# Luminous efficacy of fluorescent lamps when they're cold?



## Electric_Light (Apr 6, 2010)

Output drops drastically when the lamps are cold. The ballast can be made to start the lamp, but once started, the power input is pretty close to full running power. Encasing the lamp only helps only after the lamps fully warm up. 

Would LEDs and incandescent be more efficacious in applications where the lamps don't stay on for more than 15 minutes or so at a time? (inside a freezer truck for example)


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