[Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Dale Putnam]

For those looking at CFLs or LEDs in the shack, and presuming that is where you 
built, very close attention must be given to
the color and intensity of the light emitter. Especially if you are working 
with hole through color coded components, like resistors.
The perceived color of the bands/dots may NOT be exactly what was intended, NOR 
what will be percieved when re-examined under direct sunlight. Direct sunlight 
is tuff to come by after sundown and prior to dawn, and with the longer hours 
of winter darkness coming, look hard and long at the different light emitters. 

a simple word to the builder, from the... now a bit wiser.  

Have a great day, 
 
 
--...   ...--
Dale - WC7S in Wy
 
 
  
__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Phil Kane]

On 9/27/2015 11:51 AM, Dale Putnam wrote:

> For those looking at CFLs or LEDs in the shack, and presuming that is
> where you built, very close attention must be given to the color and
> intensity of the light emitter.

I took a page from my wife's avocation -- art -- and use
daylight-color-corrected lamps for everything but mood lighting., even
for the extension-arm lighted magnifier and hand-held  magnifiers that I
use for inspecting radio parts and boards.  Prices for those devices
have come down greatly over the last few years.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

>From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Jim Sheldon]

I bought all my LED's from a number of different sources and they are assorted 
brands.  The only thing i looked for was color temp and they had to be 
"dimmable".   After I swapped all the CFL's and tubes out, my background noise 
dropped by around a half S unit.  

I then killed all the lights in the house and the noise floor stayed the same.  
To check for sure, I put a rubber duck antenna on my KX3 set it to AM, 6 meters 
and turned all the lights on.  Even with the antenna right on each bulb, I 
didn't see any significant change in the background noise.  

My closest neighbor had all CFL's and I could take the KX3 near his house when 
he had his lights on.  S7 noise on 10 and 6.  After he had a CFL catch fire, he 
bit the bullet and went all LED. Now, as long as the power company keeps the 
trees out of the lines and the insulators clean, my noise floor runs pretty 
much right at whatever atmospheric background is. 

I don't know what type of LED bulbs my neighbor got but they are quiet.

Jim, W0EB

 

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 27, 2015, at 8:59 PM, Phil Hystad  wrote:
> 
> My house is filled with some cheap LED lights — there are four in the ham 
> shack alone.  Never have I had any EMI issues from these lamps.  By cheap, I 
> mean the lower cost LED lights from Home Depot.  I don’t really go out of my 
> way to get the cheapest things I own — after all, I have a full K-Line and 
> KX3.
> 
> 73, phil, K7PEH
__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Matthew Cook]

You should find that many of these lamps will have a little known value
written on the side of the box that will help you decide.  The ]Colour
Rendering Index (CRI) of these lamps will tell you how faithfully they will
reproduce all colours of the spectrum.  If you find a lamp without this
information on the side of the box, then be careful and perhaps don't buy
it.

A CRI of greater than 90% (0.9) with a colour temp between 3000-4000 will
be adequate for the shack and reading of resistors and colour codes.  It
turns out that brown and deep reds are very difficult colour to faithfully
reproduce from blue rich white light, which isn't a new phenomenon since
long arc fluorescent, CFL and LED all derive white light the same way.  For
reference low pressure and high pressure metal halides have a CRI of 100%
which is why you find them used in art museums, ditto tungsten et al.

However pay careful attention to noise from these more modern lamps, the
EMI from some cheap and nasty LED/CFL lamps is just hideous.  We all want
to preserve the noise floor for our Elecraft RX's, just to keep this on
topic.

