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Test of low-energy bulbs on SVT PLUS

Many low-energy bulbs function poorly outdoors at low temperatures. The bulbs can lose up to half of their luminance in cold weather.  This has been shown in a test which Plus has been allowed to conduct.

SVT Plus testar lågenergi

Sweden’s Technical Research Institute has conducted a test of six low-energy bulbs which use between 11 and 12 watts. They have compared how much light the bulbs give off compared to a standard 60 watt light bulb.
General Electric and Philips’ low-energy bulbs were the best in the test and they are also the most expensive. They lived up to their promises of giving off as much light as a 60 watt bulb.
The cheaper bulb by Func gave off the poorest light, despite the packaging promising to have a luminance equal to 60 watts.
- You get what you pay for in better function, says Gösta Werner who is responsible for the test at Sweden’s Technical Research Institute.

Worse outdoors in cold weather
Gösta Werner -When the bulbs were tested at a temperature of minus ten degrees, most of the bulbs gave off considerably worse illumination. Megaman’s bulb lost 57 per cent of its light in the cold compared with the light it gave at room temperature.

spacer_10x10It was only Philips’ low-energy bulb which lived up to the requirement to be as luminous as a 60 watt bulb.
But despite manufacturers knowing that the bulbs lose strength when it is cold, it does not say that on the packaging.
- This is a shadowy detail. It should appear on the container whether you can use the bulbs outdoors or not, says Gösta Werner.

Shouldn’t you use low-energy bulbs outdoors then?
- Yes, but you must buy the right kind. If you buy the bulbs at a specialist shop they can look in their product catalogues and check if the bulbs also function in cold weather.
Reflect colours poorly
Low-energy bulbs in general do not reflect the entire colour spectrum.
- A standard light bulb contains all the colours of the rainbow, but not the low energy bulbs, says Gösta Werner.
You notice this if you compare how the colour of a skirt or sweater looks in daylight outdoors with how it appears in the light of a low-energy bulb.
- You miss out on certain nuances, says Gösta Werner.
Yet two of the bulbs in the test revealed to be somewhat better at reflecting colours, they were Philips’ and Megaman’s bulbs.

FACT: Test of low-energy bulbs
The low-energy bulbs’ luminosity
1= best in test, 6= worst mark
1 Philips 98.00 SEK at Elkedjan
2 General Electric 89.00 SEK at ICA Maxi
3 Megaman 98.00 SEK at Clas Ohlson
4 IKEA 34.50 SEK
5 Cotech 44.50 SEK at Clas Ohlson
6 Func 39.00 SEK at Willys

Plus has tested the low-energy bulbs’ properties, but not the bulbs service lives.
Sweden’s Technical Research Institute (SP) has conducted the test of low-energy bulbs of 11 and 12 watts.
The bulbs will according to the packaging give as much luminance as a 60 watt light bulb, except IKEA’s bulb which only promises to give as much light as a 50 watt light bulb.
Philips’ and General Electric’s bulbs were the brightest.
Megaman was somewhat worse.
The poorest was the bulb by the brand Func.

FACT: Low-energy bulbs outdoors during cold weather
When the bulbs were tested at -10 degrees the bulbs’ brilliance worsened. Only the Philips low-energy variant gave as much light as a 60 watt bulb.

Tested at a temperature of -10 degrees:
IKEA lost 58 per cent of its light
Megaman lost 57 per cent
Cotechs bulb 48 per cent of its luminance
Funch lost 29 per cent of its light
GE lost 25 per cent
Philips lost 5 per cent of its light
But despite other bulbs having lost more of their luminosity, Funch’s bulb is still the poorest. It did not shine more than a 25 watt light bulb at the low temperature.
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