Coiled fluorescent bulbs.

Hello All!

I just noticed that European Union is soon to ban incandescent bulbs. I
know from personal experience that CFLs don't last long if they are even
on the same circuit as a dimmer switch. I have heard that newer dimmers
don't cause this problem but can one be sure if one buys a dimmer?

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has the EU considered
this at all?

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton:

Hello All!

Hi James.

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has the EU considered
this at all?

How can this be true? They even use them in street lights!

--
Erick

James Silverton writes:

I just noticed that European Union is soon to ban incandescent bulbs.

Europeans don't like to leave anything up to individual judgement.

I know from personal experience that CFLs don't last long if they are even
on the same circuit as a dimmer switch.

They are not designed to be dimmed with conventional thyristor dimmers.

I have heard that newer dimmers don't cause this problem but can
one be sure if one buys a dimmer?

You need a dimmer specifically designed for fluorescent lamps. In fact, it
should be specifically designed for the type of fluorescent lamp you are
using. This may be problematic given all the different types available. It's
difficult to dim many types of fluorescent lamps in a truly satisfactory way.

LED lamps will fix this, but they are still far in the future.

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has the EU considered
this at all?

Probably not, but maybe we'll get lucky this time. A total ban on
incandescent lamps would be quite a bad idea, but European bureaucrats are
experts at coming up with bad ideas.

It's difficult to dim many types of fluorescent lamps in a truly
satisfactory way.
LED lamps will fix this, but they are still far in the future.

They're already on sale in the major hardware chains in the UK.

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven.

I've seen them working fine at about -5C (lighting the fried-fish
stalls on the quayside in Istanbul in the middle of winter).

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

In t Erick T. Barkhuis
-o-m wrote:
James Silverton:

Hello All!

Hi James.

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has the EU
considered this at all?

How can this be true? They even use them in street lights!

Compact fluorescents in street lights?

Please elaborate.

We have conventional, full-sized, fluorecent tubes in our garage and use
special low-temperature ballasts. Even so, when the temperature's below
about -10C they take a long time to come to full intensity.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

Bert wrote on 10 Dec 2008 20:21:52 GMT:

In t Erick T.
Barkhuis
-o-m wrote:
James Silverton:

Hello All!

Hi James.

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or
high temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has
the EU considered this at all?

How can this be true? They even use them in street lights!

Compact fluorescents in street lights?

Please elaborate.

We have conventional, full-sized, fluorecent tubes in our
garage and use special low-temperature ballasts. Even so, when
the temperature's below about -10C they take a long time to
come to full intensity.

The CFL in my garage does take a very long time to come to full
brightness at freezing temperature, not the usual second or three..
Perhaps if you are willing to wait it's OK. I destroyed *2* CFLs within
a week when they were not being dimmed but on the same circuit as a
dimmer. I don't think they use them in street lights but a special
built-in ballast might help.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Another bored old man...

"James Silverton" a écrit dans le message de
...
Hello All!

I just noticed that European Union is soon to ban incandescent bulbs. I
know from personal experience that CFLs don't last long if they are even
on the same circuit as a dimmer switch. I have heard that newer dimmers
don't cause this problem but can one be sure if one buys a dimmer?

There's another problem, CFLs don't work too well at low or high
temperatures as in an unheated garage or an oven. Has the EU considered
this at all?

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
James Silverton writes:



LED lamps will fix this, but they are still far in the future.


They are on the market NOW

http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...potlights.html
http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...LED_Lamps.html

Keith

Keith wrote on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:32:59 -0000:


"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
James Silverton writes:

LED lamps will fix this, but they are still far in the
future.

They are on the market NOW

http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...potlights.html
http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...LED_Lamps.html

It wasn't me who said LEDs are not on sale yet but they are pretty
expensive still for household lighting here. I do have a few automatic
nightlights using LEDs but they are very low wattage.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Martin wrote on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:54:15 +0100:

Keith wrote on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:32:59 -0000:

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
James Silverton writes:

LED lamps will fix this, but they are still far in the
future.

They are on the market NOW

http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...potlights.html
http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalo...LED_Lamps.html

It wasn't me who said LEDs are not on sale yet but they are
pretty expensive still for household lighting here. I do have
a few automatic nightlights using LEDs but they are very low
wattage.

Isn't that the point?

True but they are very low in light output being night lights (they come
on if it is dark and they sense movement) and also a very bluish white
in color.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not