[RFI] CFL Bulbs that are OK!

[N0RQ-lists]

I've wondered if/when houses will be built with low-voltage wiring and
outlets as standard.  The proliferation of cheapo wall-warts could (in
theory) come to an end.  New motto: "An Ameritron 12vDC linear supply in
every home!"

My biggest beef with CFLs has been life expectancy.  I've purchased from
Home Depot, Sam's, etc, and replaced some incandescents...  but a number of
them have burned out in a matter of months.  No, I don't put them on dimmers
or in ceiling fans.  They have not been a money-saver for me.  So I'm
sticking with the old-fashioned type that works -- and am teaching the kids
to turn off the lights. :-)  Maybe I should go dig out the old candle-making
kit...

Dave N0RQ



-----Original Message-----

Anyhow, before we burn anyone at the stake, the CFL market is in it's
early-middle stages, and will probably end up being a dead end technology
anyhow. 20 years from now, I doubt you'll find a CFL anywhere. Fragile
bulbs, mercury issues, and quality control problems.

Like it or not, LED lighting is probably the wave of the future. What does
this mean? It means that the weak link in the system is going to be the
power supply in the bulb, it means that probably bulb price will go up. I
give about 50-50 odds that we might see something else, and that will be a
separate and low voltage line run to the lighting systems. Running 120 volts
just to be stepped down to a few volts is technically stupid, and probably a
liberal idea anyhow. This is a system already in use in off the grid,  low
voltage solar or wind powered systems.