Light-bulb liars: What's lit up isn't a great idea

The Washington Times ^ | July 11, 2009 | Terence P. Jeffrey

[Scanian]

What if in 2025 a husband and wife decide they want to use old-fashioned incandescent bulbs in the sanctuary of their home? Will the light-bulb left defend their right to privacy and freedom of choice?

Don't count on it. Many Americans may not know it yet, but the federal government has already effectively banned the type of light bulb most of us use today.

In 2007, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act, mandating that household light bulbs use incrementally less electricity starting in 2012 and culminating in 2020, when they must use less than 70 percent of the electricity conventional incandescent bulbs use today.

Compact fluorescent bulbs already meet this standard. The congressional authors of the law understood they were, in essence, phasing out incandescent bulbs.

They did this, they said, to help save the planet from overheating. But the light-bulb left did not weigh -- or care about -- the unintended consequences of their crusade. One such consequence could be an environment disaster in your family room.

You see, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury -- a bad, bad pollutant and health hazard that the Environmental Protection Agency has been sounding alarms about for years.

This put the EPA in a tough spot. On the one hand, it needed to applaud the politically correct use of fluorescent bulbs to save the planet. On the other hand, it needed to warn people that if they break a fluorescent bulb in their home it could poison the dog, the kid and the wall-to-wall rug. So, the EPA published blatantly self-contradictory instructions about what to do if mercury spills at your house.

[raybbr]

From what I understand the cost comes from creating a white LED. It’s not easy to create white light. It’s not naturally white. Also, the average LED puts out a very tiny amount of light and the high intensity needed for lighting in more expensive. I still say they can produce them but since they virtually last forever once the market is flooded how will they make any money>

[Darnright]

>They are essentially a low voltage DC device.<

So in order to use them in residential situations, the home would have to be outfitted with a converter, would it not?

[Texas Fossil]

No the converter is in the base of the bulb like the CFL lamps. 110VAC in and a few volts DC at the LED. The big issue is limiting current on the device, which is done with a simple resistor.

However you could use the same type of device on a camper or trailer with a 12 volt system and with an internal series voltage regulator and current limit resistor.

Unlike standard light bulbs, they do not take high voltage to operate.

[GnL]

I'm ignorant? Ok, let's analyze this issue further:

1) I HATE the light from fluorescents. That includes my house, schools, stores, wherever. It irritates my eyes and makes my eyes tired.

2) I have tried these CFL bulbs, in fact I am typing this with 3 of them hanging over my head at the moment. I can honestly say I haven't noticed any decrease in my electrical bill. But my bill is usually about $60-75 a month so if I saved $40/month like you I'd be cutting my bill in half. Not only unlikely, but like hell a light bulb switchout is going to do that. Maybe if you invent a CFL dishwasher or clothes dryer we can talk.

3) The CFL bulbs suck out of doors. Where I live (Rochester area) it gets down to -10 easily in winter. My porch lights, which I have switched over, need replacing quite often--more often than the old incandescents did. Yeah, I'm saving a lot of money there.

4) The CFL bulbs suck when hanging upside down. I have replaced them in my basement and garage more often since the changeover. If I hadn't bought the "economy super environment saver" package from BJ's I would have switched back already.

5) The CFL bulbs take forever to warm up. This is completely impractical in a room where you walk in, do whatever (e.g. laundry room) and walk out. As a result, I just leave the damn things on instead of dealing with the hassle. I guess that isn't very efficient, is it?

6) It's about FREEDOM--freedom to purchase whatever the hell you want as long as someone is FREE to produce it and wants to produce it. This, to me, is the most important point. Since we are on FREEREPUBLIC, I would think it would be important to you as well.

I'm glad you save $40 a month. But I would gladly give an extra $40/month to be free of one more government intrusion into my life. That is all.