73

Matthew
VK5ZM


On 28 September 2015 at 04:21, Dale Putnam  wrote:

> For those looking at CFLs or LEDs in the shack, and presuming that is
> where you built, very close attention must be given to
> the color and intensity of the light emitter. Especially if you are
> working with hole through color coded components, like resistors.
> The perceived color of the bands/dots may NOT be exactly what was
> intended, NOR what will be percieved when re-examined under direct
> sunlight. Direct sunlight is tuff to come by after sundown and prior to
> dawn, and with the longer hours of winter darkness coming, look hard and
> long at the different light emitters.
>
> a simple word to the builder, from the... now a bit wiser.
>
> Have a great day,
>
>
> --...   ...--
> Dale - WC7S in Wy
>
>
>
> __
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to vk...@bistre.net
>
__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Phil Hystad]

My house is filled with some cheap LED lights — there are four in the ham shack 
alone.  Never have I had any EMI issues from these lamps.  By cheap, I mean the 
lower cost LED lights from Home Depot.  I don’t really go out of my way to get 
the cheapest things I own — after all, I have a full K-Line and KX3.

73, phil, K7PEH


> On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:05 PM, Al Gulseth  wrote:
> 
> On that subject, does anyone know of any tests for which brands of lamps 
> (LED, 
> I don't use CFLs!) are better for low EMI? As noted it would seem that the 
> name brand units would be better in this regard, but maybe not?
> 
> 73, Al
> 
> On Sun September 27 2015 6:42:19 pm Matthew Cook wrote:
>> 
>> However pay careful attention to noise from these more modern lamps, the
>> EMI from some cheap and nasty LED/CFL lamps is just hideous.  We all want
>> to preserve the noise floor for our Elecraft RX's, just to keep this on
>> topic.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Matthew
>> VK5ZM
> __
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to phys...@mac.com

__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's - LEDs - Solar

[Al Gulseth]

On that subject, does anyone know of any tests for which brands of lamps (LED, 
I don't use CFLs!) are better for low EMI? As noted it would seem that the 
name brand units would be better in this regard, but maybe not?

73, Al

On Sun September 27 2015 6:42:19 pm Matthew Cook wrote:
>
> However pay careful attention to noise from these more modern lamps, the
> EMI from some cheap and nasty LED/CFL lamps is just hideous.  We all want
> to preserve the noise floor for our Elecraft RX's, just to keep this on
> topic.
>
> 73
>
> Matthew
> VK5ZM
__
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com

[Elecraft] CFL's

[Jeremiah McCarthy]

The CFL that failed for me was a 22 watt GE, was made in China, and was not in 
a hooded desk lamp...It was in a table lamp with a12 inch open-top fabric 
lampshade sitting on a living room end table...I was not putting CFL's down, I 
was trying to warn folks to keep an eye on them for signs of over-heating...I 
have been using them for at least 10 years and will continue to do so, but one 
thing is for sure, I no longer leave a CFL burning when I am away from home 
overnight...It will be an incandescent for as long as I can get them...They are 
trying to outlaw incandescents in NY now...

Again, these bulbs contain mercury and it is illegal in NY to dispose of them 
in the regular trash...We have to deliver them to the hazardous waste material 
facility where we also have to deliver computers, printers, TV's, etc...There 
is no curb pick-up for these items...

Jerry, wa2dkg

Message: 27
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 09:43:19 -0700
From: Ron D'Eau Claire [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] smoke test
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.netmailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Jim gave you an excellent analysis of what happened to your CFL. That
fixture might have contributed to the failure, and I'd be suspicious of it
unless that CFL is several years old or it was a very cheap bargain brand.


Here's why. The ballast circuit in the base produces some heat. It's not a
huge amount, but enough to make it very warm. It needs cooling, especially
in fixtures that have a reflector above the lamp to direct the light
downward, such as onto your desk. If it doesn't have enough holes at the top
part of the fixture to let lots of air pass around the lamp and the ballast
in its base, then out through the ventilation holes, you'll shorten the life
of the CFL. 

