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Edison Light Bulbs Are They Worth it

Edison Light Bulbs: Are They Worth it?

By | Electrical

Edison Light Bulbs are a blast from the past. They have recently made a resurgence, and are designed to emulate the early tungsten filament light bulbs produced by the Edison Electric Light Company in the early 20th century. These bulbs are something of a modern trend and usually have elaborate wiring of their internal filaments.

However, like all incandescent bulbs, they are not as efficient as modern alternatives, such as LEDs, so if you are considering looking at Edison Light Bulbs, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons.
Edison Light Bulbs Are They Worth it

Edison Light Bulbs offer a vintage aesthetic and a nice warm glow, but there are many modern alternatives, so are they really worth it? Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if they are the brightest option for you

 

Pros:

They Are Warm

One of the main appeals of Edison light bulbs is that they emanate warm light far more than a modern incandescent, CFL or standard LED light. Warm light makes a room feel cosier, and according to a study performed by Harvard Medical School, blue light, which is more prevalent in CFLs and some LEDs can be disruptive to sleep patterns.

They Are Stylish

If you’ve been to a trendy cafe or cocktail bar lately, you’ll probably notice a row of Edison bulbs hanging above the counter. There’s no denying they have a cool aesthetic. Their exposed look, screams vintage, as does the amber glass and warm glow that they produce.

They Are Cheap

Incandescent bulbs are an old design and are among the cheapest you can get, however, particularly styled Edison bulbs may set you back a little more. Still, they are often a lot cheaper to modern lighting alternatives such as CFLs and LEDs.

Cons:

They Are Fragile

Despite the detailed look of Edison bulb’s filaments, they are extremely intricate and fragile. They are probably not a good idea if they are in reach of children or pets.

They Aren’t That Bright

Excuse the pun, but it’s true! Edison bulbs aren’t that bright compared to just about every other modern alternative. There is a difference between wattage and luminosity. Even though Edison bulbs may have the same wattage as a normal incandescent bulb, their design causes them to produce roughly half the lumens. This means that although they might be nice for mood lighting, they are not ideal for spotlighting.

They are Less Energy Efficient

Edison bulbs are not nearly as efficient as modern alternatives, they can turn up to 90% of their energy use into heat, which is not ideal for the modern power conscious family. LED lights, by comparison, are much more efficient, losing only 20% of their energy to heat. Also, they require less energy overall to operate – between 50% and 90%.

The Best of Both Worlds

There is no question that tungsten light bulbs are old technology. They use more energy and produce more heat and less light, meaning they are incredibly inefficient. After all, they are over 100 years old!

Despite this, the vintage look is in, if only you could get the efficiency of an LED light with the cool spiral and warm glow of an olden-day filament.

Well, you can! Many companies have noticed the trend of Edison bulbs, however, they have tried to adapt the design to the modern, eco-conscious world. You can now buy decorative spirals and coils of LEDs, that look just like tungsten coils of times gone by. These new LEDs are adjusted to a warm colour temperature and have glass treated with an amber glow, so you can have all of the charms of an old bulb, with modern efficiency.

LED lights solve all the problems of incandescent bulbs. They are more durable, more efficient and even last longer. Edison bulbs have approximately 1000 lumen-hours, LED filament bulbs, on the other hand, have approximately up to 40,000 hours.

If you’re unsure about Edison Light Bulbs, or would like to know more about LED filament lights please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing electrical and air con services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Electrical Power Boards

Electrical Power Boards
– What Not To Do

By | Electrical

Power boards. Yes, they’re handy, they help you charge your phone, hook up your television and even to get all of your appliances working to make breakfast. It’s important to remember, however, that it’s possible to get carried away and to create a potential hazard where there shouldn’t be one.
Electrical Power Boards

There’s no doubt about it, power boards are extremely handy, but they can also be dangerous if mistreated. Here’s what not to do with your power board.

When it comes to power boards, a good rule of thumb is that they should never be used as a replacement to power-points. If you find that you are constantly overloading your power board, it may be time to consider installing an extra wall mounted power point to avoid unseen risks.

