[LonelyPlanet]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have always been of the view that both tube lights and while light are for offices. A yellow tube (yes the exist) is more like Rs.100. Most of my CFLs give me 5+ years, and all but a handful of lights in my house are CFLs (almost all yellow).

None of my CFLs last more then a year. What brand of CFL do you use ?
I think that CFL are more market hype and are still dont provide vfm.
I moved to good old tubes long back for my core living areas.

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

You mean to say that you get yellow CFL's? Could you please let us know some brands?

I have a few of anchor brand yellow cfls. Technically it is 2700k which is the 'temperature' of the color. Typically these are not available in all stores. But they are available in certain shops which sell lighting. They are also available in threaded variety which can be used for certain lamps that need bulbs with threads. Typically due to lack of availability they might cost a little more say 140 instead of rs 120.

[vina]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Tube Light = Florescent
CFL = Fluorescent

They do not compete with each other.

We are supposed to be replacing incandescent (filament) lamps with CFL: it is supposed to be better for the environment and better for our electricity bills. Certainly, one gets a lot more light out of much lower wattage, but, as you've noticed, the original cost is high.

There are two kinds of CFL (Compact florescent). One has a large solid base, the other does not. The first kind will fit into any socket that did have a filament bulb in it.

The fluorescent tube requires a certain amount of electronics (choke, starter) as well as the tube itself. This circuitry is built into the base of the "legacy" CFL. The more compact, and much cheaper, non-legacy CFL lamp is made for a fitting which, like your tube-lamp fittings, already has the sundry electrics built in.

I'm not an expert, but I hope this helps.

I have a 5w CFL desk lamp. This is powered, with my computer, from my UPS. Unlike a 40w or 60w filament light, it is an almost insignificant extra load on the UPS, so it is the "emergency light" for the whole room.

Apart from this, we do use CFLs in fittings, as the filament ones die out.

...
~

Originally Posted by LonelyPlanet

None of my CFLs last more then a year. What brand of CFL do you use ?
I think that CFL are more market hype and are still dont provide vfm.
I moved to good old tubes long back for my core living areas.

CFLs (the ones that can be put into bulb holders directly) als have a choke and starter - except that the choke is an electronic choke that generates the high-voltage needed by switching circuits (tubelight generates it via the big solid copper coil).

The electronic choke works very well, but has a limited turn-on turn-off lifetime - if you put it in an area where that function is required it will not last very long.


That out of the way: most people I know did not have many bulbs in their houses even ten years ago - it was all tubelights (except in bathrooms etc.) Nowadays the marketing tells them CFL is better and so many have replaced tubelights with CFLs. I always thought it was harmless and cheap - but now I'm going to tell them to not fool themselves into wasting the cash.

In fact it is a BAD idea for environment and your pocket to put CFL even in a bathroom - given the infrequent usage, neither you save much in energy bills (and spend far more upfront) over even a decade, nor does the prsence of mercury (and other harmful stuff) in CFL help the environment.

For high-usage areas use tubelights, for low usage use bulbs and you'll be helping the environment as well as yourself.


PS: I'm not sure why the upfront cost is so insane, even the chips that go into the assembly are pretty cheap, and copper's prices being what they are, the old fashioned tubelight ballast can not be very cheap either.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by vina

For high-usage areas use tubelights, for low usage use bulbs and you'll be helping the environment as well as yourself.

The ecocrazies like Greenpeace keep trying to ban regular bulbs.
That's why I have never even donated a single rupee to Greenpeace though I have been approached so many times.

Other such ecocrazy groups caused the resurgence of Malaria in many parts of the world by getting DDT banned.

[gopalnayak]

Originally Posted by vina

My father suggested I buy a CFL in place of the bulb. I go to the shop and th CFL costs Rs. 140 for a 15W CFL lamp !

I mean a decent tubelight full assembly costs less than that, and replacement light costs Rs. 35, (and the occasional starter Rs. 10).

What is more, the quality of lighting (almost no shadows) is far better with tubelights than with CFL.

CFLs are energy efficient and drop-in replacements for incandescent bulbs. That is about it. They are not replacements for tubelights. If you are using tubelights, do not switch to CFLs. The good-old Tubelight is more efficient and more reliable compared to CFLs. Most CFLs give out about 50 lumens/watt whereas tubelights give out more than 80 lumens/watt. Average life of tubelights is about 3-4 times that of CFLs.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by gopalnayak

If you are using tubelights, do not switch to CFLs. The good-old Tubelight is more efficient and more reliable compared to CFLs.

