[IRCA] Lighting

["Powell E. Way III W4OPW" <w4opw@xxxxxxxxx>]

Fluorescent lighting has been around since the late
1930's,  Color correction was not very good on early
lamps. The first "color" was called "White", and had a
color temperature of 3500K. In a STANDARD T12 bulb
it's not available, but is in the new solid state T-8
(that's the bulb diameter) ballasted lamps. Those are
high color correction bulbs. 
Anyway, later came Daylight 6500 K and Warm White at
3000K. Color correction was about 40%.  Cool White (
the most widely used standard color because it's
cheap) is 4100K and 40% color corrected and the most
obnoxious looking to me. I don't think you can even
getg "Warm White" anymore, but there ARE high color
corrected bulbs of the same color temperature.  From
the cardboard cover of the Phillips 40 watt bulb I got
at Big Lots. This model is a "HOME LIGHT"  Soft
White....it's 3000K @ 85% CRI (color correction index)
 Cool White Plus is 4100K @ 70%, certainly better than
the OLD Cool White. Natural Sunshine is 5000K (sames
as Colortone 5000) and is color corrected at 92%. This
bulb  has 2200 lumens of light as compared to over
3000 lumens for the other bulbs, but the light doesn't
seem as much dimmer as you would think because it's a
very wide spectrum lamp.  The Daylight Deluxe 6500
color temperature is 84% color corrected.  High NOON
is considered 5500K, and the best implementation of
that is Duro Test's Vita Light. 
     
     There are other color corrected bulbs that are
high output and pricey. In my kitchen I have 2 34 watt
( watt savers) Sylvania D865 lamps. They have very
high output, and run about ( !!!!!)  $12 each. I
didn't intend to get the wattsavers, but the person
gave me the wrong ones. They are slightly brighter
than the GE SP-65   6500 K bulbs that have somewhat
less color correction.  The problem is, you can't go
into Lowes or WalMart and get anything very exotic.
You can get the GE 
SP-65 there, or the 90% GE's with Sunshine on the
package. Those are 5000K.  For a warmer  high color
corrected bulb, you have to go to the wholesale
dealer. 

AS for CFL's the warmest is around 2700 to 2800 K. The
Sylvania 3 way fluorescent is    3000K and more
pleasing than a lot. One color is the Sylvania
Daylight Extra. BUT it's not a "Daylight" lamp, but
3500 K. I normally like the 6500 bulbs, but I have 3
of those in my bedroom ceiling fan.  Sylvania's 6500 K
bulbs are listed as for "crafts".  GE has a sweetheart
deal with WalMart on their CFL's and have more or less
puched out LIghts of America which they had carried a
long time, and I like.  They have them in warm and
6500 daylight. The 100 watt Daylight replacement is
exceptionally bright.  
Phillips Earthlamp also is in warm, but have not seem
them in any colors other than warm. I have a coupe I
got from Big Lots a few years ago, and the unit has 3
upside down "U"'s.  It can be used in an enclosed
fixture and is dimmable.  It puts a lot of noise back
into the TV, but doesn't fuss with the radio. Of
course the TV rabbit ears are just on the other side
of the lamp. It also has a much higher rated life than
most. 

As for noise, I don't have a problem unless the bulb
is VERY close to the radio antenna, and thaqt's a VERY
bad idea anyway.

I scrounge the thrift stores, and found an old desk
lamp that used a 15 watt fluorescent.  Well it
wouldn't come on, so they gave it to me. Why, well,
the hold down button wasn't it was an off and on
switch, and someone had jury rigged a starter in
circuit, and things were loose underneath. When i
figured that out, it works. It's my kitchen night
light. The bulb I have in it is a NOS 50's GE bulb.
I'm testing for noise. New bulbs are quiet. So far
this is. It sits ATOP the RCA TRF long range radio.
The ballast is inches from the ferrite loop. No
problem. 

So, getting a good brand is the way to go.  
Questions, email me privately and I'll tell you more
if you need to.



Powell 




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