Couple of questions about energy saving bulbs.
 

To my utter amazement, I actually found one that is as bright as it
claims it is, comes on instantly, and has a form factor suitable to
replace SOME incandescents.

My questions are

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
To my utter amazement, I actually found one that is as bright as it
claims it is, comes on instantly, and has a form factor suitable to
replace SOME incandescents.

My questions are

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?

Yes, but not in the UK. It seems there is no market.

- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?

I used to buy them when I saw them on special offer, but
seem to have built up a small stockpile so have stopped
doing so for the time being since none of mine have died
now for some years (and I'm pretty much all energy saving
lamps everywhere for last 15 years or more).

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
To my utter amazement, I actually found one that is as bright as it
claims it is, comes on instantly, and has a form factor suitable to
replace SOME incandescents.

My questions are

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?

Yes, but not in the UK. It seems there is no market.

- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?

I used to buy them when I saw them on special offer, but
seem to have built up a small stockpile so have stopped
doing so for the time being since none of mine have died
now for some years (and I'm pretty much all energy saving
lamps everywhere for last 15 years or more).


I, too eagerly await 240 volt dimmable CFLs - the only mention of them
online appears to be accross the pond.

B and Q seem to be quite competitive for mini spirals at £2.99-ish

Jeremy

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?

I bought a couple of bulbs through SWEB a couple of years ago that would
operate on two settings. Turn on and it works normally (18w?). Turn it
off-and-on again and it operates on half power.
Ideal on the landing where the children demand a light on all night.

Colin

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:

To my utter amazement, I actually found one that is as bright as it
claims it is, comes on instantly, and has a form factor suitable to
replace SOME incandescents.

My questions are

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?


Yes, but not in the UK. It seems there is no market.

How odd...



- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


I used to buy them when I saw them on special offer, but
seem to have built up a small stockpile so have stopped
doing so for the time being since none of mine have died
now for some years (and I'm pretty much all energy saving
lamps everywhere for last 15 years or more).


Mmm. What's a good price for generic BC 40W and 60W incandescent
replacements for candle and standard respectively?

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
To my utter amazement, I actually found one that is as bright as it
claims it is, comes on instantly, and has a form factor suitable to
replace SOME incandescents.

My questions are

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?

Yes, but not in the UK. It seems there is no market.

There is a market. What there isn't at the moment is a control IC that can
handle the more complex voltage pulses from most dimmers. I believe
STMicroelectronics have a 230volt version in development.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

Really a switchbank is a much better solution than dimmers though, it
might be better to fit one of them.

What do they do? Fit 2 (or more if you want) bulbs in 2 skts, switched
by a 2gang switch, and you have 3 light levels. 3 bulbs gives... a lot.
Lights should be fitted this way from new: retrofitting means running
an extra core, sometims easy, often not.


You can also dim cfls if you open them up, or for the unusually
determined, you can use a variac to dim them.

The good news is theyre such low on power that mechanical shading is
also an option.


NT

wrote in message
ups.com...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

SNIP

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking 4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how to
tweak it ....

is there any mileage in over-volting fluorescents ?

Jeremy

"brugnospamsia" wrote in message
. uk...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

SNIP

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

You need to change the mark/space ratio of the tube drive. Best bet for
this is to get one of the higher end ones (e.g. the ones that turn on slowly
or those with a dusk light incorporated) as these often have a common micro
inside that can be replaced with your own code.



The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking 4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how to
tweak it ....

is there any mileage in over-volting fluorescents ?

Probably only a little before burn occurs. Why not just get a slightly
bigger one ?

"Mike" wrote in message
...

"brugnospamsia" wrote in message
. uk...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

SNIP

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

You need to change the mark/space ratio of the tube drive. Best bet for
this is to get one of the higher end ones (e.g. the ones that turn on
slowly
or those with a dusk light incorporated) as these often have a common
micro
inside that can be replaced with your own code.


.... or maybe change the timing components in the cruder type of ballasts ?



The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking 4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how to
tweak it ....


I think what I was getting at is :- do different designs of tube have
different impedance characteristics ?

Thinking about it, the T8 linear tube my invertor was driving is quite
different in terms of diameter and length.

I will today be ordering a Maplin twin 8 watt camping light in the hope that
it will drive one 9 watt mini-spiral correctly.

failing this I will have to deal with my phobia of winding inductors .

Jeremy

brugnospamsia wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

SNIP

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking
4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how
to
tweak it ....

then either its not being supplied with the needed v and i, or its
faulty. Why not use a 12v cfl?


is there any mileage in over-volting fluorescents ?

yes lots, but you cant do it by overvolting, you need to change the
ballast. Sci.egngr.lighting will tell you how to put 2x or 4x rated
power through fls.

Cfls have less room for boosting, but still some. Note efficiency
falls, so 2x power gives say 1.5x output, not 2x.


NT

wrote in message
oups.com...
brugnospamsia wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

- are there any e-savers that will work with dimmers?
- what's a good place to buy good ones online - ScrewFux?


There are ways to dim standard cfls, but they dont involve standard
dimmers.

SNIP

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking
4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how
to
tweak it ....

then either its not being supplied with the needed v and i, or its
faulty. Why not use a 12v cfl?

I only decided to give it a go when I saw how compact mini-spirals were -
and even then I've removed the ballast and made it even shorter.



is there any mileage in over-volting fluorescents ?

yes lots, but you cant do it by overvolting, you need to change the
ballast. Sci.egngr.lighting will tell you how to put 2x or 4x rated
power through fls.

Cfls have less room for boosting, but still some. Note efficiency
falls, so 2x power gives say 1.5x output, not 2x.


NT

"brugnospamsia" wrote in message
. uk...

You can also dim cfls if you open them up,

please illuminate us :-)

You need to change the mark/space ratio of the tube drive. Best bet
for
this is to get one of the higher end ones (e.g. the ones that turn on
slowly
or those with a dusk light incorporated) as these often have a common
micro
inside that can be replaced with your own code.


... or maybe change the timing components in the cruder type of ballasts ?

Unfortunately in the usual IR simple 2 power MOSFET design, it will still
tend to keep mark/space ratio the same.


The 9 watt lamp I just fitted to my pushbike is currently only taking
4
watts on the camping light invertor and I'm trying to understand how
to
tweak it ....

I think what I was getting at is :- do different designs of tube have
different impedance characteristics ?

Yes. In fact thinking about what you are after one of the r.f. energised
tubes may be your best bet.


I will today be ordering a Maplin twin 8 watt camping light in the hope
that
it will drive one 9 watt mini-spiral correctly.

May be too low a frequency for your light to run optimally


failing this I will have to deal with my phobia of winding inductors .

You can buy them already wound. Several good Chinese and Japanese makes.