Another thing I would like to add is do not chose the energy efficient tubelight. As far as I know, it's efficient only because it's 32W instead of the older fatter tubelight which was 40W. And because I fit a 32W tubelight, I had to put a CFL also in the same room because the 32 W tubelight isn't as bad as the 40 W one.

[Thad E Ginathom]

As people have said, it really is a mistake if people have got the idea to replace tube lights with CFL, because that was not ever the message.

The message was to replace incandescent (filament) with fluorescent which could be tube or CFL.

I guess I'm loosing touch with day-to-day stuff in UK, but I think that people there are now being forced to do that. The thing is that tube fittings were rarely used in living spaces, only in shops and offices, so there, people are being forced to buy CFL.

vina, thanks for filling in some gaps there

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by LonelyPlanet

None of my CFLs last more then a year. What brand of CFL do you use ?
I think that CFL are more market hype and are still dont provide vfm.
I moved to good old tubes long back for my core living areas.

agreed. this is across 3-4 different brands - even including a philips etc.

CFLs are so fail, its not funny IME

[vina]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

agreed. this is across 3-4 different brands - even including a philips etc.

CFLs are so fail, its not funny IME

Did you try them in areas where you do not turn them on/off much? The worst enemy of CFL is off/on cycle - if you turn it on and leave it, it may go on for several thousand hours without complaining, but on/off cycles load its high-0voltage capable electronics and they eventually give way.

Same thing happens in tubelights too - the starters give way - but you can replace a starter for Rs. 10 (Rs. 5 if the seller is your uncle).



In my Ghaziabad house there are CFLs in regular use in two rooms and in all bathrooms (father was sold on the advertising).

In one room it is switched on off may be three times a day. In the bathrooms may be 4-5 times a day. In the second room on the other hand it is turned on off over two dozen times a day.

The lifetime is - first room it has been 3 yrs since we put the first CFL, bathrooms - we did replace one, but mostly they do not give any problem at all. The second room - every few months we must replace.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

You mean to say that you get yellow CFL's? Could you please let us know some brands?

Normally you do not get them in normal electrical shops. I get mine from a light fitting vendor. They use to be Wolfram or GE but the last lot I bought is Wipro. These have a colour temperature of 2700K. They are available in all three fittings - bayonet, large screw, and small screw!

[carboy]

I have a question about Gas Stoves. My flat gets Mahanagar Piped Gas. I had a regular LPG stove which I got converted to make it work with the Piped Gas. Now something has gone with one of the burners & the guy who converted it a year back is asking for Rs.1200 to repair it.

I have a couple of questions
- Do regular gas mechanics repair converted stoves?
- Does any company manufacture stoves for PNG - i.e. I don't want to buy an LPG stove & get it converted again.

[sanagg1]

Originally Posted by carboy

I have a question about Gas Stoves. My flat gets Mahanagar Piped Gas. I had a regular LPG stove which I got converted to make it work with the Piped Gas. Now something has gone with one of the burners & the guy who converted it a year back is asking for Rs.1200 to repair it.

I have a couple of questions
- Do regular gas mechanics repair converted stoves?
- Does any company manufacture stoves for PNG - i.e. I don't want to buy an LPG stove & get it converted again.

How much did you pay for converting LPG stove to NG(Natural Gas) stove ?
Just to have an idea of what is happening to you.
IMHO the mechanic is duping you.

will elaborate after reaching a work station.

Cheers

[carboy]

Originally Posted by sanagg1

How much did you pay for converting LPG stove to NG(Natural Gas) stove ?
Just to have an idea of what is happening to you.
IMHO the mechanic is duping you.

will elaborate after reaching a work station.

Cheers

I think I paid 650 or 700 for the conversion.
My stove is a 3 burner & all three have automatic ignition (i.e. you don't have to light it with matches or lighter). The Mahanagar authorized gas mechanic said automatic ignition stoves cannot be converted & wanted me to buy a new one from him. This guy is a mechanic who used to visit my building - he said he can do it & did it.

[sgiitk]

Basically, PNG has a lower calorific value. So the nozzle(s) have to be slightly bigger. Should not cost more than the conversion in the first place.

[sanagg1]

@Carboy

To convert LPG stove into NG stove you just have to change the nozzle (brass nipple just after knob and before air intake manifold). as rightly pointed by @sgiit sir. Each nozzle should not cost you more than Rs.20/- each. If someone is having right tools it is a pretty simple DIY. Else go to any LPG gas stove mechanic for replacement. Carry a set of nozzle in case he doesn't have them.

Nothing else needs to be changed

Cheers

P.S Sorry for late reply i was in transit with sketchy connectivity.