Overloaded power boards that do not have any surge protection can trip your circuit. This can lead to blackouts and in extreme cases can cause fires, so be sure to follow the appropriate safety measures.

If you have no other choice than to use power boards, you should always follow the appropriate safety precautions. Here are a few things you should consider:

What not to do

• Don’t connect multiple appliances that require a lot of electricity, such as white goods, heaters and dryers.

• Don’t place power boards in places where they may be exposed to heat, such as in the sun or near a heater or in unventilated areas.

• Don’t plug one multiple adapter into one another, this is also called ‘piggy backing’ and is regarded as a dangerous practice.

• Don’t place power boards in a place where dust and moisture can undermine their safety and longevity.

• Don’t place power boards in areas that are accessible to children.

What to do

• Purchase power boards that include overload protection as well as surge protection.

• Purchase power boards that have wide spaces around outlets so that different types of plugs do not touch.

• Check to see that the rating of appliances is compliant with the power board.

• Check your power board for damage or loose parts.

• Make sure that the power board and the wall switch are both turned off if not in use.

• Make sure that power boards meet Australian Electrical Standards.

Most power boards are not made to live forever, and therefore will require regular inspection.
Power boards that are surge protected are designed to protect your electronics and deteriorate over time, so these will need to be replaced, especially if you suspect you may have experienced a power surge.

If you have any questions about electrical power boards, or if you believe your power board is hazardous, it may be time to install an extra power point, so please don’t hesitate to give us a call..

With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing fast and efficient service of the highest quality. If you have any questions regarding electricity in your house or are looking for a quote for electrical installations, repairs, or general maintenance, please don’t hesitate to Get in touch with HunterCON about Power Boards today.

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outdoor lighting

Where To Install Outdoor Lighting

By | Electrical

Outdoor lighting can make your home a much more habitable place, not only does it make it easier for you to get to your front door at night, but it can also create whole new living spaces that are ideal for entertaining in the summer. Different lights are suitable for different jobs. Some create an impression and some are more suitable for practical purposes, but the best can do both!
outdoor lighting

When it comes to outdoor lighting, practicality is important, light where it’s not needed is a waste of energy and poorly lit pathways can be hazardous, so be sure to have a think about the places in your home that most need light. Here are some key areas to consider.

 

Front Door

The front door is one of the most common areas for outdoor lighting. Not only is it practical to have lighting to help you find your keys, but a well lit front door can make a huge first impression when guests come around.

High Traffic Areas

Aside from the front door, homes have a lot of places that can be considered high traffic, such as the pathway to your front door, or the path from your laundry to your clothesline. Areas such as these benefit from the installation of spike lights, which can be small solar panelled lights or long chains of waterproof wired lights that sit alongside a pathway.

Risk Areas

Do you have places in your house that could pose a risk to someone if they couldn’t see where they were going? Ground level changes, sudden step-downs, pool areas and staircases can prove hazardous if people cannot see them, especially guests who don’t know where they are going. Risk areas can benefit from sensor activated lighting, and lights installed on the outward face of steps can make getting up and down a lot safer.

Garage Lights

Garage or carport lighting is a practical choice, not only can it help you park safely at night, but it can assist you in getting all of your belongings out of the car, which is particularly handy if you’ve just done a big shop.

Decorative Lighting

Although lighting is a practical installation, it can also be used to ‘brighten up’ the appearance of your house. Lighting can create a nice ambience with a modern touch and when applied to garden lines, windows or eves, it can serve both form and function. Lighting up fountains with feature lights and trees with spotlights can create a dramatic effect in your garden, but can also illuminate large areas for practical purposes. A lit tree over a BBQ or clothesline not only looks great but can go a long way to improve visibility in the evening.

Creating Outdoor Living Spaces

If you have a deck, patio or porch, you can create a whole new room of the house just by adding a bit of light. In ground lighting is a great option for decking or tiled areas and wall lights are suitable for specific areas, such as outdoor dining tables.