I believe the life span of the CFL is related to price too. My evidence is
purely anecdotal, but strong enough that I avoid the cheap bargain CFLs.
I've been using GE CFLs for several years after some lower priced CFLs
failed after only a few months of service. I use all sizes from 40-watt
(equivalent) 'warm light' CFLs for reading lights to big ones equivalent to
100 watt 'daylight' (5800K) lights on the work bench. I haven't changed a
single CFL in years. The 100 watt CFLs are in swing-arm fixtures with
cone-shaped reflectors that have a ring of holes around the switch at the
back of the socket that lets air pass by easily. Although the CFL itself
gets too hot to hold onto after extended use, the metal reflectors get just
slightly warm to the touch and I've experienced no failures yet. 

I have also observed the RFI generated by both bargain and the GE bulbs.
There's a huge difference, at least with the bargain CFLs I've used. The RFI
from a bargain CFL anywhere in the shack would be plainly audible across at
least part of the HF spectrum, but I have to hook a wire to the rig antenna
jack and put it quite close to the GE CFLs to hear any noise at all.

I'm not making claims that the GE CFLs are superior to all others. It just
happens that after I had RFI issues with some cheap no-name units that also
failed quite early, I did a little research and went looking for a better
brand. The GEs happen to be the brand I picked up and I've had no need to
replace one since.

Ron AC7AC

___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's

[Ralph Tyrrell]

I am the one that started this thread, altho the subject line has changed. It 
is wonderful to have OT subjects that all can learn from.

Thanks to all that responed. I have learned much and now have even more 
concerns about CFLs. 

On the the next step, Where can I buy (or build) an LED desk lamp that I can 
pulg into a spare APP (Anderson Power Pole) connection on my Rig Runner. That 
will complete my emergency power setup. (Until I decide to put up solar panels.)

73, Ty, W1TF


 As I sit at my computer the radio desk is to my back. I
 heard a burst of static behind me. That was odd since no
 radios were on.  The only thing on at the radio desk was the
 desk lamp and a power supply that keeps the batteries
 charged. Both are plugged into a strip that switches power
 to them.
 
 I went over to the radio desk and looked at my
 equipment, both off. Still puzzled I turned on the 2m rig,
 all normal. Then I turned on the K3. All normal. I turned
 them off again. The K1 sits by, not connected to anything at
 this time.
 
 Still puzzled  I sat there wondering if something had
 happened to my battery bank or one of the batteries.  I have
 three 26AH batteries in parallel. Each battery is fused
 before to goes to a fused buss.
 
 Then my nose began to notice the smell we all dread.
 Something electrical was over heated.  Still I did not
 noticed a symptom I should have noticed earlier, the desk
 lamp was off. I touched the top of the lamp and it was very
 hot.  The bulb, a 13 Watt Florissant had failed. The ceramic
 base was too hot to touch. 
 
 How often do Florissant bulbs fail this way?
 
 I had the feeling that if I were not there a fire may
 have started.
 
 73, Ty, W1TF, K3/100 #696, K1 #1423



  
___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's

[Jim Miller]

If you want to have the use of any 110v lamp:

I gave up on trying to buy all the special and separate chargers and
everything for 12 volt.  What I do now, and it works for everything, is to
use a power inverter in the car, truck, and on the bench for a few small
things.  When you get your cell phone, HT, laptop, or whatever, you get a
110v volt recharging device.  With the inverter, you are set.  One of the
inverters I have is probably about 15 years old and has been mobile most of
the time (and looks it), kicked around, abused (physically) and it still
works great (hard to tell what color it WAS).

When I go mobile to an event in radio support, I usually take an additional
battery and use it separate from the vehicle to run the radios until it
needs recharging and then jump them together (through a long 18 ga wire to
add some resistance during the initial recharging to limit recharge current
and protect the wiring) and start the car .  Another plus is that you can
take a REAL 110v trouble light instead of a flashlight.

If you want to put a lamp on the desk, get an inverter and use ANY 110v lamp
(but put in a more sensible bulb than 100w) remembering your power usage is
now multiplied by ~10.  100w on 110 volts ~1 amp, 100w on 12 volts ~10 amps
from the battery.  Just get a 15w bulb or so.

