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From: al@qiclab.UUCP (Al Peterman)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Florescent Problems
Message-ID: <4604@qiclab.UUCP>
Date: 7 Apr 90 05:59:47 GMT
References: <29716@amdcad.AMD.COM> <14870@cbnewsc.ATT.COM> <5339@mmsac.UUCP> <10607@netcom.UUCP>
Reply-To: al@qiclab.UUCP (Al Peterman)
Organization: Qic Laboratories, Portland, Oregon.
Lines: 40

In article <10607@netcom.UUCP> mcmahan@netcom.UUCP (Dave Mc Mahan) writes:
>I want to put more light into my kitchen, and since I have flourescent tubes
>(the 4 foot variety)  I thought the easiest way would be to just get a 
>higher wattage tube.  Wrong.  I can't seem to find any tubes that are not
>40 Watts that fit my fixture (it is the kind with 2 pins on each end).  Do
>they make such a thing, hopefully in soft white?  If so, it sure would save
>me lots of time and expense replacing the current fixture or adding another.

That's ONE of the hassles with florescent lighting.  For the most part
you are stuck with the light output you have, since the ballasts are
designed to run the tubes that fit the fixture.  I'm not positive that
you can't get more than a 40 watt in a 4 foot tube, but I've never seen
one.  You can put another dual tube fixture into the same recess, if that's
how they are mounted.

This brings up the main drawback to florescents vs. the incandescents,
namely flexibility.  In a "standard" socket I can usually put anwhere
from a 25 to a 100 watt bulb with no problem.  (yes I know some fixtures
are limited to 60 or 75 watts due to heat limitations).  Also, I can 
-and do - use dimmers and BSR remote controllers, to control the lighting
to the amout I want at a given time.  Flourescents, despite their 
advantages in efficiency, are just unable to be adjusted or controlled
easily.

Another minor hassle with florescents is the disposal problem.  They
are somewhat hazardous to smash to fit in the trash.  I also think they
contain rather dangerous substances.  This of cousre is not a problem
with the "bulb" replacement size units, but the 4 and 8 foot tubes are
awkward.

I've got 70+ incandescent bulb fixtures in the house, and 6 florescent
fixtures.  I wish I could have it the other way for efficiency, but
for aesthic AND practical reasons, it just don't make sense in the
home.


-- 
Alan L. Peterman                                   (503)-684-1984 hm
                    Airborne N33291               Cessna Cardinal RG
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