# Reviews of the full spectrum bulbs and lamps?



## PocketBeam (Oct 29, 2004)

Just wondering are the a little better or a lot better, and better for what reading, mood, etc? Also compared to fluorescent or incandescent lights.

Thoughts?


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## mattheww50 (Oct 29, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

For reading it doesn't make a lot of difference, and for mood lighting, it is probably a bad idea. Full spectrum lighting is generally driven by two issues. The big one is usually appearance. Merchandise just plain looks better, so if you are selling fresh fruit, cosmetics, plastic surgery, art or fashion designs, the colors are brighter, more vibrant, and sharper with full spectrum lighting. The lighting is also a lot more expensive. You can buy a standard cool white F40 for about $1, some of the top end full spectrum high efficiency lamps can get $9 each even in case quantities for tat same F40...
The other use is sometimes associated with reptiles, fish and other animals. Plants generally want both UV and IR, and for example birds make Vitamin D the same way humans do, so if they live inside, they need to receive a reasonable approximation for sunshine. 

My last house had peripheral indirect lighting fixtures in the family room, and 11 Ultralume 4400 F40's. Most guests were truly surprised to discover that room was in fact lit with fluoros. The color rendition from the Ultralume 4400's was simply far beyond what most have ever seen with Flouro lighting. I did on the basis of advice from a Professional lighting consultants (actually the same folks who did the measurement work for Arc)..


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## Sigman (Oct 30, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

...all I can tell you about is my own personal experience in my house... 

I put full spectrum lights (4' tubes) in my kitchen and bathrooms. I also bought a Tensor floor lamp with a 27 watt full spectrum lamp (equivalent to a 100 watt bulb). 

I'll NEVER have anything else in those fixtures! I tried the standard 4' house tubes in the bathroom and then switched in the full spectrums - made all the difference that my eyes could see!

I absolutely LOVE the Tensor floor lamp! It's next to my La-Z-Boy recliner and reading a book or the daily paper is sooooo much better on my eyes now!

Hey, I'm typically a pessimist - I'm sold on these lights and will never go back!

I think the prices of these desk/floor lamps are coming down. I got the Tensor from QVC for a little over $50, the desk lamp is less. There's another brand out there that I've seen advertised - forget the name, but I'm sure it's comparable

That's me in my house...my family agrees. Maybe your eyes are different?

Edit: Just confirmed with the wife...she says the full spectrum "to her" render "truer colors" and is a "truer light" as compared to standard florescents. My two teenage sons also agree. I merely asked them what they thought of the "new" lights as compared to the ones that we replaced.

We built this house and except for one bathroom, it's all florescent - and I may change that bathroom as well!


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## SolarPowered (Nov 1, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

Ultralume 4400??? I find a 4100, and a 5000, but no 4400...???


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## mattheww50 (Nov 1, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

Not any more anyway...I think they actually were Westinghouse from about the time Philips bought the lighting division of Westinghouse. The Ultralume product line disappeared for quite a few years, and as the Ultralumes failed, they were replaced GE SPX41's. In fact I hard time finding the 11 Ultralume 4400's!!


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## PocketBeam (Nov 1, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

Mattheww50, good point about setting a mood. "Warm" lighting does allow for a more romantic mood. When I mentioned mood, I was thinking more along the lines of uplifting the mood, to avoid depression. Price is the issue, that is why I opened this thread. Most of my current fluorescent are compact fluorescent "bulbs" i.e. standard screw in bulbs. The cheapest I have found full spectrum has been $8 each, non-bulk. 

Sigman, thanks for the review. That helps. Sounds like you eyes are much happier. That might reduce the eye strain I get from using the computer and TV at home (my eyes sometimes get tired, tear and feel irritated)

I think I am convinced to at least try some.

Any links for the cheapest Full Spectrum compact fluorescent bulbs? This is what I have foudn so far - Full spectrum lights.


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## flashlight (Nov 2, 2004)

*Re: Reviews of the full sprectrum bulbs and lamps?*

I use circular tubes from Duro-Test. I think full spectrum lights have all of the benfits mentioned above like better color rendition, makes reading more comfortable, helps plants grow better, etc & may also help in treatment of S.A.D. (Another great use for bright lights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif )


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## PocketBeam (Nov 2, 2004)

Yes, the Vita-lite seems good. I even saw it was the light used in one scientific study, (don't remember which model, but it was Vita-lite.) They are available from many different sources.

Here is a sample vendor, and the price is average.

I may order from them, as the name brand may be worth the price difference.


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## LED-FX (Nov 3, 2004)

No fluorescent is truly "full spectrum" its a marketing phrase not a technical one.

