Email: info@lanternlighting.com
Lantern Lighting Ltd, established in 1976, is a full service lighting company located in the Kitsilano neighbourhood in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada.
We feature hard to find lighting parts, light bulbs, lamp shades, crystal chandeliers, floor lamps, table lamps, track lighting, recessed lighting, pendant lighting & much more.
We have an extensive selection of lighting parts & our lighting repair services can repair any lighting. We can repair antique to modern lighting from simple re-wiring to full restoration.
Additionally, we offer lighting conversion services. We can convert just about anything into lighting.
Click on a lighting term below to read the definition:
| Accent Lighting | The Directional To Emphasize A Particular Object Or To Draw Attention To A Part Of The Field Of View. See Directional . |
| Adaptation | The Process By Which The Retina Of The Eye Becomes Accustomed To More Or Less Light Than It Was Exposed To During An Immediately Preceding Period. It Results In A Change In The Sensitivity Of The Eye To Light. |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute - The Organization That Develops Voluntary Guidelins And Product Performance Standards For The Electrical And Other Industries. |
| Arc Tube | A Completely Sealed Quartz Or Ceramic Tube Where The Electrical Discharge (arc) Occurs And Generates Light. |
| Average Rated Life | An Average Rating, In Hours, Indicating When 50% Of A Group Of Lamps Have Failed When Operated At Nominal Lamp Voltage And Current. Manufacturers Use 3 Hours Per Start For Fluorescent Lamps And 10 Hours Per Start For Hid (high Intensity Discharge) Lamps |
| Baffles (fixture) | A Mechanism That Regulates The Flow Of Light In A Fixture. |
| Ballast | A Device Used With An Electric-discharge Lamp To Obtain The Necessary Circuit Conditions (voltage, Current, And Waveform) For Starting And Operating; All Fluorescent And Hid Light Sources Require A Ballast For Proper Operation. |
| Ballast Factor (BF) | The Measured Ability Of A Particular Ballast To Produce Light From The Lamp(s) It Powers; Ballast Factor Is Derived By Dividing The Lumen Output Of A Particular Lamp/ballast Combination By The Lumen Output Of The Same Lamp(s) On A Reference Ballast. |
| Ballast Hum | A Sound Generated By The Vibration Of Laminations In The Electromagnetic Field That Transforms The Current For Discharge Lamp Use. |
| BD | Base Down (bulb Is Vertically Positioned With The Metal Base At The Bottom, Glass Up) |
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| Beam Angle | The Angle Between The Two Directions For Which The Intensity (candlepower) Is 50% Of The Maximum Intensity As Measured In A Plane Through The Nominal Beam Centerline (center Beam Candlepower). |
| Beam Spread | (in Any Plane) The Angle Between The Two Directions In The Plane In Which The Candlepower Is Equal To A Stated Percent (usually Ten Percent) Of The Maximum Candlepower In The Beam. |
| Brightness | See Luminance. |
| BU | Base Up (bulb Is Vertically Positioned With The Metal Base At The Top, Glass Hanging Down) |
| Burning Position | The Position In Which A Lamp Is Designed To Operate For Maximum Performance & Safety. Thes Include: |
| Candela (CD) | The Unit Of Measure Indicating The Luminous Intensity (candlepower) Of A Light Source In A Specific Direction; Any Given Light Source Will Have Many Different Intensities, Depending Upon The Direction Considered. |
| Candlepower Distribution Curve | A Curve, Generally Polar, Representing The Variation Of Luminous Intensity Of A Lamp Or Luminaire In A Plane Through The Light Center. |
| Center Beam Candlepower (CBCP) | The Intensity Of Light Produced At The Center Of A Reflector Lamp, Expressed In Candelas. |
| Chromaticity | The Aspect Of Color That Includes Consideration Of Its Dominant Wavelength And Purity. |
| Coefficient of Utilization (CU) | The Ratio Of The Luminous Flux (lumens) From A Luminaire Received On The Work-plane To The Lumens Emitted By The Luminaire's Lamps Alone. |
