Featured Product Archive
The inventions and products featured on these pages were chosen either for their
uniqueness in the RF engineering realm, or are simply awesome (or ridiculous) enough
to warrant an appearance.
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
Thomas Edison would be proud at the
inventiveness of entrepreneur Larry Birnbaum. So am I. By now we all know about
the ludicrous worldwide ban on the sale of incandescent light bulbs over a certain
wattage. Here in the U.S., the ban was slated to begin in January of 2012* with
prohibition against 100 watt bulbs, and over a couple years would eventually ban
the sale of anything larger than 40 watts. Instead, we are to buy mercury-filled,
electronic waste-filled CFL bulbs or >$60 apiece LED bulbs. Within that 40-to-100
W range, several classes of specialty lights are exempt from the regulation including
appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way bulbs, colored lamps, stage lighting,
and plant lights. The rough-service class is where Mr. Birnbaum and his
Newcandescent™ company (now defunct) comes in. Unlike the standard
incandescent bulb that is typically rated for a 750-to-1,000-hour lifetime, Newcandescent
bulbs are rated for a 10,000 hour lifetime (10x-to-13x as long). They are advertised
at 7 years. Anyone who has used CFL bulbs has probably already experienced a failure
- long before their expected longevity of 5-7 years. Standard frosted incandescent
bulbs from Newcandescent cost $2.88 each (less than about 30¢ per standard
bulb service life equivalent). Floodlight versions are also available. "The inspiration
to continue to manufacture the long-lasting (10,000 hours) rough service Newcandescent
bulb that satisfies all federal requirements, is simply the result of what customers
continue to want." These bulbs are made in the USA (well, not anymore).
See also All Hail the CFL and
CFLs - Will They Save the Earth?
* The start date has been delayed until October 2012.
I have a personal stash of 2 dozen 100 W incandescent bulbs, but please
don't tell the Watt Nazis™.
Walmart 100W
Incandescent Bulb
750-hour lifetime
96¢ apiece (in 48-pack)
|
 Walmart
100W
Halogen Bulb
1,000-hour lifetime
$1.67 apiece (in 6-pack)
|
 Walmart 40W eq.
LED Bulb (maybe)
22.8-yr lifetime
$117.66 apiece (in 1-pack)
|
 Walmart 75W eq.
CFL Bulb
8,000-hour lifetime
$5.51 apiece (in 6-pack)
|
Posted April 2, 2024
(updated from original post
on 3/12/2012)
|
