Is This Compact Fluorescent Bulb And What Do Terms Mean?

[Boris_yo]

Hello guys, thanks for answering my previous questions!

This bulb (which burned) has some terms i am unfamiliar with on its package, so i photo'ed it:

The package:



The bulb (just in case):




Is this bulb compact fluorescent? What 6400K means and does it reflect on heat emission of bulb? What is 800lm?

Thanks you.

[ejeffrey]

Yes, this is a CFL.

6400 K is the color temperature.  It has to do with the mix of phosphors that make it 'white', and it is basically the temperature of an incandescent lamp that would be the same color.  Higher color temperature will be bluer, lower will be redder.

15 watt is the power draw.  E14 is the socket style -- Edison 14 mm.  800 lumens is the light output: I think that is about equal to a 60 watt incandescent bulb.  130 milliamp is the current rating.

[Boris_yo]

Yes, this is a CFL.

6400 K is the color temperature.  It has to do with the mix of phosphors that make it 'white', and it is basically the temperature of an incandescent lamp that would be the same color.  Higher color temperature will be bluer, lower will be redder.

Thanks. So the lower is color temperature, the less heat is emitted? If yes, would it be better for aquarium?

[IanB]

Thanks. So the lower is color temperature, the less heat is emitted? If yes, would it be better for aquarium?

No, it has nothing to do with heat. The color temperature refers to the "color" of the light. Higher color temperatures are more blue, lower color temperatures are more red, but with fluorescent lamps this is only approximate. 6500K as in the picture is going to seem cool and blueish.

The amount of heat depends on the wattage of the lamp. So a 15 W lamp as pictured will generate more heat than an 8 W lamp.

[Zero999]

A higher colour temperature may be more suitable for an aquariam because it will have more blue wavelengths which may be better for the organisms in the tank.

[alm]

Note that 'color temperature' (better: correlated color temperature) is not a very good measure of a (C)FL spectrum, since you're basically trying to fit the continuous spectrum of a black body radiator to the few peaks produced by the phosphors in the tube. It does give a measure for the amount of blue versus red, though. If you compare the light from an incandescent light (2900K or so) to open shade (maybe 10,000K), the incandescent light will look quite yellow. This is more obvious to a camera since the human eye/brain uses memory colors to correct for light tints. Human skin will appear flesh colored regardless of the light color (within limits).