SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG Forum
General Boards => Museum Submarine Discussion => Topic started by: Paul Farace on December 28, 2013, 03:36:59 AM
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:tickedoff:
So as we say farewell to 2013, we are also going to see the last of 40-60 watt incandescent bulbs on store shelves. Our government has seen to it that we can not buy them. Just they outlawed the higher wattage bulbs last year. Now I understand that if you want to spend $15+ on a bulb using new technology (LED) you can eventually save some money. But two things burn me up about this "mandate" ... one- the old saying that if you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door. Well today the government doesn't think that's the way things should work. Instead they want to outlaw your old mousetraps and force you to buy what they think is a better mouse trap. Big Brother... get off my sub! Because here is how their law is hurting the memorial sub community (gripe 2): We need to look 1945... or 1952... not 2013 with squiggly CFL bulbs hanging in our sockets. And since many of the bulbs in a fleet boat are enclosed in steam-tight fittings, the expensive new technology bulbs will cook themselves to an early grave. My 75-cent traditional bulbs don't mind the heat... but the new tech bulbs fry themselves in short order based on our tests over the last year. BTW: in your house... yes you save money on electricity with the new bulbs, but guess what... if you're in the heating zone of the USA, you will find that you have to turn up your furnace! Yes, because those incandescent bulbs actually heat your rooms more efficiently than your furnace! But instead of suggesting Americans switch out their incandescent bulbs when they turn on their air conditioners, we are treated like children and have our bulbs pulled out of our lamps by Uncle Sam!
I have gone to great lengths to ensure as much period accuracy aboard USS COD, but now I have to find ways to stretch my limited supply of 40-w incandescent bulbs and disguise the few LED bulbs that sorta look like the old bulbs.
THANK YOU NANNY STATE GOVERNMENT!!!
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Actually, all is not lost. There is a loophole in the incandescent bulb specs. Rough duty will still be able to be produced and purchased as incandescent. There is a small company in New Jersey that is making these now in all of the watt ranges (not sure about 40 though). They are supposed to last about twice as long as normal bulbs and cost only twice as much (2-3 bucks). I am rooting for this guy to make it big. He says he is currently at capacity but demand is HUGE so he is looking at expanding.
As a side note: the "curly q" bulbs were never designed to be turned more than 90 degrees. So, if you screw yours in plug first up, or if you have ANY power fluctuations (at all) they have SIGNIFICANTLY lower life spans.
Welcome to the new 'Merica.
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Actually, all is not lost. There is a loophole in the incandescent bulb specs. Rough duty will still be able to be produced and purchased as incandescent. There is a small company in New Jersey that is making these now in all of the watt ranges (not sure about 40 though).
Here's there website - http://www.newcandescent.com/store/customer/ (http://www.newcandescent.com/store/customer/)
They even have the option of Frosted or Clear! And yes they even have 40 watt too!
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Excellent info Thomas. Thanks for the heads up on the website.
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Force the government bullies to walk barefoot over them... :knuppel2:
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Agreed.
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I had wondered what would happen when all this went down.
My folks use the heat from an incandescent bulb to keep their water pump from freezing.
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Paul,
I agree completely that this is a "nanny government" nuisance. And our Republicans/conservatives are demonstrating amazing ineptness, unable to stop even this. But in the meantime, there are better non-incandescent options becoming available. The market works even when manipulated like this. The "squiggly" bulbs will be ancient history before they have all burned out.
These "Cree" LED bulbs are great. I would buy these even with ordinary incandescent bulbs available. I don't know how they perform in a hot environment. Home Depot and other places sell them.
Frank Reed
Centennia Software / ReedNavigation.com
Conanicut Island USA
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Frank
I plan on buying a few and giving them a COD test. Thanks for the suggestion. And I guess if you paint the white plastic knurled ring above the bulb, it just might look something like the Navy's submarine depthcharge bulbs used aboard the boats in service! Although the rubber ring was smooth on the Navy bulbs...
Again, thanks!
Paul :-*