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Re: [Phys-l] CFL's not such a hot idea



Be sure to give them time to warm up before judging the color. The brand we bought seems to take 2-5 min. to come up to normal(well... more normal) light. At first, the bulbs give off a dismal yellow tint. I do wonder whether I accommodate or there is an actual change.

Someone mentioned that they wear out fast - my anecdotal evidence: I installed three CFL's in a ceiling fan's downward angled light fixture. Failure of two in one year. Fortunately in NH there was a power company rebate on purchasing bulbs and we paid a much lower price than retail. The six I placed in an entry-way chandelier with upward facing mantles have been going strong for two. Two that I installed in horizontally mounted hallway fixtures have been fine as well. No mention on the package of orientation or enclosure limitations.

Since my kids have developed a distinct phobia for moving switches in the downward direction and NH is running $0.135+/kwh, I save money.


Scott






*******************************************
Scott Goelzer
Physics Teacher
Coe-Brown Northwood Academy
Northwood NH 03261
sgoelzer@coebrownacademy.com
*******************************************


On May 16, 2007, at 5:14 PM, Polvani, Donald G. wrote:

We are trying CFLs in our entrance foyer at home as replacements for 2
different lights (each with a single 60 w incandescent bulb). I've
forgotten the actual wattage of the CFLs (maybe 20 or 30 w), but they
are supposed to give the equivalent light output of a 75 w incandescent.
My wife and I both agree that the apparent light output is significantly
less with the CFLs than with the original 60 w incandescents. The bulbs
are fully enclosed in translucent glass globes. The CFLs give a
significantly more yellowish light than the original incandescents. I'm
wondering if the enclosing globes are preferentially absorbing the light
from the CFLs because they have a different spectrum than the
incandescents.

Has anyone else noticed an apparent decrease in light output when
replacing an incandescent with a CFL with a reputed equivalent or
greater light output? If so, were the bulbs enclosed by glass globes?
The decrease in light output is so noticeable that we are considering
replacing the CFLs with the original incandescents.

Don Polvani
Northrop Grumman Corp.
Undersea Systems
Annapolis, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Crawford
J Maccallum
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 4:01 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] CFL's not such a hot idea

We have to remember that the tradeoff is between 4 mg mercury in the
landfill for a CFL vs a much larger amount put into the _air_ by a coal
fired power plant providing the extra energy for an incandescent.

At least that's what I read.

Crawford MacCallum
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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
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