The light bulb switchover: in the dark

mt mail ^ | 9/29/2010 | Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.

[Jim Noble]

Some lawmakers are trying to reverse this part of the 2007 law

It is impossible to deal with EPA tyranny piecemeal

EPA can regulate faster than Congress can legislate.

The only answer is to repeal the enabling law, te Environmental Protection Act of 1971, and to dissolve the EPA permanently.

[Jim Noble]

"Washington-mandated layoffs in the middle of a desperate recession are one of many examples of what happens when politicians and activists think they know better than consumers and workers," Barton said.

What a moron.

Layoffs have nothing to do with the issue.

If an EPA regulation led to more hiring, would Barton be for it?

The problem with this is not the quality of the light, the cleanup rules, or the number of jobs.

It's the tyranny.

[lentulusgracchus]

[Nuc 1.1] ....there is a soft white version available that has light much more like an incandescent bulb.

Incandescent bulbs on any AC circuit are the only bulbs suitable for reading, esp. if you read a lot or use hard-to-read material (newspapers, road maps).

Incandescent filaments are slower-reacting to the reversing pulses of AC current, therefore the fluctuations in brightness are much less. Halogen, fluorescent (ALL fluorescent), and presumably LED lights as well that are on AC circuits flicker and fluctuate much more prominently, and although we can't see the 50Hz and 60Hz flickering, our irises can, and the iris muscles are set aquiver as they try to respond, => tired eyes and presbyopia, due to muscle fatigue.

ONLY incandescents should be used on AC for protracted reading and detail work.

The best reading lighting is halogen or LED lighting on batteries and 12V DC ("low-voltage") circuits, but only if the transformers DO NOT put out "spiking" or pulsing DC current (many do).

Halogen and fluorescents put out tons of UV and should be filtered for same (as, for example, taking the "safety glass" on a halogen lamp to your optician for application of the standard UVC/UVB coatings he applies to your glasses). LED's, I don't know about at all in this regard.

I think halogens and CFL's on AC circuits should only be used for safety, security, and casual or occasional lighting. Not reading.

Stockpile incandescents, would be my suggestion, and not necessarily as a "speculation" or for resale. How many will you need over the next 40 years?

Footnote: A Sylvania "Capsylite" halogen 90w bulb on a post lamp, with an "electric eye" screw-in photocell accessory, lasted 11 years in my front yard, lamping 11-12 hours/day all during that time. It wore out two Rat Shack photocells. The secret is that the photocell reduced the bulb's power consumption by a small percentage, so that the 90w bulb put out more like a 40w bulb, reducing heat flow and extending bulb life. Which was enough for my security-lighting need in that spot.

[Canedawg]

“Next thing you know they’ll be telling us what kind of pens and pencils we have to use.”

On the verge of extinction, particularly those yellow #2s.

[Paved Paradise]

I really appreciate the info you gave me. Thank you so much.

[Wuli]

Thanks for all the lighting info.

[lentulusgracchus]

Just pointing out that there are good reasons for wanting to keep incandescent lighting around as an option.

If you don't have non-pulsing, steady-voltage DC 12v available (which sets you up for high-quality halogen or LED lighting), incandescent is your best bet to avoid eyestrain.

[Nuc 1.1]

Thanks for the insights. Pls forgive my delay. I am moving my home once again. Not far but enough to wear out an old &art like me.

[FreedomPoster]

That was a great post.

Are you up on the incandescent phase-out schedule? Or do you know a good site that has it laid out clearly?

I put in a lot of 12V outdoor lighting on a new deck and in my newly-renovated back yard. By “a lot”, around 40 fixtures, and I have and will be adding more. If all those 12V lamps are going to become verboten, I need to stock up even more than I already have (I have a few years worth of spares). The LED alternatives are just starting to exist, and are ridiculously expensive.

[lentulusgracchus]

Are you up on the incandescent phase-out schedule? Or do you know a good site that has it laid out clearly?

No, I'm afraid not.

[Jack Hydrazine]

You can get incandescent light bulbs rated for 25,000 hours that are used by the hospitality industry. If you use them for an average of 7 hours a day they’ll burn out in just a little under 10 years and cost about a buck or less per bulb depending on how many you buy.

https://www.nathosp.com/product/25k19_c/standard_incandescent_light_bulbs

Once you stock up all you’ll have to do is watch out for the light bulb police who’ll be monitoring everyone who might be using those unauthorized, evil incandescents!