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[RFI] CFL reliability (was: VLF interference Re: CFLs and LEDs)

To: "RFI Reflector" <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: [RFI] CFL reliability (was: VLF interference Re: CFLs and LEDs)
From: "Andy" <ingraham.ma.ultranet@rcn.com>
Reply-to: Andy <ingraham.ma.ultranet@rcn.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 16:07:00 -0500
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
I can't think of anything that could cause a mechanical timer to kill a CFL.
It's nothing more than a motor-driven toggle switch, after all.

> I've got pictures of one of ours that burned.  I cut it open to see
> what was inside.  If anyone is interested I can send the photo.

There's a website somewhere (I think the one that describes how to turn a
discarded CFL into a QRP transmitter) that shows the insides of a number of
different models.

Maybe you can send your photo there.

Personally, I don't think it's fair to condemn all CFLs.  We live in a brave
new world with zero quality controls, 100% cheap imports from the other end
of the world (yes, driven partly by Walmart, others followed suit to remain
competitive), and no accountability.  So I think we are going to see huge
variations in product quality.

What made yours go bad MIGHT be if it was designed by some guy with little
experience, re-designed by bean-counters to cut the cost in half,
manufactured by some no-name company using cheap labor trying to make a
quick buck in today's world.  I don't recognize most of the brands on the
store shelves; they weren't here 5 years ago and may be gone 5 years from
now.

Maybe I got lucky and bought the right brand(s), I don't know.  My
experiences with CFLs are far better than yours ... so far at least.  I
thought I had one go bad on me last week (first one in 5+ years) ... but it
turns out it had just gotten a little unscrewed (a few too many times
slamming the door).

Andy


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