Re: GBlist: Compact Fluorescent Residential Fixtures?

["peter carlin" <peter_carlin@hotmail.com>]

I recently purchased my first CFL in a number of years.  It is a 20W 
Phillips Marathon/Universal SLS/20.  It has a CRI of 82, 1200 lumens and a 
CCT of 2700K.  I am using it over my desk.  My opinion is the light is too 
"green", and I'm wondering if this is the CRI or CCT?  Or could it be the 
shade (the fixture was designed for incandescent)?

I'm considering purchasing a number of surface mount fixtures (e.g. the main 
kitchen light) and looking for opinions on F32T8 bulbs.  Based on the NLPIP 
website (www.lrc.rpi.edu) reports, I'm leaning towards Phillips.  Does 
anyone have experience with Phillips F32T8/ADV830 bulbs?  With F32T8/TL930 
bulbs?  The latter have CRIs of 95, but the lumens/watt is down around 35 
(instead of incandescent 15 or normal fluorescent of about 70).

I really wish there was a store in my area that had high quality fluorescent 
bulbs on display so I could compare.  Home depot, even specialty lighting 
stores, just have old F40T12 4100k, CRI70 lamps, which needless to say look 
awful.

Peter


From: David Bergman <bergman@cyberg.com>
To: greenbuilding@crest.org
Subject: Re: GBlist: Compact Fluorescent Residential Fixtures?
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:00:55 -0500

deb lombard wrote:
>I personally don't like the color of light that comes
>out of a CFL. I will always use Chromalux Full
>Spectrum in my home light fixtures and only have one
>light on at a time.
>
>Debra Lombard

That gets into a whole other (and highly subjective) debate about light
color. There are, for instance, fluorescent bulbs with a "better" spectrum
than some incandescents. And true daylight  -- a.k.a. full spectrum --
looks surprisingly cold, especially when compared to incandescents.

Also, I think SAD lightsources use full spectrum fluorescents, but those
are tubular fluorescent, not CFL.

The approach I try to use is diffusing the light through a shade, usually a
shade which warms up the color. and hides the glare of the bulb which tends
to be a bit harsh.



David Bergman
David Bergman Architect/Fire & Water Lighting + Furniture
bergman@cyberg.com    http://www.cyberg.com
t 212 475 3106    f 212 677 7291

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