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| Color Rendering Index (CRI) | Color Rendering Is The Ability Of A Light Source To Produce Color In Objects. The Cri Is Expressed On A Scale Of 0-100, Where 100 Is The Best In Producing Vibrant Color. |
| Color Temperature | Originally, A Term Used To Describe The "whiteness" Of Incandescent Lamp Light. Color Temperature Is Directly Related To The Physical Temperature Of The Filament In Incandescent Lamps, So The Kelvin (k) (absolute) Temperature Scale Is Used To Describe It |
| Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) | A Fluorescent Type Bulb That Has The Ability To Be Utilized In An Incandescent Fixture, And Still Maintain The Efficiency And Qualities Of A Standard Fluorescent Bulb. These Bulbs Generally Offer 75% Savings In Electricity While Maintaining Comparable Li |
| Cool White | Reference To The Color Tone Or Appearance Of Light Produced By A Lamp For A Specific Color Temperature. Cool White Is The Least Expensive And Most Widely Used Fluorescent Lamp Color In Lighting Today. Its Name Comes From The Cool, Airy Atmosphere It Crea |
| Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) | A Term Used For Discharge Lamps, Where No Hot Filament Is Involved, To Indicate That The Light Appears "as If" The Discharge Lamp Is Operating At A Given Color Temperature. Cct Generally Measures The "warmth" Or "coolness" Of Light Source Appearance Usin |
| Current (I) | A Measure Of The Flow Of Electricity, Expressed In Amperes (a). |
| Cut-off Angle | (of A Luminaire) The Angle From The Vertical At Which A Reflector, Louver Or Other Shielding Device Cuts Off Direct Visibility Of A Light Source. It Is The Complementary Angle Of The Shielding Angle. |
| Daylight | Reference To The Color Tone Or Appearance Of Light Produced By A Lamp For A Specific Color Temperature. The Bluish White Appearance Of This Lamp Is Similar To Natural Daylight. It Makes Rooms Very Cool And Often Gives A Store Or Office A Blue-white Radia |
| Diffuse Lighting | Light That Is Not Predominantly Incident From Any Particular Direction. |
| Diffuser | A Device To Redirect Of Scatter The Light From A Source By The Process Of Diffuse Transmission. |
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| Direct Glare | Glare Resulting From High Luminance Or Insufficiently Shielded Light Sources In The Field Of View, Or From Reflecting Areas Of High Luminance. It Is Usually Associated With Bright Areas Such As Luminaires, Ceilings And Windows That Are Outside The Visual |
| Direct Lighting | By Luminaires Distributing 90 To 100 Percent Of The Emitted Light In The General Direction Of The Surface To Be Illuminated. The Term Usually Refers To Light Emitted In A Downward Direction. (see Accent .) |
| Directional Lighting | Illumination On The Work-plane Or On An Object Predominantly From A Single Direction. |
| Disability Glare | Glare Resulting In Reduced Visual Performance And Visibility. It Is Often Accompanied By Discomfort. |
| Discomfort Glare | Glare Producing Discomfort. It Does Not Necessarily Interfere With Visual Performance Or Visibility. |
| Economic Life | The Number Of Hours A Group Of Lamps Will Burn Before It Is Economically And Aesthetically Advisable To Group Relamp (typically 60% To 75% Of Rated Life). |
| Efficacy | Efficiency Of A Light Source Expressed In Lumens Per Watt (lpw Or Lm/w). |
| Enclosed Fixtures | Fixtures Which Have A Lens That Protects The Bulb From The Elements. |
| Energy | A Measure Of Work Done By An Electrical System Over A Given Period Of Time, Often Expressed In Kilowatt-hours (kwh). |
| Enhancing Reflections | Reflections Which Enhance Appearance Described In Such Terms As Sparkling, Glittering, Etc. |
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| Esco | Energy Saving Service Company |
| Fenestration | Any Opening Or Arrangement Of Openings Or Windows (normally Filled With Media For Light Control) For The Admission Of Daylight Or For The Transmission Of Electric From One Room To Another Room. |
