which in turn bombard the phosphorescent coating on the walls of the tube causing them to emit photons in the visible light spectrum. Considering all that must take place to work, it's amazing they come on as fast as they do. A fraction of a second here and there is a small price to pay for the energy saved!

Answer 3

We also put in these lites. What we found was any of the old sockets that did not have a good ground the bulbs had a hard time lighting up they also burned out much quicker than the incandecents. This happens alot in older homes so check to see if the sockets are grounded if not you will have some electrical work to do.

Danni

Answer 4

1)The convectional type of ballast(choke)required a starter to start up;This need few seconds to light up.
2)The latest electronic ballast do not required a starter whereby instant -on is achieve but come with a much higher price but with slight energy saving around 2-3 watts lower in consumption. Disadvantages:more expensive and also less durable than the convectional type.
The bulb used is the same type.(any brand OK)

Answer 5

Its a physics thing. Regular bulbs use a filament that heats up very quickly. CFLs takes a few seconds to excite the phospher inner coating of the bulb.

Answer 6

Because the CFL actually use a very controlled form of plasma. THe plasma reaction takes a lot of energy to start-at least as much energy as running the bulb for ten minutes. but after that, the reaction is almost self-sustaining, requiring only tiny amounts of energy to allow it to continue. That is why they are more energy efficient. It is also why after you turn it off it might continue to glow slightly-that is the reaction still occuring because it can keep it self going.

Answer 7

There is a little "ballast" in there that needs to charge up.

But, the technology is rapidly improving. Think about how much quicker your CFLs light up than the old fluorescent desk lamps or the overhead tubes in schools, etc.

Answer 8

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