Two-step CFL by Osram
Two-step CFL by Osram
At the Hannover fair, Osram presented an integral CFL that has a built-in, two-level light switch called Dulux El Vario. The lamp can be installed in any normal circuit with a standard light switch, and if the lamp is switched on within three seconds after having been switched off, it will come on at half power and roughly half the light output.
This lamp is not dimmable, but it still fulfills many of the dimming needs. As an extra bonus, energy use is reduced by half. Although it will cost more than a normal CFL, no dimmer is needed, so the total investment might end up being lower than the case in which a dimmer is installed for an incandescent lamp. Since the lamp is designed for frequent switching, Osram is recommending it for stairways and similar areas where lights are turned on and off frequently. The lamp belongs to their "professional" CFL product range and is rated at 12 000 hours. It is being launched in 20-W (1 200 lm) and 23-W (1 500 lm) versions.