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From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: incandescent light bulb life extender
Keywords: lamp life, economics
Message-ID: <1990Dec15.214047.7082@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 15 Dec 90 21:40:47 GMT
References: <4078@osc.COM> <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com> <6223@videovax.tv.tek.com>
Sender: amichiel@sunrise.acs.syr.edu
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
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In article <6223@videovax.tv.tek.com> bill@videovax.tv.tek.com (William
>In article <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com> phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai)
>>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.

>Of less importance is you lose dimming with fluorescent.(I can live without
>This is unfortunate.  I'd love to change all my lights to fluorescent,

   O.K.  Here goes, engage your total recall circuits...  Your going laugh
yourself silly, call the kids to the monitor & wake the neighbors, but just
remember in 30 years you heard it here (and by ME) first.
  There are several (either) obscure (or obscured) studies regarding visual
UV wavelength exposure (i.e. fluorescents in a office environment) over long
periods (like those of a average office worker), and resulting long term
visual damage.  The range is great, but at min is greatly reduced night
vision (inclusive of both visual acquitt & adjustment time) and at the other
end is increased risks of 'stuff' like catarats.  One study even went on to
try to find a vitiman enhancement program to reduce the damage.
   I'll be the first to admit that these studies weren't perfect, and that 
there are many problems involved coming up with a really 'fair' method of
comparing and isolating office workers with & without flurescents without
comparing office workers and sheep herders, but believe that time will tell.
And that eventually UV filters (of some kind) will be on all fluorescent
lights.  Untill then, I'll not be using anymore fluorescents in my home than
I really must.
   If you look at what you spend on actual home lighting in so far as KWH's
and the saving using Fluorescents (even if you want to ignore the difference
in cost per bulb &/or cost per fixture &/or hardware cost/lumen hour), in a
typical house, the $$$ savings is less than is worth considering.  I'd wager
that you spend more on tips for meals than you'd save in a year.  Even when
the cost per KWH increases 500%, your income will also increase, and this
relationship will remain about the same (of course we'll have to wait & see,
but...).
al


-- 
Al. Michielsen, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University
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