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From: bill@videovax.tv.tek.com (William K. McFadden)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: incandescent light bulb life extender
Keywords: lamp life, economics
Message-ID: <6223@videovax.tv.tek.com>
Date: 14 Dec 90 23:57:51 GMT
References: <4225@kitty.UUCP> <6213@videovax.tv.tek.com> <4078@osc.COM> <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com>
Reply-To: bill@videovax.tv.tek.com (William K. McFadden)
Organization: Tektronix TV Measurement Systems, Beaverton OR
Lines: 19

In article <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com> phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes:
>In article <4078@osc.COM> jgk@osc.COM (Joe Keane) writes:
>I can not see any reason to use incandescents anymore, unless you
>are getting free power.

Because X-10 fluorescent wall switches cost 5X as much as incandescent.
In addition, the fluorescent X-10 switch requires a neutral lead
to the switch box, which most houses don't have.  It's going to be
a long time before this pays for itself.  Of less importance is
you lose dimming with fluorescent.  (I can live without this.)

This is unfortunate.  I'd love to change all my lights to fluorescent,
but I don't want to give up my X-10.  I am hoping either X-10 or
the bulb and light fixture makers will address this problem.
-- 
Bill McFadden    Tektronix, Inc.  P.O. Box 500  MS 58-639  Beaverton, OR  97077
bill@videovax.tv.tek.com,     {hplabs,uw-beaver,decvax}!tektronix!videovax!bill
Phone: (503) 627-6920       "The biggest difference between developing a missle
component and a toy is the 'cost constraint.'" -- John Anderson, Engineer, TI