THE SWITCH

 Light History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humphry Davy created the first light bulb in 1802. He connected wires to a battery and a piece of carbon, allowing the carbon to glow. However, this glow didn’t last long and was too bright for practical use.

 

The need for a more efficient bulb spurred the birth of the incandescent light bulb. Thomas Edison is considered the first person to successfully produce and develop it by using carbonized bamboo filaments, which extended the efficiency of the bulb to 1,200 hours. These bulbs were not manufactured in large numbers until 1880. Unfortunately, these bulbs lost most of their energy through heat, forcing further developments to be made.

 

Nearly 200 years later, incandescent light bulbs are sold at the cheap cost of $1.25 per bulb, making it a household necessity.  These bulbs are more efficient in colder places where the heat given off replaces some of the heat produced by the heater. In warmer places, though, it raises the load on the air conditioning system. About 90-95% of the power is converted into heat rather than visible light (each bulb emits 85 BTU/hour). Unfortunately, each bulb also emits 150 lbs of CO2/year, still has a lifespan of 1,200 hours, and the bulk shape of the glass breaks easily, making transportation difficult.

 

The next big leap in light bulb history occurred in 1890, when fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) were invented. In 1985, it was bring massed produced despite the high cost because it was more efficient than incandescent bulbs. CFL bulbs only use 66%-85% of the required power of an incandescent bulb, and more of its power is given off as visible light than heat (roughly 80%) at a rate of 30 BTU/hr, and has a lifespan of about 8,000 hours. CFLs give off comparatively lower amounts of CO2 than incandescent bulbs per year, as well, at a measly 35 lbs/bulb. It wasn’t until the 2000’s when CFLs became more affordable and more popular.

 

Nowadays, light emitting diodes (LED) light bulbs are the most efficient type on the market. The technology was discovered in 1907, but not used in light bulbs until 1927 when Russian inventor Oleg Losev found a way to incorporate it. Like the CFLs, LED lighting was not affordable until the 2000’s. It emits 3.4 BTU/hr of heat and has a lifespan of 50,000 hours! On an even greener note, LED bulbs only emit 15 lbs of CO2/year. Unlike the other bulbs, it is also extremely durable and non-flammable.

 

 

Sources:

http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.html

http://www.energystar.gov/products/certified-products/detail/light-bulbs

http://eartheasy.com/live_led_bulbs_comparison.html

http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/Lighting-Fundamentals/Light-Sources-Light-Bulbs.aspx

 

Image source: WIX