Time to start stocking up on incandescent bulbs.

[k4kyv]

One provision of the new Energy Bill passed by the Senate essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy (and most likely generate much more rfi).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17265330

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (k4kyv @ Dec. 15 2007,12:21)]One provision of the new Energy Bill passed by the Senate essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy (and most likely generate much more rfi).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17265330
I have a house full of 'em, and I have no interference in my 756ProIII at all. I think it probably depends on brand.

[w3scm]

I use a lot of them, too, without a problem.

But they have ***MERCURY*** in them!

What does Al Gore say about this?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KB1KIX]

Quote[/b] (W3MIV @ Dec. 15 2007,12:24)]Quote[/b] (k4kyv @ Dec. 15 2007,12:21)]One provision of the new Energy Bill passed by the Senate essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy (and most likely generate much more rfi).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17265330
I have a house full of 'em, and I have no interference in my 756ProIII at all. I think it probably depends on brand.
I had good and bad experiences on this.

Which leads me to an idea.

Since some have had great experiences and some bad - would be a good idea to track what brands don't cause interference and what brands do.

Jonathan

[kq9j]

The CFL's I bought do cause some RFI. Fortunately, my 10db over S9 power line noise usually covers it up. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[n2ize]

I doubt they are going to stop selling incandescents anytime soon. There are still far too many applications where alternatives are not adequate. CCFL and LED bulbs are not suitable for extreme conditions, i.e use in ovens, etc. CCFL bulbs don't work very well in very cold locations. They are not easilly dimmed and are not even suitable for fixtures connected to dimmers.

Before they can phase out incandescents they are going to have to make lots of vast improivements to alternative technologies. I think the old incandescent will be around for a long time to come.

[wa4brl]

Trace amounts of mercury in coal is released into the environment when it is burned to produce electricity. #Reportedly, the energy saved by switching to compact flourescent bulbs cuts enough coal burning to REDUCE the net mercury in the environment below what would have been without any CF bulbs in use.

Besides, CF bulbs are but a transitional technology that is already on its way out. #Bright white LED's (in bulbs and other configurations) are already on the market (though still expensive). #They offer twice the efficiency of CF bulbs and their price and availibility is improving steadily.

Cree Inc. has just released new LED bulbs that produce 131 lumens pre watt. #Here's the line-up:

Cree LED's: # # # 131 lumens per watt
Current LED's: ##100 lumens per watt
CF bulbs's: # # # #50-to-60 lumens per watt
Incandescents: #10-to-20 lumens per watt

In the summer, you add to those effeciency improvements the great reduction in waste heat your air-conditioning must deal with.

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (w3scm @ Dec. 15 2007,11:38)]I use a lot of them, too, without a problem.

But they have ***MERCURY*** in them!

What does Al Gore say about this?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
They have much less than many old fashioned thermostats and mercury vapor lamps (I don't see people complaining about those) and honestly using them would help reduce mercury emissions from coal fired power plants.

The whole "OMG CFLs have mercury! Oh noeesss we're gonna DIE!" is an overblown half truth pushed by people who just don't like change, and who want to spite Al Gore and the "left" for insisting that we conserve some energy.

[kl7aj]

I have plenty of incandescent bulbs in all my boat anchors. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (KB1KIX @ Dec. 15 2007,12:34)]Quote[/b] (W3MIV @ Dec. 15 2007,12:24)]Quote[/b] (k4kyv @ Dec. 15 2007,12:21)]One provision of the new Energy Bill passed by the Senate essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy (and most likely generate much more rfi).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17265330
I have a house full of 'em, and I have no interference in my 756ProIII at all. I think it probably depends on brand.
I had good and bad experiences on this.

Which leads me to an idea.

Since some have had great experiences and some bad - would be a good idea to track what brands don't cause interference and what brands do.

Jonathan
I have had zero issues whatsoever, including the lamps that are in the same room as my radios.

Low temps tend to make them dimmer until they warm up, but that hasn't been a problem for me.

I have two CFLs in the garage and outside of the house pumping out plenty of light even in sub freezing temps.

[N1LAF]

I also have them throughout my house, and no interference problem at all. I do get interference on the low bands from the Ionic Pro.

The brand of lights I use is "Commercial Electric", they have lasted more than 5 years, and when cold, they are dimmer, but they do brighten up quickly.

I use them outdoors too, not a problem.

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (N1LAF @ Dec. 15 2007,13:26)]I also have them throughout my house, and no interference problem at all. I do get interference on the low bands from the Ionic Pro.

The brand of lights I use is "Commercial Electric", they have lasted more than 5 years, and when cold, they are dimmer, but they do brighten up quickly.

I use them outdoors too, not a problem.
Commercial Electric is actually the home depot house brand.

I use those, as well as philips and "conserv energy" which is the costco house brand.

[VO1GXG]

CFL's are BS!

If you have a house full of CFL's your heating bill will go up! CFL's don't generate as much heat as standard bulbs, not to mention they have more parts in them then simple bulbs which means more waste.

I will stick to Halogen http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KC9JIQ]

I use CFL's also. I have a very modern "all electric" home(built in '78), and I just love the "white" industrial light my CFL's put out.

I use the normal twist style type, the old fashion loop florescents, and Reading light CFL's that puts off a slightly blue tint.

I also use Candles and Oil Lamps if I ever want that soothing yellow light.

incandescents are still used outside, flood lamps, trouble lights, any place that needs warmth or a dependable tough light.

[ab1ga]

I'm replacing my incandescents with CFLs as the incandescents fail. So far no problems, but I haven't performed any stringent experiments (yet).

But my, those LEDs can deliver bang for the buck. I bought a piece of A/V gear which has a blue LED as the power light, and since the gear is plugged in and on standby all the time, the LED is on all the time.

The blasted thing's a night light in disguise! I swear that blue light goes right through walls and doors. I live in a Cape style home with an open floor plan, and that one LED lights up the whole joint!

[kf6rdn]

Considering I got a great deal on a boatload of them, 8 for a buck, yes I'm switching. They work fine, no RFI, nice light etc.

The half sec delay is annoying, you have this initial reaction of "click -aww crap the bulbs burnt out! - oh.."

Quote[/b] ]'s are BS!

If you have a house full of CFL's your heating bill will go up! CFL's don't generate as much heat as standard bulbs, not to mention they have more parts in them then simple bulbs which means more waste.
Put a boatanchor rig in each room, that will solve your heating problem..
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[KC9JIQ]

Quote[/b] ]But my, those LEDs can deliver bang for the buck. I bought a piece of A/V gear which has a blue LED as the power light, and since the gear is plugged in and on standby all the time, the LED is on all the time.

The blasted thing's a night light in disguise! I swear that blue light goes right through walls and doors. I live in a Cape style home with an open floor plan, and that one LED lights up the whole joint!

But you don't find it annoying? I got a set of speakers with bright LED's, they are so intense it really bothers the eyes and wrecks your mood, however they do make great night lights, but I would MUCH rather have soft light in the house.

[n2ize]

Quote[/b] (KC9JIQ @ Dec. 15 2007,12:08)]I use CFL's also. #I have a very modern "all electric" home(built in '78), and I just love the "white" industrial light my CFL's put out.

I use the normal twist style type, the old fashion loop florescents, and Reading light CFL's that puts off a slightly blue tint.

I also use Candles and Oil Lamps if I ever want that soothing yellow light.

incandescents are still used outside, flood lamps, trouble lights, any place that needs warmth or a dependable tough light.
Oil lamps are great. Unfortunately I broke the chimney on mine. I'll have to see if I can track down a new chimney for it.

[KG6WOU]

My Elmer rails about CFL's. He claims they are RF noisy and don't save energy.

Well, my experience, measuring power consumed is that CFL's per 'equal' light output, draw 1/2 what a conventional bulb does. That is because of the Power FACTOR of the CFL's, yep. The PF of an Incans. bulb is 1.

I do not find them noisy except at the moment of turn-on, but my ambient noise level is so high that I'm not sure it matters. Maybe next week when I'm up in the woods.

One item to keep in mind: A CFL that is not putting out light continues to consume energy. Replace burned out bulbs promptly.

I believe the CFL to be a stopgap measure. LED's will kill them and then something else may come along and kill the LED.

I am not picky, I buy the cheapest ones I can find, and we have them in almost every light fixture in the house with the exception of a couple of closets and my wife's bedside lamp.

But I do dislike the fact that they have to be taken to the hazardous waste landfill - that is somewhat counterproductive.

[G0GQK]

The amount of power used by a bulb is next to nothing. Compare the cost of buying the bulbs you've been buying for years, and the new energy saving bulbs. Its costing you a whole lot more buying the new type.

Somebody is probably thinking, multiply that saving by a few trillion light bulbs and the saving can be well, it can save energy. If you really want to save energy, BIGTIME, stop using your refridgerators ! Whoah there ! Can't do that, we need fridges, no fridge, no food. OK get rid of the dishwasher. Naw, can't do that, the wife hates washing and drying dishes.

