Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!cmcl2!phri!roy From: roy@phri.nyu.edu (Roy Smith) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: incandescent light bulb life extender Keywords: lamp life, economics Message-ID: <1990Dec13.214448.14300@phri.nyu.edu> Date: 13 Dec 90 21:44:48 GMT References: <4225@kitty.UUCP> <6213@videovax.tv.tek.com> <4078@osc.COM> <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com> Sender: roy@phri.nyu.edu (Roy Smith) Organization: Public Health Research Institute, New York City Lines: 35 phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes: > I can not see any reason to use incandescents anymore, unless > you are getting free power. I have a one of those draftsman type desk lamps that has written on it in big black magic marker, "2.8%". That's what me and my college roommate figured out the conversion efficiency from electricity to light was; Watts in vs. Lumens out with some E=h*Lambda (I hope that's the right formula, it's been a while) for a mid-visible-spectrum wavelength thrown in to convert to Watts of light out. As I remember, that was for a smallish (40 or 60) Watt bulb; I suspect the larger sizes are more efficient. Anyway, much as I think the compact flourescents are a good idea, I can see two reasons not to use them. First, the light is ugly. I have found that about a 1:1 mix by wattage of incandescant and flourescent lights give the most pleasing illumination; much nicer than either alone. Second, the compact floursecents just aren't compact enough. Con Edison is having a promotion now; you can buy up to 10 CFs for $3-5 each depending on wattage. The flyer they sent around has the dimensions of each bulb. I carefully measured most of my lamps and ceiling fixtures and there just isn't enough room for the CF's unless I'm willing to use the smallest sizes and get substantially less light out. What's the prognosis for this in the future? Any chance better technology will shrink the CFs another 20% in a couple of years? That's about what it would take to do it. Personally, I save energy by being a lunatic about turning off lights when I leave a room. Drives my wife nuts when I nag her to do the same. I do suspect, however, that the power I waste by leaving my Sun workstation in the office on all the time far exceedes what I save by living in the dark ages at home :-( -- Roy Smith, Public Health Research Institute 455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016 roy@alanine.phri.nyu.edu -OR- {att,cmcl2,rutgers,hombre}!phri!roy "Arcane? Did you say arcane? It wouldn't be Unix if it wasn't arcane!"