THE Lighting Thread (merged)

MikeB · Heavy Crude Joined: Dec 14, 2004 Posts: 211

We can testify to the saving of switching to CFLs. We started replacing them over the summer. Every time we'd get a paycheck we'd replace a few bulbs. Last January of 2004 we used 455 KWHrs. That dropped to 243 last month, January of 2005. There have been no other changes in our usage. A phenomenal change. icon_sunny

pip · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:07 pm Post subject:

How much electricity do the long tube flourescents type lights use? Are they as efficient as these CFL's?
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bruin · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:11 pm Post subject:

All that maters is how many watts it is rated at. So if your flourescents burn 100W it will cost the same as a 100W incand. bulb.

However, you can get away with less wattage on flourescents.

lotrfan55345 · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject:

Using CFL, its like 1w=90 lumens. Incandescent is 1w = 10lumens

Madpaddy · Expert Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2128

8c per kwh. Fark me it's about 14c throughout Europe per kwh. You guys are in for some huge culture shocks very very soon !!!!!
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MikeB · Heavy Crude Joined: Dec 14, 2004 Posts: 211

oowolf · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:44 pm Post subject:

Don't forget to factor-in the entropic cost of manufacturing/distributing both the bulb and the electricity and the end fate of the burnt-out bulb's raw material, and the entropic cost of your labor to aquire the bulb, etc, etc,....

BabyPeanut · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 6:29 pm Post subject:

BabyPeanut · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 6:47 pm Post subject:

mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1089

That's great someone did the math. I swapped out a bunch of regular yellow bulbs for screw in flourescents. My wife did not like the light quality, so now most of our chandeliers have a mix of the two. It is a wierd light. But at 8 bucks a month, I can dig it.

They also don't burn out so quickly in an old house. Incandescents seemed like they were toasting right and left.

PhilBiker · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1326

You can get all kinds of light colors in CFLs. We have nice warm yellow ones that are very much like incandescents in our house. They're best in places where you leave lamps on for extended periods of time (like the front porch at night). If you want super efficient light, look for LED lights to be more common in the future, they're in flashlights today.

Frank · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:34 am Post subject:

The cheapest rate we have (Maine) is $.15/kwh, soon to be $.17. We have PV but are still grid connected with "green" suppliers. We'll be paying $.19/kwh after next month.

Compact fluorescents are the biggest bang for the buck out there IMO. There's devices such as "Kill-A-Watt" which allow you to plug things in and measure consumption.

Don't forget about carbon avoidance by reducing consumption. There's more to life than money.

mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1089

Madpaddy · Expert Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2128

In Ireland 13.5 % of the electric bill is tax.

On the subject of long tube fluorescents, while they are already efficient, there is a new generation from Philips, they are 40% smaller diameter than conventional fluorescents and have a higher luminaire output from fewer fixtures.

www.philips.com/lighting
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BabyPeanut · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:40 pm Post subject: