[geeks] Losers.

[Gregory Leblanc]

On Tue, 2002-03-26 at 16:12, Dave McGuire wrote: 
> On March 26, jeff borisch wrote:
> > >  > Uhm, the incandescent bulbs flicker at 60Hz (in the US of A), just like
> > >>  the fluorescents.  I'm not sure why it's so much more noticable on the
> > >>  long fluorescent bulbs than on the CF, or the incandescents.
> > >
> > >I'll take your word for it - the finer points of electricity are not a
> > >strong suit of mine.  I can't *see* the flicker the incandescant bulbs,
> > >so in my mind they don't flicker.  However, now that I think about it,
> > >they *must* - since 60hz is the rating of most (all?) electrical
> > >circuits in the US.  Right?
> > 
> > Since the filament glows because of the current flowing through it, 
> > wouldn't the intensity fall off periodically at the frequency of 
> > 120Hz? once for every peak and once for every trough.
> > 
> > curious...
> 
>   Of course it does...but nowhere near as quickly as the mercury vapor
> stops producing UV in a fluorescent tube.  After it stops, some amount
> of time later the phosphors stop glowing...still much faster than a
> filament cooling off.

So, any thoughts on how fast the current would need to alternate before
long-tube fluorescent lights would look decent?  Can they handle a
higher cycle speed, or would you need other bulbs for that? 
	Greg

-- 
Portland, Oregon, USA.