2 replies to this topic

[rwac]

They're going away in 2012. Thanks W.

[niner]

Only the crappy ones are going away. Nice tungsten halides and other specialty lights are still going to be around. Have you tried modern CFLs? They are way better than they used to be. LEDs are getting cheaper too.

[rwac]

First of all, both halides and CFLs are expensive. Secondly neither of them have a full spectrum, but instead spikes at certain frequencies.

CFLs can explode and start fires. link
CFLs can explode/break and expose you to mercury.

Mercury concentration in the study room air often exceeds the...300 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3) for some period of time, with short excursions over 25,000 ng/m3, sometimes over 50,000 ng/m3.

300ng/m³ is the safe limit for mercury exposure.

Although following the pre-study cleanup guidance produces visibly clean flooring surfaces for
both wood and carpets (shag and short nap), all types of flooring surfaces tested can retain
mercury sources even when visibly clean. Flooring surfaces, once visibly clean, can emit
mercury immediately at the source that can be greater than 50,000 ng/m3.

Link

CFLs burn out quickly if used in short bursts, like say a closet.

Applications in which lighting is used only briefly (such as closets, bathrooms, motion detectors and so forth) will cause CFL bulbs to burn out as quickly as regular incandescent bulbs.

Link