Why do cfls buzz

Click to enlarge. CFLs produce light differently than incandescent bulbs. In an incandescent, electric current runs through a wire filament and heats the filament until it starts to glow. In a CFL, an electric current is driven through a tube containing argon and a small amount of mercury vapor. This generates invisible ultraviolet light that excites a fluorescent coating called phosphor on the inside of the tube, which then emits visible light. This entire process typically takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes to complete, which is why CFLs take longer than other lights to become fully lit.

There is nothing strange, creepy, and supernatural in your home. But according to some studies it is proven that buzzing can create chaos and irritation in the head of many people. Other than this, it can lead to a decrease in the focus and efficiency of a person just because of the disturbance it creates. The most common fixation you need is of your CFL bulb, ballasts, or the switch. First of all, know the reason why your bulb is buzzing.

After that, make sure to fix the voltage of the current that your bulb is getting. Most importantly, do not overload the little filaments of the bulb with too much pressure. Other than this you can:. The most common reason for buzzing is because of the old bulbs. The bulbs, ballasts, and pretty much every electronic item or device starts making noise and degrades with time.

So, first things first, replace the old fluorescent bulb with the new one. Other than replacing the whole bulb, you can look into replacing just the ballast of the bulb. The best thing about electronic ballasts is that they work continuously at 20, to 40, Hz which makes them a good eliminator of buzzing and humming of CFL bulbs. Whole used fluorescent lamps will be managed as Universal Waste. Broken lamps must be managed separately as Hazardous Waste and must not be placed in the same containers as the whole lamps.

Be sure to contact the Facilities Department at x, if you have any questions. As this article states, CFLs do contain mercury, but they are a better solution, both economically and environmentally, than incandescent bulbs.

The mercury is not high in quantity, however, it is still important for consumers to realize that they require special handling.

Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage, and when it gets into water, it can enter the food chain through fish. If a bulb is broken or burns out, it should be properly cleaned up and recycled—it should not be disposed of in landfills.

To reduce the risk for mercury vapor exposure, CFLs and fluorescent lamps should be safely handled, stored and transported to recycling facilities in a package that is proven to effectively contain hazardous mercury vapor.

Your email address will not be published. It can even affect other electronic devices nearby, such as radios. The distortion can even go so far as to cause flickering in the light bulb itself. Occasionally, you may be able to dim by 30 to 40 percent without any adverse reactions. You may need to change the dimmer. Remember, not all compact fluorescents are designed to work with dimmers, but CFLs made for dimmers are available.

Until the technology improves, the best option may be an energy-saver incandescent light.