[RFI] CFLs and LEDs

[Roger (K8RI)]

Hardy Landskov wrote:
> And WYDT is what? We are not all cellphone addicts.
>   
For that I have no idea.
> <snip>
>
>   
>> I am guessing ... postulating ... that if someone conducted a scientific
>> test they may discover that the environment is a significant factor in
>> the life of a CFL.
>>     
I'm not guessing. I've used CFLs just about since they've been 
available. I was guessing 3 or so years, but I guess it's been a lot 
longer than that.  They come with a number of environmental operating 
restrictions such as temperature (recessed or enclosed), keep upright, 
don't get wet, don't use with dimmers (although some now do work with 
dimmers), and how to clean them up just-in-case you break one.  Also the 
on/off cycle is a real killer.  Put them in a lamp or fixture that gets 
a lot of short term on/off cycles and it will have a very short life. 
They should be left on if you leave and are going to be back within 5 
minutes. Five minutes was given as a minimum cycle time.  Lifetimes are 
now listed in thousands of hours running from 12,000 to over 20,000. 
OTOH turn them on and off a lot and they'll never make it.

I mentioned earlier I'd only had a couple failures, but I did forget the 
150 watt equivalents out in the garage.  Those are mounted inverted and 
in a relatively high humidity, not to mention very cold environment this 
time of year.  It's been on the order of -15F that past few nights. 
Although normal winter weather causes them to dim a bit when they first 
come on, they reach full brilliance in just a couple of minutes. At -15 
they are *dim*.  Kinda like an incandescent with very low voltage. They 
do come up to full brilliance with in a  few minutes though. OTOH one 
didn't survive being sprayed with Yellow Jacket killer.  The CFL was a 
mass of the bad tempered little critters, so I hosed it down with one of 
those "Wasp and Hornet Killer" cans that shoots a stream 20 feet plus.  
I had forgotten about the vents in the base which was now the top.  It 
snapped, popped, and growled while it flickered a bit although it did 
stay lit. Unfortunately even a week later when I tried it again it still 
did the same thing.
>> Looking at the stability of the power system, moisture, temperature,
>> dust, vibration, proximity of magnetized materials, proximity of strong
>> RF fields, etc.
>>     
The ones in the garage are near the openers (vibration), near my 
antennas (legal limit) mounted inverted, and in a very humid area 
particularly in spring and fall.

As to "made in China", CFLs are likely to go the way of the Do, Do bird 
in just another year or two when they are replaced by LEDs..."made in 
China". 

Unfortunately if we can not produce them at a competitive price we will 
not produce them here.
But take heart, with the value of the dollar in relation to other 
currencies around the world we now have a TV set manufacturer back in 
the states,  so who knows we might just have the return of other 
products as well.

>> Between the actual bulb and the power supply there are a number
>> of potential vulnerabilities which need to be addressed.
>>
>> This could also impact the aging effect vis-a-vis increasing RFI.
>>
>>     
I have seen no change in RFI Vs age.

73

Roger (K8RI)

>> WDYT?
>>
>>
>>     
>>> Dan Violette wrote:
>>> I had the opposite.  Started about 8 years ago and replaced mostly the 
>>> whole
>>> house with CFLs.  Only had 3-4 that are not still running (including 
>>> lights
>>> in all ceiling fans) and average electric bill dropped about $5/mo that
>>> first year when I checked.  Did not replace outdoor nor 3-way lamps.  Dan
>>>
>>>
>>> Do far my experience with CFL's has been very poor.  I mark the date in
>>> service on each one as I install it.  6 months is the longest one has 
>>> lasted
>>> with a couple a little as 2 weeks.  Overall, I would rate them as more
>>> expensive than incandescent bulbs.  Reduced power consumption does not
>>> offset the initial price.  I am going to have to replace two more 100W
>>> equivalent ones this morning.
>>>
>>> David
>>> KC2JD
>>>
>>>       
>> -- 
>>
>> Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
>> FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
>> Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
>> Personal: http://kd4e.com
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>> ============\ # KD4E
>> Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!
>>
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