[geeks] CHEAP compact fluorescent bulbs

[Geek]

Excellent idea! Appropriate to the OS too!


Dwight Wallbridge,
Managing Editor, GeekMeltdown.com

GeekMeltdown http://www.geekmeltdown.com
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Hebel" <nimitz at speakeasy.net>
To: <geeks at sunhelp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 1:29 PM
Subject: Re: [geeks] CHEAP compact fluorescent bulbs


| Or how about these guys:
|
| http://www.alwaysthinking.com/products/products.html
|
| Even supports voice commands on the Mac.
|
| Mike: "Flush the toilet!"
| Mac:  "Command accepted!"
| Wife: "Hey!  My Windows machine rebooted!"
|
| *grin*
|
| Mike Hebel
|
| Mike Hebel wrote:
|
| > Have you seen this article?:
| >
| > http://www.macworld.com/2001/06/22/howto/oldmac_ha.html
| >
| > There are others but this one seemed to cover some of the Mac bases.
| >
| > Mike Hebel
| >
| > Leo Green wrote:
| >
| > > Ah sweet!
| > >
| > > I bought about half of my current X10 gear from these guys a few
years
| > > ago, and last I saw, they said that CF bulbs were no good under
X10.
| > > Now if I can just find an app that'll program my radioshack X10
| > > controller from my new powerbook...
| > >
| > >
| > >
| > > Mike Hebel wrote:
| > >
| > > > I've never used X10 but these guys:
| > > >
| > > > http://www.smarthome.com/903220.html
| > > >
| > > > claim to have searched specifically for X10 comaptible bulbs so
there
| > > > must be some sort of difference in how the less expensive bulbs
handle
| > > > the X10 signals.  I would think that unless they were buffered
in some
| > > > manner the ballasts on the bulbs would amplify any small amount
of
| > > > signal into something like a repeated starting arc in the bulb
thus
| > > > wearing it out.  But then I'm not a physics person so I'm
probably
| > > > grasping at straws.  Maybe a filter coil in the ballast circuits
for
| > > > the X10 frequency?
| > > >
| > > > Mike Hebel
| > > >
| > > > Leo Green wrote:
| > > >
| > > >> Anyone ever used these compact fluorescent bulbs with X10?  I
| > > tried, and
| > > >> the bulbs kept flickering, and they blew out within a month.
| > > >> That's the only thing keeping me from going to CF's right now.
| > > >>
| > > >> FYI: I was using the X10 appliance modules, but even the lamp
| > module I
| > > >> tried did the same.
| > > >>
| > > >> Chris Hedemark wrote:
| > > >>
| > > >> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
| > > >> > Hash: SHA1
| > > >> >
| > > >> > Since we've been talking about this lately I thought it would
be of
| > > >> > interest.
| > > >> >
| > > >> > Went to Home Depot today to replace my first CF bulb that
blew out.
| > > >> > That bulb cost me about $18 I think and I got it five years
ago.
| > > The
| > > >> > last five years has seen a lot of progress in CF bulbs.
| > > >> >
| > > >> > Well Home Depot had them as cheap as $4.97 for a 60 watt
| > replacement
| > > >> > (which burns actually about a fourth of that and is cool
enough to
| > > >> > touch while it is burning).  That was with a five year
warranty.
| > > >> > Another buck and change for 7 years.  The prices have dropped
| > > >> > aggressively in the last six months, which is the last time I
| > > >> bought one.
| > > >> >
| > > >> > Keep in mind these ~$5 bulbs are the "warm" ones that Mr Bill
and
| > > >> > others don't like (they look kinda yellowish).  IIRC the
year
| > > >> > warranty model for <$2 more is much whiter, or "full
spectrum".
| > > They
| > > >> > have them from 9 watts for a 40 watt replacement (compact
enough to
| > > >> > fit in some very tight fixtures) on up to a 150w replacement.
| > > >> >
| > > >> > Chris Hedemark
| > > >> > Hillsborough, NC
| > > >> > http://yonderway.com
| > > >> >
| > > >> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
| > > >> > Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (Darwin)
| > > >> >
| > > >> >
iD8DBQE9yFtwYPuF4Zq9lvYRAi/XAJwJKkRnI8ilRFsWza1L4vaKbu7NhACcDnoz
| > > >> > c+7hhW3XClg9DN+INhQjElY=
| > > >> > =wAec
| > > >> > -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
| > > >> > _______________________________________________
| > > >> > GEEKS:  http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/geeks
| > > >>
| > > >> _______________________________________________
| > > >> GEEKS:  http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/geeks
| > > >
| > > >
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| > >
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| >
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