40W Tubelights
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in Electrical Appliances
We recommend Wipro, Surya HBT and New Cema Super as our Best Buys among the 40W tubelights.
KEY FINDINGS
May – June 2005
40W Tubelights
Tubelights :
- We recommend Wipro, Surya HBT and New Cema Super as our Best Buys among the 40W tubelights.
- Among the conforming brands of 40W tube lights, the average efficacy (lumen/wattage) of SuryaAnchor Classic was the highest, though not up to the `Ideal Efficacy’ level, while that of was found to be the lowest.
- In 40W tubelights, Powerlites (CM/L-8348989) manufactured by M/s Suntex Lamps Pvt. Ltd.,Bengal Lamps New Delhi, and (CM/L -8348989) marketed by M/s Bengal Lamps & Components Pvt. Ltd., Noida, did not conform to the requirements of initial lumen. These two brands were also dropped from all the subsequent tests.
- We found that tubelights manufactured and sold with ISI mark under BIS licence number CM/L 8348989 do not belong to any BIS licensee for manufacturing tubelights. The BIS has advised its branch offices to investigate availability of spuriously marked “Bengal Lamps” brand fluorescent lamps and take action.
- All the 11 brands of 40W tubelights tested for life conformed to the requirements of the Standard for life test up to 2000 hrs.
- The Standards require the minimum initial lumen to be 2254. Philips Champion and Anchor Classic claimed ‘Brighter Light’ and ‘Extra Light’, respectively. Our result showed that they gave more than the requirement. But there were brands (Wipro, Surya, Cema) that did not make such claims and yet performed better.
- We have been continuing the test of tubelights for 5000 hours as per the `scope’ of the IS 2418 (Part 1) : 1977 (Amendment No. 3). Some brands are working even after 3000 hours.
Chokes :
- As energy-efficient electronic chokes are now available in the market, we tested 40W tubelights for consumption of energy with electronic chokes. Energy consumption with electronic chokes was found to be much less than that of electromagnetic (copper and aluminium) chokes. This test is not specified in IS 2418-1977.
- There is a higher saving of energy with the use of electronic choke than with electromagnetic choke. The purchase cost of electronic choke is a little higher then that of a copper chokes but can be recovered within 11 months (approx.) because the utilisation cost of electronic chokes is much less. (Low power consumption = less electricity bill)
- Total harmonic distortion was found to be very high in the brands of Electronic Chokes Rocker and GELCO (GC140).
