h sodium vapor operating at relatively high pressures and temperatures. GE markets these lamps under the trade name of Lucalox®.
An electronic device providing a high voltage pulse to initiate an electrical discharge. Typically, the ignitor is paired with or is a part of the ballast (See STARTER).
A device that measures the illuminance at a location calibrated either in footcandles or in lux. (Also know as a light meter -- See COSINE CORRECTED)
The method of lighting a space by directing the light from luminaires upwards towards the ceiling. The light scattered off the ceiling produces a soft, diffuse illumination for the entire area.
Gases can be excited directly by radio-frequency or microwaves from a coil that creates induced electromagnetic fields. This is called induction lighting and it differs from a conventional discharge, which uses electrodes to carry current into the arc. Induction lamps have no electrodes inside the chamber and generally, therefore, have longer life than standard lamps. Genura® is an example of an induction lamp.
Electromagnetic energy radiated in the wavelength range of about 770 to 1,000,000 nanometers. Energy in this range cannot be seen by the human eye, but can be sensed as heat by the skin.
A type of ballast designed to start fluorescent lamps as soon as the power is applied. Most T8 fluorescent lamps are being operated on electronic instant-start ballasts. Slimline fluorescent lamps operate only on instant start circuits (See RAPID START).
A popular term for a compact fluorescent lamp which includes a built-in ballast (See CFL).
Inverse Square Law
Formula stating that if you double the distance from the light source, the light level goes down by a factor of 4, if you triple the distance, it goes down by a factor of 9, and so on.
The measure of electrical power equal to 1000 watts.
Kilowatt Hour (kWh)
The standard measure of electrical energy and the typical billing unit used by electrical utilities for electricity use. A 100-watt lamp operated for 10 hours consumes 1000 watt-hours (100 x 10) or one kilowatt-hour. If the utility charges € 0.10/kWh, then the electricity cost for the 10 hours of operation would be 10 cents (1 x € 0.10)
The term used to refer to the complete light source package, including the inner parts as well a the outer bulb or tube. "Lamp", of course, is also commonly used to refer to a type of small light fixture such as a table lamp.
The lamp's identification code. For Projection lamps, this is a 3-letter-number code uniquely identifying the lamp for ordering purposes. In some instances, lamps with 3-letter (ANSI) codes are offered in more than one design voltage, in which case the voltage required should also be specified when ordering. Some GE Projection Lamps have an ordering code comprising of two or more 3-letter ANSI codes - such as EM/EKS and DYS/DYV/BHC. The first code is the ANSI code, the secondary codes identify which lamp the multiple-coded lamp can directly replace. Only the first code appears on the lamp itself. Multiple-coded lamps are so-designated by General Electric for the convenience of the customer. In nearly all cases, Miniature and Sealed Beam lamps are marked with a General Electric Trade number recorded with ANSI.
Filament lamps: Incandescent, Halogen, Halogen-IR.
Discharge Lamps: Fluorescent, HID (High Intensity Discharge)
HID Lamps: Mercury, HPS (High Pressure Sodium), MH (Metal Halide) and CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide)
(See RATED LAMP LIFE).
Radiant energy that can be sensed or seen by the human eye. Visible light is measured in lumens.
Light Center Length (L.C.L.)
The distance between the center of the filament, or arc tube, and a reference plane - usually the bottom of the lamp base. Refer to the following chart for reference plane locations.
L.C.L Reference Plane Location
|All screw bases (except Mini-Can)||Bottom of base contact|
|Mini-Can||Where diameter of ceramic base insulator is .531 inches|
|3-Contact Medium||Bottom of base contact|
|Mogul Medium Prefocus||Top of base fins|
|Mogul Prefocus||Top of base fins|
|Medium BiPost||Base e