*OT* Lamps

[W.C. Turner]

Just wondering, if anybody has tried one of those new lamps that simulates the "Natural Sunlight", & if you have, are you satisfied with it? Worth the price, etc?

Thanks,

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm not sure which ones you're talking about. For years, there have been fluorescent tubes which are claimed to emulate sunlight. More recently there are little fluorescent reading lamps which are claimed to emulate sunlight. IMO, none of the fluorescents adequately emulate sunlight, or even halogen. Fluorescents do offer light, and at a low operating cost. However, if you want real colors, you need the real thing.

[W.C. Turner]

Yeah, The reading lamps, that you see in the mags, & weekend newspaper ads, is the ones I'm referring to. Just saw the ad in the USA weekend paper for $49.95 & shipping is high, at $19.95.

Was just wondering if there were any satisfied customers out there?

[Tyler Howell]

I have a full spectrum light in my office I call the B**ch light. If it is on, I'm in a mood. I know for a fact I am sensitive to the changing seasons and this really helps in the winter blahs.

It was worth the $$$ to me.

[Ralph Barhorst]

My wife is a quilter and claims that the light is useful because the colors are true when using it. Also the light is supposed to produce less glare. And Tyler is right, it is also supposed to improve your mood since it simulates sunlight.

Her first light broke and I got her another one for Christmas.

[Ken Garlock]

W.C., you might take a look at a company up in Michigan that sells "full spectrum" fluorescent tubes. Some require electronic ballasts, but other work with the standard magnetic ones.

When my shop was built, I bought a carton of 48" T-8 tubes from them, and they seem to be performing nicely.

There are two things to look for, color temperature and color rendition index(CRI). Color temperature is a measure of the color of the light in degrees Kevin. 6500 K is considered to be white, hotter and it is moving toward blue, less and it is turning red. CRI is a measure of how closely the light approaches clear day outside sunlight. CRI of 100 is sunlight. Good numbers for the CRI is above 90. Likewise, you want the color temp. to approach 6500K.

At least take a look at Full Spectrum Solutions (http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/Fluorescent.htm) The site is interesting reading. :) Check their bulb comparison page....

[Jamie Buxton]

Yeah, The reading lamps, that you see in the mags, & weekend newspaper ads, is the ones I'm referring to. Just saw the ad in the USA weekend paper for $49.95 & shipping is high, at $19.95.

Was just wondering if there were any satisfied customers out there?

A friend showed me one of those. UUUUGLY! I'd strongly recommend a halogen reading lamp instead. The color of light is much better. As I see it, the only reason to consider fluorescents is the operating cost. That makes a difference if you're lighting a warehouse, but when we're talking reading lamps, the annual operating cost is pennies, so you're not saving anything. Get the one with the good light.

[Jim Becker]

We did a compromise that has worked out incredibly well since we did not like the look of any of the commercial products that were already lamps. We bought a controller that will turn on a lamp over a period of time...say an hour...and combined it with an attractive floor lamp in the bedroom with a full-spectrum bulb. It has made a HUGE difference in being able to wake up in the moring, especially during the winter months as both Dr. SWMBO and I are not morning people. Huge difference.