The induction lamp is a promising technology which features good efficiency and long life. The induction lamp was conceived early on by Nobel laureate J.J Thomson. It was not until the 1960s-1970s when patents for a practical induction lamp were filed by both General Electric and Philips (more on inventors at the bottom of this page). Even then it was not until the 1990s that induction lamps began to see use on a wider scale. They still have not reached full market potential yet and there is still work to do to improve the lamp.

• Longer life: no electrodes, electrodes fail in normal fluorescent lamps shortening life, the tungsten thins and brakes.

• Longer life: sealed tube, by not having electrodes the tube can be perfectly sealed, when seals go bad in regular fluorescent lamps gas escapes through the weakness and the lamp fails.

• Energy efficient, often 80+ lumens per watt

• No flickering

• Dimmable 30 -100%

• Can light both small and large areas depending on which type of induction lamp one uses

• Bulky design for large area lighting, the discharge tube is large compared with HID lamps.

• New and Old technology: it is new: it is still expensive to buy the lamps. It is old: most companies that make the lamps are using 20 year old ballast technology copied from OSRAM and Philips. The ballasts have a high failure rate.

• The technology is under commercialized.

• Radio interference is a major problem to be worked out. The lamps are limited in use due to this issue.

Statistics

-Lumens per watt: 65 – 87 (external) 50 – 70 (internal)

-Lamp life: 60,000 – 75,000 hrs internal induction lamp

85,000 – 100,000 external induction lamp

-CRI 80

-Color Temperature: 3000 K and up

Warm up time: instant on

Common uses: outdoor lighting, indoor lighting, streetlamps, replacement for common indoor lighting, so far the lamp has had limited popularity and production, so more uses may emerge in the future