Subject: Re: Vita-Lite Compact Fluorescents ?

From: [email-masked] (Daniel Burstein)
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1993 05:39:55 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Georg Fuellen) writes:

>Does anybody know something about [compact] fluorescents emitting natural light,
>i.e. light with a spectrum very close to sun/ daylight ?
>Some years ago I heard about a brand "Vita-Lite" offering such a thing.
>I heard that they are also used by doctors as a remedy against
>winter depression.
>Any recommandations ?
>Any disadvantages known ?
>They should only emit minimal electric/magnetic fields.
>Thank you.

"vita-lite" is a brandmane of the "duro-test" corporation.  they market
lots of nifty color corrected lamps (technically, what most people call
teh lightbulb is really the lamp, and the thing it screws or hooks into is
a luminare.  but enough sidetracking)

It came in all the standard sizes, had a "color rendering index" of 91%,
-and- was one of teh very few flourescents with a decent ultraviolet
emmission.

I don't know if they've put one togther into a compact size.

CAVEAT:  based on personal experince, there are some difficulties with
them.  (but see disclaimer at end)

1) price:  these lamps are about 5 times the cost of standard flourescents.

2) UV: the ultraviolet phosphers wear out long before the rest of the
ones, so you quickly "lose" the beneift of the UV (whether this is really
relevant to health is another story)

3) There is very little carry over in the phosphors, so you -will- get a
noticable strobe effect. Back in the old days of records and turntables
(remember them?)  I had a variable speed turntable which flashed strobe
lights against markings on teh side of the platen(?) for speed
determination.  We were able to use the regular room lights for the same
effect.

   This is -much- worse in the vita-lites than in more common
flourescents.  Actual impact will depend on the ballast wiring (lead-lag
is a bit better, hi-freq will eliminate the problem entirely) and where
the lamps are located.

4) EMF: these lamps will be putting out the same EmF as any other flourescnet.

minor disclaimer: my info on all the above is a few years old, etc.

-------

If you want full spectrum lighting, which -is- used as -one- method of
therapy for "SAD" - seasonal affective disorder, there are various
options.  the "vita-lite" is one, and there are similar lamps from other
manufacturers.

  ALSO, there is a dual bulb unit - one enhanced flourescant, AND a small
uv only lamp - that was being marketd by Dr. Ott (who did a lot fo the
early research for duro-test.)  At least one of his models incorporated
some shielding to reduce rf and emf emmissions.

------

btw, whatever you get, I recommend a high-frequency ballast.  they are
(usually) quieter and more energy efficient, and they just about eliminate
any flickering/strobe effects.

take care

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Daniel Burstein)
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1993 05:39:55 GMT

-------

------

take care

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Hank Roberts)
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1993 18:57:51 GMT

No need for Vita-Lite or natural spectral range for treating winter
depression; simple cool white fluorescents will do it.  Better yet look
for a 'dawn simulator'; PiSquare [15115 NE 90th St., Redmond WA 98052,
(206) 881-5478] makes a minimal one.  I did a survey review in
Whole Earth Review, Fall 92 p. 106, of some resources for winter
weight gain and depression.

A good place on the net to ask is the sci.med newsgroup.  Crosspost
to alt.co-ev if you do find something interesting, please?
----------
disclaimer:  so I wrote something for WER.  They never write anything for  me.
Anything I write on the net is mine, mine, mine, and yours if you want it.
Whole Earth Review [email-masked] pays me to do nothing except proofread<<<<<

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From: Jym Dyer <[email-masked]>
Date: 30 Apr 1993 06:19:16 GMT

> 4) EMF: these lamps [Vita-Lite] will be putting out the same
> EmF as any other flourescnet.

=v= This isn't exactly accurate, because compact fluorescents
are quite different from other fluorescents.  CFs with
electronic ballasts, in particular, are free from many of the
annoying misfeatures associated with fluorescent lighting.
    <_Jym_>