If you have any questions about outdoor lighting or would like to know more about installation or maintenance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing electrical and air con services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Perfect Home Theatre

How to Create the Perfect Home Theatre

By | Electrical

Everyone enjoys a trip to the cinemas, but by the time you’ve added up ticket pricing, popcorn and a drink, things can get costly pretty quickly. And what if you want to put your feet up? It makes you think, maybe it’s better to stay at home…

With the rise of streaming services, and technology becoming more and more affordable, it’s easier than ever to get the motion picture experience at home.
Perfect Home Theatre

If you consider yourself a bit of a movie buff, it makes a lot of sense to make your own home cinema room, you can avoid cues, put your feet up and eat whatever you want.

 
However, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind to make sure you get the best cinema experience possible.

The Room

Your first consideration in setting up a home theatre should be the room. Generally speaking, home theatres take up a lot of space, so having the right dimensions is important. This is especially relevant if you choose to use a projector, which may require a throw space of over 4 metres to cast a screen size with a 150-inch diameter.

Another consideration is having a room that is isolated from the rest of the house. Non-dedicated home theatre rooms have to share the space with kitchen sounds, random lights as well as the goings on of the rest of the family, so finding a room with its own space is important. Basements, attics and spare rooms are great options.

Projector or Television?

When it comes to choosing the right screen for a home theatre, the biggest decision you have to make is whether to go with a traditional television or a projector. One of the main considerations here is the size of your room and the amount of light that it lets in. Both these factors will affect the performance of a projector and if your room is smaller and has large windows, you might be better of going with a large television. This isn’t much of a compromise, however, as televisions can range all the way up to 85 inches, and curved screen TVs are great for handling light issues as well as awkward angles.

If you have a lot of space and are able to effectively block out light in your dedicated cinema room, it may be well worth going with a projector, as they are adjustable and can range from 40 all the way up to 300 inches and beyond. This way you can adjust the projector to suit your room. Despite this, there are a few other factors to consider with projectors, such as mounts and cables, as well as coating the opposite wall with projector screen paint to optimise performance.

Surround Sound

Surround sound systems are important for making your dedicated cinema room sound as authentic as possible. A 5.1 channel setup is necessary, which refers to three speakers in the front, two in the rear, as well as a subwoofer. 7.1 channel setups are also available but with extra speakers, it’s important to be able to situate them in the right place so that they sound optimal. Subwoofers on top of cabinets can create unwanted buzzing sounds, and speakers that are hidden behind furniture may not be able to project at their highest potential, so consider specialised mounts for each speaker and be sure to place subwoofers on the ground.

Soundproofing

Soundproofing is important to optimise the acoustics of a room and to make the most of your surround sound system. Soundproofing can be expensive, however, if you are able to add extra insulation to your walls this will be a bonus. Alternatively, consider sound absorption. Carpet is better at absorbing sound than hardwood floors and minimising hard surfaces and adding objects like couches and curtains can also go a long way to improve your cinemas audio quality.

Lighting

Lighting ambience is a big part of the cinema experience and the right lighting can make or break the mood of a home theatre. Consider fitting dimmer lights, so that you can adjust the lighting at the turn of a switch. Controlling natural light is also important, so if you have large windows, you may need to consider fitting curtains or blinds.

If you have any questions about your setting up a home cinema or would like to know more about installation or maintenance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing air con services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Surge Protection

What is Surge Protection

By | Electrical

It’s a dark and stormy night and suddenly you hear a lightning strike nearby. The lights flicker for a second and you wonder to yourself, “Do I have surge protection?”

The standard Australian voltage for most domestic situations is 240 volts. Anything over this is considered a ‘transient voltage’ and can be very damaging to electronics plugged into the outlet in question. Surges can be caused by different things, however, common causes include lightning strikes and electrical faults.

