What is Digg?156 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -13/+30The only problem is, CFL lightbulbs creat a horrible, harsh, inhospitable light. If someone introduced a CFL lightbulb that produced light in the same spectra and with the same tonal qualities of an incandescent bulb, they would be a much more viable option.
- goodoldharris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16You got it backwards - the blue tinge is "cold". The yellow tinge is "warm".
- Darrelc, on 10/12/2007, -4/+18That's not true. nearly every light in my house is an energy saving one, We have'nt had to replace one yet (as of roughly 3 years) and I couldn't tell any discernable difference. Except the electricity bill being lower than before.
-Darrel. - The_Decryptor, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16Then you have a problem with your wiring, because turning a light on shouldn't interfere with your phone line.
I have two close to my DSL modem, and it's running fine. - rageguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10@OrangeTide
You raise an excellent point actually. Have people seen what you have to do to dim a fluro? Wikipedia pulse width modulation for power delivery, its hardly surprising that a dimed fluro causes problems considering whats happening behind the scenes.
Dimming an incandescent bulb is simple and electric noise free.
Now don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a greater push towards fluros and leds, but banning the incandescent would be short sighted and create so many more problems than it would solve, sure there be less energy usage, but everyone would have to put more energy into work arounds which can only mean bad things for the greater whole.
Plus LEDs and fluros tend to have poor colour rendering indexes, I'd hate to be an artist doing colour selection with a 80% CRI, there are just so many gaps that the alternatives have yet to fill, and while I'm sure you could replace an extremely large proportion of house hold lighting with no ill effect, but a blanket ban would make me sad. What will everyone else do?
Now excuse me, I need to go get an incandescent operaters license which the government will sell me for $80 :-/ - johndi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10CFL bulbs have improved greatly in the last few years. The old ones sucked very much badly! The cheap ones still do. Try looking for a bulb with a color temperature of 2700 K.
There are also LED bulbs if they are more to your liking. They last even longer than CFL bulbs. I've haven't tried them. I'm sure someone here has, and can tell you what to look for in an LED bulb. - bristolz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9A 400 cycle ballast will fix that (and make them dimmable, too). But, then, there needs to be a 400 cycle CFL on the market.
- sclozza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I must be one of the few who likes the cooler temperature that energy saving lights put out.
For me, it was the best part of the deal :) - bristolz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Ever priced an LED bulb that actually puts out enough light to realistically replace an incandescent? You'd have to run it for a heck of a lot of years to break even. Sure, there's low-output LED Edison screw base bulbs but they put out very little light.
http://www.hollysolar.com/html/acled1.html#AC144 -- Replacements for 75W incandescents and others. Hopefully the prices will eventually fall.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/edison.html - Low output replacements. Much cheaper but also a lot less practical. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8>What more can you ask for?
Ten times the efficiency? - davetd02, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Exactly! Notice that in both of your examples the government didn't have to step in and completely ban 1970s green-on-black monitors. If the technology is really superior then experience suggests users will make the switch themselves.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I've had mine since last September. I would guess they are the cheapso since I got that at Sam's Club for $11 for an 8 pack of the 13 Watt ones, and $7 for a 4 pack of the 17 watt ones. And so far, all of them are still working fine. They've paid for themselves already in lower bills and quite frankly, I would have probably had at least one incandescent bulb blow on me in that time. So mine are lasting longer.
P.S. Pretty naive to think that humans are going to destroy all life on the planet. We may destroy OUR lives on the planet, but we are not going to render the planet a dead cinder floating lifeless in space. - OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6when I was a developer for a DSL company we had notorious problems with those halogen dimmer lamps. Full on the DSL would be fine, do any dimming with the lamp and DSL would get gobs of signal problems.
- scbysnx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Theres been lots of discussion of this and the mercury in a CFL is dramatically less then the mercury released by a power plant under the extra wattage of an incandescent.
- bobpaul, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7"My complaint with them is that they are all loaded with crappy Chinese capacitors and every freaking one of them blows the caps in a few months."
What the hell are you talking about? Are you talking about Compact Fluorescent Lights like the one pictured in the article or some new-fangled LED based light or something? I put in all CFL lights 2 years ago (cheapest ones Walmart had) and have yet to replace any yet. I have all 15watt, but a 30watt (150 equiv) in the living room where I like it brighter. - Dradis, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I bought CFL bulbs simply because I wouldn't have to change them for a really, really long time (Yes I am lazy). Since they save energy and money, everyone wins.
- rm999, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8I agree - I bought a few recently and I can tell a difference. Flourescent lights just seem colder to me.
- Angostura, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Not any more; you can get low energy bulbs in a variety of soft-colour tones in any DIY superstore over here. The *only* reason I still have incandescence lamps in the house is where I need dimmables.
- daFilms, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8You won't put up with your 1970's monitor nor refrigerator, why do you with your lightbulb?
The Year is 2006 -- are we that set on old habits?