OK, keep the fridge and the dishwasher, get rid of the washing machine. No chance the wife won't do washing without a washing machine, can you just imagine her toiling away with sink full of dirty washing ? Naw, scrap that idea. Not being very co-operative are we ? You have to save energy big time, so......... what about that air conditioner that runs 24/7 in the summer ? Am asking too much, you don't like sweating in 80 F with 80 of humidity ?

OK you win, buy some of those new bulbs, they'll save a couple of watts a day , at least, well, minimum.

G0GQK http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KC9JIQ]

Actually here in the good old USA, light pollution is a HUGE waste of energy. I forgot the figures but it is like 20% wasted on light pollution.

Quite Frankly I wished we would do somthing about light pollution, from all those COUNTRY highway intersections that the states insist on lighting up, to the security lamp on your electric power pole.

Over-illumination, basically the waste of light is a serious problem.

[W4HAY]

We have an unheated stable (yeah, yeah, I know -- we're abusing our horses) full of the 26-Watt size, in both helical and flood configurations. Even in the coldest weather, they come on in less than one second and reach full brilliance within a couple of minutes.

I have some in the house and they don't cause interference unless the radio is a couple of feet away from a bulb.

We don't use 'em because we're save-the-planet greenie weenies. We use 'em because (feelthy capitaleest peegs that we are) they save us money. Calculating the initial cost, advertised life expectancy, and electricity consumed, they cost about 1/3 what a 100-Watt incandescent bulb would.

I can't give you a brand name because we buy whatever is cheapest at Wal-Mart, and it varies

[N5RLR]

Pish. Wire a diode in series with an incandescent bulb, there's an energy savings. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[w3scm]

John, do you use Aladdin lamps? They are actually bright enough to read by. I have 4, and once you know what to do, they are really amazing, and generate considerable heat in the winter when you need it.

And JIQ, you are right on the money about light polution. Even up the mountains of Penn's sylvan wood, you can lose stuff in the sky thanks to Scranton, Binghamton and Elmira. IDSA rocks.

[NL7W]

Quote[/b] (w3scm @ Dec. 15 2007,08:38)]I use a lot of them, too, without a problem.

But they have ***MERCURY*** in them!

What does Al Gore say about this?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Mercury?! What's dat? Could dat be harmful? Could they really be more harmful than the ubiquitous incandescent? Well, of course, they are!

Let's not be "Gored" by Reverend Al's new religion...

[NL7W]

Is it just me, or does anyone else absolutely hate the quality of light generated by CFLs? I would assume they cycle on and off just like florescent tubes. I think the light these types generate is obnoxious.

[al2i]

I replaced about 40 fixtures with CFLs, and the failure rate has been enormous. No CFL has lasted more than 1 year. I typically get about 6 months out of a CFL, whereas I have had Western Electric 130v traffic bulbs last 15 years.

[NL7W]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Dec. 15 2007,15:07)]I replaced about 40 fixtures with CFLs, and the failure rate has been enormous. No CFL has lasted more than 1 year. I typically get about 6 months out of a CFL, whereas I have had Western Electric 130v traffic bulbs last 15 years.
Same here. What gives with this awful failure rate. I've gone back to cheap, big-box, 60-watt Sylvania incandescents. They're so much more pleasing -- the warmth is tremendous.

[nz3m]

This one has been going 106 years!
http://www.centennialbulb.org/images/cb6m.jpg


Centennial Bulb (http://www.centennialbulb.org/)

[N0WVA]

Well, it really doesnt matter after all. I mean, if you want to "save the environment" then you had better go back to living in a tee pee. I think that is probably out of the question, so the next best thing to do is just realize that there are too many people on this planet and it doesnt matter how you cut it, the petro is going to run out and people will starve.

The sooner you people realize this, the better. You might as well get down to the brass tacks. So live it up real good while you can and sell the farm for the good life, time is running out.

[KA9VQF]

I remember a few years back when an electrician friend of mine told me to stock up on fluorescent light bulbs because they were going to quit making them because they had mercury in them.

Never quite got around to happening.

I got my screw in CFL bulbs at the Dollar Tree for, guess what, a dollar each.

The package says they are Greenlite brand and like all good things these days are made in China.

I’d like to get more but the Dollar Trees around here never seem to have them anymore.

I put two of them in my ceiling fan because all 4 were just to bright in the living room compared to the 60 watt incandescent ones that were in there.

These are rated at 13 watts each.