A surge protector is a device that protects other devices from spikes in voltage, if you had one installed, your TV wouldn’t have fried.
Surge Protection

Power surges are brief, however, their damage can be considerable, so it is important to install surge protection in your home to protect your electrical devices. But what exactly is a surge protector? Here are a few things you should know.

 

What Happens Inside a Surge Protector?

Most surge protectors use a Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV). The MOV connects the surge protector’s hot wire and the grounding wire and has a variable electrical resistance.

In the advent of an electrical surge, the MOV can make adjustments to a voltage that is too high, by redirecting anything over 240 volts through to the grounding wire where it dissipates, without frying your television and a safe stream of volts continues to power your appliances.

Joule Rating

The ‘protection’ rating of MOV based surge protectors is measured in ‘joules’. The joule rating is a total amount of protection that a protector can withstand. For instance, a 500-joule protector can withstand five 100 joule lightning strikes.

Types of Surge Protectors

Surge protectors arn’tt all the same. Power strips are inexpensive expanders that usually have a circuit breaker, however, they do not all offer protection in the advent of a surge. Surge protectors offer a level of protection against power spikes. How much and how well varies considerably between products.

Surge Protectors Have a Lifetime

The total joule rating of a surge protector is the total amount of joules it can absorb in a lifetime, so after a while, a protector will wear out. Some will give you a warning, often in the form of a LED light, however, others do not. If you have had an electrical mishap, such as lightning or an electrical fault, it’s always safer to replace the unit.

With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing fast and efficient service of the highest quality. If you have any questions regarding electricity in your house or are looking for a quote for electrical installations, repairs, or general maintenance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with HunterCon today.

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4 Tips Good Electrician

4 Tips to Help You Hire a Good Electrician

By | Electrical

Your home’s electrics are important, so when it comes time hire an electrician, you need to find the right person for the job. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small repair or a major extension, getting the job done right will mean all work is completed safely and accurately, and you won’t have to worry about asking for a second call out.
4 Tips Good Electrician

It’s important to feel comfortable about the electrician you plan on hiring and there are a few measures you can take to be confident that your house is receiving the right electrical treatment.

 

Do Your Research

There are a few things you can research so that you can make sure that you are prepared to find the right person for the right job. You don’t have to be an expert, however, learning a little about the job and cost of the parts will help you to better deal with the electrician.

It’s also a good idea to do a bit of a background check on any electrician you plan on calling. There may be references and reviews online that could give you a bit of an idea of the job you can expect.

Obtain a Quote

Before any electrical work begins, it is a must that you receive a quote and agree on a price. It’s not abnormal to receive numerous quotes from different electricians to compare prices.

Any business or contractor that pressures you to take the quote, start work early or don’t agree to you obtaining other quotes should not be trusted, as they do not have your best interests in mind. Some electricians may even offer discounts to new customers in order to engage them long-term business, so be sure to shop around.

Insurance and Licensing

It is crucial that the electrician that you hire has the appropriate insurance and licensing to carry out the work that needs doing. Electrical work is risky business and complications can mean damage to persons, as well as your own property, with extensive financial and legal ramifications.

Contractors should willingly provide you with the required details and if the electrician is part of a larger company it should be easy to check by calling the business and give yourself peace of mind.

Time Management

Time management is the sign of a skilled practitioner and is essential for electricians to complete their work in a given time frame. An electrician should provide a detailed timeline, along with an estimation of the cost of the job.

Like most things in life, the process may require a bit of adjustment, however, as you will be the employer, you need to factor in the timeframe and labour costs so that the project progresses to and continues to fit within your budget.

A good electrician should be able to keep you updated on the progress of the project every step of the way and stick to set goals and milestones, so make sure they have a good plan upfront.

If you have questions about hiring an electrician or would like to know more about installation, maintenance, or other electrical work, don’t hesitate to get in touch with HunterCON today. We pride ourselves on providing fast and efficient service of the highest quality.

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5 Amazing Electrical Upgrades For Your Kitchen

By | Electrical

A kitchen remodel is an exciting renovation that can completely refresh one of the most used rooms in your house. New cupboards, white goods, appliances and benches can all go a long way to improve the overall feeling and impact of your home. But what about electricals?
Electrical upgrades such as switching and lighting can not only lift the aesthetics of your kitchen but can also improve its practicality.

