full spectrum lighting - any experiences?

geepondy · #1 12-03-2001, 06:09 PM

I wish to replace my regular incandescent house hold lights with full spectrum compact florescents. Anybody have an experineces of recommendation of particular brand of full spectrum lights? From what little I've seen of them (my sisters S.A.D. lightbox), I find the light to be pleasing and natural. From a local search of stores such as Walmart and Home Depot among others I can't find any. I have found a few places that sell them on the internet, albeit to the tune of $15 a pop or in some cases even more. If I do spend that much, I want to be sure I'm getting a good product as I don't know if there are differences in the kinds of full spectrum light bulbs.

flashfan · #2 12-03-2001, 07:26 PM

Try topbulb.com. That's where I get my compact fluorescents from. Service could be a little better, but so far, it has been "acceptable" to me.

There are a number of different manufacturers, and at many different prices. On the high end, there are the Ott-Lites, which I've seen for about $35 apiece. I buy the Greenlite "S26" (the brightest I've been able to find thus far...however I haven't searched recently) at $12.50 each (+ s/h). I'm not sure if the S26 is considered a true full spectrum bulb, but the light is very white.

There is also a Spiralux bulb that emits 6700k, which supposedly simulates cool, arctic daylight (whatever that is). I've been meaning to try it, but haven't gotten around to it yet (about $29 each at naturallighting.com).

If ordering from topbulb, be sure to double-check the whiteness of the lights. As you've probably already found out, a lot if not most of the compact fluorescent bulbs out there emit a soft white light similar to an incandescent bulb.

As a suggestion, you might want to try just a couple of bulbs before replacing all the lighting in your home. I put in an S26 in my living room, and somehow that bright white light just didn't cut it. My spouse was not too happy with it either, so it was back to soft white lighting.

The S26 (or S23) is especially great in a closet, for color-matching your clothes. Be aware that compact fluorescents do take some time to reach maximum brightness.

lightlover · #3 12-08-2001, 02:32 AM

I've got a straight-tube flourescent in my place, as a kitchen light. It's practically an internal room, so I need something like that. I'll try to find a link for them: it was a long time ago, this type last forever. It was 3x the price of a "daylight" tube then, though.

It's good enough to be used to help people stuck in hospitals to synthesise Vitamin D.

I have a blueish "daylight incandescent* in the bathroom, no big deal, a craftworker light for colour recognition. Just a nice unusual colour. Those are available in art shops, but check stated bulb life - some types are just 100 hours or so.

If I were to do something like that again, I'd try to position and size the lamps to imitate daylight through the windows, natural shadows etc. It can be strange to see daylight coming from all around.

(Of course, lights to grow plants need a different accentuation of the spectrum.)

Well, geepondy, flashfan, it was nice talking to you, but I think this should really be moved to General light discussion @

Might get more responses there.

lightlover [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Quickbeam · #4 12-08-2001, 02:51 AM

I have full spectrum GE 4' fluorescents in my office at work - had install them myself, but what a difference! If you look outside my office everything has a yellowish tint, inside it's bright white. The tubes came individually wrapped in orange sleeves with yellow graphics on them.

I had a co-worker come in who pulled submarine duty in the navy and the first thing he asked was how I got skylights installed in my office (I guess submariners notice these types of things). Then he realized they were just fluorescent tubes!

I've seen full spectrum compact fluorescents at either Lowes or Home Depot. Again, made by GE.

LEDagent · #5 12-08-2001, 08:10 AM

I kinda have a question along the same lines too...

I'm sitting here typing in the dark last night becuase my bulb just burned out in the computer room. What a great oppurtunity to try different bulbs don't you think?

So i was thinkin', should i get the new Phillips Reveal bulbs or should i spend the extra money on the full spectrum compact florescence. I'm sure the compacts would run me a good 20-30 dollars. But hey...i spend WAAY more than that on flashlights. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I was just wondering which one gives a more pleasent, less depressing, color. I'm really hating the traditional bulbs now.

MarcV · #6 01-22-2002, 01:40 PM

We've used high temperature lighting for a number of years now.

We relamped our offices and warehouse with 3500 degree 4' fluorescents about 6 years ago. The effect was excellent, our staff appreciated the natural color reflectivity and we felt the $13.00 (US) per bulb was worthwhile (vs $1.00 or so for "cool white").