I put one each in the bedroom ceiling fans and they are way brighter than the 60 watts that they replace.

I have three in the one in the kitchen because that is what the light kit holds and while much brighter than the incandescent ones they replace I feel I need the extra light out there.

Years ago I got a bunch of fluorescent lights from the hospital I was working at. They were remodeling and just tossed a big stack of them out so I brought them home and installed them in my garage and basement.

These fixtures hold four bulbs each. They are the 4’ tube ones. I soon figured out how to wire them so only two bulbs at a time light.

If I want to I can have all four lit just flip another switch.

I’m not real sure how much it has saved me on my light bill but it was probably some.

I’ve never noticed any noise on any of the bands. Well not what I figure is caused by the fluorescent lights here in my house.

However ‘Tiz the season’ and my neighbor has his Christmas display out. He has a rather large herd of those animated deer in his yard. The mechanical noise from these thing is enough to drive you buggy and the noise on HF will pretty well peg the meter on the 820 so I don’t even try to get on the air while he has it all on.

[KB0LPI]

I have my own house and my GF's house full of CFLs. No problem there (no change in radio reception if they are all on or off). There's either a light problem across the street at the church or the neighbor has a psyco-billy battery charger at full-tilt boogie cranking out s9+30 QRM for 3 out of every 10 seconds here.

My electric bill says my house used 331kwh last month. Let Al Gore beat that....

[W1GUH]

The replies about high failure rate for CFL's were kinda depressing. #I've put CFL's into all the fixtures I've got because I'm completely fed up with how short-lived incandescents are. #I'm hoping to alleviate the PITA nature of changing the light bulb that just happened to blow at the wrong time...usually when I'm out of replacements.

I notice no difference in the quality light. #The only thing I notice is the slight delay after turning them on. #I also get no interference from them, and I wasn't particularly careful in buying them. #Whatever was in the supermarket was what I got. #The main reason I got them is my ceiling fixtures are up about 12 feet, and the ladder is five floors down in the basement. #Needless to say, I really want to minimize how oftem I've gotta schlepp the ladder up five floors.

Halogens were mentioned.....

I will NEVER, EVER use halogens again. #They are the WORST!

First of all, EVERY halogen lamp I've ever had has failed prematurely. #Seems the heat from those lamps makes every connection fail. #And the lamps are irreparable, what with riveted in sockets and all.

Plus, halogens can fail in a way that blows fuses, or worse.

OK, so the light is good...but the price you pay for that, in replacing lamps when the fail way too early, is exorbitant.

[WD4CHP]

I bought 2 of the small twisted type bulbs. They lasted three months. Went back to the old fashoned ones that last for several years.

[W1RKW]

Quote[/b] (n2ize @ Dec. 15 2007,10:52)]Before they can phase out incandescents they are going to have to make lots of vast improivements to alternative technologies. I think the old incandescent will be around for a long time to come.
Probably true. OTOH though, if the politicians really want to get their way and force the people to not buy incandescents count on the politicos to slap a hefty tax on them.

I replaced nearly all the lights in my home with CFL's in one shot a few years back. I cut the electric bill nearly in half. Two years later the electric use is still the same but the bill went up to nearly the same level as 2 years previous when the utility jacked up their rates.

No RF problems whatsoever with the CFL's.

I've had a few CFL's crap out over the last few years but by and large they're no different than the incandescents if not better.

[KC9JIQ]

Being stuck is a position few of us like. We want something new but cannot let go of the old - old ideas, beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We are out of contact with our own genius. Sometimes we know we are stuck; sometimes we don't. In both cases we have to DO something.
-Rush Limbaugh

[KG4CGC]

Been using CFLs for about 5 years. The earlier ones had some failure rates at 8 months but generally lasted 2 to 3, sometimes 4 years.
The newer ones come on faster and so far the failure rate has been less than 1 percent. I recently purchased one with sunlight spectrum. I will be buying more like it in the future.
They pay for themselves in energy savings and overall replacement costs. No RF hash from them here.
I am ready however to move to LEDs.

[K9STH]

GUH:

I would bet that your line voltage is in the 125 volt range which most electric companies try to maintain these days (actually 125 VAC +/- 2 volts usually on the "+" side especially during the warmer months) and you are using the supermarket 120 volt bulbs. You can get 130 volt bulbs which last, on average, at least 10 times longer than 120 volt bulbs. However, you will have to look for them. The various home improvement centers usually have them but they are hidden on the shelves.