Electrical upgrades are a great way to boost the looks and functionality of your kitchen. Here are some great additions you should consider.

 

USB Outlets

Everyone has had those mornings, you need to boil a kettle, put toast on and use the juicer at the same time. But what if you need to charge your phone? No one has time to rearrange power outlets, so one solution is to install a panel of USB outlets in your kitchen. With all the USB reliant devices in modern households, a dedicated outlet can make charging a breeze. Simply install next to your bench space and you’ll never need an adapter again.

Concealed Outlets

Traditional outlets are so… traditional. If you want to go a step further to improve the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen there are many options for your power outlets.

Pop-up outlets are a great choice for the clutter conscious. They stay hidden in the bench until you need an extra appliance, all you need to do is hit the button and it’s there.

Recessed outlets are awesome if you are short of bench space. Those extra few centimetres taken up by plugs at the back of the appliance can be a real nuisance and dangling cords can sure be unsightly. Recessed outlets allow you to tuck them into the wall for a flush fit.

Under cabinet outlets can make your walls look less cluttered and can also give you easy access for appliances without any loose cords.

Pantry Lights

Perfect for finding that obscure spice right at the back of the shelf, pantry lights can be made to automatically switch on when the door is opened and turn off again when you’re done. Walk-in pantries can even be fitted with motion sensors!

Baseboard Lights

Overhead lights are great for cooking, but what if you need a midnight snack? Baseboard lights illuminate the skirting or baseboard just above your floor, giving you just enough light to make it through the hallway to the fridge.

Stylised Light Switches

Not a lot of people are aware that light switches can come in many shapes and sizes. They don’t have to be the standard white-on-white finish that are fitted in most houses. Designer light switches can be tailored to suit any kitchen aesthetic. Need blue to suit your splash-backs? No a problem. What about stainless steel or stone to suit your finishes? Consider it done.

If you have any questions about your kitchen’s electronics or would like to know more about upgrades, installation or maintenance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing air con and electrical services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Request Electrical Inspection

5 Reasons You Should Request an Electrical Inspection Before Buying a Home

By | Electrical

There are many things you need to check when inspecting a new home, from the structural integrity to the pest situation. However, one crucial element is the home’s electricals, which should be carried out by a professional to make sure the house meets modern standards and government regulations.

Any faults found within a property can be costly to repair after the house has been bought, so it’s in your best interest to perform an inspection first. Usually finding electrical problems will enable you to negotiate a lower price, but sometimes an electrical and building inspection can be included in the pre-purchase price of a property, so make sure you communicate with the agent on terms that are suitable.
Request Electrical Inspection

From making sure wiring is grounded, to ensuring the safety of outlets here are 6 reasons why you should request an electrical inspection before buying a new home.

A Building Inspection Does Not Always Cover Electrical’s

A building inspection usually covers things like plumbing, heating, foundations, structure examination and fire safety, however, the NSW Government’s building inspection guide states that a standard building inspection may or may not include testing of wiring or smoke alarms, two components that a crucial to a home’s safety.

It is important to request an electrical inspection before buying a new home to make sure that all components are functional to the best of their ability and do not pose a potential hazard to you or your family.

Outlets Need to be Tested

Electrical outlets need to be tested to make sure that they are properly grounded so that they are not hazardous when appliances are plugged in. Any physical defects, such as cracks or loose screws could mean that there is not enough tension to hold the cord whilst plugged in. Kitchen outlets may require extra testing as they regularly supply power to a large number of appliances.

Electrical Wiring Has a Lifespan

Like everything, electrical wiring has a lifespan, and wiring towards the end of its life isn’t going to perform as well as newer wiring. Wires can lose their grounding over time and in old homes with old circuits a grounding wire may even be non existent, so it’s essential for an electrician to test the wiring and circuit of any new home you may be considering.

