Compact Fluorescent Lights
I have always used incandescent light bulbs. Last year I got a fluorescent light to use as a grow lamp for starting my garden seeds inside. Other than that all the bulbs I use are incandescent.
With all the talk about switching over to compact fluorescent light bulbs and saving energy I thought I would pick up a couple to try. I was in the electrical isle at Meijer here in Ohio looking for some other parts and spotted the compact fluorescent bulbs. So what the heck, why not give them a try?
Well I am surprised at how "clear" the light is from the "Daylight" bulb I got. I am not sure how else to describe it - the light isn't blue, but it isn't quite "white" either. This one is rated for 13 watts (60w equivalent incandescent). The other bulb I got is a "Soft White" bulb. It has more of a yellowish glow to it, and is lower wattage - 9 watts (40w equivalent incandescent). Both bulbs are Meijer brand and were about $3-4.
I don't know how accurate the conversion is between CFL wattage and incandecent wattage, but the bulbs I have seem to not be as bright as the incandecents. I may go up in wattage a step and see what happens.
Maybe I am just late on the bandwagon with CFL's, but I like them. I think I will go back and get some more!
One last comment - I don't notice any RFI from the light bulbs either. I know fluorescent lights can be culprits of RFI due to their regulators and what not. I don't notice any noise from my CFL's, as of yet.
Edit - the CFL's I am using (and I bought more today at Lowes, thanks Anatoly, KC8HYR for the tip!) are for general lighting in the room. My big fluorescent light is the grow light. Though, I wont' get that back out from storage until March or so when I get the garden going (I always say that and then end up getting a very late start, that can be my New Years resolution - get the darn seeds started well ahead of planting time!!).
With all the talk about switching over to compact fluorescent light bulbs and saving energy I thought I would pick up a couple to try. I was in the electrical isle at Meijer here in Ohio looking for some other parts and spotted the compact fluorescent bulbs. So what the heck, why not give them a try?
Well I am surprised at how "clear" the light is from the "Daylight" bulb I got. I am not sure how else to describe it - the light isn't blue, but it isn't quite "white" either. This one is rated for 13 watts (60w equivalent incandescent). The other bulb I got is a "Soft White" bulb. It has more of a yellowish glow to it, and is lower wattage - 9 watts (40w equivalent incandescent). Both bulbs are Meijer brand and were about $3-4.
I don't know how accurate the conversion is between CFL wattage and incandecent wattage, but the bulbs I have seem to not be as bright as the incandecents. I may go up in wattage a step and see what happens.
Maybe I am just late on the bandwagon with CFL's, but I like them. I think I will go back and get some more!
One last comment - I don't notice any RFI from the light bulbs either. I know fluorescent lights can be culprits of RFI due to their regulators and what not. I don't notice any noise from my CFL's, as of yet.
Edit - the CFL's I am using (and I bought more today at Lowes, thanks Anatoly, KC8HYR for the tip!) are for general lighting in the room. My big fluorescent light is the grow light. Though, I wont' get that back out from storage until March or so when I get the garden going (I always say that and then end up getting a very late start, that can be my New Years resolution - get the darn seeds started well ahead of planting time!!).
posted by Steve at
12:35 AM
1 Comments:
For correct comparison you need to determine what you want: light that helps to grow your seeds (it's probabbly only heat) or light that helps your growing plants (you should investigate the bulb spectr, i.e. length of of the emitted light) or you willuse these CFL only for reading text and lighting room. Here is the same as comparison the different kind of ham radio transceivers.
Our state (OH) has good program to buy CFL with 10% discount. Lowes and Home Depot are participated in this program and their price is lower than Meijer.
Sincerely, Anatoly, KC8HYR
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