[Rhodes22-list] Environment -- dimming bulbs

Fri Feb 23 09:34:06 EST 2007

Bob:

I think that you missed another boat, see:

http://www.fifthlight.com/technology_dimmableelectronicballast.html

That is unless you are marketing the program for home computers?

Ed K
Greenville, SC, USA

Robert Skinner 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<
>> >
>> http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12f1p5o19/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=14715249:FOOT/_ylt=AvXfD0ah5M6LM8riA7dE0IZxieAA/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1172197187/A=1030392/R=1/SIG=1124ddvo1/*http://help.yahoo.com/help/news/
>> > >
>> > Privacy Policy<
>> >
>> http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12f1p5o19/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=14715249:FOOT/_ylt=AvXfD0ah5M6LM8riA7dE0IZxieAA/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1172197187/A=1030392/R=2/SIG=11a1ak88p/*http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us/news
>> > >-Terms
>> > of Service<
>> >
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>> > >-
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>> >
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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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