| Filament | Tungsten Wire Positioned Inside A Bulb Which Generates Light When Heated. |
| Fixture | See Luminaire. |
| Fluorescent Lamp | A High Efficiency Lamp Utilizing An Electric Discharge Through Low Pressure Mercury Vapor To Produce Ultra-violet (uv) Energy. The Uv Excites Phosphor Materials Applied As A Thin Layer On The Inside Of A Glass Tube Which Makes Up The Structure Of The Lam |
| Footcandle (FC) | A Unit Of Illuminance Or Light Falling Onto A Surface. One Footcandle Is Equal To 1 Lumen Per Square Foot. |
| Four | Pin Compact Fluorescent Lamps - Type Of Lamps That Do Not Have Any Starter Built Inot The Base Of The Lamp. Therefore, The Ballast Has The Starting Circuit. Traditionally, 4-pin Lamps Are Designed To Work With Electronic Ballasts. |
| Frequency | The Number Of Times Per Second That An Alternating Current System Reverses From Positive To Negative And Back To Positive, Expressed In Cycles Per Second Or Hertz, Hz. |
| Frost | The Glass Of The Lamp Has A Slightly Opaque White Appearance. |
| Full Spectrum | A Bulb That Reproduces The Full Color Spectrum Of Natural Outdoor Light. |
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| General Lighting | Designed To Provide A Substantially Uniform Illuminance Throughout An Area, exclusive Of Any Provision For Special Local Requirements. |
| Glare | Excessive Brightness That May Be Caused By Either Direct Of Indirect Viewing Of A Light Source. |
| Halogen Lamp | A Short Name For A Tungsten-halogen Lamp. Halogen Lamps Are High Pressure Incandescent Lamps Containing Halogen Gases Such As Iodine Or Bromine Which Allow The Filaments To Be Operated At Higher Temperatures And Higher Efficacies. A High-temperature Chem |
| Harmonic | An Integral Multiple Of The Fundamental Frequency (60hz) That Becomes A Component Of The Current. |
| HBU | Base Up +/- 90° (bulb Can Be Operated In A Base Up Or Horizontal Position) |
| Hertz (Hz) | A Unit Of Freqency Equal To One Cycle Per Second; See Frequency. |
| HID | See High Intensity Discharge Lamps |
| High Intensity Discharge (HID) | This Is The General Term For A Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide, Or High-pressure Sodium Lamp. They Differ From Incandescent Lamps In That There Is No Filament, But Contain Gas Which When Exposed To An Electric Charge, Produces Light. Hid Lamps Require A Ball |
| High Pressure Sodium | These Hid Bulbs Contain A Sodium Gas And Produce A Yellow/orange Light. They Are Very Bright, And Last Up To 24,000 Hours. |
| HOR | Horizontal Burn (bulb Is Positioned With The Metal Base Parallel To The Ground) |
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| Illuminance | Light Arriving At A Surface, Expressed In Lumens Per Unit Area; 1 Lumen Per Square Foot Equals 1 Footcandle, While 1 Lumen Per Square Meter Equals 1 Lux. |
| Incandescent | Incandescent Light Bulbs Are Perhaps The Most Commonly Found Bulb In Your Home. The Incandescent Bulb Contains A Filament, Which Glows To An Incandescent Level When Electricity Flows Into The Bulb. |
| Incandescent Filament Lamp | A Lamp In Which Light Is Produced By A Filament Heated To Incandescence By An Electric Current. |
| Indirect Lighting | By Luminaires Distributing 90 To 100 Percent Of The Emitted Light Upward. |
| Infrared Radiation | Electromagnetic Energy Radiated In The Wavelength Range Of About 770 To 1106 Nanometers. Energy In This Range Cannot Be Seen By The Human Eye, But Can Be Sensed As Heat By The Skin. |
| Instant Start Lamp | A Fluorescent Lamp With A Single Pin At Each End. The Lamp Is Ignited By A High Voltage Without Any Filament Heating. |
| Kelvin Temperature | See Color Temperature |
| Lamp | The Term Used To Refer To The Complete Light Source Package Including The Inner Parts As Well As The Outer Bulb Or Tube. "lamp", Of Course, Is Also Commonly Used To Refer To A Type Of Small Fixture Such As A Table Lamp. |
