Author Topic: Lighting fixtures adapted (Read 1173 times)

mbeland · « **on:** March 23, 2009, 01:24:09 PM »

In the process of completing the finishing of the interior of our house, my wife and I settled to buy lighting fixtures for the kitchen working surfaces (a total of 7 metallic fusiform fixtures hanging by a wire from the ceiling). We wanted something good looking and efficient. We found something like we wanted in terms of looks but it required halogen bulbs. We found compact fluorescent replacement bulbs that fit in the halogen sockets. The problem was that the bulb was longer than the original halogens and protruded outside the fixture killing the looks of it all. Nevermind, I disassembled the whole fixture, which was a bit tricky because it is not formally intended for that, and cut the central threaded pipe holding the socket by about 2.5 cm (1 inch). The fixture has a maximal wattage rating to protect against overheating and cutting the pipe has the effect of bringing the bulb deeper into the fixture which could reduce air flow and convective cooling of the fixture but with the reduced wattage of the bulb I assume overheating won't be a problem. The final look is perfect. The light intensity is lower than the halogen and lower than I expected. So far we deal with it by not relying on these for lighting the whole room but for lighting specific working areas. We will keep a halogen with a dimmer for the fixture over the table.

It is funny how these halogen-socket CFL bulbs seem to first give low intensity and then become stronger after a few minutes. I wonder if it is just my eyes that get used to it or if it's real. Any thoughts?

Another experience I had with CFLs: I bought an electronic dimmer for our masterbedroom and a CFL that is suppsed to be dimmable. It doesn't work. Won't light at all. Used it somewhere else with no dimmer and settled with an incandescent so far and dimming strongly most of the time anyway so consumption is lowered a bit that way.

Martin

zap · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2009, 08:42:00 AM »

Martin,

I've been using CFL for about 15 years and all have become brighter after they start up.

Some have reached their running output more quickly than others but all of them took some amount of time to reach peak brightness.

If I had to give an average time, it would be a guess, but I'd probably say about 3 minutes or so to get to running output.

It sounds as though your fixtures came out well.

rossw · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2009, 01:24:27 PM »

Sounds like you may have very similar pendant fittings to those I installed here, and identical CFL lamps. Are they the Megaman GU-10 style lamps perchance?

Back a little over a year ago, I was discussing with someone else in IRC this exact same issue, and ended up going and getting my luxmeter. Here is from the log. The numbers in the right-hand column are the actual light level (lux) measured, the timestamp at left shows the time. Draw your own conclusions!

So thats from 97 to a little over 500 lux (more than 4 times brighter) over 70 seconds odd...

RossW

wooferhound · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2009, 01:38:04 PM »

I converted a fixture too. It was one of those tall floorstanding fixtures with a 300 watt Halogen light at the top that points to the ceiling. I took out the old socket for the bulb and replaced it with a standard lightbulb socket. Now I have a 13 watt compact fluorescent and the light is perfect for the livingroom while watching TV.

Ungrounded Lightning Rod · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2009, 03:56:41 PM »

I've seen even bigger changes in some of the floodlight CFLs (subjectively, not with instruments). They provide hardly any light at startup, then brighten over a minute or two.

Ditto for the fluorescent yard floods.

I think what's happening is they put a very small amount of mercury in them (out of eco-concern) and much of it ends up condensed or dissolved into the phosphor when the light is off that there's very little vapor to ionize and conduct. (Like a normal fluorescent tube in a cold location.) But the electronic ballasts can generate enough voltage to strike an arc anyhow. Once it's lit the arc heats the mercury and gradually vaporizes it, increasing the current density in the lamp and thus the light.

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Author Topic: Lighting fixtures adapted (Read 1173 times)

mbeland

Lighting fixtures adapted

zap

Re: Lighting fixtures adapted

rossw

Re: Lighting fixtures adapted

wooferhound

Re: Lighting fixtures adapted

Ungrounded Lightning Rod

Re: Lighting fixtures adapted