Yes there is some power loss in the inverter but it is minimal compared to
the load, just be reasonable with the load.

That's it IMHO,
de Jim KG0KP

- Original Message - 
From: Ralph Tyrrell [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CFL's


 I am the one that started this thread, altho the subject line has changed.
It is wonderful to have OT subjects that all can learn from.

 Thanks to all that responed. I have learned much and now have even more
concerns about CFLs.

 On the the next step, Where can I buy (or build) an LED desk lamp that I
can pulg into a spare APP (Anderson Power Pole) connection on my Rig Runner.
That will complete my emergency power setup. (Until I decide to put up solar
panels.)

 73, Ty, W1TF


  As I sit at my computer the radio desk is to my back. I
  heard a burst of static behind me. That was odd since no
  radios were on.  The only thing on at the radio desk was the
  desk lamp and a power supply that keeps the batteries
  charged. Both are plugged into a strip that switches power
  to them.
 
  I went over to the radio desk and looked at my
  equipment, both off. Still puzzled I turned on the 2m rig,
  all normal. Then I turned on the K3. All normal. I turned
  them off again. The K1 sits by, not connected to anything at
  this time.
 
  Still puzzled  I sat there wondering if something had
  happened to my battery bank or one of the batteries.  I have
  three 26AH batteries in parallel. Each battery is fused
  before to goes to a fused buss.
 
  Then my nose began to notice the smell we all dread.
  Something electrical was over heated.  Still I did not
  noticed a symptom I should have noticed earlier, the desk
  lamp was off. I touched the top of the lamp and it was very
  hot.  The bulb, a 13 Watt Florissant had failed. The ceramic
  base was too hot to touch.
 
  How often do Florissant bulbs fail this way?
 
  I had the feeling that if I were not there a fire may
  have started.
 
  73, Ty, W1TF, K3/100 #696, K1 #1423




 ___
 Elecraft mailing list
 Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
 You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
 Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

 Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
 Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com


___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

RE: [Elecraft] CFL's

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Of course virtually everything we use today, especially complex, high-tech
stuff, comes from China. Fortunately, Elecraft is a welcome exception
(although I wouldn't suggest studying all the individual components inside
too closely if one doesn't like Asian parts ;-)
 
You bring up an excellent point about leaving any electrical device running
unattended. About a year ago I had the air circulating fan on a wood stove
literally burst into flames without warning. Shorted turns no doubt. Of
course that was in a pretty fire-safe location since it was attached to the
stove sitting in the masonry alcove, but the smoke would have been noxious
and damaging had we not been there to disconnect it and suppress the fire
immediately. 
 
The ham shack and  work bench are completely shut down when I'm away. 
 
In the USA, the Underwriter's Labs (UL) rates CFL bulbs for safety even
under the end-of-life conditions where  the base overheats and the
resistor-fuse burns open. Not all bulbs are UL approved though and that only
says the base shouldn't fail when the smoke pours forth. 
 
About a year ago, the Canadian Electrical Safety Authority issued an alert
about using CFLs that recommended they be replaced the moment any sign of
malfunction appears: flickering, smelling hot, discolored base, etc. 
 
 http://www.esasafe.com/pdf/Safety_Alerts/07-03-AL.pdf
http://www.esasafe.com/pdf/Safety_Alerts/07-03-AL.pdf 
 
That's contrary to our long experience with ignoring a lamp until it fails
and goes dark. Of course, that's been the case with fluorescent lamps for
the last 50 years or so, but the smoke and noxious fumes (sometimes coupled
with hot-dripping tar) usually came from overhead fixtures in offices and
shops when the ballast transformer failed. It's a little different when it
happens in our living room lamp (even without the hot tar ;-). 
 
The long fluorescent tubes also require special handling when they must be
disposed of. That's true of most batteries too. The 5 mg of mercury in a
typical CFL or even smaller amount in a dry cell is hardly a danger to us
if we break one, but the aggregate of millions of them landing in landfills
can produce a toxic mess. 
 
