A light bulb went off

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Just had a thought, a light bulb went off, literally, and I realized I hadn't put that on my list. Even if we do have electric, we may have a bulb shortage. I don't remember seeing this on a preparedness list and thought I would mention it.

-- Anonymous, December 12, 1999

Answers

Bob, THANK YOU for this! I hadn't thought of that, and I thought I'd anticipated anything even beyond reasonable. We even bought a 3rd surge protector, so to cover TV, Computer, and Refrigerator. So now, I have to add in light bulbs on the Excel Prep Worksheet!!!! (Watts Next...??)

-- Anonymous, December 12, 1999

We went out and bought about 15 of the 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs to run off the inverter (or the grid if it is up). They screw into a regular light socket, in the ceiling or in a lamp.

These bulbs not only provide a nicer color light, and use far less power, but last 10 times as long as regular bulbs as well.

They cost a fair amount more, but I think they are a good prep investment.

- Jon

-- Anonymous, December 13, 1999


According to tests by Consumer Reports, Sylvania, GE, and Philips' compact fluorescent lamps all do last 8 - 10 times longer than the ol' incandescents. But not, repeat not, the "Lights of America" brand, which happens to be widely available and less expensive (in WA/OR). Costco sells cheap Sylvania. FYI.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 1999

Like you Jon, I went out and bought a number of the expensive fluorescent bulbs thinking I would save on watts use. I read recently that these bulbs are more prone to failure if there is unreliable power as in surges or brownouts.

If this is true, then I think I should replace these fluorescent bulbs with inexpensive regular light bulbs. I do have a lot of regular light bulbs stocked.

Can anyone give some advice here? Are the fluorescents more prone to failure during periods of unreliable power?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 1999


Interesting question, Brenda. I'll poke around with some of my contacts at Phillips Lighting and see what I can find out.....

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999


I can give you some first hand experience. I bought two expensive flourescent lights, and put them in a fixture that has multiple lights, like a vanity (it's in the kitchen though). I've been dimming these lights every night as a night light. Did the same with the flourescents, and none of the others. The next day they were both dead. I decided it was from using low current. They just can't hack it. Flourescents actually are a form of neon, I believe, using mercury to give them the white light. As I recall from my neon sculpture class, there is a certain voltage requirement for lighting neon, and if not maintained, the tubes will be damaged.

I'm hoping to be off-grid by the first, so I've been putting in fluorescents to minimize power needs. (John is planning to come from Arizona to help me on December 27. Yikes! What if we can't get some parts we need, or something else happens. I'm going to try to do as much of the installation as possible ahead of time, with phone consultations. But I can't help thinking of being a non-pilot landing an airplane using instructions from the control tower. Sigh...) Have any of you had to accept that you're not going to get everything done that you hoped you would? I keep thinking of all the organizations performing triage, and am trying to decide what my priorities are for the limited funds I will be receiving in the time remaining.

Victoria

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999


Victoria,

The priorities are: Shelter, Water, Heat, Food. Everything else is a luxury. Of course, after the rollover if you still have electricity go ahead and use it, why not?

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999


Hi Rick,

The main purpose of going solar is to pump water. Any electricity for home use is icing on the cake. Unfortunately, though I have some wood stoves, I don't think I'll get one installed before rollover. I do have some propane heaters I bought for inside, but then read not to use them inside. Any experience on that? I also have an outside wood heater that will double as a cooking source, and propane stove. I have a lot of down comforters, and haven't yet had the heat on this fall. It's been a bit nippy, though I live in San Diego foothills. It's been below freezing outside most of this week.

Victoria

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999


Victoria,

You said,"I'm hoping to be off-grid by the first, so I've been putting in fluorescents to minimize power needs."

This is the reason I put the fluorescent bulbs in around the house. I wanted to minimize power needs because I plan on using a generator. If, however, you said the fluorescents can't stand fluctuations in power wouldn't it be risky to use them with a generator? When not using the generator, if Edison doesn't give me stable power wouldn't they blow?

I'd really appreciate an answer here if someone has one. I'd hate to blow these bulbs as they cost around $10 a piece. Perhaps I should use low wattage regular bulbs. Comments?

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999


Brenda,

I haven't bought any flourescents in years, and I don't know how they are currently constructed. However, about 20 years ago I lived in Thailand where we had very unreliable power. We had florescents, old style, with separate 'starters'. They would stay brightly lit throughout the voltage fluctuations, where the incadescents really showed the power drops. However, after a period of time the flourescents, if they couldn't maintain their light and the power continued to go down, would suddenly go out, not gradually fade.

They could not be restarted until the current/voltage came back up. The incadescents would glow dimly and were of little use during the low power times, except to keep you from stumbling in the dark.

These power fluctuations took a big toll on the 'starters' which were replacable, little round aluminum cans similar in size to a 9v battery only round, and with two contacts on top. The problems took a toll on the bulbs and the 'starters' so we kept a supply of both. But they lasted longer than the incadescents and were much cheaper to run.

I don't know how they build them now, but the old style ones took a while ( a second or two) to warm up before they would light. The new flourescents seem to be different, without the warm up time and perhaps without the 'starters' but the old ones generally did quite well through the fluctuations.

Perhaps there is an electrician on this site who knows more about what I am talking about than I do. It is not my field, and I can only speak from personal experience.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1999



My knowledge of electricity can fit on my thumbnail with room left over, but I do remember that you're not supposed to use fluorescents with dimmers.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 1999

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