Dirt Depreciation of Compact Fluorescent Lamp Downlights

An experimental protocol and apparatus was developed to assess the relative differences in dirt depreciation between vented and unvented compact fluorescent recessed downlights under simulated conditions. A simulated plenum/ceiling chamber is designed to expose both vented and unvented fixtures simultaneously to a controlled dust environment over an extended period of time. Experimental data shows that the unvented fixture depreciated faster over time due to dust exposure than the vented fixture.