Some options to the normal recycling center drop-off for many cities can be
found here:
 
http://earth911.org/
 
www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling
 
Many stores who sell new lamps will take dead CFLs for recycling, just like
they do the long tubes. 
 
Like you, I'll continue to use them, but do so only in places where I can
see what's going on. 
 
Hopefully, LED types will not have such worrisome failure mechanisms. 
 
Ron AC7AC
 
 
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeremiah McCarthy
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 5:21 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] CFL's



The CFL that failed for me was a 22 watt GE, was made in China, and was not
in a hooded desk lamp...It was in a table lamp with a12 inch open-top fabric
lampshade sitting on a living room end table...I was not putting CFL's down,
I was trying to warn folks to keep an eye on them for signs of
over-heating...I have been using them for at least 10 years and will
continue to do so, but one thing is for sure, I no longer leave a CFL
burning when I am away from home overnight...It will be an incandescent for
as long as I can get them...They are trying to outlaw incandescents in NY
now...
 
Again, these bulbs contain mercury and it is illegal in NY to dispose of
them in the regular trash...We have to deliver them to the hazardous waste
material facility where we also have to deliver computers, printers, TV's,
etc...There is no curb pick-up for these items...
 
Jerry, wa2dkg
 
 

___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's[END of Thread]

[Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft]

Interesting OT thread, but time to let it rest in the interest in 
keeping list volume under control :-)

73, Eric  WA6HHQ

_..._



Jeremiah McCarthy wrote:
The CFL that failed for me was a 22 watt GE, was made in China, and 
was not in a hooded desk lamp..

___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft


Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's

[Peter N Spotts]

Ralph Tyrrell wrote:

I am the one that started this thread, altho the subject line has changed. It 
is wonderful to have OT subjects that all can learn from.

Thanks to all that responed. I have learned much and now have even more concerns about CFLs. 


On the the next step, Where can I buy (or build) an LED desk lamp that I can 
pulg into a spare APP (Anderson Power Pole) connection on my Rig Runner. That 
will complete my emergency power setup. (Until I decide to put up solar panels.)

73, Ty, W1TF
  
Check out Ikea, if you have one near by. They've got a great selection 
of white-LED lamps.


Pete

--
Peter N. Spotts -- KC1JB
http://www.kc1jb.net (under construction)
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
QRP-ARCI # 4174 | North American QRP CW Club # 2446
Flying Pigs QRP Club Int'l # 1983
W5JH Black Widow paddle #601


___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft


Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[Elecraft] CFL's

[Jeremiah McCarthy]

I had this same experience in a living room lamp...I feel that we came close to 
having a fire because the lamp socket was too hot to touch...The white base of 
the bulb is not ceramic, it is plastic and is hollow, containing a number of 
electronic components...In my case, the white base was cooked to a light brown, 
was cracked, and it collapsed when I tried to unscrew it...The PCB inside was 
burned to a crisp...This bulb bore the name and logo of a bed-rock American 
company and was made in China...It would seem that the hype selling these bulbs 
to rhe public should include a warning about allowing the bulb, which runs 
relatively cool, to be too close to flammable objects, such as lampshades...

Jerry, wa2dkg

Message: 7
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2008 21:23:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ralph Tyrrell [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Elecraft] smoke test
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.netmailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

As I sit at my computer the radio desk is to my back. I heard a burst of static 
behind me. That was odd since no radios were on.  The only thing on at the 
radio desk was the desk lamp and a power supply that keeps the batteries 
charged. Both are plugged into a strip that switches power to them.

I went over to the radio desk and looked at my equipment, both off. Still 
puzzled I turned on the 2m rig, all normal. Then I turned on the K3. All 
normal. I turned them off again. The K1 sits by, not connected to anything at 
this time.