| Lamp Life | An Average Rating, In Hours, Indicating When 50% Of A Large Group Of Lamps Have Failed, When Operated At Nominal Lamp Voltage And Current; Manufacturers Use 3 Hours Per Start For Fluorescent Lamps And 10 Hours Per Start For Hid Lamps When Performing Lamp |
| Lamp Lumen Depreciation Factor (LLD) | The Multiplier To Be Used In Illumination Calculations To Relate The Initial Rated Output Of Light Sources To The Anticipated Minimum Rated Output Based On The Relamping Program To Be Used. |
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| Lamp Watts | Input Power Used To Operate Lamps. |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode. |
| Lens | A Glass Or Plastic Element Used In Luminaires To Change The Direction And Control The Distribution Of Light Rays. |
| Level Of Illumination | See Illuminance. |
| Light | Radiant Energy That Is Capable Of Producing A Visual Sensation. |
| Light Loss Factor (LLF) | A Factor Used In Calculating Illuminance After A Given Period Of Time And Under Given Conditions. It Takes Into Account Temperature And Voltage Variations, Dirt Accumulation On Luminaire And Room Surfaces, Lamp Depreciation, Maintenance Procedures And Atm |
| Light Source | See Lamp. |
| Louver | A Series Of Baffles Used To Shield A Source From View At Certain Angles Or To Absorb Unwanted Light. The Baffles Are Usually Arranged In A Geometric Pattern. |
| Low Pressure Sodium | These Are Also Hid Bulbs With A Sodium Gas, And Produce A Yellowish Light. Average Life Span 18,000 Hours. Typical Usage: Security Areas (work Well With Security Cameras) Outdoor. |
| Lumen (LM) | A Unit Of Luminous Flux; The Overall Light Output Of A Luminous Source Is Measured In Lumens. |
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| Lumen Depreciation | The Decrease In Lumen Output Of A Light Source Over Time; Every Lamp Type Has A Unique Lumen Depreciation Curve (sometimes Called Lumen Maintenance Curve) Depicting The Pattern Of Decreasing Light Output. |
| Lumen Efficacy | The Light Ouput Of A Source Divided By The Total Power Input To That Source. It Is Expressed In Lumens Per Watt. |
| Lumen Maintenance | The Lumen Output Provided By A Lamp At A Given Point Or Percentage Of Its Life. |
| Lumens Per Watt | A Measurement Of White Light Produced By Each Output Watt. |
| Luminaire | A Complete Lighting Unit Consisting Of A Lamp (or Lamps), Together With The Parts Designed To Distribute The Light, Position And Protect Lamps And Connect Them To The Power Supply. |
| Luminaire Efficiency | The Ratio Of Luminous Flux (lumens) Emitted By A Luminaire To That Emitted By The Lamp Or Lamps Used Therein. |
| Luminance (L) | Light Reflected In A Particular Direction; The Photometric Quantity Most Closely Associated With Brightness Perception, Measured In Units Of Luminous Intensity (candelas) Per Unit Area (square Feet Or Square Meters). |
| Luminance Contrast | The Relationship Between The Luminances Of An Object And Its Immediate Background. |
| Luminance Ratio | The Ratio Between The Luminances Of Any Two Areas In The Visual Field. |
| Luminous Flux | The Time Rate Of Flow Of Light. |
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| Lux (LX) | A Unit Of Illuminance Equal To 1 Lumen Per Square Meter. |
| Matte Surface | A Non-glossy Dull Surface As Opposed To A Shiny (specular) Surface. Light Reflected From A Matte Surface Is Diffuse. |
| Maximum Overall Lenth (M.O.L.) | The End-to-end Measurement Of A Lamp Expressed In Inches Or Millimeters. |
| Mean Lumens | The Average Light Output Of A Lamp Over Its Rated Life. For Fluorescent And Metal Halide Lamps, Mean Lumen Ratings Are Measured At 40% Of Rated Lamp Life. For Mercury, High Pressure Sodium, And Incandescent Lamps, Mean Lumen Ratings Are Measured At 50% O |
| Mercury Vapor Lamp | A High-intensity Discharge Light Source Operating At A Relatively High Pressure (about 1 Atmosphere) And Temperature In Which Most Of The Light Is Produced By Radiation From Excited Mercury Vapor. Phosphor Coatings On Some Lamp Types Add Additional Light |
