Compared to incandescent light bulbs, CFLs are obviously the more energy efficient choice. They require 75% less energy to operate, generate light instead of heat, and last up to 10 times longer, which reduces the amount of time and money spent on replacement bulbs. There are many types of CFLs available. Among the most commonly mentioned type of CFLs are GU24 bulbs. Understanding these bulbs will make choosing the right energy efficient lights and fixtures much simpler.
What is a GU24?
The term GU24 is used to describe the base of the bulb, such as E26 is used to describe a medium or standard screw-in, base bulb. GU24 bulbs have two pins that protrude from the bottom that are made to specifically lock into GU24 light fixtures. As a result, they are often categorized as bi-pin bulbs. These lights are installed by twisting the pins into the corresponding holes and locking them into place. GU24 bulbs are produced with the ballast attached (self-ballasted), which makes it easy to replace when necessary. They tend to be shorter than other CFLs since the ballast and bulb is one unit.
How are GU24 bulbs different from other pin base bulbs?
Most other pin-based lamps are not easily interchangeable. The replacement necessary depends completely on wattage. The fixtures these bulbs use are made specifically for certain wattage. If you wanted to use a higher or lower wattage pin bulb, you would need to replace the fixture as well. For instance, place a 30-watt pin-based bulb into a fixture made for a 58-watt pin-base bulb, and the light simply will not work. In addition, many manufacturers produce pin-base bulbs for specific use with a fixture only they make.
Replacing GU24 base bulbs is a much simpler process. The fixtures these lights lock into are manufactured for use with any bulb that has this base. For example, a 26-watt GU24 can be replaced with any GU24 that is of equal or lesser wattage. This reduces the amount of unused light fixtures that end up in your basement, or even worse, along with trash and other waste.
How do I choose the right color?
GU24 bulbs follow the same color spectrum as any other compact fluorescent light. The color emitted by the bulb is based on the degrees Kelvin that it measures. The higher the temperature in Kelvins, the whiter in light the bulb will appear. At 2700K, the bulb gives off a “warm white” color, ideal for living room settings. At the brightest, a GU24 bulb measuring 4100 degrees Kelvin emits a light color known as “cool white,” preferable in spaces where a brighter white light is required such as a reading or drawing room.
As time goes on, there is an increased interest in energy efficient lighting, which has been proven to save both energy and money on energy bills. As interest increases, so does the technology that is used to create these GU24 bulbs as well as other compact fluorescent lights. Knowing your lighting options is important when making a switch from one type of bulb to the next, and can save both time and physical energy when choosing the perfect light.