TCP Showcases Breakthrough TruDim CFL Technology - 5/20/2010
TCP Inc., the world leader in compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) manufacturing and technology, unveiled a new fully-dimmable CFL product line at this week’s LightFair Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to TCP CEO Ellis Yan, this revolutionary CFL design approach eliminates the concerns some consumers have about the operation of today’s energy efficient dimming CFL’s.
“In the past, customers have had to put up with dimming CFL’s that don’t dim to the same low levels as incandescent bulbs. Plus, other CFL’s have been slow to warm up, and sometimes don’t last as long as non-dimming CFL’s”, said Yan. TCP has addressed these issues by introducing a new patent-pending, high performance, CFL ballast design, featuring proprietary NXP GreenChip digital/analog integrated circuit (IC) chip technology. This new design approach, dubbed “TruDimTM Technology”, results in a CFL with smoother, full-range, dimming performance, from 100% down to 1%. The dimming curve is designed to more accurately match the human eye’s perception, which is more pleasing to the consumer. “Finally, customers have the choice of a full-function CFL that truly matches the performance of an incandescent lamp,” said Yan.
TCP’s new TruDimTM CFL’s outperform other CFL’s by providing quicker starting, reaching full brightness more than 75% faster than other comparable products. This is achieved using TCP’s advanced digital InstaBrightTM technology, which actually boosts the CFL’s power briefly to increase initial lumen output, then adjusts to normal output levels after 30-45 seconds. TruDimTM Technology also enables low-dimming level starting capability, eliminating the need to reset the dimmer to full-on every time the lights are turned on. TCP’s IC-chip ballast control also maintains superior low dim-level lamp lumen output stability, and it significantly improves overall lamp life. These new dimming CFL’s are rated to 10,000 hours under normal use.
Additional features offered with TCP’s new TruDimTM dimming CFL products include new “Quad\Phosphor” technology, a unique lamp phosphor formulation which provides a warm, rich light output, and helps reduce stress to the eyes. Quad\Phosphor lamps increase the color rendering characteristics of the lamp in the red spectrum (CIE-R9) with no reduction in lumen maintenance. All TCP lamps are now available with “TCP-ARMOR” shatter-resistant lamp coating, which helps contain the lamp glass and reduces the potential of any unsafe glass shards should a CFL lamp be dropped on the floor.
TCP’s new TruDimTM CFL will be initially offered in several lamp styles, including covered R30s, R20s, A-Lamps, and Globes. All lamps will be offered in a variety of color temperatures, from soft white 2700-kelvin to Daylight 6500-kelvin. These products will be available in the fourth quarter 2010.
TCP tests and certifies its CFL products to insure they meet/exceed FCC and UL compliance, and meet RoHS certification requirements. TCP currently has over 300 products which have earned the US Department of Energy’s and the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star” designation. TCP is proud to have earned the DOE’s and EPA’s 2010 “Energy Star Partner of the Year” award for the second consecutive year.