To find the meaning of a term or abbreviation, simply scroll down the list of widely used lighting terminology! Bases & Shapes: <Back to top> MED Medium Base DCBAY Double Contact Bayonett Base Int. Intermediate C Candleabra SCBAY Single Contact Bayonett Base MC Minican (miniature- candleabra used in quartz lamps) MBP Miniature Bipin BR Beveled Reflector ER Elipsoidal Reflector G Globe A Household shaped lamp T Tubluar             Definitions and Abbreviations: <Back to top> CRI Color Rendering Index Is a reference in percentage of how true you can see colors, when using a particuler light bulb. The closer the colors are as they would be in sunlight, the higher the percentage. Kelvin Temperature Invented from a man named "Kelvin". When heating a piece of cold rolled steel with an acetylene torch, the steel changes color as it gets hotter. Those colors always stays the same as the temperature. 3000 Deg. F(Fahrenheit) = a warm color. 4100 deg. F (yellow-green) 5000 deg. F White Light 7000 deg.F light blue. These colors also stack to temperature in a rainbow. Full Spectrum Lamps that have a mid 80% (lowest) to 100%(highest)CRI and a Kelvin between 5000 to 5900 Deg. K Lamp ID Defining bulb characteristics Procedure is standard in the industry and has a sequence of information, 1. WATTS,2. SHAPE, 3. WIDTH at widest point of the bulb in 1/8's of inches (20 1/8's), 4.BASE, 5. COLOR, 6. VOLTAGE, 7. SPECIAL (info that may be unusual, such as coating, size, length that maybe different from the norm. MOL Maximun Overall Length Measure in inches from one end to the other. LCL Light Center Length. The distance from the bottom base of the light bulb, to the center of the filament. Filament A piece of steel, usually made of Tungsten or a composite thereof, that glows to emitt light. The basis of an incandescent light bulb emitting light. Cathode The composit steel coil (sort of like a filament in appearance) at each end of a fluorescent tube, that emitts electrons through a fluorescent tube. Electrons then hit the phosphor coating on the glass making the tube "glow" with light. HID High Intesity Discharge. A difined procedure to make light. High voltage through an arc tube makes the internal material turn from a liquid or a solid into a gas that "glows" with light. Lumens A measurement of light output of a bulb (or lamp). A bulb is placed in a "spheared" measuring light device, the result is how many "lumens" is given out by the bulb. FC =Footcandles "FC" That amount of light on a working surface. It is relative to the amount of light that a lit "candle" emitts, ie. 20 candles in a square foot = to 20 footcandles. In flood lights, determine FC = CP/D(distance in feet) Squard Quatrz Lamp A lamp that has "quartz" material instead of standard glass. Tungsten steel (the filament) and quartz mineral, are opposing materials in nature. Tungsten will adhere to glass as the molicules oxidize, turning the bulb dark in color on the glass. Tungsten will not adhere to quartz, thereby the molecules land back on the filament, if operated at the proper voltage. Also called "Halogen" lamps, "capsylite", etc. Halogen Lamp See "Quartz lamp" Average Hours-Rated Life The average amount of time a lamp will burn. Standard testing procedures are applied in order to come up with this figure. 500 light bulbs, for example, may all be turned on at the same time under ideal conditions (temperature, voltage, etc.). When 50% burn out, that is the rated hours given to the bulb. Retrofit To replace an existing style of bulb with another to reduce energy consumption Ballast An item needed to change voltage to a bulb in order to make it light. Normally designed for a specific lamp and wattage, ie. If a 150 Watt HPS bulb is to be used, a proper 150Watt HPS ballast has to be used to light it. Any other ballast will not operate the bulb properly. Transformer Used to change voltage. Usually reducing voltage, such as 120 Volts to 12 Volts. Also used in Neon lighting Reflector A design to direct light in one direction. Beam Spread Usually in degrees. Smaller the number, the tighter the spread ie., VNSP (very narrow spot) is a 10 Degree beam spread, wide flood, 60 Degree beam spread. CP Candle Power = Ray of light in one direction CP TO FC Candle power converted to FC (footcandles). CP divided by distance in feet squared. FL Flood SP Spotlight NSP Narrow Spotlight WFL Wide Flood VNSP Very Narrow Spot SADS Seasonal Affective Disorder Syndrome - Sensitivity to the lack of sunlight, resulting in depression. Bulb used in aiding this should be at least 91% CRI and Kelvin temperature beteen 5000 to 5900 K. This is what most doctors recommend. Billiruebinemea Jauntis - Yellow skin. Lamps for this are noted "Special Blue". Also SL Spectralite, use bulbs that are 5000 to 8000 Dg K but also at least 91%CRI. Type fluorescents. Lamps should only be used for the first 200 Hrs. of lamp life. Consult physicians recommendations.