Still puzzled  I sat there wondering if something had happened to my battery 
bank or one of the batteries.  I have three 26AH batteries in parallel. Each 
battery is fused before to goes to a fused buss.

Then my nose began to notice the smell we all dread. Something electrical was 
over heated.  Still I did not noticed a symptom I should have noticed earlier, 
the desk lamp was off. I touched the top of the lamp and it was very hot.  The 
bulb, a 13 Watt Florissant had failed. The ceramic base was too hot to touch. 

How often do Florissant bulbs fail this way?

I had the feeling that if I were not there a fire may have started.

73, Ty, W1TF, K3 #696, K1 #1423
___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's

[Jeremiah McCarthy]

Not  just California John, the entire nation...They've got a BIG push on to 
sell these screwy looking spirals here in NY...They do save energy, but they 
are also dangerous and they don't want us to know that...I reported it to the 
local fire marshall and he came and picked up the rest of my bulbs for 
testing...That was a year ago and is the last I heard of it...These bulbs 
contain mercury and it is illigal to dispose of them in the regular trash, you 
have to take them to a hazardous materials disposal center...

Jerry, wa2dkg
  - Original Message - 
  From: n4dspmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: Jeremiah McCarthymailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2008 9:29 AM
  Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CFL's



Are we speaking of the new Green lights that the liberals from California 
are pushing onto us?

john

I had this same experience in a living room lamp...I feel that we came 
close to having a fire because the lamp socket was too hot to touch...The white 
base of the bulb is not ceramic, it is plastic and is hollow, containing a 
number of electronic components...In my case, the white base was cooked to a 
light brown, was cracked, and it collapsed when I tried to unscrew it...The PCB 
inside was burned to a crisp...This bulb bore the name and logo of a bed-rock 
American company and was made in China...It would seem that the hype selling 
these bulbs to rhe public should include a warning about allowing the bulb, 
which runs relatively cool, to be too close to flammable objects, such as 
lampshades...

Jerry, wa2dkg

Message: 7
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2008 21:23:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ralph Tyrrell [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Elecraft] smoke test
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.netmailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

As I sit at my computer the radio desk is to my back. I heard a burst of 
static behind me. That was odd since no radios were on.  The only thing on at 
the radio desk was the desk lamp and a power supply that keeps the batteries 
charged. Both are plugged into a strip that switches power to them.

I went over to the radio desk and looked at my equipment, both off. Still 
puzzled I turned on the 2m rig, all normal. Then I turned on the K3. All 
normal. I turned them off again. The K1 sits by, not connected to anything at 
this time.

Still puzzled  I sat there wondering if something had happened to my 
battery bank or one of the batteries.  I have three 26AH batteries in parallel. 
Each battery is fused before to goes to a fused buss.

Then my nose began to notice the smell we all dread. Something electrical 
was over heated.  Still I did not noticed a symptom I should have noticed 
earlier, the desk lamp was off. I touched the top of the lamp and it was very 
hot.  The bulb, a 13 Watt Florissant had failed. The ceramic base was too hot 
to touch. 

How often do Florissant bulbs fail this way?

I had the feeling that if I were not there a fire may have started.

73, Ty, W1TF, K3 #696, K1 #1423






___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Re: [Elecraft] CFL's

[David Woolley (E.L)]

Jeremiah McCarthy wrote:


Not  just California John, the entire nation...They've got a BIG push on 
to sell these screwy looking spirals here in NY...They do save energy, 


I think they are actually on their way out, in favour of LED based 
lamps.  LEDs are already replacing them in commercial applications.

LED's also use switching ballasts.

--
David Woolley
Emails are not formal business letters, whatever businesses may want.
RFC1855 says there should be an address here, but, in a world of spam,
that is no longer good advice, as archive address hiding may not work.

--
David Woolley
The Elecraft list is a forum for the discussion of topics related to 
Elecraft products and more general topics related ham radio

List Guidelines http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_list_guidelines.htm
___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft


Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com