Since the line voltage is generally higher than the bulb rating you would think that stores would stock the 130 volt bulbs. However, the 120 volt bulbs burn out MUCH faster and, therefore, the stores sell many more bulbs which adds to their profit margins.

When I was on the TXU Speakers' Bureau (TXU is the electric company for about half the State of Texas) I always got at least one question about bulb life no matter what topic I was addressing. My "stock" answer was to get 130 volt bulbs. Several times I would "run into" someone who took my advice and got 130 volt bulbs and they would definitely "thank me" for the suggestion.

As for CFL units: I have been fortunate in the fact that the various brands that I have purchased have not added to the noise level. However, the failure rate of certain brands have been worse than the "normal" bulbs. I have found that CFL units often do not put out full brillance for several minutes and this is in Texas where the temperature is not anywhere near as bad as in the northern states.

Glen, K9STH

[KC9JIQ]

When you use a bulb designed for 130 volts in a fixture that operates at 120 volts, the bulb's filament runs at less than its rated temperature at less voltage. The good news is that operating the filament at less than its normal temperature/voltage slows the evaporation of tungsten and prolongs the filament's life. That's why your bulbs are lasting so long. The bad news is that incandescent bulbs become much less energy efficient as you lower their filament temperatures.

The light emitted by the filament is thermal radiation and its color spectrum and brightness depend almost exclusively on its temperature. These 130-volt bulbs emit redder and dimmer light than a normal bulb and they are significantly less energy efficient as a result.

[K8ERV]

I put one of the 3-led push-on push-off under cabinet lights on the bedboard, aimed up at the ceiling. Powered from an existing wall-wart. Perfect night light, cool, so low power I don't bother turning it off in the day.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[k4kyv]

Quote[/b] (W1RKW @ Dec. 16 2007,12:00)]Quote[/b] (n2ize @ Dec. 15 2007,10:52)]Before they can phase out incandescents they are going to have to make lots of vast improivements to alternative technologies. I think the old incandescent will be around for a long time to come.
OTOH though, if the politicians really want to get their way and force the people to not buy incandescents count on the politicos to slap a hefty tax on them.
Here is the latest media update regarding the energy bill and light bulbs. Looks like every light bulb sold will have to meet government mandated efficiency standards by 2014, and the standards will be @ 70% by 2020. So, if you have uses for incandescent lamps other than standard lighting, now would be a good time to stock up. I will probably stock up on the inefficient "long life" bulbs. Besides rf dummy loads, other applications include use as heat lamps, and the temperature/resistance characteristic of the filament makes them useful for certain control applications. I have a 1938 Gates compressor/limiter that uses a 15-watt incandescent lamp as a control element.

I am wondering if this means the end of incandescent pilot lamps for equipment. In some AC/DC broadcast receivers, the pilot lamp is part of the series filament string, and a burnt out or missing pilot lamp will shorten the life of the 35Z5 rectifier tube. Also, a restored 1929 receiver just won't look right with an l.e.d. pilot lamp.

http://www.usatoday.com/money....s_N.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2007-12-16-light-bulbs_N.htm)

And it looks like Canada isn't even waiting that long. The federal government declared a Canada-wide ban on the sale of inefficient lightbulbs on Thursday, pledging to eliminate them entirely in Canada within five years.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet....=Canada (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070425/lightbulb_ban_070425/20070425?hub=Canada)

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (NL7W @ Dec. 15 2007,17:47)]Is it just me, or does anyone else absolutely hate the quality of light generated by CFLs? I would assume they cycle on and off just like florescent tubes. I think the light these types generate is obnoxious.
No, they pose no issues here.

The light is about the same as an incandescent.

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Dec. 15 2007,18:07)]I replaced about 40 fixtures with CFLs, and the failure rate has been enormous. No CFL has lasted more than 1 year. I typically get about 6 months out of a CFL, whereas I have had Western Electric 130v traffic bulbs last 15 years.
I've never had to replace a CFL due to a failure. I've been using them since 2001.

I did have a few that were DOA but Costco quickly replaced them, no questions asked.

[KD6NIG]

I bought a bunch of them about 3 years ago and did a retrofit of the entire interior of the house. Except for one which went out roughly 10 minutes into its service life, the rest just keep on ticking.

Never had any noise problems, but I too have a S8 power line noise issue on some bands. I only listen on HF though so its no big deal.

The only standards I have going now are 2 50W spotlight bulbs in a motion sensor outside that come on with motion. The light in my backyard which is on at night I converted over two years ago, as well as my porch light. Both are enclosed, however, I wouldn't use those bulbs in exposed, potentially damp areas.

