Like many people, I suppose, I was a bit taken by surprise at the recent
news reports of the death of incandescent light bulbs in the US. I
"knew" that "incandescents" were being phased out but didn't realize
that 2014 was "the end"... with 40 and 60 watt bulbs now being "banned".
I was immediately concerned about some special lighting
requirements... candelabra bulbs for our chandeliers, compact size but
medium base 60 watt bulbs for our kitchen light fixture and, especially,
150 watt halogen bulbs used as modeling lights on my studio flash units.
I had already realized that we were being poorly served by the media
when I looked up the law itself and saw that there were many exemptions
for a wide variety of special types of bulbs including candelabra base
bulbs. What I didn't realize from reading only parts of the very
opaquely worded law is that there is really is no ban on incandescent
light bulbs. What the law covers is efficency, not lighting technology.
The law only requires that, whatever the technology, that the lumens
output of bulbs be 25% more efficient than ordinary incandescent bulbs.
As the author of the link below points out, halogen technology already
meets that requirement. A 43 watt halogen produces lumens equivalent to
a 60 watt conventional incandescent.
So, our expensive candelabra base chandeliers are still safe from
obsolescence as are my studio lights. I'm still concerned about the
kitchen light fixture because it take "medium base" bulbs (most common)
which was the main target of the law. In addition to being very small
(G16.5 size, 2" diameter) they must also be dimmable. AFAIK there is no
other bulb that fits the requirement. But I will have to continue
searching. Good luck with your own requirements.
<http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/1/5263826/the-incandescent-light-bulb-isnt-dead>
Chuck Norcutt
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