Standards for energy-saving bulbs (1)

Reference is made to the letter entitled Energy Saving Bulbs: Long Time To Light Up (September 28). The Malta Resources Authority would like to draw readers’ attention to the fact that all lamps participating in the scheme to promote the domestic use...

Reference is made to the letter entitled Energy Saving Bulbs: Long Time To Light Up (September 28).

The Malta Resources Authority would like to draw readers’ attention to the fact that all lamps participating in the scheme to promote the domestic use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) meet the requirements of the latest available European CFLs Quality Charter issued by the Joint Research Centre within the European Commission. The wholesalers provided certified true copies of reports detailing conformity to the said specifications.

One of these specifications related to performance. Section 1.4 of Government Notice 200 of 2009 requires that “the time of 60 per cent of stabilised light output after switch-on from cold, at normal room temperature, shall be of less than 60 seconds”. The standard associated with this is EN 60969.

Lamps from different manufacturers may have a shorter start up time than that specified. However, this does not mean that these particular lamps are not acceptable for the purpose of the scheme.

Besides, the start up time is related to the mercury content and manufacturers try to find a balance between the two criteria. While start up time may be very important to you, others may opt for environmental considerations, including lower mercury content, to be more important.

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