My next step? Christmas lights. The LED variety started getting prevelant this year, and out of the 19 strings I put up (between my house and my wifes grandparents, next door) 4 of them are now LED. Its a slow transition as they are $9 a box versus $2 for the other kind, but I usually have 3 strings or so fail to start back up every year when I break them out, and I toss them instead of trying to fix them, as I don't want to risk fire.

If I can do it this year, and there are any left, I plan on stocking up on them after Christmas (or right before if the sales are right, man, there are some major discounts already occuring, places must be HURTING this year!)

Not that the lighting costs more, maybe $25 for the month or so (and I run them all night) but the LEDs are supposed to last much longer. That remains to be seen. Also, an "ornamental light" I had for my gate failed this year after 5 years, so I replaced it with a LED snowflake. The thing is twice as bright, and (allegedly) only takes 15% of the power.

So I guess I'm doing my part, kinda. Not like the power company will miss it much I'm sure, since other major appliances and the A/C in the summer consume more than enough....

[PA5COR]

Using them for 25 years now, the first big ugly ones from Philips came out then.

Buy them where they are cheap, some last forever, some only an few years.

The latest ones come on really fast, and reach brilliance in an few seconds, can't detect noise on H.F. here.

The 42" plasma from Panasonic Viera can just be eard on 80, raising the noisefloor from s3 to s 3.5, added an few clamp on ferrite's and the noise was almost one, no problems on the other bands.

If the CFL lamps are 2 to 3 years old, i replace them by new ones, even if they still work, for the 1 or 2 euro, that is not an problem.

Using LED's to permanently light the hallway and staircase with dim white light.

The CFL's are for sale in daylight, or more the yellow light wich emanates from the old lamps.

Using an meter you can measure the amperage used by the lamps, and see what they save, but after i did this out of curiosity, i found that the claimed use was what they used.

LED lamps might be next here, just waiting to see how they develop .

Just some more juice to use for the SB-1000 http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Average use here in an year is 2000 to 2600 kW/h

No swimmingpool, no airco needed, just lights fridge etc, hamstation and an few computers .

Cor

[KI4GST]

Well when the bulbs are baned what are they going to do for the stuff that can only use the old ones. For starters you can't put a CFL in the icebox, microwave or your oven. What we going to replace them with. I do have CFLs in my apartment where I can but some of the fixtures here can't accept them either do to the way they are made.

[K8ERV]

Quote[/b] (AB3BK @ Dec. 15 2007,17:42)]This one has been going 106 years!
http://www.centennialbulb.org/images/cb6m.jpg
I think it should have arrived long before then----

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[KC9JIQ]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ Dec. 17 2007,11:19)]Quote[/b] (al2i @ Dec. 15 2007,18:07)]I replaced about 40 fixtures with CFLs, and the failure rate has been enormous. #No CFL has lasted more than 1 year. #I typically get about 6 months out of a CFL, whereas I have had Western Electric 130v traffic bulbs last 15 years.
I've never had to replace a CFL due to a failure. #I've been using them since 2001.

I did have a few that were DOA but Costco quickly replaced them, no questions asked.
I had one of those "3-way" CFL lights, it failed, and I cannot find them anymore in stores!

lasted about a year.... that was a waste of earned money.

[emrad]

We've been replacing the old bulbs with CFL lights as they burn out. I can't say whether they're causing rfi or not... if they are, I could never hear it thanks to the noise coming from the utility power system that feeds them (an ongoing problem that's been with us here since the 1970s).
...seems I remember someone once telling me about newer fluorescent lights with driver circuits that were cycled up higher than 60 Hz so you can't see them flicker.
In any case, I'm in with the LED worshipers. I'm betting on them becoming the "standard" for interior lighting. I'd bought some LEDs of various types and hooked them up in series circuits in my shack to more or less time test them. They've been running non stop now since the late 90s and not one of them has failed yet. DC = no rfi.
...course, you can always go with gas mantle lanterns. They don't produce any rfi either!

emrad

[M0DSZ]

Always have one ready to go, heating kerosene will work though it smells a bit:

www.aladdinlamps.com

It's already been pointed out that you can't use anything in ovens or refrigerators except incandescent lamps. Should we ensure a stock of special lamps for these enough to last the appliance's life?
Switching any fluorescent lamp regularly will shorten it's life so your PIR lights outside, apart from remaining dim until they warm up, sometimes they're not on long enough to even do that, would benefit from retaining filament lamps.
The quantity of mercury is very small, curiously I broke a small section out of one of those coiled, low-energy lamps and it still worked dimly when I turned it on, presumably the mercury still allowed a discharge.
The fluorescent coating consists of rare earth oxides and salts, like those of Yttrium, Eropium and so on. These could be labelled "radioactive" by the hysterical. Don't let them look up "transitional metals".
So, we use about 70% of low-energy lamps domestically, including tubular fluorescents, the rest will stay as they are.

