CFL bulbs

[RNLA]

Wind is something in our area that is also viable but those are other threads. I do feel like we have lots of options for power here and thank God for the companies that are trying to make things more efficient. As I have said before I am all for having new technology but I am cynical of most things, not like it is a conspiracy, but a healthy disrespect for advertisement hype. I do not appreciate people taking the latest and greatest and saying it is the only way that will be available soon. That is the reason I started this thread. I am normally a very reserved person, quiet to the point when I get worked up, or at least I want to be, so it amazed me to see several pages to this subject. I do appreciate all the responses to my starter post, educated, opinionated, and all the rest.... I still LMAO when I walk into the ACE and see that guy coming my way. I grit my teeth and say " thanks I don't need any help."

 

[begreen]

Actually, in our area we are greatly supplied by hydroelectric or turbines motivated by water. There are even groups doing experiments with tidal current, and wave action motivated turbines. These use an up-n-down motion rather than round-n-round. So I may be one of the few coastal freaks here but that is where our juice comes from...

Locally Snohomish Power has taken out permits for tapping tidal power. We have some great locations like at Deception Pass and at the Tacoma Narrows. Just wish they'd hurry up and get it going. We also have some good geothermal sites that need development. Maybe soon, they just passed legislation that will be phasing out the state's biggest coal plant over the next decade.

PS: This is a foolish sailboat owner trying to buck the 6+ knot current at Deception Pass. Most wait for the tide to change.

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[RNLA]

Bring on the alternatives to single source power. The one that I like most is wind, the wind farms look cool. They are proven effective and even on a small scale or single mill they can be good supplements to grid power. This may sound different than my other post on why go for better bulbs but I say we need a double headed solution more source with more efficient use. I guess you can't have one without the other.

 

[henkmeuzelaar]

Totally agree with the wisdom of diversified energy sources.

In that context, I am wondering if anyone knows of a homeowner who has been able to build/install an old-fashioned waterwheel in a nearby creek in order to produce energy?

The old waterwheels that one sees in numerous paintings and wallpapers were often darn good looking, I think. Of course, few of us have a substantial creek running over our property. We sure don't.

However, we are lucky that the nearby dam in the Snake River provides plenty of low-cost hydro-electric energy.

Henk

 

[btuser]

Totally agree with the wisdom of diversified energy sources.

In that context, I am wondering if anyone knows of a homeowner who has been able to build/install an old-fashioned waterwheel in a nearby creek in order to produce energy?

The old waterwheels that one sees in numerous paintings and wallpapers were often darn good looking, I think. Of course, few of us have a substantial creek running over our property. We sure don't.

However, we are lucky that the nearby dam in the Snake River provides plenty of low-cost hydro-electric energy.

Henk

If you've got flow, its definately doable. The higher the drop, the smaller the turbine, the greater your power density, and the cheaper in the long run. I'd love to have one. There's a 50' dam in back of my house, but I'm sure the local water municipality would frown on me trying to cook up a turbine on my own.

 

[RNLA]

Yeah the "officials" here would have anyone by the shorts if they tried to use a local creek or river for turning a turbine. It seems like there would probably be a few "boot leg" operations around here though. We have lots of creeks that run heavy all year.

 

[MishMouse]

As mentioned before, the new standards due to be phased-in in 2012 do not explicitly condemn or promote any particular lamp technology, but simply raise the minimum allowable efficiency 30% or so above that of current incandescent lamps.

Apparently, several light bulb manufacturers have already reported success in developing incandescent light bulbs that meet the new standards.....

Henk

This is good news, as for my usage the current generation of CFL's do not last nearly as long as the incandescents.
Even the more expensive ones I buy from Menards do not last as long.
Hopefully, they will improve the CFL's also to improve their reliability.
If not I will go with the high efficient incandescents as they would be a better option at least for my usage.

PyMS do you know who is selling these new bulbs?

 

[henkmeuzelaar]

As mentioned before, the new standards due to be phased-in in 2012 do not explicitly condemn or promote any particular lamp technology, but simply raise the minimum allowable efficiency 30% or so above that of current incandescent lamps.

Apparently, several light bulb manufacturers have already reported success in developing incandescent light bulbs that meet the new standards.....

