Great Minds Think A Light?

 

1. Very good, how about strike power? the old mag ballasts used about 3 hours or so power each time they switch on, cfls use a lot too (it takes a jolt of volts to ionise the gas but way less to maintain the arc) We have the modern electronic ballasts at work (Ontario, crappy 110 volt system) they are not reliable, back in the UK I had some old fittings (bayonet bulbs) from the 50s, rusty as an old nail but fitting and tube worked, in my spraybooth new style and they were hard on tubes but reliable. I have read that quartz lamps on a dimmere give best economy on power and best life in real world situations.

   Posted by Chris Edwards       08/30/2010  at  08:52 PM  



2. That’s all fine and dandy. But I suspect all these fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and as such are many times more toxic then those lead bullets we love so much. Mercury absorbs much easier then lead What the hell is so environmentally friendly about heavy metal poisoning and brain damage?  Sure we save on electricity but is it worth the mercury risks?  Damn, I really like fish, how long till we can’t eat it anymore?

   Posted by MJS       08/31/2010  at  04:42 AM  



3. That’s all fine and dandy. But I suspect all these fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and as such are many times more toxic then those lead bullets we love so much. Mercury absorbs much easier then lead What the hell is so environmentally friendly about heavy metal poisoning and brain damage?  Sure we save on electricity but is it worth the mercury risks?  Damn, I really like fish, how long till we can’t eat it anymore?

   Posted by MJS       08/31/2010  at  04:42 AM  



4. You can have the bag in the garage - full of these pesky little things that did not last a year - I think that the only fixture one still remains in - is a light over the basement sink that gets turned on once a month. In this house, in real use - the cfls stinks and I have to say - if the little amount of mercury in seafood & thermometers was bad - why ever did anyone think that putting mercury in a light bulbs which people have dozen of lights in every single home - is a good thing? Sort of like aspartame - bad in the 70s as aspartame - just have good old trustworthy Rumsfeld as CEO and change the name to nurtasweet - and wala - it is now a good thing.

   So to prove my point people - name one damn thing/program that li(e)brals came up with - that has worked as stated, came in under cost (even in the start year - let alone as it progressed) and did not hurt the individual and/or America? Name one, just one.

   Posted by wardmama4       08/31/2010  at  06:57 AM  



5. MJS - while all fluorescent tubes contain mercury, the latest generation of bulbs has very very little; some of these bulbs are not considered hazardous waste even in areas where they get really fussy about such things.

   Chris - these are straight tube bulbs, not CFLs. And they use a separate ballast that is mounted away from the hot base of the bulbs, so it’s likely that they have more of this striking power you mention. The new ballasts come in either Instant Start or Rapid Start, and one of those methods (on my 1st cup of coffee, can’t remember yet) does the pre-heat thing. Certain models are rated for starting in much colder ambient temperatures than the old magnetic ballasts, which mostly want it to be 70° F or warmer. Most were designed to run on 120v/277v, so if all you have is 110v you may be out of spec. Their circuitry automatically detects line voltage (although special models exist for that odd 384 volt current some places in Canada use) and can tell how many bulbs are hooked up and adapt the output to that. Also, it’s a matter of research, finding out how many milliamps your bulb of choice draws and making sure your ballast can supply that much. All that being said, I’m thinking that a high power factor ballast does a better job than the low power factor ballast. Take a look at what you have in your shop, look stuff up on the net, and see if your ballast/bulb/line voltage/ambient temperature combo is what the cause is.

   Posted by Drew458       08/31/2010  at  07:38 AM  



6. I don’t know about anyone else, but NONE of those wonderful new (CHINESE MADE) 4-foot fixtures with electronic ballasts that I have bought have lasted more then about six months before one or both bulbs stops lighting. New bulbs don’t help - and the ballasts cost around $30.00 down here.  I had the old transformer-ballasts with years on the fixtures before they finally went bad.

   Only place I use fluors are on the outside lights which haven’t been turned off since I installed them.  Some of those little suckers have better then 30,000 hours on the original bulbs.

   Posted by emdfl       08/31/2010  at  09:53 AM  

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