Re: CFL database

Another factor in this discussion is that most of these bulbs are not
approved for usage in certain fixtures at certain locations without
covers. Without further research I am not familiar with thee lighting
rules. It is only hearsay from electricians I deal with.


"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:477cd84f.610476156@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I've supplied tons of facts backed up by URLs. You have responded
with
nothing but ill-informed opinion.

AFAIK, there are no mandated limits on the amount of mercury in
fluorescents. It varies a great deal but, at bottom, the amount is
directly
related to bulb brightness, size and life. From the first paper
cited below,
it would appear that you can buy 4' straight tube fluorescents with
about
the same amount of mercury as CFLs are widely reported to contain.
Those
with green end-caps are low mercury. The second citation gives
estimates of
the mercury contained in various types of lamps.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/research/mercury-bulbs.pdf
http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/FactSheets/lighting.cfm

That you have 4' fluorescent tubes in your garage while I have 18"
fluorescents in one bath and circline fluorescents in the kitchen
(and
they've been there for 60+ years) does not affect the facts that
there are
billions more in use in commercial and industrial sites than in
residential
sites nor that if you or I or anyone else replaces an incandescent
with a
fluorescent, there's a net increase of mercury in our residences. If
you
continue to make the idiotic argument that that's not a fact, I
won't waste
my time with you.

The federal government classifies fluorescents as hazardous waste
and
businesses are required to dispose of them accordingly. Many states
and
localities also require special handling to dispose of them even for
residences.

http://epa.gov/region09/toxic/mercury/lighting.html


AZ Woody <reply@here> wrote:

Oh, come on.. you're back peddling!

I have 4' flor fixtures in my house, and have had them for 20 years!
Lights over my workbench for example!

Same "hazard" exists in my house, even without CFLs.

"workshop lights" at HD or Lowes.. How many times have these been
involved with HASMAT type stuff that you've heard of? Why are they
more
or less dangerous than CFLs in the home? Provide proof and not just
spout your own opinion!

I'll content that's there's MUCH more mercury in a 4' tube than a 15
watt CFL. Do you not like CFLs as you resell incandescent bulbs?
That's the only sense I can see in your argument!

Dave Houston wrote:
AZ Woody <reply@here> wrote:

Lon wrote:

Yes CFLs generate more light per watt, but have mercury issues.

Why are only CFLs connected with mercury in this discussion? The
good
old 4' tubes have the same "issues" with mercury, and have been
around
for decades!

But the bulk of straight tube fluorescents are used in commercial
or
industrial facilities where hazardous waste disposal or recycling
is not
quite the same issue that it is for households. And they've been
used there
for many decades so there's no new mercury aside from normal
growth.
Switching from incandescents to CFLs means a net increase in
mercury.

I've taken a cue from the "environmentalists" who claim they buy
nebulous
carbon offsets to counterbalance all of their trips by plane. I
insist that
my electric utility only supply me electrons generated from
non-coal burning
plants so I'm not causing any increase in mercury. ;^)

Back, 20+ years ago, we had a guy (knowledgeable) at work that
used to
yell at people for turning off the overhead flor lights at
midday, and
then turning them back on at the end of the day (we got dark at
4pm in
the winter). "it takes more power to turn these lights on than
it takes
to keep them on all day!"

I was taught that, too, in Air Force electronics school in the
late '50s. I
think it was more myth than fact as the inrush current isn't that
high and
doesn't last very long. There is a significant effect on bulb life
but even
there the actual time was on the order of don't turn it off if it
will be
off less than 20 minutes. And things have changed significantly
since then.
The latest high efficiency electronic ballasts can even be used
with
occupancy sensors.

Just never get cut from a piece of broken glass from a 4' tube if
you
don't want to have a medical issue - yet how many times over the
decades
have you heard about this happening to anyone?


http://davehouston.net http://davehouston.org
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/roZetta/
roZetta-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


http://davehouston.net http://davehouston.org
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