The lighting that I've always liked is that on a vintage train -- the lights that look like they're lit with about half the voltage they're made for. That soft glowing ball inside the fixture makes me feel like I'm on the 20th Century Limited shacking up with Eve Marie Saint!
As much as I hate how they turned Grand Central into a soul-less shopping mall, at least some of the lights -- particularly those in the awnings by the entrances -- still have that look.
If it's a war on drugs, then free the POW's.
My OF eyes never noticed that. But with 12' ceilings I'm predisposed to LOVE CFL's.
If it's a war on drugs, then free the POW's.
I've noticed the same thing, particularly with the ones out in my unheated shop/shack. They are most definitely temperature sensitive—in the summer, they come to full brightness almost immediately but whenever it drops below 60° F (16° C, 288° K) it can take up to five minutes before they've reached their full output.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
I am testing some of the new LED bulbs. Pricey as all hell, but lower wattage than CFL and last longer. Best of all, the color temperature on the ones I have been testing is better than most CFLs. Two lamp style medium-base bulbs in 60-watt equivalent (850 lumens at 13 watts) I am now using cost $30 each at Home Depot. I should also mention they are shaped like ordinary bulbs, and not fragile, coiled glass tubes (which can be hard to grasp to change in recessed ceiling applications).
They are rated to last "23 years" (wish I were), which may be bullshit but is better by far than either incandescent or CFL. They are also available in flood and spot style with medium bases -- important for me since the houses I am now looking at have cathedral ceilings over much of the living area with recessed fixtures, and the bulbs are twelve to sixteen feet above the floor.
I don't do "high" very well and I have no intention of futzing with bulbs at that altitude, oxygen masks or no. Neither will I happily pay some handy-bozo to change them.
Last edited by W3MIV; 09-17-2011 at 12:57 PM.