[n2ize]

Quote[/b] (KI4GST @ Dec. 17 2007,13:53)]Well when the bulbs are baned what are they going to do for the stuff that can only use the old ones. For starters you can't put a CFL in the icebox, microwave or your oven. What we going to replace them with. #I do have CFLs in my apartment where I can but some of the fixtures here can't accept them either do to the way they are made.
Which is why I believe incandescents will be around for a long time to come. Also decorative and/or mood lighting is best done with incandescents (at least for now). Could you imagine using fluorescent in a chandelier hanging over a dinner table ? You'd be better of converting it to gas lighting.

[KC9JIQ]

Whenever they will stop production of CRT monitors will be the day the incandescent dies!

[N0WVA]

Quote[/b] (KI4GST @ Dec. 17 2007,13:53)]Well when the bulbs are baned what are they going to do for the stuff that can only use the old ones. For starters you can't put a CFL in the icebox, microwave or your oven. What we going to replace them with. #I do have CFLs in my apartment where I can but some of the fixtures here can't accept them either do to the way they are made.
Makes you wonder, doesnt it? This whole light bulb fiasco isnt going to make a dent in energy consumption, its just a get rich quick plan by certain companies who have lobbiests.

Lets have some real energy savings and start making hot water heaters and refridgerators more efficiant. Thats where you will see the most gains. A simple thing such as better insulation would help.

[K8ERV]

Quote[/b] (N0WVA @ Dec. 18 2007,08:16)]start making hot water heaters and refridgerators more efficiant.
It is not a HOT water heater, it is a COLD water heater.

( Just to show that I'm awake)

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (KC9JIQ @ Dec. 18 2007,06:45)]Whenever they will stop production of CRT monitors will be the day the incandescent dies!
They're getting close to that.

The use of CRT monitors are dwindling away, mostly for consumber, but even for professional video.

[AC4BB]

Quote[/b] (K8ERV @ Dec. 17 2007,10:43)]Quote[/b] (N0WVA @ Dec. 18 2007,08:16)]start making hot water heaters and refridgerators more efficiant.
It is not a HOT water heater, it is a COLD water heater.

( Just to show that I'm awake)

TOM K8ERV #Montrose Colo
Or just a "Water heater".

[W4HAY]

FWIW, Leviton puts out a line of LED nightlights (they're actually called "guide-lights"). They're much less intense than the typical 4-Watt unit, but still put out enough light to keep you from bumping into stuff or stubbing your toe.

Wall-Mart has 'em for about the same price as the 4-Watt incandescent units. We prefer the blue over the amber color.

[KA9VQF]

There are some really efficient water heaters out there now. They are called on demand water heaters.

My sister and her husband got tired of having to wait for their gas fired 30 gallon water to heat enough water for their shower so they got a 50 gallon one. While this did alleviate the wait a bit it also increased the gas bill. It simply took more fuel to heat that much more water.

They bought an electric on demand water heater that had no tank at all. You just turn the spigot on and the heater would start to work.

The electric one worked quite well but if run hard like if two people were to take showers in the two bathrooms in their house at the same time and someone should start the dishwasher it simply could not keep up with demand, so they got a gas fired one.

I am confident that if you were to turn on all the hot water using devices they had in their house and walk from where they lived in Wisconsin to Texas and back the hot water would still be coming out at their desired temp.

Well, so long as someone paid the utility bill and no catastrophe occurred that would cause an interruption in the gas service.

When they got theirs a regular gas fired tank water heater cost around $150.00 and electric one of the same volume was a bit less. The on demand one cost much more like $350.00 and the gas fired one was around a hundred dollars more than the electric.

They were convinced that the additional cost was made up in less that one year on their utility bill savings.

When my 50 gallon conventional electric water went bad here, a couple years back, I seriously looked into buying a gas fired on demand unit for my house. I decided to take the ‘cheaper at the time’ conventional electric unit.

The local utilities require that any gas burning devices you put into your home be hooked up by a licensed plumber and while I probably could have afforded to buy the on demand water heater I didn’t want to also pay to have a plumber hook it up. {yeah cheap, I know.}

I really wish I had gone the extra dollars and got the gas one now.

