incandescent lighting | Pegasus Lighting Blog

5 Killer Tips from “ASSIST Recommends” on Under Cabinet Lighting

Dec 162011

couple choosing under cabinet lighting 5 Killer Tips from ASSIST Recommends on Under Cabinet Lighting I recently came across a great resource from the Lighting Research Center (a university-based center for studying lighting technologies). It’s designed for homeowners, contractors, and builders exploring best practices for residential under cabinet lighting.

In other words, it’s a completely objective source to determine what kind of under cabinet light fixtures are right for you or your clients. Perfect!

The research is published in two PDF’s – A Homeowner’s Guide to Residential Under Cabinet Lighting and How To Select Residential LED Under-Cabinet Lighting – so read the complete guides if you can. However, if you’re pressed for time, start with these 5 killer tips I gleaned from the research.

Match the Color Temperature With Your Kitchen:

Do you envision a yellowish, neutral white, or cool white (with hints of blue) light for your under cabinet lighting? It’s a matter of personal preference. If you’re a fan of yellowish light, we usually recommend you aim for a color temperature below 3200K. The 2700-2800K range will be closest to the warm glow of an incandescent lamp. Neutral white light is around 3200-3500K and it becomes cool white at about 4100K. Continue reading »

Share|

In-The-Know About January 1, 2012

Lighting News No Responses »

Nov 172011

PinExt In The Know About January 1, 2012

question In The Know About January 1, 2012 There has been a lot of coverage on this blog about the upcoming incandescent light bulb phaseout. Back in January, I wrote a post titled Are You One of the 36%?, pointing out that only 36% of Americans were aware of the upcoming phaseout. A whopping 64% had heard nothing about the legislation, and 80% did not know that traditional 100-watt light bulbs would no longer be available after January 1, 2012.

The Department of Energy has been hard at work spreading the word, and so have lighting manufacturers and retailers like us.

Well, a new poll from Osram Sylvania found that those efforts have paid off! A majority of Americans (55%) are now aware of the federal legislation.

However, according to the poll, most Americans are still hazy on the details.

Do you feel comfortable about the upcoming changes? Do you have questions? Ask away!

Share|

My Search for a New Light Bulb

Light Bulbs 13 Responses »

Sep 192011

As most of us now know, the traditional incandescent light bulb invented over 100 years ago is being phased out over the next couple of years. To learn more about the incandescent phase out, or if you are like “What?!”, make sure to check out our coverage on the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) – aka “the incandescent phase out”.

Whether or not you agree with the law, and there are plenty of opinions both for and against, it is coming. In fact, the first phase starts this January 2012 when the 100-watt incandescent light bulb will no longer be able to be manufactured or imported. In January 2013 it will be the 75-watt light bulb and in January 2014, the 60-watt and 40-watt light bulbs.

So, knowing this is coming, and knowing that I have a lot of light bulbs in my house that will need to be replaced, including 100-watt ones, I decided to start exploring my options and figured I would share them with you.

What did I learn?

There are options available now.
There is no one option for me. I will be using different technologies based upon my needs and wants.
GE makes a very cool hybrid light bulb which is part halogen and compact fluorescent that I am now using.
There are halogen replacements for incandescent light bulbs…did not know this.
Philips has a very cool, very awesome, somewhat expensive, LED light bulb called AmbientLED. I wish I could afford many of these because they work very, very well.

Now on to the story…

Share|

A “Regular Person Review” of an LED

Thoughts on Light 1 Response »

Aug 162011

PinExt A Regular Person Review of an LED

: From left to right: A CFL, an LED, & an Incandescent Light Bulb. Credit: Candace Lombardi/CNET

Journalist Candace Lombardi recently compared three Philips-brand light bulbs side by side. She said she’s often asked for a “regular person review” of LEDs versus CFLs versus incandescents without the jargon of lumens, kelvins, wattage, etc.

It’s a great article – Lombardi goes so far as to try smashing the Philips LED to the ground. When the LED survives with no damage, she concludes that Philips wasn’t kidding around about their 22.8 year life estimate for the product.

The Philips AmbientLED is the equivalent of a 75-watt incandescent and gives off a warm light (in a 2700K color temperature, for all the lighting professionals out there). See Lombardi’s photo to the right, and check out the article on CNET!

Share|

“Heatballs” Nixed in Germany

Lighting News No Responses »

Jul 292011

"Heat Ball" Logo

After the European Union phased out traditional incandescent light bulbs last year, a Germany company responded with an interesting product for the lighting marketplace: A “heatball.”

The problem was, a “heatball” was an incandescent light bulb in a not-so-secretive disguise. Since incandescent light bulbs emit 95 percent of their energy as heat and just 5 percent as light, the company re-branded the product to sidestep the new legislation.

A court ruled Tuesday that the company must withdraw their product.

The company website is still up; and although it’s in German, Google does a fairly good job of translating it to English.

