I'm all for LED bulbs, but they have to make them in that soft lighting like traditional incandescent bulbs. The problem with compact fluorescent bulbs (outside of the obvious killer gas) is that they give off that yellowish tint. The problem with LEDs (normally) is that they give off a bluish tint.
Also, I'm guessing any dimming switch feature will be fewer LEDs lighting up??
You can find CF bulbs that put of a soft bluish-white light. I found them at a local Kroger's and use them in my living room which gives me excellent light for my TV.
It's the same with car headlights. I hate the new kind that are blue from certain angles and really pale white from other angles rather than the slightly yellow tinge of old lights.
Well, the CFLs I have are too yellow ... maybe they added that tint, but I have two different kinds of CFLs and they both look yellowish.
They are getting better with LEDs because some of the newer LED Christmas lights have Soft lighting now instead of that harsh white light when they first came out. I'm glad to hear that LEDs can dim because I thought they just worked on or off. Of course, they do have LED televisions now, so they must use a driver in order to dim.
* Note: the particle-vs-wave argument is irrelevant to my explanation and arguement, so don't start flaming me for implying "photons" as particles. Also, my use of the word "efficiency" refers to a "Lumen / Watt" efficiency.
It's important to understand the difference between the four categories of electrical lighting:
< Incandescent > - examples: conventional light bulbs, halogen lamps - operate by: heated filament emits photons - exhibit: short-life, low to medium output, very low efficiency
< Gas Discharge > - operate by: charged noble gas emits photons - used in: fluorescent lamps, xenon, neon - exhibit: long-life, low output, relatively high efficiency.
< High-intensity Discharge > - operate by: emitting photons from a sustained arc (electrical discharge) through a chemical medium - used in: mercury vapor lamps, sodium vapor lamps, metal halide - exhibit: long-life, high output, relatively high efficiency
Your comments regarding "The problem with compact fluorescent bulbs ... is that they give off that yellowish tint." is not completely accurate.
The term you want to use here is Color Temperature which is measured in Kelvin. Generally, the higher the number in kelvins, the 'cooler' or more blueish, the light source. (See chart below)
'Warm white' or 'Soft white' ≤ 3000 K 'White' or 'Bright White' 3500 K 'Cool white' 4000 K 'Daylight' ≥ 5000 K
As for fluorescent lighting giving off "yellowish" light, that's most likely because your using cheap inferior CFLs instead of higher spectrum versions. Good quality CFLs use three or four phosphors to achieve the 'white' light you prefer.
The real problems with CFL's are: the complex manufacturing process and hazardous chemicals used to produce them. the danger to consumers and disposal of the toxic refuse left when the lamp fails, CFL's also tend to emit an audible buzzing and "flickering" in light intensity that can cause irritability, anxiety, nausea and disorientation with some people, added points of failure and costs introduced by the electrical components (ballast, power inverter, specialized dimming circuitry), long warm-up time, CFL's have been known to cause power quality issues by high levels of harmonic distortion.
Your comment "the problem with LEDs is that they give off a bluish tint." is incorrect also. The light is appears blueish because of the contrast when compared to the yellowish hue that incandescent bulbs output. In truth LEDs put out a light spectrum closer to natural sunlight then most like sources. I have read that people usually have a distaste for LED lighting because that blueish color tends to make people feel the light it outputs is "cold and sinister in nature". While yellow is thought of as "comforting and warmth". In other words, people choose the color of lighting based on the emotional response, not what is optimal for the human eye.
All that considered, LEDs are a better option over CFLs (at least in my opinion) so I'm always happy to hear about any advancements that put it closer to mass consumption.
p.s: the dork in me just has to say it ... LED FTW!
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I'm all for LED bulbs, but they have to make them in that soft lighting like traditional incandescent bulbs.
The problem with compact fluorescent bulbs (outside of the obvious killer gas) is that they give off that yellowish tint.