Examining the Power Box

A home’s power box or service panel is the centrepiece of the entire electrical system, so it’s crucial that it is thoroughly tested. It’s also important to make sure that the power box can stand up for time to come, as any faults can be a big fix. A new home should have an electrical circuit that can supply the house well into the future and a big part of this is making sure that the service panel is up to date and can handle expansions on the circuit to meet the demands of new technology.

You’re Looking at an Old House

If you are looking to buy an older house an electrical inspection is especially important. All areas mentioned must be checked more thoroughly to make sure that the original circuits have not degraded and can accommodate the demands of modern living.

If you have any questions about the electronics of a new home or would like to know more about installation, maintenance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing air con and electrical services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Invisible Charging

Luxury Electrical Upgrades that Will Change the Way You Live

By | Electrical

When it comes time to renovate, sometimes you just need to treat yourself a little. Electrical upgrades can make your home on the cutting edge, and who doesn’t want a house decked out with gadgets James Bond would be proud of?

Luxuries are about making your home life easier but upgrades can actually go a long way to increase the value of your home come time to sell.
Invisible Charging

From automation to handy lighting, there are many things you can do to make your place that little bit fancier. Here are eight luxury upgrades that will change the way that you live.

Invisible Charging

This one is for the clutter conscious, or even maybe just someone who is always losing things. Charging pads are a new technology that does away with all cabling, allowing you to simply rest the phone, smartwatch or tablet on the surface to charge the device. Charging pads can now come built into furniture such as side tables and desk lamps, which have inbuilt charging bases to discreetly charge your phone.

Touchless Taps

You may have seen touchless taps at venues, but have you ever considered installing them in your home? There are many benefits of a sensor operated faucet, such as stopping the spread of germs as well as controlling the amount of water used – you’ll never forget to turn the tap off again! Most units are programmable so you can set the length of time the water runs for as well as the temperature of the water.

Heated Bathroom Floors

Heated bathroom floors are a luxury you’ll thank yourself for, come the colder months. With thin radiant mats installed underneath your tiles, you’ll never have to experience cold feet again. Most systems are adaptable with a thermostat and timer system to turn on before you shower every morning. One added benefit is that heated flooring can help to stop mould growth in humid bathrooms!

Under-Cabinet /Skirtboard LED Lighting

Under cabinet and/or skirt board LED lights can be a great way to provide a soft light in your kitchen for different purposes. Lights from high cabinets can be practical as you prepare dinner, and from low cabinets, they can shine a warm glow on the kitchen floor. Skirtboard lighting is perfect for giving you a little bit of light to get up the hallway for a midnight snack.

Smart Thermostats

Programmable thermostats are great, but they’re a bit last millennium. You can now get thermostats with motion sensors that turn off when they detect that no one is home, and turn on when they are. What’s even cooler is that over time the thermostat will learn everyone in the houses rhythms and learn to predict when people get home to make sure the house is a suitable temperature.

Smart Locks

Smart locks can be integrated as part of your home security system and can be added to an existing door. The lock works as a touchscreen which can lock or unlock your home with a passcode, just like you would your phone. You can customise the unit so that it gives particular codes to certain people at certain times, for instance, you could just give your cleaner a certain code for 8 am Tuesday.

Smart Home Systems

Smart home systems are the be-all and end-all of electrical upgrades as they can integrate all of the technology within a household, including lighting, locking, heating and even music. These systems, when coupled with automation, can make you feel like you are living in a house of the future. Some hubs are even artificially intelligent and will tell you the weather for tomorrow, start a movie for you or even set you an alarm, all through voice command.

If you have any questions about your electronics at home or would like to know more about installation, maintenance, or please don’t hesitate to give us a call. With over 9 years experience under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing air con services of the highest quality. Get in touch with us today.

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Thomas Alva Edison in 1911 with his famous light bulb

The History of The Light Bulb

By | Electrical

The light bulb. We use them every evening so that we can continue to go about our lives with the benefit of sight. It’s easy to forget that on the timeline of human history, light bulbs are a recently new invention and prior to their invention people made do with gas lamps or candles.

