In a test on the life span of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), the Consumer Council found that the average life span of CFLs is satisfactory. However, there is room for improvement for the quality of some CFL models.
It is a year-long test to examine the actual life span of CFLs. The test was conducted in collaboration with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) with reference to international (IEC) standard. The test covered 20 models of 12 brands. The rated wattage ranged from 7 to 25 watts while the claimed life span was 6,000 hours, 8,000 hours and 10,000 hours respectively.
The test results showed that the disparity in life span of some of the tested samples was quite significant. The actual life span among 20 tested samples of the same model varied and the discrepancy could be as high as 8,000 hours. At least one sample of 7 tested models recorded actual life span of less than 2,000 hours while at least 5 samples of 3 tested models recorded actual life span falling short of 50% of their claims.
The test results showed that the average life span of 18 CFL models exceeds 10,000 hours. The performance is satisfactory. However, the average life span of one model was only 6,058 hours, a shortfall of about 4,000 hours (39%) than its claimed life span of 10,000 hours.
Since the test samples were purchased in 2008 before the implementation of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Label Scheme for CFLs, the test results may not reflect the performance and average life span of those models which are currently available in the market. Consumers are advised to take note of the energy efficiency rating and the luminous efficacy before purchasing the CFLs.
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