| Metal Halide Lamp | These Hid Bulbs Produce A Blue-white Type Light, These Bulbs Are Very Efficient, And Long Lasting, Average Life Span 20,000 Hours. |
| Modeling | The Effect Of Using Highly Directional Light To Create Form Through Shadows And Highlights. |
| Nanometer (NM) | A Unit Of Length Equal To 10-9 Meters; Commonly Used As A Unit Of Wavelength. |
| Neodymium | A Rare Earth Element Used In Glass That Filters Out The Excessive Yellow Spectrum To Which Our Eyes Are Most Sensitive. |
| NFPA | National Fire Prevention Agency. |
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| Parabolic Aluminized Reflector (PAR) Lamp | A Type Of Incandescent Lamp Made Of A Heavy Glass That Controls Its Light Beam Using A Reflector And Lens. Par Lamps Are Generally Waterproof. |
| Photocontrol (Photocell) | A Device Used To Detect Light Levels, Which Controls The Electrical Operation Of A Light Fixture When Changes Occur. |
| Power | The Rate At Which Energy Is Taken From An Electrical System Or Dissipated By A Load, Expressed In Watts (w); Power That Is Generated By A Utility Is Typically Expressed In Volt-amperes (v-a). |
| Power Factor | A Measure Of The Effectiveness With Which An Electrical Device Converts Volt-amperes To Watts; Devices With Power Factors >0.90 Are "high Power Factor" Devices. |
| Preheat Lamp | A Fluorescent Lamp In Which The Filament Must Be Heated By Use Of A Starter Before The Arc Is Created. These Lamps Are Typically Operated With Electromagnetic Ballasts. |
| Programmed Rapid Start | A Lamp Starting Method Which Preheats The Lamp Filaments, While Not Allowing The Lamp To Ignite, And Then Applies The Open Circuit Voltage (ocv) To Start The Lamp. The User May Experience A Half To One Second Delay After Turning On The Lamps While The Pr |
| Pulse Start Lamp | A Specially Designed Metal Halide Lamp That Uses A Ballast With Ignitor For Starting. |
| Quality Of Lighting | Pertains To The Distribution Of Luminance In A Visual Environment. The Term Is Used In A Positive Sense And Implies That All Luminances Contribute Favorably To Visual Performance, Visual Comfort, Ease Of Seeing, Safety And Esthetics For The Specific Visua |
| Quantity Of Light | The Product Of The Luminous Flux By The Time It Is Maintained. It Is The Time Integral Of Luminous Flux. |
| Rapid Start Lamp | A Fluorescent Lamp With Two Pins At Each End Connected To The Filament. The Filaments Are Heated By The Ballast To Aid In Starting. Some Rapid Start Lamps May Be Instant Started Without Filament Heat. |
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| Rated Life | See Average Rated Life |
| Reference Ballast | A Ballast Specially Constructed To Have Certain Prescribed Characteristics For Use In Testing Electric-discharge Lamps And Other Ballasts. |
| Reflectance (RHO) | The Percentage Of Light Reflected Back From A Surface, The Difference Having Been Absorbed Or Transmitted By The Surface. |
| Reflected Glare | Glare Resulting Form Specular Reflections Of High Luminance In Polished Or Glossy Surfaces In The Field Of View. |
| Reflection | The Process By Which Flux Leaves A Surface Or Medium From The Incident Side. |
| Reflector | A Device Used To Redirect The Light By The Process Of Reflection. |
| Reflector Lamp | An Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent Or Hid Lamp With A Built-in Reflecting Surface. Incandescent And Hid Versions Are Made From A Single Piece Of Blow-molded Soft Or Hard Glass. Cfl Versions May Be One Piece Or May Be Designed So That The Inner Lamp Can |
| Refraction | The Process By Which The Direction Of A Ray Of Light Changes As It Passes Obliquely From One Medium To Another. |
| Refractor | A Device Used To Redirect The Luminous Flux From A Source, Primarily By The Process Of Refraction. |
| Resistance | A Measure Of Resistance To Flow Of Current, Expressed In Ohms. |
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| Restart or Restrike Time | The Amount Of Time From Return Of Power After An Interruption To The Point Of Lamp Ignition. |