A little curiosity for innovation and common sense will highlight such hard to refute data as...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb#Comparison_of_electricity_cost - danco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Fluorescent lights do cause problems with phone lines. They emit more EM interference than incandescent bulbs do. This interference causes problems with the phone line, not the network hardware. In some houses, fluorescent lights can cause major static on phone lines that can kill DSL or dial-up. They can also interfere with other devices such as sound systems.
Fluorescent bulbs also cost more in an environment where lights get turned on for short periods of time, like in a bathroom. Incandescents are actually more efficient if the light gets turned on and off quickly.
Fluorescent bulbs are also less pleasing to the eye. Their light is harsher and wash out colors. At work, I specifically leave off my overhead fluorescent light in favor for a halogen lamp and an incandescent lamp on my desk. Otherwise, my eyes get assaulted with the horrible fluorescent light all day long. No thanks. - AeonTorpor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5No kidding there, I bought some when i moved into my house. The first one blew out because of a faulty socket and the second one just blew a couple of days ago. I moved into my house 4 years ago.
- The_Decryptor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"What more can you ask for?"
Lower power usage? (i have a 11watt CFL which is equivalent to a 40watt incandescent) - Waredgo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7I can't stand CFL lighting....well, I CAN stand it but only grudgingly. I absolutely DO NOT like the light that CFL's put out - harsh, cold. I will stick with incandescents, halogens, candlelight or no lighting at all.
- rm999, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I would normally disagree with you, but in this case I agree simply because I don't think flourescent bulbs are of the same quality. Besides, once they are on par with incadecents as far as quality I think market forces will take over. Meanwhile, some people do need an incentive to go for cfbs over flourescents when one is 40 cents and the other is 5 dollars. The uneducated don't realize that the 5 dollar bulb is actually cheaper.
If you had some blow out in 3-4 months you are either doing somethign wrong or they were crappy quality. I have been using many flourescents in high traffic areas where the light is on all the time but i don't care about quality for 3 years now and I still have never had to replace one. - JulianMorrison, on 10/12/2007, -6/+10I lived for awhile by artificial light - a night shift employee. Bulbs were my sunlight. A casual glance doesn't show the difference, but an experienced eye can see - and it's a difference that matters. Spread spectrum light is the difference between feeling homely and feeling oppressed. CFL light has little blue, red, purple, green. Colors look washed out and oddly distorted. Worse, a failing CFL gets progressively more limited in spectrum while still appearing to "work" - the eye can accomodate odd colour temperature, but the emotions can't.
The truth is that incandescent light is the last vestige of firelight, one of the 3 natural spectra to which long evolution has accustomed us. CFLs aren't yet up to replacing it. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11Fluorescent bulbs of all kinds make me ill. Physically sick and unable to think anymore. I can, at maximum, stay in a modern store usefully for about a half hour. So, until they make a fluorescent that doesn't make me sick not a single one will be entering my house.
[Not to mention how wonderful mercury vapor is for the environment.]
This guy can take his 'ban' and stick it where no light reaches... - Sundae, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Well, according to the article, LESS mercury is released by using these bulbs, not more.
"Beyond the issue of cost, one common consumer concern is that fluorescent lamps contain trace quantities of mercury, whilst incandescent bulbs do not contain any. This would appear to suggest that incandescent bulbs release less mercury into the environment.
On the contrary, the Lighting Industry Federation (LIF) has reported that the extra quantity of mercury emissions from burning fossil fuels in power stations to power incandescent lamps is three times the amount contained in equivalent energy efficient lamps." - JohnboiWaltune, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I replaced a lot of the bulbs in my house with compact fluorescents, and I have to say the parent's post is correct. The color of the light is substantially different. I painted my walls a shade of yellow, and the CFL makes them look green. It is also bad light for reading or using the computer.
CFLs are good for outdoor bulbs, and in closets, that's about it. I used to have a couple of 100W incandescents outside and I replaced them with 15W CFLs. They're just as bright and have lasted for 2 years so far.
If anyone knows some good brands of CFLs that actually put out white light, let me know. - MartinB3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I don't really think superior technology = consumer adoption. Look at your qwerty keyboard.
- mianos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I quick http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=the+fluorescent+light+myths&spell=1 should dispel most of the crap about taking up masses of power when you turn them on.
- spyres, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Nah, That's *****. I use them throughout our house and the quality of their light is no more harsh than the incandescents they replaced.
- Karyyk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Ah, nothing quite like waking up and being greeted by droves of people telling me what I should do, and if I don't, then the government should make me do it.
I use *SOME* CFL bulbs already (just wanted to check them out...no opion as to better/worse yet), but I'll be damned if the rantings of a bunch of self-righteous quacks will ever be a factor in changing bad habits (though a person's use on an incandescent bulb can hardly be categorized as bad). That's the key here, no one likes being beaten over the head with something, even if it makes sense. Some have posted links to statistics proving the point, while others choose to negative digg any comment that runs contrary to theirs, even if it makes practical sense. And you wonder why people don't like you... - ConceptJunkie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Some CFLs don't last very long at all, but most of the ones I've bought have lasted for years.