Most fluro`s nowadays are tri-phosphor lamps, mercury vapour in the tube is converted to visible light by the phosphors. This means that the light is a combination of the three phosphors. The Colour Temperature, CT , is governed by the mix of phosphors and tube design. Tubes like Northlight and Daylight usually have a high colour temperature, 4500Kelvin up, they appear, Colour Apperance, CA, `cold` or `blue`.Dosen`t neccesarily mean they have good colour rendering.

Colour rendering, Colour Rendering Index, CRI, is measured on a scale of 1- 100, 100 being noon daylight, some fluros and some white LEDs only manage 70 something CRI, good fluors can mange 90+ CRI, these are what are sometimes marketed as "full spectrum " lamps.

A glance through any of the big makers lamp catalogues, online, will show lamps with this high CRI at a much better price than the "full spectrum " marketeers.

Other important thing to use is Electronic High Frequency Ballasts, these move the flicker up to much higher frequencies and reduce any flicker related fatigue.

Incandescent lights are truly "full spectrum" as they emit light throughout the visible spectrum.

Non halogen incandescent lams have a low CT though givng that warm, yellow, CA. Halogens tend to have higher CT and are more efficient.

Low voltage halogen is generally the most efficient of the halogen family. But can still appear warm against high CT fluro or metal halide, low voltage reflector lamps MR16s, are available with neodymium galss that acts as a blue filter raising CA and CT. Company called Solux also markets MR16s with a proprietary reflector coating that raises CT by allowing more yellow out the back of the reflector.

So some choices out there , just don`t get dragged in to spending $$$$ for fairly ordinary lamps available through the usual channels.

HTH
Adam


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## PocketBeam (Nov 3, 2004)

Adam, thanks. You raise some good points. I was under teh impresxsion full spectrum incandescent lamps tended to just filter out the yellow, and that Fluros were closer to noon sun. I guess not true.

The MR16s would be the 12 volt lights right? I am looking for standard house lighting with a standard screw base for 110volt AC outlets.

I like the improved efficiancy of Fluros. Is full spectrum for halogen and fluros so different or close enough? These are just to imrprove lighting around the house. For reduced eye fatigue, and imoproved mental mood (SAD).

Good thought about looking for bulb with CRI or 91-93 and colro temp of 5500K from standard bulb makers, that aren't marketed as full spectrum. I will see if I can find someone selling to the USA small quantities of these bulbs/tubes.

OK, off to my home work.


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## LED-FX (Nov 4, 2004)

>>full spectrum incandescent lamps tended to just filter out the yellow<<

Yup wether its the appalling blue coated GLS lamps with terrible efficiency ans short lamp life or the more sophisticated neodymium and solux lamps, its still just a blue filter to raise colour temperature.

>>The MR16s would be the 12 volt lights right? I am looking for standard house lighting with a standard screw base for 110volt AC outlets.<<

Mebbe low voltage lighting is amore common thing in the UK, MR16s are the 2" reflector lamps , there are now MR16 with a GU 10 base, like a fluro starter , that are mains voltage but LV still has improvements in lamp life and colour temp.

>>
I like the improved efficiancy of Fluros. Is full spectrum for halogen and fluros so different or close enough?<<

Halogen being a hot wire are your average black body radiator, my Plankian physics is somewhat weak, but gheating a wire gives visible light right through the spectrum.

Fluros have peaks and troughs right through spectrum because of peaks of the phosphor response.

>>These are just to imrprove lighting around the house. For reduced eye fatigue, and imoproved mental mood (SAD).<<

Fluros kick sand in the face of halogen for efficiency, and good fluros have pretty acceptable colour rendering, aim for 90+ CRI.

Places like printers and textile mills use high CRI fluro for colour matching.

Use electronic not magnetic ballasts, prices on these has come down a lot in recent years, try and use indirect or diffuse lighting.

SAD lighting is infested with snake oil salesman, seems to be a combination of high power density and time of day when you get the exposure.

Try looking through the GE/Philips/Osram online catalogues any main dealer for these lines should either stock or be able to order you in some decent lamps.

Let us know how you get on

Adam


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## flashlight (Nov 4, 2004)

LED-FX, thanks for the excellent info. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif


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## LED-FX (Nov 4, 2004)

Should have noted that fluro and all discharge lampas actually have Correlated Colour Temperature,CCT, rather than plain old CT, because unlike incandescent the spectrum is discontinuous.

Heres one major lamp makers take, all of them and some of the not so major will have similar lamps:

http://www.gelighting.com/na/faq/faq_studio_simulation.html

<edit>thinking about it C%) lamps might be abit cool for some atstes there are high CRI lamps with a slightly warmer feel:

http://members.misty.com/don/cfbest.html

HTH
Adam


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