The problem with LEDs (normally) is that they give off a bluish tint.
Also, I'm guessing any dimming switch feature will be fewer LEDs lighting up??
Anyways, here's to the future...
Actually the tint from CFL is usually too white. The trick is getting it to be warmer, more yellowish light incandescent.
No. You can dim an LED. Not an issue.
You can find CF bulbs that put of a soft bluish-white light. I found them at a local Kroger's and use them in my living room which gives me excellent light for my TV.
No. You can dim an LED. Not a problem.
It's the same with car headlights. I hate the new kind that are blue from certain angles and really pale white from other angles rather than the slightly yellow tinge of old lights.
Well, the CFLs I have are too yellow ... maybe they added that tint, but I have two different kinds of CFLs and they both look yellowish.
They are getting better with LEDs because some of the newer LED Christmas lights have Soft lighting now instead of that harsh white light when they first came out. I'm glad to hear that LEDs can dim because I thought they just worked on or off. Of course, they do have LED televisions now, so they must use a driver in order to dim.
I'm glad Science is back. I missed it.
* Note: the particle-vs-wave argument is irrelevant to my explanation and arguement, so don't start flaming me for implying "photons" as particles. Also, my use of the word "efficiency" refers to a "Lumen / Watt" efficiency.
It's important to understand the difference between the four categories of electrical lighting:
< Incandescent >
- examples: conventional light bulbs, halogen lamps
- operate by: heated filament emits photons
- exhibit: short-life, low to medium output, very low efficiency
< Electroluminescent >
- used in: conventional light bulbs, halogen lamps
- operate by: heated filament emits photons
- exhibit: longest-life, lowest output, relatively high efficiency
< Gas Discharge >
- operate by: charged noble gas emits photons
- used in: fluorescent lamps, xenon, neon
- exhibit: long-life, low output, relatively high efficiency.
< High-intensity Discharge >
- operate by: emitting photons from a sustained arc (electrical discharge) through a chemical medium
- used in: mercury vapor lamps, sodium vapor lamps, metal halide
- exhibit: long-life, high output, relatively high efficiency
Your comments regarding "The problem with compact fluorescent bulbs ... is that they give off that yellowish tint." is not completely accurate.
The term you want to use here is Color Temperature which is measured in Kelvin. Generally, the higher the number in kelvins, the 'cooler' or more blueish, the light source. (See chart below)
'Warm white' or 'Soft white' ≤ 3000 K
'White' or 'Bright White' 3500 K
'Cool white' 4000 K
'Daylight' ≥ 5000 K
As for fluorescent lighting giving off "yellowish" light, that's most likely because your using cheap inferior CFLs instead of higher spectrum versions. Good quality CFLs use three or four phosphors to achieve the 'white' light you prefer.
The real problems with CFL's are: the complex manufacturing process and hazardous chemicals used to produce them. the danger to consumers and disposal of the toxic refuse left when the lamp fails, CFL's also tend to emit an audible buzzing and "flickering" in light intensity that can cause irritability, anxiety, nausea and disorientation with some people, added points of failure and costs introduced by the electrical components (ballast, power inverter, specialized dimming circuitry), long warm-up time, CFL's have been known to cause power quality issues by high levels of harmonic distortion.
Your comment "the problem with LEDs is that they give off a bluish tint." is incorrect also. The light is appears blueish because of the contrast when compared to the yellowish hue that incandescent bulbs output. In truth LEDs put out a light spectrum closer to natural sunlight then most like sources. I have read that people usually have a distaste for LED lighting because that blueish color tends to make people feel the light it outputs is "cold and sinister in nature". While yellow is thought of as "comforting and warmth". In other words, people choose the color of lighting based on the emotional response, not what is optimal for the human eye.
All that considered, LEDs are a better option over CFLs (at least in my opinion) so I'm always happy to hear about any advancements that put it closer to mass consumption.
p.s: the dork in me just has to say it ... LED FTW!