SS utility light

[beeg]

The new CFL I believe started at 20,000 and the newer ones are more like 100,000 (I believe it was a cost saving to go to the higher freq.). So now I'm wondering why people are seeing the strobe effect again. It would seem to me this would not happen....

Since people are seeing it can some one explain why?

Ed

OLD Fixtures would explain it Ed.

[ryanbp01]

Being the tight-fisted patriarch that I am (at least I try to be with the exception being Shopsmith purchases), my light fixtures came out when the middle school I taught at was remodeled. the fixtures themselves were circa 1959. On cold days, the room has to be heated in order to get the ballasts warmed up to get the lights up. I never have gotten around to replacing them. As long as they still work, I can't justify replacing them. Other than bulb replacement, has anyone done any research concerning energy cost savings, bulb life, and other lighting improvements for the shop that talks about the advantages and disadvantages of lighting fixtures?

BPR

[reible]

Hi,

I think we are talking about the utility light that shopsmith sells and it takes a normal bulb or in the case in point a CFL, so no old fixtures involved, remember the CFL's screw in just like the old standard light bulbs.

I've been using CFL's in the house for a while now. Some of the first ones turn on and seem to have a start up time where they are not as bright as they are a few minutes later, and they do seem to have a flicker to them when they first come on, that too goes away. They also have a different color temperature. The newer ones turn on to what must be very near full output, the color temperature is better and I can't notice any flicker.

I don't have any in the shop so the strobe effect is not something I have seen personally but it seems that people here have. I have not researched this but in reading about these bulbs I recall the changes including the rate being at something near 100,000, and color temperatures much nearer the daylight range. From that 100,000 data point it would sound like the strobe effect should not be happening with in human vision....

For general shop lighting and given the choice I would say it is safer/more green to use the new T8 (I think thats the right number) bulbs with the electronic starters... I personally have not done so because I still have a number of T40's (again I hope that is the right number) I purchase in bulk many years ago... I think I'm down to maybe 10-12 bulbs so... it still will be a year or more before I will need more bulbs. The bulbs I have were called "shop white" and I don't recall temperature but I found that color was reasonable to work in.

So enough on this from me....... what do you think?

Ed

[retcaptb]

Have you tried a halogen spot bulb that are used in businesses like jewelry stores. They put out the most visible spectrum that refracts light to its highest levels. Thats why their diamond rings look so good. You may have to search the Internet for commercial lighting company's to find the bulbs. Or ask a jewelry store manager where they get theirs. Just a though!
Jim B.
Grass Valley, Ca.

[nuhobby]

A new twist on CFL's?
http://www.edn.com/blog/1470000147/post ... =189241611

[Ed in Tampa]

Just to share a little of my experience. I installed a florescent screw into my SS utility light and have been using it for almost a month. I can't tell you it is brighter or dimmer than a regular 100 watt bulb but so far I have had plenty of light.
Two things worry me first the bulb protrudes from the utility light and I worry a little about something striking it and breaking the bulb. The other thing that worries me is whether the light quality is as good as a regular bulb. I'm not sure. The package said it produced more luminens than a regular bulb but I wonder.

I haven't noticed a flicker and I have used many revolving tools under it. Also I have florescent ceiling lights and again I haven't noticed a flicker. I usually can see flicker easily. I hated old florescent light fixtures and computer screen with a low refresh rates. I see the flicker.

But so far not problem with either the utility or the florescent lights in my shop.

[beeg]

"I worry a little about something striking it and breaking the bulb. "

Something else to worry about Ed. If it breaks, it'll release the mercury in it. Air out the room and get out for at least 15 minutes. Then carefully pick up the pieces, the smaller ones use masking tape to pick them up.

[reible]

Before we get to carried away you might want to read:
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/p ... ercury.pdf

Keep in mind the old thermostats in houses use to have about 3000 mg, the old thermometers we use to break and use with pennies had 500 mg (that was before we knew it was bad for us). The older CFL were at about 4 mg and the newer ones are down to half that.

It wasn't that many years ago we use to work with mercury anemometer and had beakers of mercury sitting around the lab... now what were we talking about again????

Ed

[beeg]

From you link PDF. You have to exercise some caution with a broken CFL.


How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal
guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
 Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
 Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
 Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
 Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with
metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
 Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
 Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
 Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
 Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a
sealed plastic bag.
 Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
 If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
 Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic
bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
 If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside
the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or
bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
 You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken
CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not
come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
 If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off
with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for
disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
 Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash
pickup.
 Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
 Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not
allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a
local recycling center.

[reible]

Yea isn't it great! BTW remember all those 4' T8/ T12 tubes you have or had in the shop or else where...
1985 48.2 mg
1994 22.8 mg
1999 11.6 mg
2001 8.3 mg
today between 3 and 8 mg.

Up until a couple years ago they we were told to put them in the trash.... gee I hope I didn't ever break any of those, ever...

Now of course at least were we live they have to go to hazardous waste sites. I save them up and drop them off when I drop off my old used oil and the like. Intact CFL we take to the Ace Hardware where they deal with them.

Now we are all glad we have such well lighted shops don't we.

As for now they say the main way we intake mercury is eating fish maybe that will change in 2014 when we have almost all of our homes lit by mercury containing bulbs.

I'm leaning on the hope the LED's get in good price range before long. I picked up a string of 60 LED Christmas lights... 4 watts! I was thinking of sticking them in a can and using them in the shop. If I replaced 16 40W bulbs or a total of 640 watts so I could hang 160 cans of 60 LED's each for the same wattage!! Now lets see I paid about $8 and after Christmas sales at 50% off would make that $4 or a total of $640. That is about half of my tool budget for next year but the peace of mind never having to worry about mercury again.... then I should start on redoing the house...

Ed