What do you think: Should the “heatball” have been outlawed?

Share|

Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting

Lighting News No Responses »

Jul 212011

PinExt Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting

doe ad chicken Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting

Department of Energy photo from the national consumer education campaign

The efficiency standards for light bulbs set into place by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) have been a topic of debate in the political arena recently.

First, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, H.R. 2417, sought to repeal the portion of EISA 2007 requiring incandescent light bulbs to become 25 to 30 percent more efficient. The BULB Act did not pass in the House of Representatives.

Last Friday, the House approved an amendment that denies funding to implement the federal light bulb efficiency standards.

On Tuesday, the Department of Energy launched a new advertising campaign touting the benefits of efficient light bulbs. It seems to be a timely response to Friday’s amendment.

The DOE’s public service announcements include print and television ads. Here’s one of the videos to be aired: Continue reading »

Share|

Texas Fighting for Old-Fashioned Incandescent Light Bulbs

Lighting News No Responses »

Jul 122011

PinExt Texas Fighting for Old Fashioned Incandescent Light Bulbs

Rick Perry Texas Fighting for Old Fashioned Incandescent Light Bulbs

Texas Gov. Rick Perry

The Texas state legislature recently passed a bill that is decidedly challenging Washington on the upcoming energy regulations for incandescent light bulbs.

The bill, H.B. 2510, declares that incandescent light bulbs produced and sold in Texas are exempt from the federal law as they do not involve interstate commerce.

The measure was signed into law by Republican Gov. Rick Perry. However, supporters of the federal energy regulations say the Texas law would be unlikely to withstand a court challenge.

Texas’s deputy director of the Public Citizen office, David Power, reports that Texas would not be able to manufacture incandescent light bulbs in the near future, anyway:

We don’t mine tungsten in Texas. So there is no place where they can get a Texas-made filament for bulbs.

Pennsylvania and South Carolina are reportedly seeking similar efforts to skirt the federal mandate.

Share|

Light Bulb Bill Put To the Test Today

Lighting News No Responses »

Jul 122011

PinExt Light Bulb Bill Put To the Test Today

shattered misconceptions Light Bulb Bill Put To the Test Today

Update (7/13): The BULB Act did not pass in the House of Representatives. The vote was 233 in favor of the repeal and 193 opposed. Since that didn’t constitute a two-thirds majority, it did not go on to the Senate.

As the incandescent phase out approaches, with today’s standard 100W light bulb set to face new efficiency standards beginning in January 2012, a Republican-sponsored bill is seeking to halt the changing standards before they even happen.

The repeal bill, called the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, H.R. 2417 (BULB Act), would eliminate the portion of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) that requires incandescent light bulbs to be 25 to 30 percent more efficient.

Supporters of the BULB Act say that mandating efficiency standards in light bulbs will limit consumer choice and result in unnecessary government intervention.

Perhaps supporters of the BULB Act have not heard about the many replacement options for inefficient incandescent light bulbs? Or the fact that this legislation will save U.S. households a great deal of money in energy costs (about $15.8 billion per year)?

The U.S. House of Representatives was expected to vote yesterday on the repeal bill, but the vote has been delayed until at least today.

A two-thirds majority vote will be required for the repeal bill to continue on to the Senate.

Share|

A New Player in the Light Bulb Game

Lighting News No Responses »

May 102011

PinExt A New Player in the Light Bulb Game

vu1corp lamp A New Player in the Light Bulb Game As the incandescent phase out rapidly approaches, light bulb manufacturers are focusing on developing quality alternatives for the familiar incandescent light bulb. Last month, General Electric announced a new “hybrid” light bulb that will combine the efficiency of a compact fluorescent with the instant brightness of a halogen.

Now, a New York based company is joining the alternative light bulb battle. Vu1 Corporation has developed a lamp based on the same technology used in picture tube TVs. Inside the lamp, a stream of electrons is fired at phosphors coating the inside glass. Those phosphors illuminate to create high-quality light that lasts about 10 times longer than a traditional incandescent light bulb.

According to the New York Times, Vu1 Corporation’s potential success lies in the fact that its light bulbs are less expensive than LEDs, yet comparably energy-efficient. However, industry experts claim the price of LED lamps will continue to fall within the next couple of years. Vu1 Corporation’s value proposition may be short-lived.

Currently, the company’s website only offers a 65-watt-equivalent reflector lamp (for ceiling installations). They plan to expand their selection in the future.

Share|

Cool LED Infographic

Thoughts on Light No Responses »

Apr 252011

If you’ve never checked out GOOD (www.good.is), it’s definitely worth a few minutes of your time. It’s an editorial-based media platform. Their infographics are incredible, and they cover subjects ranging from 21st century political assassinations to hand-washing in the US. GOOD’s most recent infographic was on LEDs. See below, and click on the photo for a larger version:

Share|

Older Entries Newer Entries