Friday, October 10, 2008

Another benefit of compact flourescent bulbs

Apparently, they give off UV light, which is a great way to get your vitamin D during the winter, and also stave off seasonal depression. Yes, the article doesn't make this connection, but given that they're talking only of a "little bit" of redness from these bulbs, it would seem that what we have here is a small, but real, way of getting the UV rays one needs in the winter.

Not a big issue for those of you in the Deep South--you know, places like Colorado Springs and Western Pennsylvania or Washington DC--but up here in Minnesota, where the entire population is said to be UV deficient in the winter, it just might be really helpful not only to one's electric bill, but also for one's general health.


Jim Peet said...

I have these problems with CFB:
* They don't seem to last as long as they advertise.
* The do not perform well in the cold (say a garage in the winter time)
* They are hard to dispose of

Do you expect to see improvements in their performance? Thanks

Bike Bubba said...

Jim: right on all counts, IMO. I simply prefer the lower electric bills and less frequent bulb changing (mine tend to last 3-5 years, vs. 6 months or less for incandescents) over the disadvantages you note. I also tend to have incandescents in critical cold weather environments.

Will they improve? Marginally. The technology has been the same since they were invented, so we're not going to see any huge changes. So if you can't stand 'em now, you won't like 'em later, either.

Mark said...

I've put a CFL out in front of my garage for over a year now. It illuminates my flag. It's always warm, so I don't have to wait. Its quality is not questioned. It has lasted a lot longer than the little spotlights that it replaced.

That said, some of our bulbs burn yellow. Another burns purplish. Another flickers. The 3-ways are best in the high setting...

Bah. Bring on LEDs!!!

Bike Bubba said...

Mark, I've found I really like the "bright white" bulbs from Home Depot. You're absolutely correct that the "soft white" bulbs burn a really "lemonadey" yellow--if you think your eyes hate it in person, wait until you take a picture without flash in that environment. You'd think you were in a room designed by Andres Serrano.