Re: Re: 100 watt light bulbs

[Jon Wilkins <jonpdwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

*"When* LED lighting (or the next big thing again) takes off
properly, we'll
be dimming on the low voltage side, or using some inherent property of the
material to do it."

This is the problem.  Old nasty / simple (take your pick) incandescants are
being rushed off the shelves before a viable alternative with the same
features (dimmability).  Fully dimmable CFLs are starting to be available
but still aren't that good -- and hte one I tested lasted 2 hours which is
hardly the "longer life" promised....

And by the time we have dimmable LEDs it will probably require a
"Competant
Person" (deliberate capitalisation) to change the switch plate, just
to
ensure the VAT man can get a 20% slice of the action....

Dont get me wrong, I like new stuff and use some CFLs, I just dont think
there are yet alternatives to all uses of incandescants yet they are
already
being shuffled off universally.  The retailers of course are right behind
it.  As well as right behind the till as everyone buys a house-full of
CFLs.

Next door has just been completely re-furbed (I say just, but the 6 month
schedule has taken 10 months so far).  They have SO many GU10 CFLs now, I
can't believe any room will be more efficient in watt terms than before
with
1 or 2 incandescants in each room....  Me with a 60w  = happy to be a
luddite.

jon
2009/8/19 Ian Lowe <ianlowe@xxxxxxx>

>     --- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx <ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>,
"Peter and
> Jane" <pandj.munnoch@...> wrote:
> >
> > Ian
> > Are they dimmable?
> > Rgds
> > Peter
>
> Peter
> Yes.
> Rgds
> Ian
>
> If you mean, 'are they dimmable using the same crappy voltage chopping
> dimmers that you use with incandescent bulbs', then the answer is
still yes,
> just not as well.
>
>


>
>
> Clearly, a system which slices the 240V AC into thin chunks really
quickly
> to vary the power delivered is as old fashioned as heating a bit of
wire
> until it glows. When LED lighting (or the next big thing again) takes
off
> properly, we'll be dimming on the low voltage side, or using some
inherent
> property of the material to do it.
>
> Personally though, I don't use dimmers. I hate the bloody things - not
> least of all because of the insistence of some folks (which included
my
> grandparents) to sit in near darkness rather a nicely lit room.
>
> I get the light level I want (which is a very pleasant mix of point
and
> room effects) with a mix of small lamps and large floor standers. My
PC room
> has 5 lights - 11W CFLs in the 2 floor standers, 7W CFL in the splash
lights
> behind the monitors, and a 1.1W rated Blue LED strip under the desk
for
> effect. It looks gorgeous.
>
> the sooner we ditch incandescents and move on to new technologies (and
yes,
> new dimmer technologies as well) the better.
>
> I.
>
>
>


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