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But, yeah, the way the government did handled the whole thing left a lot to=
be desired.
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 17, 2014, at 9:32 PM, "David & Alison Webster" <dwebster@glinx.com<m=
ailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote:
Hi Rick & All. Dec 17, 2014
I didn't notice that slip but would not have been disturbed by it in an=
y case. Newspaper articles are not intended to be the full story in technic=
al matters; words get dropped in draft or in editing. It is my understandin=
g that they contain mercury vapor, vapor will be distributed throughout the=
volume of the tube, so mercury-vapor filled if you wish.
I was more interested in the background of this scam. From the start I =
concluded that replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs would not conser=
ve significant energy under our conditions. And when LED bulbs arrived in t=
he market I concluded that the same applied to them. And I object in princ=
iple because what is so wrong with freedom of choice in the marketplace ?
Correct me if I am mistaken, but it is my understanding based on the co=
nservation of energy that consumed electricity will be converted to either =
light or heat (neglecting the tiny electromagnetic radiation which I expect=
might be generated when a switch contact is made or broken and the energy =
required to heat the filament initially for << one second). Except for very=
brief unusually hot periods in summer when long daylight hours decrease th=
e need for light, the radiant heat from incandescent bulbs is welcome. With=
out this radiant heat, other forms of heating, requiring perhaps even more =
energy if they furnished heating less efficiently, would be required. Conse=
quently the energy saving, in private residences, attributed to efficient l=
ight sources is an illusion.
With respect to our house built in 1942, and I would expect the same wo=
uld apply to many houses that were not wired with CFL or LED sources in min=
d, selecting either to replace incandescent bulbs would not make sense even=
if they would save energy. When CFL spirals came out I bought one, read th=
e cautions that came with it (subtitled subliminally "How to burn your hous=
e down without even trying"), examined our fixtures and concluded that not =
one fixture in the house was suitable for CFL. So I tried it in a table lam=
p, found it made my eyes ache and did not use it until, many years later, I=
needed a light while working in a dark corner. After a few minutes of use=
it tipped over and shattered in a very large number of sharp splinters; bu=
lb working life <25 minutes.
Late last year Efficiency NS featured a promotion for LEDs; free bulbs =
or bulbs at a reduced cost over a period of about two months. So I bit and =
found the free bulbs had been available only for a day or so at select loca=
tions but reduced prices were still in effect on some types at some locatio=
ns. They were able to recommend the types of LED bulb which had a frequency=
profile similar to incandescent and had a list of outlets that sold LED bu=
lbs, and a list of bulb types sold in NS but no list of locations that sold=
any particular kind of bulb and could not understand why anyone would want=
that kind of information.
Recently I bought an LED bulb when a bed lamp gave out and returned it =
without even screwing it into a socket; only the distal end was transparent=
, so it would resemble a searchlight, it was very heavy and the strong hold=
er that was recommended for it had no switch. So convenient.
LED bulbs make perfect sense outdoors, where any heat generated is trul=
y wasted, and in flashlights. And I have three LED flashlights. One had a l=
ife expectancy of 100,000 hours but the switch stopped working after ~5.
From a personal point of view, I am 80 years old, so why is an expensiv=
e bulb that is reputed to last 30 years such a bargain ? I have always been=
careful to have as small an energy footprint as possible. No air condition=
ing, no dryer, usually walked to work etc. And I have records of power, gas=
oline and oil usage from 1967 onward (used wood as the major hear source si=
nce 1981; carbon neutral except for cutting and hauling). When we had a cot=
tage at Sunken Lake, NS Power changed the meter twice in ~30 years because =
they were sure nobody would use so little power.
If government really wanted to conserve energy then they could save a g=
reat deal with a few strokes of a pen. I use a truck mostly to haul my fire=
wood and typically put on about 1,000 km per year. But to renew the license=
costs me as much as it costs someone who drives 100,000 km a year.
If the license fee were proportional to distance traveled then there wo=
uld be a greater incentive to car-pool when possible and a greater incentiv=
e to live closer to work or use transit; decreasing not only gasoline consu=
mption, but energy associated with motor vehicle repairs and energy associa=
ted with wear and tear on highways and provision for high traffic volumes. =
Similar considerations apply to insurance. There is a slight reduction for =
vehicles driven less than 10,000 km per year but there would be a real ince=
ntive to drive less if insurance cost were more proportional to distance dr=
iven (expected in the first year and in the previous year subsequently).
