Subject: Re: Compact Fluorescents

From: [email-masked] (E. Michael Smith)
Date: 28 Apr 93 21:47:10 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Dale R. Worley) writes:
>Does anybody know what sorts of compact fluorescents are available?
>My local electric company sold some, but they were rather dim ("90
>watts of light"/15 watts of electricity).  Personally, I find 100
>watts (incandescent) a bit dim to read by, and I was wondering if
>there was something like "150 watts of light"/25 watts of electricity
>available, which would be much more to my liking.  Also, the CFs I've

Yes.  Get the Lights of America 27w CF bulb or the OSRAM 22w (I think
it is 22w...).  The magic phrase you want is 'Quad Tube Compact 
Fluorescent'... these tend to be larger sizes.

>seen are a bit too big to go into some of the lamps I have.  Has there
>been any progress in making them smaller?

The OSRAM 22w and the Lights of America are both just a little too
big for some lamps.  Two solutions:  1)  Use the 'harp extenders'
that are packaged with the LOA bulb.  2)  Get a larger harp for $3
at your local hardware store.

Don't want a taller harp 'cause it makes the lamp look different?  Then
get a Lights of America Circular Compact Fluorescent.  These come
in a couple of sizes (22w and 27w I think, and maybe a 33w...) that
are about 100 to 150 incandecent watt equivalent.  Oh, and you can
either get the CRI 52 lamp for real cheap or a CRI 86 or so bulb for
about $16 more ...  (CRI is Color Rendition Index and tells you how
good the color is.  I went for the CRI 52ish bulbs in the garage, but
needed the CRI 86ish bulb in the kitchen so the chicken didn't look sallow.)
The Circular CF bulbs often work well in squat lamps that don't want the
tall twin tube or quad tube CFs. 

There are other makers as well, but I particularly like OSRAM and LOA.
OSRAM has a 'clean if slighly blueish' light compared to an incandecent,
but the longer I've lived with OSRAM, the more I like them.  The LOA
bulb has a 'slightly yellow like a regular bulb' color that entices
you into it since it is 'more like a regular bulb'; but the long term
effect is just a smidge too yellow ... and the OSRAMS just keep looking
wonderful ...  (Though the LOA 'TRI-PHOSPHORE' lamps with the CRI of 86
or so are very nice.  Only seen these in Circular, though...)

Oh, and give the bulbs about 10 minutes to warm up before you compare
color.  It takes that long for the CRI to stabilize...

-- 

E. Michael Smith  [email-masked]

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.

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From: [email-masked] (Daniel Romanchik)
Date: 28 Apr 1993 22:03:44 -0400

>been any progress in making them smaller?
   I bought my CFs from Real Goods (phone 800-762-7325).  They list
four or five different types;  the highest wattage bulb is 27W.  They
say that it is equivalent to a 90W incandescent.
   I have two 15W in my fixture.  This is the equivalent of 120W of
incandescents.  It could be a little brighter, but it works for me.

Dan
>Thanks,
>
>Dale
>
>Dale Worley		Dept. of Math., MIT		[email-masked]
>--
>"LONG LIVE THE GLORIOUS COCKROACH REBELLION AGAINST THE
>GREAT SUBURBAN BOURGEOIS OPPRESSOR SWINE-PIG!"
>        <Slam!>
>"I HATE revolutionary jargon."
>-- "Bloom County"

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From: Jym Dyer <[email-masked]>
Date: 30 Apr 1993 06:17:03 GMT

> I bought my CFs from Real Goods (phone 800-762-7325).

=o= I'd recommend buying from Real Goods only if you have no
other choice.  Their prices are an outrage.

> They list four or five different types;  the highest wattage
> bulb is 27W.  They say that it is equivalent to a 90W
> incandescent.

=o= Phillips makes the smallest-sized/highest lumen bulb
with an electronic ballast.  It uses 23W to get a 90W
equivalence.  The light is good quality.
    <_Jym_>

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From: [email-masked] (Hank Roberts)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 08:42:14 GMT

I've bought whatever's been available; 2 out of 3  "Lights of America"
ballasts died (a Walnut Creek, Ca company). Everything else is still ok.