Are compact fluorescents cooler than metal halides?
A. JBJ compact fluorescents are all equipped with a built-in electronic ballast, which allows the bulbs to run cooler and reduce the risk of bulb burnouts associated with overheating. Metal halides run off a magnetic ballast which are very hot and produce a tremendous amount of heat. Many of our lighting models come standard with built-in fans. See Light Systems for more information.
Compact Fluorescent lamps run substantially cooler than Metal Halide lamps, but the type of lighting and the general purpose of each type is totally different.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are generally used to replace high wattage incandescent lamps which use more electricity to get the same amount of light (measured in lumens), and also generate a tremendous amount of heat.
As an example: One 14 watt, screw in compact fluorescent bulb will replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb with no discernible loss of light quality. Not only are you saving the electricity (56 watts) the bulb costs to run, you are saving in energy costs to cool a room lit by compact fluorescent lamps.
Compact fluorescent lamps now come in a variety of wattages and shapes, all designed to "mimic" the incandescent bulbs we are used to purchasing. They typically vary in wattage from 2- 42 watts for standard home use, although there are higher wattage types available to replace some of the Metal Halide, and more importantly the recently outlawed Mercury lamps.