There is a big difference in quality among the CFLs, just like with everything. - Falc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I have also replaced all the light bulbs in our house w/ compact fluorescent bulbs. However, in our bedroom we have switched back to traditional incandescent bulbs in our nightstand lamps because of the 3 way option which the compact fluorescent does not have (as far as i could tell) and the more pleasing glow. And from time to time there if a flickering at start up when the power is flipped on, but eventually its all good. Have not had any burn out yet at 2+ years...
But my question, has this increased your smug factor? - boredzo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4The starter on a fluorescent light can draw a huge amount of power for a brief amount of time - maybe long enough to knock out a sensitive router.
- radu79, on 10/12/2007, -8/+11The incandescent lightbulbs do have some use.
While most of my house is illuminated by fluorescent lights, one fluorescent lighbulb in the kitchen had this nasty habbit of killing my WIRED DSL connection every time it was turned on. So I had to replace it with an incandescent one. - KingZog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Environmentalists scare me. The logic seems to be that if you have two ways of doing something, the less efficient one should be banned. If you take this to it's logical conclusion most things will be banned.
And the ridiculous thing is that the world will probably switch away from incandescent bulbs to LED and fluorescent tubes given time anyway. I know I only buy low energy bulbs, mostly because I prefer the color of the light. But taking away other peoples freedom should not be done so lightly. - prockcore, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Only with reflective colors is blue considered "cool". When talking about color temperature, blue is hotter than red (literally).
- donatj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Floressent bulbs don't work with motion detectors, I have floressent through most of my house, because I'm cheep, but I need incandesent for my motion detectors
- digitaldarkage, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Wow...just wow...Someone says we need to update our standards to a newer more efficient technology and you immediately go to pulling people out into the streets and shooting them. Us "leftists" don't go to quite the extremes that you conservatives do... I suppose we should all still be driving in steel cars with no impact zones or airbags... Sometimes updating our household items to newer and more efficient things can be better for everyone.
- zgf2022, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Noooooo! my lava lamp!
Seriously, I've got two CFL bulb's in my room and even my best buddy ( who happens to be an art major ) didn't notice. Now my dad has one of the older type bulbs in his bathroom downstairs and it does have that strange not quite right look to it. It even hums quite loudly. My bulbs though look almost exactly like a regular incandescent bulb and they put off a lot less heat. I don't think incandescent bulb's should be banned or taxed. I just think more people should try the new CFL bulbs out. ( it's more of a prejudice thing, everybody knows what they used to look like, not what they do look like now ) - loup, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"They also are able to dim, which fluorescent bulbs don't do."
There are specially made compact florescent lights that do actually dim with a regular dimmer switch, they tend to be a bit more expensive, a quick check at a brick and mortar near me says they're selling for $14 each
er. replied to the wrong post - mementh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3hey have made a better bulb.. it gives off a white light and its wonderfull
i had the old style which makes a "yellow" light.. this change makes it hard for me to go to bed since i think its daytime still lol
also i noticed the walmart i work at has replaced all its old style bulbs for new style incandecents - Kahnza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2How well do CFL's deal with humidity? Or how about heat? I have a light in my shower that I leave on a lot. The fixture is somewhat sealed. But don't know for sure how well. I was thinking I'd like to put a CFL in there to help cut down on the cost.
Also, does it hurt them if you only turn them on for a minute and then shut them off again? I heard/read somewhere that you should leave a CFL/flourescent on for at least 15min before shutting it off. - boredzo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5To the people burying prockcore's comment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature
"White light" is commonly described by its color temperature. A traditional incandescent light source's color temperature is determined by comparing its hue with a theoretical, heated [[black-body radiator]].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_body
Black bodies below around 700 K produce very little radiation at visible wavelengths and appear black. Black bodies above this temperature however, start to produce radiation at visible wavelengths starting at red, going through orange, yellow and white before ending up at blue as the temperature increases. - unknowndomain, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"It's my understanding that if you only use them for a short time (say taking a piss) then they use more electricity than a normal light bulb. "
Yes 20 seconds not 20 minutes like popular belief would have it. - Kestral, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I feel like I'm talking about steaks in a vegan convention but nevermind standard incandescents, I get the Verilux Natural Spectrum Incandescent light bulbs that replicate natural sunlight. They cost a lot more but last a lot longer and the light they give off is beautiful and confortable.
http://www.verilux.net/products/decor/index.asp
Note: Not affiliated with Verilux in any way, just a happy user of their products. - vanillapod, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3He said 'cinder', not cylinder.
cinder: fragments of cooled pyroclastic material lava, typically red or black in color, fragment of lava or rock
cylinder: A Three dimensional shape with a parallel circle and each end and joined by a curved surface.
/wordnazi - spyres, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I've had my house filled with them for about 4 years now and not a single one has burned out. So I doubt it's the bulbs in general.
- Kahnza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Increasing the refresh rate on your monitor helps. I know I can't stand it if mine is set to 60hz. Much nicer if I set it to 75hz.
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