| Restrike | To Re-ignite The Arc Of A Hid Lamp. |
| Retrofit | A Self-ballasted Replacement Lamp That Converts A Light Source To Either Change Its Characteristics Or Reduce Energy Consumption. |
| Shielding | A General Term To Include All Devices Used To Block, Diffuse Or Redirect Light Rays, Including Baffles, Louvers, Shades, Diffusers And Lenses. |
| Shielding Angle | The Complementary Angle Of The Cut-off Angle Of A Luminaire. |
| Shroud | A Glass Cylinder That Surrounds The Arc Tube In Open Fixture Rated Metal Halide Lamps. The Shroud Is Designed To Contain Hot Arc Tube Particles And Glass Bulb Breakage, Should A Rupture Occur. This Protection Reduces The Risk Of Using Metal Halide Lamps |
| Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) | A Curve Illustrating The Distribution Of Power Produced By The Lamp, At Each Wavelength Across The Spectrum. |
| Specular Surface | A Shiny, Highly Polished Surface Which Reflects Light At An Angle Equal To That Of The Incident Light. |
| Starting Temperature | Refers To The Lowest Outside Temperature A Fluorescent Tube Will Operate At. This Temperature May Be Determined By The Ballast Or Specific Qualities Of The Lamp In Question. |
| Supplementary Lighting | Used To Provide An Additional Quantity And Quality Of Illumination That Cannot Be Readily Obtained By A General System And That Supplements The General Level Usually For Specific Task Requirements. |
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| Transmission | The Process By Which Incident Flux Leaves A Surface Or Medium On A Side Other Than The Incident Side, The Characteristics Of Many Materials Such As Glass, Plastics And Textiles. |
| Transmittance | The Ratio Of The Flux Transmitted By A Medium To The Incident Flux. |
| Troffer | An Inverted, Usually Metal, Trough Suspended From A Ceiling As A Fixture For Fluorescent Lighting Tubes. |
| Two | Pin Compact Fluorescent Lamps - Type Of Lamps That Have The Glow Bottle Starter Built Into The Base Of The Lamp. Traditionally, 2-pin Lamps Are Designed To Work With Electromagnetic Ballasts. |
| UB | Universal Burn (bulb Can Be Operated In Any Position) |
| UL | Underwirters' Laboratories, Inc - Laboratory That Sets Safety Standards For Building Materials, Electrical Appliances, And Other Products. |
| Veiling Reflections | Reflections Which Partially Or Totally Obscure The Details To Be Seen By Reducing The Contrast. |
| Visual Comfort Probability (VCP) | A Discomfort Glare Calculation That Predicts The Percent Of Observers Positioned In The Least Favorable Part Of The Room Who Would Be Expected To Judge A Condition To Be Comfortable. Vcp Rates The Luminaire In Its Environment, Taking Into Account Such Fac |
| Visual Field | The Location Of Objects Or Points In A Space Where The Head And Eyes Are Kept Fixed. |
| Visual Surround | All Portions Of The Visual Field Except The Visual Task. |
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| Visual Task | Those Details And Objects Which Must Be Seen For The Performance Of A Given Activity, Including The Immediate Background Of The Details Or Objects. |
| Voltage | A Measure Of Electrical Potential, Expressed In Volts (V). |
| Warm | Up Time - The Amount Of Time From Ignition Of The Lamp To 90% Light Output. |
| Warm White | Reference To The Color Tone Or Appearance Of Light Produced By A Lamp For A Specific Color Temperature. The Color Of The Light From This Lamp Makes A Factory, Office Or Store Seem Warmer And Friendlier. Together With The "white" Lamp, This Is The Most Ef |
| Watt (W) | A Unit Of Electrical Power. Lamps Are Rated In Watts To Indicate Their Power Consumption. Power Consumed Over Timer Equals The Electrical Energy Used. A Unit Of Electrical Power Equal To 1 Joule Per Second. |
| Work Plane | The Plane At Which Work Usually Is Done, And On Which The Illuminance Is Specified And Measured. Unless Otherwise Indicated, This Is Assumed To Be A Horizontal Plane 0.76 Meters (30 Inches) Above The Floor. |
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