Lucky for us, the modern era offers us a range of different lighting options which are fitted into our homes, cars and even our phones. But who came up with such a marvellous invention and how did we get to this level of convenience?
light bulb history

Incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, LEDs. These great inventions light up our homes when we most need it, but how did they come to be?

 

A Bright Spark

The first electric light was invented in 1802 by Humphry Davy. The invention came when Davy was experimenting with an electric battery – as he connected wires to the battery and a piece of carbon, the carbon was illuminated as electrons passed from one batter to the other. The revolutionary invention is known as the Electric Arc lamp and despite how groundbreaking it was, it burnt too bright too shortly to be used for any practical solution. Despite this, it set the path for a course of experimentation and refinement of the technology.

Early Developments

Over the ensuing decades, other inventors fiddled and tweaked with the design. Notably, in 1840 the British scientist Warren de la Rue created a light using a coiled platinum filament within a vacuum tube. The higher melting point of platinum allowed for high temperatures and the vacuum chamber restricted the number of gas molecules that were able to react with the platinum in the tube.

The First Light Bulb

The English physicist Joseph Wilson Swan was first to create a ‘light bulb’ in 1850. Swan’s design incorporated carbonised paper filaments, contained within an evacuated glass bulb. The design was faulted by the lack of a good vacuum and constant supply of electricity which resulted in bulbs with a short lifetime. As the decades rolled on Swan continued to experiment with improved vacuum pumps which allowed for a more effective illumination. He also found that using a treated cotton thread reduced the issue of the bulb blackening.

Thomas Edison

Perhaps the name most synonymous with the history of the light bulb is Thomas Edison. Although Edison wasn’t the one to invent the incandescent light bulb he was the first to patent a commercially practical bulb. There were many inventors working on the design at the time but Edison’s version of the bulb used an efficient incandescent material encased within a better vacuum than his competitors. But perhaps the best feature of the bulb was the high resistance he was able to achieve, which made the bulb brighter and more efficient.
Thomas Alva Edison in 1911 with his famous light bulb

Tungsten

Tungsten was the next major development in light bulb technology. It was introduced in 1906 by The General Electric Company, who patented tungsten filaments within incandescent light bulbs. The technology was further developed in subsequent years by the company to improve the light’s lifetimes.

Fluorescent Lighting

The German glassblower Heinrich Geissler and physician Julius Plücker made an incredible discovery during the 19th century – after evacuating air from a long glass tube and passing a current through it, they created light! This invention was called the Geissler Tube and would pave the way for fluorescent lamps.

Edison and Nicola Tesla both experimented with fluorescent lamps in their careers but neither’s efforts caught any commercial traction. Peter Cooper Hewitt created a light in the late 1900s that was an early version of the fluorescent lamp, but it wasn’t until well into the 20th century when this new type of lighting actually took off. Neon-lights, fluorescent lights and low-pressure sodium lamps, which are used in streetlamps, are all derived from these early experiments.

LEDs

Nick Holonyak Jr was the first to invent the light-emitting diode (LED) light in 1962, with red diodes. LED lights use a semiconductor to convert electrical energy into light. These lights are efficient as they are small and specifically directed. Yellow and green followed soon after and before long the technology became common in indicator lights and calculator displays.

Blue diodes were not invented until the 1990s, but this invention led to a white diode, which was simply blue with a coating of phosphor and before long researchers found that white light could be made with a combination of blue, red and green. Before long LEDs made their way into flashlights, TVs and traffic lights.

In the beginning, LEDs were no more effective than incandescent bulbs, however, the technology has come a long way and today they are up to 85% more efficient than traditional lights.

As they are a newer technology, LED lighting is more expensive than traditional lighting, however, in the last 10 years the price has dropped up to 80% and the savings in energy more than makeup for the purchase cost.

If you have any questions about installing lighting in your home or business or have any other electrical queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with HunterCon today.