After 1995, incandescent R-lamps will no longer be manufactured. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 banned these along with many of the other least energy-efficient lamps. What will you put in recessed downlights and track lights?



One option will be GE's new Genura lamp. It's a product based on E-lamp technology that made a big splash in the news a couple of years ago. GE claims the Genura will produce the same amount of light as a 75-watt R30 lamp, but will consume only 23 watts. Genura is intended for the commercial/industrial market, but also works in residential applications.

Genura's big advantages are size and service life. The shape and size closely resembles the incandescent R-lamp and has a medium screw base, so it fits existing fixtures. According to GE, the Genura outshines CFL reflector lamps of the same size, with 1,100 initial lumens versus 400-600 for the small CFL reflectors. Color quality is similar to incandescents with color temperature at 3,000K and CRI of 82. (See October 1992 for more on color.)

The lamp will not "burn out" as an incandescent or fluorescent would. It will just get so dim that it no longer supplies adequate light for a given application. GE literature states that the lamp provides 75 percent of its rated output after 10,000 hours and 50 percent after 20,000. An industry source suggests the lamp could continue operating for 50,000 hours. The lamps cannot be used outdoors, with electronic timers or with dimming circuits.

How an Induction Lamp Works

E-lamps use an induction coil to create a magnetic field inside a gas, technically called an electron/ion plasma. The gas generates ultraviolet light, which excites a phosphor coating on the inside surface of the glass globe. The phosphor glows with visible light. The basic idea is similar to fluorescent lamps, except they pass an electric current through the gas to generate UV light.

Genura lamps have been sold in Europe since earlier this year and are scheduled to be available in the U.S. by the beginning of 1995. GE Lighting can be reached at 800-626-2000 or 216-266-2121.