Then when we finished the lower level of our home for a home office, we put in cans every 6 or 8 feet and lamped them with halogen floods. That didn't last long, the heat load was silly and the amount of light was insufficient. So we relamped with 5000 degree compact fluorescents. We had to use the 20 watt version because the 26 watt bulbs are too long for these recessed fixtures. We spent about $13 per bulb (hmmm, I never thought before that the price doesn't vary) and are very happy. Color rendering is like outdoors and the effective light level is higher (than with 50 watt halogen floods) and the heat load is, of course, reduced.

We did make one mistake, we left the electronic dimmers in the circuit when we switched to fluorescents. The thinking was that leaving the dimmers fully "on" would be the same as no dimmer. A few hours into it we saw obvious flickering; adjusting the dimmers to "low" stopped the flickering. Now fast forward a few months and suddenly we had 6 of these things go bad (all heat, no light) at once. That was an expensive lesson. I order another dozen (a couple had gone bad individually before that) and changed out the dimmers. We haven't had a failure since.

If you can afford the capital expense (you'll get your money back in power bill savings vs. incandescents) do switch to compact fluorescents. All your friends will notice the change (and probably comment on brightness but not recognize the color shift).

There are a few 5000 degree incandescents available, too. We use a pair on the stairwell because they can be dimmed and we didn't want the odd yellow color at the foot of the stairs.

"Reveal" bulbs are yellow, not the same as these, and a big disappointment.

Those compact fluorscents at Home Depot, Menards, at al? They make excellent decorator lighting in table and floor lamps where the general lighting is from 5000 degree bulbs. The yellow color makes them look warm and inviting, but they take little energy and don't add significantly to the heat load. You can use 15 watt and lower bulbs there because they aren't providing light you need to read or do fine work (like fly tying!)

Hope this helps.

lightlover · #7 01-22-2002, 10:15 PM

Found it !
The Duro-Test full spectrum range of flourescents that I use, said to be *medically effective*.
The ones that I have are full size flourescents though.

Apparently Duro-Test went OOB, but this bunch took over, @
http://www.duro-test.ca/webpage2/Duor_main.htm

A discussion board @
http://www.cinematography.net/%5Bcml...cent%20101.htm

There is a lamp inventors page at the Smithsonian !! Try
http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/s20o.htm

Mystical details, by a very eccentric (to say the very least) Brit, David Icke @
http://www.davidicke.net/medicalarch...ion/light.html

Spectral Distribution of CRI Standard Natural Light versus Duro-Test Daylite
65 Bulb and a Standard Daylight Fluorescent Bulb. @
http://www.cybertheater.com/Tech_Rep...Light/cri.html

lightlover

sunspot · #8 01-22-2002, 10:33 PM

Good evening lightlover. Damn but you did some searching. I bought 4 of those Duro-test bulbs a few years back. $50 BUCKS. I must admit that the spectrum output was much more pleasent to the eye but not 3X times more as the price.
Have you looked at the OTT line of lamps? I used one at a gem shop to examine some stones and it simulated daylight very well. Also pricy.(the lamp that is) [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

sunspot · #9 01-23-2002, 04:08 AM

Mark. Tell me more about the 3500deg lamps. What brand or how can I tell the degree?
Thanks. Dana

**DONOTDELETE** · #10 04-21-2002, 01:17 PM

for something bigger & brighter look at the metal halide lamps. I got a 400w metal halide lamp from a fish supply place to use on my wife's orchid's. The lamp REALLY lit up the room & the orchids loved it. You could drive down our street at night and pick out our house a block away. It was a converted upstairs loft for the orchid room. We had tried some regular lights & fluorescents but they didn't come close to the great light from this 400 watt beast. We carefully selected the bulb to be "daylight" spectrum. It wasn't cheap but it sure was effective.

busbar · #11 04-23-2002, 07:40 PM

LS--

Just as long as no one thinks the MH lamp is being used for 'herbal' purposes.

Evan · #12 04-27-2002, 09:26 AM

I've tried warm white vs. cool white, but in fact my eyes adapt very quickly so that if I've been in a room a while I couldn't say which was being used if all the lights are the same. On the other hand I really like the GE F40SP65, "Daylight". It is bright, efficient, and a little blueish. It makes "cool White" look yellow.

snakebite · #13 04-28-2002, 05:24 AM

i tried some ott tubes in my workshop lights when a local store went out of business.
made a big difference.no longer needed to go outside to read resistor color codes right.
went back a few days later and bought them out when i saw the 90%markdown that made them less than a buck ea.
even put one in the boa cage and noticed that they would stretch out under it in the morning when the timer turned it on.they never did that with the coolwhite that was in the fixture when i converted the display case.