🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <83b18a95.0303171038.54359a6a@posting.google.com>, 
manifold_1@yahoo.com says...
> Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:<b54qdc$4h4$4$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>...
> > In sci.electronics.misc DaveC <anon@bugus.net> wrote:
> > > I've been asked to help light a small office building hallway. The 
> > > fluorescent lamps are way too harsh for the office workers, and the tenants 
> > > favor the overhead QH approach. 
> > <snip>
> > 30 lamps at 50W is 1500W.
> > Or ~$500/year.
> > 
> > I'd ask what they mean by 'too harsh', and perhaps look into the large number
> > of colours of fluorescnts avaialble.
> > 
> > Maybe something as simple as a paint job might help.
> 
> 
> Bare bulb QH lighting is very nice to look at but there is an
> interesting effect that happens with exposed bulbs in QH lighting. The
> eye adjusts to the intensity of light coming from the bare bulb and
> makes the rest of the room look dark. So then you have to get more
> lamps and before you know it you are negotiating your own rates with
> the power supplier.

Perhaps for bare-bulbs, but I've replaced almost all my home's 
lighting with QH and love it.  I have torchieres in the living 
and family rooms, reflectors in the kitchen and hall, and spots 
in the bedroom and computer room.  I love the crisp white light.

I noticed a bar/restaurant up in the sticks that had a system 
quote like what the OP wants.  They had fixtures hanging from 
stainless wires 6' or so over the tables.  I quite liked the 
effect. 

> We recently made our own lamps because everything on the market was
> either really ugly or really expensive and commonly both at the same
> time. We replaced 150W of QH lighting with 55W of folded fluorescent
> lights (the type that IKEA sells) in diffusive fixtures and the
> results were dramatic. More light, less glare and less energy used.
> The down side is that they can't be dimmed.

I can't stand any CF lights I've seen.  The color is never right 
(as in I'm ill) and the flicker drives me bats.  We don't light 
the house brightly (other than the kitchen) and use spot QHs for 
reading.
 
> So of course now I am wondering if I can take the bulbs apart,
> redesign the ballast and build a dimmer for them. Or maybe replace
> them with cold cathode fluorescent. I don't think any inspector
> anywhere would like the idea of CC lighting.

I wouldn't touch the innards of a commercially available product.  
It's not worth any hassle in case of an accident (or I want to 
move).

-- 
  Keith