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: Rick Ballard<mailto:ideaphore@gmail.com>
To: NatureNS<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] light
Until I read this article, I was completely unaware that CFL bulbs were "Me=
rcury filled". 8^O
On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 11:24 AM, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.co=
m<mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote:
Dear All,
Comment censored.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1257496-brighton-light-bulb-switch-di=
m-example-of-%E2%80%98efficiency%E2%80%99
DW, Kentville
--
Rick Ballard
Dartmouth,Nova Scotia, Canada
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com<http://www.avg.com>
Version: 2015.0.5577 / Virus Database: 4253/8754 - Release Date: 12/17/14
--_000_7B3687D6D36D44F78FA57257C83415A0dalca_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dus-ascii"=
>
</head>
<body dir=3D"auto">
<div style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">There is a complicating fact=
or on the idea that the heat from the incandescent bulb now needs to be rep=
laced by another source. Most electricity in Nova Scotia is still generated=
by burning fossil fuels. In large
power stations, heat losses and inefficiencies in the steam turbines mean =
that of the 100% of potential energy in the oil or coal you lose about half=
of that right off the top. Transmission losses can easily use up another 1=
0%.</div>
<div style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br>
</div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href=3D"http://www.=
mpoweruk.com/energy_efficiency.htm">http://www.mpoweruk.com/energy_efficien=
cy.htm</a></span></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">From an environmental =
point of view, you would be better off have an oil furnace and getting your=
heat at 90+% efficiency.</span></div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br>
</span></div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">From an astronomer's v=
iewpoint, the big advantage of outdoor LED lights is that to reduce the ene=
rgy use in the luminaire, you have to put the light only where it is needed=
, reducing CO2 emissions, glare, light
trespass, and light pollution. I cringe at night when I pass by houses or =
businesses that have wasteful lighting that serves to useful purpose. The t=
est for this is quite simple. Walk around your property line at night. If y=
ou can see the bulb/filament, you
have a problem.</span></div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br>
</span></div>
<div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">But, yeah, the way the=
government did handled the whole thing left a lot to be desired.<br>
</span><br>
<span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Sent from my iPad</span></d=
iv>
<div style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br>
On Dec 17, 2014, at 9:32 PM, "David & Alison Webster" <<a =
href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glinx.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div>
<meta name=3D"GENERATOR" content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588">
<style></style>
<div>Hi Rick & All. &n=
bsp; &=
nbsp; Dec 17, 2014</div>
<div> I didn't notice that slip but would not have been d=
isturbed by it in any case. Newspaper articles are not intended to be the f=
ull story in technical matters; words get dropped in draft or in editing. I=
t is my understanding that they contain mercury
vapor, vapor will be distributed throughout the volume of the tube, so mer=
cury-vapor filled if you wish.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> I was more interested in the background of this sca=
m. From the start I concluded that replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL bu=
lbs would not conserve significant energy under our conditions. And when&nb=
sp;LED bulbs arrived in the market I concluded that
the same applied to them. And I object in principle because what is =
so wrong with freedom of choice in the marketplace ?
</div>
<div> </div>
<div> Correct me if I am mistaken, but it is my understan=
ding based on the conservation of energy that consumed electricity will be =
converted to either light or heat (neglecting the tiny electromagnetic radi=
ation which I expect might be generated when a
switch contact is made or broken and the energy required to heat the =
filament initially for << one second). Except for very brie=
f unusually hot periods in summer when long daylight hours decrea=
se the need for light, the radiant heat from incandescent bulbs is
welcome. Without this radiant heat, other forms of heating, requ=
iring perhaps even more energy if they furnished heating less eff=
iciently, would be required. Consequently the energy saving, in private res=
idences, attributed to efficient light sources is an
illusion.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> With respect to our house built in 1942, and I woul=
d expect the same would apply to many houses that were not wired with CFL o=
r LED sources in mind, selecting either to replace incandescent bulbs would=
not make sense even if they would save energy.
