[Rhodes22-list] Environment -- dimming bulbs

Fri Feb 23 11:46:52 EST 2007

They do make florescent spots, which we tried in some of the recessed lights
that are not dimmed, but they gave off weak lighting and took a couple of
minutes to warm up and give off a little brighter light.  We never did like
the hue it gave off, though, so we took it out and put the incandescent back
in.

Hank

On 2/23/07, Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com> wrote:
>
> Hank, you have put your finger on a huge potential market.
>
> Theoretically, with chopper circuits and pulsed output,
> you could make a florescent bulb that would be dimmable.
>
> Since many dimmers use SCRs (silicon controled rectifiers)
> which do not put out the same form of alternating current
> that the existing coil bulbs expect, the design would
> take some work.
>
> It may be a while before dimmable coil bulbs come to market,
> but when they do...
>
> /Robert
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Hank wrote:
> >
> > One of the problems with these is they don't work with dimmers.  All of
> my
> > recessed lights are on dimmers that I use all of the time, so it is not
> > practical to switch.  For regular lamps we have switched.
> >
> > Hank
> >
> > On 2/22/07, Brad Haslett <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Ok folks, here is a quick and 'clean' thought.  I'm not preaching, but
> we
> > > have been switching to these bulbs as the old ones burn out.  They
> aren't
> > > cheap, and I don't know where the break-even point is, but you feel
> better
> > > and it gives you a certain environ-snobbery arguing position.  You can
> buy
> > > them at SamsClub, WalMart, and other eco-friendly stores.
> > >
> > > Brad
> > >
> > > ------------------------
> > >
> > >    Back to Story<
> > >
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070220/ap_on_sc/ban_the_bulb_8;_ylt=AqA0NiAnFgJ315H_dAZJJLlxieAA
> > > >-
> > > Help<
> > >
> http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmAEg00nzg5WmJGCFhRVhQFxieAA/SIG=10rbjkhqd/**http%3A//help.yahoo.com/
> > > >
> > > [image: Yahoo! News]<
> > > http://news.yahoo.com/;_ylt=AltToAxFx686SzI720Fzl69xieAA>
> > > Australia to ban old-style light bulbs
> > >
> > > By ROHAN SULLIVAN, Associated Press WriterTue Feb 20, 6:26 PM ET
> > >
> > > The Australian government on Tuesday announced plans to phase out
> > > incandescent light bulbs and replace them with more energy-efficient
> > > compact
> > > fluorescent bulbs across the country.
> > >
> > > Legislation to gradually restrict the sale of the old-style bulbs
> could
> > > reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons by 2012
> and
> > > cut household power bills by up to 66 percent, said Environment
> Minister
> > > Malcolm Turnbull.
> > >
> > > Australia produced almost 565 million tons of greenhouse gases in
> 2004,
> > > official figures show.
> > >
> > > Prime Minister John Howard said the plan would help all Australians
> play a
> > > part in cutting harmful gas emissions: "Here's something practical
> that
> > > everybody will participate in."
> > >
> > > In incandescent light bulbs, perfected for mass use by Thomas A.
> Edison in
> > > the late 19th century, electricity flows through a filament to create
> > > light.
> > > Much of the energy, however, is wasted in the form of heat.
> > >
> > > Australia is not the only place looking to replace them with
> fluorescent
> > > lighting, which is more efficient and longer lasting.
> > >
> > > Last month, a California assemblyman announced he would propose a bill
> to
> > > ban the use of incandescent bulbs in his state. And a New Jersey
> lawmaker
> > > has called for the state to switch to fluorescent lighting in
> government
> > > buildings within three years.
> > >
> > > Cuba's Fidel Castro launched a similar program two years ago, sending
> > > youth
> > > brigades into homes and switching out regular bulbs for energy-saving
> ones
> > > to help battle electrical blackouts around the island.
> > >
> > > The idea was later embraced by Castro's friend and ally, Venezuelan
> > > President Hugo Chavez, who announced his own program to save energy
> and in
> > > recent months has given away millions of fluorescent bulbs in
> > > neighborhoods
> > > nationwide.
> > >
> > > Under the Australian plan, bulbs that do not comply with energy
> efficiency
> > > targets would be gradually banned from sale. Exemptions may apply for
> > > special needs such as medical lighting and oven lights.
> > >
> > > Fluorescent bulbs are currently more expensive than incandescent
> bulbs,
> > > but
> > > use only about 20 percent of the power to produce the same amount of
> light
> > > and last longer, making them more competitive over time, advocates
> argue.
> > >
> > > Environmentalists welcomed the light bulb plan, but noted than the
> vast
> > > bulk
> > > of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions come from industry, such as
> > > coal-fired power stations.
> > >
> > > They urged the government to set national targets for emission
> reductions
> > > and renewable energy.
> > >
> > > "It is a good, positive step. But it is a very small step. It needs to
> be
> > > followed through with a lot of different measures," Australian
> > > Conservation
> > > Foundation spokesman Josh Meadows told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
> > > radio.
> > >
> > > Howard has become a global warming convert, conceding in recent months
> for
> > > the first time that human activity is having an effect on rising
> > > temperatures.
> > >
> > > But he has steadfastly refused to bring Australia into line with most
> of
> > > the
> > > world and ratify the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gas reductions,
> arguing
> > > that doing so could damage Australia's coal-dependent economy.
> > >
> > > Copyright (c) 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The
> > > information contained in the AP News report may not be published,
> > > broadcast,
> > > rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The
> > > Associated Press.
> > > Copyright (c) 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
> > > Questions or Comments<
> > >
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> --
> Robert Skinner               "Squirrel Haven"
> 9 Gateway Commons, Gorham, Maine   04038-1331
> Home/Messages 207-839-8777, Cell 207-653-1752
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