# regular florescent vs full spectrum florescent?



## picard (Dec 9, 2006)

What is difference between regular florescent lamp and full spectrum lamp?
the store clerk told me regular florescent produce harsher glare than full specturm. I bought the full spectrum light to replace my old incandescent lamp.

Does regular florescent produce light in all wave lengths ? I am curious.


----------



## Kinnza (Dec 10, 2006)

There is a lot of marketing around broad spectrum fluorescent.

But there is little difference in the practice between both. Regular fluorescents emits with strong peaks in narrow bandwith. Triphospor fluorescent, tipically having CRI over 80, has a peak in blue, other in green and another in orange/red. They has good CRI, but the risk of narrow emissions is to saturate some colors and unsaturate others (tipycally, in the red side). Broad spectrum fluorescents avoid this behavior, with the cost of reduced efficiency. 

Personally, in the practice, i didnt notice mayor differences, but im slighty daltonic , so im not the more indicated person to share my visual impressions. :lolsign:


----------



## markus_i (Dec 11, 2006)

I don't know if they also have that information available in english, but Osram has some interesting stuff about the different colours of white fluorescent illumination.

Basically, it boils down to colour rendition, efficiency and personal preference (cooler/warmer light). The more efficient lights give a CRI between 80-89 and yield, for the 58 W T8-Tube (the one with the most choice) between 5000 and 5200 lumens. The lights with the better CRI (>90) only yield arund 3700 lumens while special lamps (for food illumination in supermarkets - to make things look fresh - or plant illumination) yield around 2000...3000 lumens. 

Apart from the specialist lamps, it's then your choice what type of light (cool - neutral - warm) you prefer.

Personally, we have two indirect 'Biolux' (i.e. full spectrum daylight with added UV) lamps in our office rooms at home and like it. Most other rooms are equipped with incans, but that's going to change.

Bye
Markus


----------



## cy (Dec 11, 2006)

guess I got caught by the marketing and purchased a full spectrum florescent desk lamp at Sams. 

seems to emit a more natural color light. shift towards blue, similar to what's happened to LED's.


----------