When CFL spirals came out I bought one, read the cautions that came with i=
t (subtitled subliminally "How to burn your house down without ev=
en trying"), examined our fixtures and concluded that not one fixture =
in the house was suitable for CFL. So I tried it
in a table lamp, found it made my eyes ache and did not use it until,=
many years later, I needed a light while working in a dark corner.&nb=
sp; After a few minutes of use it tipped over and shattered in a very large=
number of sharp splinters; bulb working life <25
minutes.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> Late last year Efficiency NS featured a promotion f=
or LEDs; free bulbs or bulbs at a reduced cost over a period of about two m=
onths. So I bit and found the free bulbs had been available only for a day =
or so at select locations but reduced prices were
still in effect on some types at some locations. They were able to recomme=
nd the types of LED bulb which had a frequency profile similar to incandesc=
ent and had a list of outlets that sold LED bulbs, and a list of bulb types=
sold in NS but no list of locations
that sold any particular kind of bulb and could not understand why anyone =
would want that kind of information.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> Recently I bought an LED bulb when a bed lamp =
gave out and returned it without even screwing it into a socket; only the d=
istal end was transparent, so it would resemble a searchlight, it was very =
heavy and the strong holder that was recommended for
it had no switch. So convenient.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> LED bulbs make perfect sense outdoors, where any he=
at generated is truly wasted, and in flashlights. And I have three LED flas=
hlights. One had a life expectancy of 100,000 hours but the switch stopped =
working after ~5.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> From a personal point of view, I am 80 years old, s=
o why is an expensive bulb that is reputed to last 30 years such =
a bargain ? I have always been careful to have as small an energy foot=
print as possible. No air conditioning, no dryer, usually walked
to work etc. And I have records of power, gasoline and oil =
usage from 1967 onward (used wood as the major hear source since 1981; carb=
on neutral except for cutting and hauling). When we had a cottage at Sunken=
Lake, NS Power changed the meter twice in ~30
years because they were sure nobody would use so little power.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> If government really wanted to conserve energy then=
they could save a great deal with a few strokes of a pen. I use a truck mo=
stly to haul my firewood and typically put on about 1,000 km per year. But =
to renew the license costs me as much as it costs
someone who drives 100,000 km a year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> If the license fee were proportional to distance tr=
aveled then there would be a greater incentive to car-pool when possible an=
d a greater incentive to live closer to work or use transit; decreasin=
g not only gasoline consumption, but energy associated
with motor vehicle repairs and energy associated with wear and tear on hig=
hways and provision for high traffic volumes. Similar considerations apply =
to insurance. There is a slight reduction for vehicles driven less than 10,=
000 km per year but there would
be a real incentive to drive less if insurance cost were more pr=
oportional to distance driven (expected in the first year and in the p=
revious year subsequently). </div>
<div> </div>
<div> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville</div>
<div>----- Original Message ----- </div>
<blockquote style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PAD=
DING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=3D"ltr">
<div style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><b>=
From:</b>
<a title=3D"ideaphore@gmail.com" href=3D"mailto:ideaphore@gmail.com">Rick B=
allard</a>
</div>
<div style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title=3D"naturens@chebucto.ns=
.ca" href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">
NatureNS</a> </div>
<div style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 17, 2014 3=
:13 PM</div>
<div style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NatureNS] light</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div dir=3D"ltr">
<div style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif" class=3D"gmail_default">Until I r=
ead this article, I was completely unaware that CFL bulbs were "Mercur=
y filled". 8^O</div>
<div style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif" class=3D"gmail_default"><br>
</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 11:24 AM, David & Al=
ison Webster
<span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com" target=3D"_blan=
k">dwebster@glinx.com</a>></span> wrote:
<blockquote style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex=
; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class=3D"gmail_quote">
Dear All,<br>
Comment censored.<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1257496-brighton-light-bul=
b-switch-dim-example-of-%E2%80%98efficiency%E2%80%99" target=3D"_blank">htt=
p://thechronicleherald.ca/<u></u>business/1257496-brighton-<u></u>light-bul=
b-switch-dim-example-<u></u>of-%E2%80%98efficiency%E2%80%<u></u>99</a><br>
<br>
DW, Kentville<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br clear=3D"all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
<div><span style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif">Rick Ballard </span><br sty=
le=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif">
<span style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif">Dartmouth,Nova Scotia, Canada </=
span><br style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif">
<span style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: georgia,serif"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<a></a>
<p align=3D"left" color=3D"#000000" avgcert??=3D"">No virus found in this m=
essage.<br>
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com<br>
Version: 2015.0.5577 / Virus Database: 4253/8754 - Release Date: 12/17/14</=
p>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</body>
</html>
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