Henk

This is good news, as for my usage the current generation of CFL's do not last nearly as long as the incandescents.
Even the more expensive ones I buy from Menards do not last as long.
Hopefully, they will improve the CFL's also to improve their reliability.
If not I will go with the high efficient incandescents as they would be a better option at least for my usage.

PyMS do you know who is selling these new bulbs?

Just go to the bottom of (broken link removed to http://mediamatters.org/research/201103040043) to find several manufacturers (e.g. GE) and retailers (e.g. Home Depot), who make and sell the mire efficient incandescents. If I understand well, one new incandescent technology is being sold as "halogens"

Henk

 

[MishMouse]

What are HID lights?

 

[henkmeuzelaar]

I wasn't sure either, so had to look it up. Apparently they have grouped a motley collection of "high intensity discharge" (HID) lights into this category, including low pressure sodium, mercury and xenon lights.

Because of the big differences in cost, color temperature and environmental contamination risks within this group I would judge them on a case-by-case basis if I were to buy them for home lighting purposes. By and large, this group of lights seems to be predominantly useful for industrial and public area lighting purposes.

Henk

 

[RNLA]

HID bulbs in cars are great, homes I do not know? Halogens are energy eaters.

 

[henkmeuzelaar]

Sure, halogens are not the most efficient. However, as shown in the HomeDepot comparison chart below, they satisfy the government's demand for a 30% or more increase in efficiency over traditional incandescents.

So, anyone strongly interested in keeping the use of incandescents can just switch to halogen-enhanced incandescents.

Personally, I will be throwing in my lot with the newer LEDs once the prices get a bit closer to the CFLs.

Henk

 

[MishMouse]

I vote LED also, once the price falls.

 

[semipro]

Here is a link (and blurb below that) to an article on this issue at EcoHome magazine.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/48rdh25

The Future of Lighting
As the traditional incandescent bulb fades away, new energy-efficient options are quickly taking over—and may eventually change the way we light our homes.

 

[begreen]

Sure, halogens are not the most efficient. However, as shown in the HomeDepot comparison chart below, they satisfy the government's demand for a 30% or more increase in efficiency over traditional incandescents.

So, anyone strongly interested in keeping the use of incandescents can just switch to halogen-enhanced incandescents.

Personally, I will be throwing in my lot with the newer LEDs once the prices get a bit closer to the CFLs.

Henk

When moved into the house there were 100w floods in the many recessed cans that were installed here. (Really dumb idea by artists that wanted to modernize an old farmhouse.) I installed 45w halogen floods in our kitchen's 8 recessed cans before the present CFLs. They last roughly the same length of time (about 2 yrs) and put out a nice light for food. I also have halogen capsula bulbs in our bathroom lights because the sconce glass knocks down too much light.

My initial tests with replacement CFLs was not good. I put a couple in the dining room and they burned out early. Philips replaced them under warranty a couple times. But the newer generation bulbs have been much better. The 45w halogens in the kitchen were replaced with 13w warm white CFLs (19w over the cutting board area) and they're doing a good job at a nicely reduced consumption of electricity.

 

[SPhill]

About 3 years ago, I put CFLs in all of the fixtures that would be on long enough to justify the 5 to 7 minute warm-up time, ie; living room, kitchen and bedrooms. Lights that are turned on for only a few minutes, such as hallways and the laundry room are still incandescent. The warm-up time has been the biggest drawback to CFLs from 3 years ago, but my bulbs (all from Walmart) are all still functioning fine. My electric bill is lower by maybe $20.

Also, I replaced the outdoor floods with CFLs and have had no problem with temps as low as single digits -- the Walmart CFLs have served for 3 winters with no failures. By comparison, the incandescent outdoor floods would often fail after one winter.

The biggest annoyance is definitely the warm-up time and the higher energy draw during warm-up. The most annoying is going to the kitchen for just a moment. I wish I had a single incandescent fixture I could flip on for just long enough to grab something and go. I recently got one one quick-start CFL, but it still takes up to 90 seconds to reach full power. The second annoyance is CFLs cannot be used with dimmers. I use dimmers in the great room and over the hearth, to accent the fire.

So I'll put up with these ancient CFLs until newer tech comes along. I am not impressed with the insane prices of LEDs and am hoping for advanced incandescents.

ps, just about every box store has a CFL recycling bin.

 

[Jimbob]

Some more info on CFL's here:
http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...wpg_cw_bulbs_110321/20110321/?hub=WinnipegBin