The wife’s folks got a real small under the sink electric on demand water heater just for their dishwasher and the kitchen sink. Seemed a bit silly to me but they were never known for their smarts.

For what they paid for that under the sink unit they could have had a bigger one that would have handled the whole house they still had a 30 gallon one in the basement for the rest of the house.

[n2ize]

Quote[/b] (N0WVA @ Dec. 18 2007,08:16)]Quote[/b] (KI4GST @ Dec. 17 2007,13:53)]Well when the bulbs are baned what are they going to do for the stuff that can only use the old ones. For starters you can't put a CFL in the icebox, microwave or your oven. What we going to replace them with. #I do have CFLs in my apartment where I can but some of the fixtures here can't accept them either do to the way they are made.
Makes you wonder, doesnt it? This whole light bulb fiasco isnt going to make a dent in energy consumption, its just a get rich quick plan by certain companies who have lobbiests.

Lets have some real energy savings and start making hot water heaters and refridgerators more efficiant. Thats where you will see the most gains. A simple thing such as better insulation would help.
About 10% of the houshold electricity used is used for lighting. it may not seem like much but nonetheless, resucung the amount of electrical consumption used for lighting is not a bad idea.

[K8ERV]

Quote[/b] (emrad @ Dec. 17 2007,20:58)]# #...seems I remember someone once telling me about newer fluorescent lights with driver circuits that were cycled up higher than 60 Hz so you can't see them flicker.
#
I have read, and believe, that fluorescent lamps are more efficient at higher frequencies. Dunno why.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[ve2nsm]

I don't have a single incandescent in the house... not one. Well, maybe the ones in the fridge and the microwave.
For me it's very important since here we have black outs of a few hours daily, sometimes we can spend up to 24 hours without energy so I run with batteries. I have a 3.6kW inverter and a 440A/h 24V battery bank. It runs the complete house, everything. I can do the laundry, watch movies on my big screen TV with surround sound, pop some corn in the microwave, no problem. I wouldn't even notice the black outs if the lights wouldn't flicker during the changeover. Even my computer does not freeze. I'm typing this without grid power now.

Normally I can live up to 16 hours without running out of batteries. If I'm cautious and I start saving energy as soon as possible I can extend beyond 24h.

I don't have A/C, only ceiling fans in every room, besides the low energy light bulbs, the only thing that consumes on a steady basis is the fridge.

When I had incandescent, the drain on the batteries was outrageous, and so was the electricity bill.

I use the "warm white" models, they give very good light, I can't stand the white neon, makes me feel like I'm at the ER http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

No noise, long life, all the ones I have are older than 2 years and keep on.

[W2ILP]

Seriously...There were other threads on QRZ that explained the benefits and specs of modern CFLs. I won't repeat them all here. I have gotten rid of all my incandescent lamp bulbs, with some exceptions. The new CFLs are great and inexpensive. They have longer life and use less watts per candlepower than incandescents. The only old bulbs that I am still using are those that work off lamp dimmers. When I can buy the right wattage of dimmable CFLs, I'll stop using of all of my old bulbs. My XYL wants me to get rid of my old vacuum radio tubes. I eventually will...and if I live long enough my old lamp bulbs will join them in the garbage dumps..

When I was a kid I found a very old lamp bulb that my father had gotten from my grandfather. It had a pointed tip on top, where the air had been evacuated and it had a carbon filament. It might had been made in the original Edison Company. At the advice of another ham I had the bulb tested. It turned out to be a perfect 50 ohms while at 100 watts and I used it for a dummy load for many years until I built the Heathkit Cantenna Dummy Load. Unfortunately the old bulb rolled off my work bench many moons ago and and burst and I never found another one exactly like it. I'd tell you guys to throw out your old filament lamps...except for the fact that you may be ham experimenters and find some future use for them that is now unforeseen. That is what I tell my XYL when she says I should rid myself of a cellar filled with junk that I can't possibly find a use for and can probably never expect to live long enough to do so. Still I can't bring myself to part with the stuff and even add more to it from contributions from other old hams who want to clear out their old radio junk and make room for newer junked computers.

w2ilp (Incandescent Lamp Protectors?)

[W1GUH]

The funniest part of this thread was about "you can't use CFL's in microwaves, stoves, and refrigerators."

I suppose there could be a snafu with the regulations, but I would highly doubt that "all incandescent light bulbs" really means "all." Well, on second though, given the "brightness" of your average politician, it might actually be likely that there would be a snafu and we'd have to buy special purpose bulbs in back allies, maybe out of the trunk of a car.