Watt’s New at Bulbtronics January 2008 Vol. 13

Bulbtronics Contest Winner:
Norm Reese - VFW National Home for Children

Response from the contest run in December was overwhelming. We thank everyone who participated.

Question:  “We know that, in a few years, we will be unable to purchase incandescent lamps. Many of us have houses full of dimmers and smart house devices, such as X-10.  Will we have good dimmable CFL or LED lamps by the time we can no longer buy the incandescent lamps?  What is available today to try out?”

Answer: Dimmable compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) have recently been developed by manufacturers but not all CFL’s are dimmable. Make sure that the box says “dimmable” or you can use the word “dimmable” in the QuickSearch box on Bulbtronics’ website to locate dimmable CFLs in our warehouse. To complicate things further, not all dimmers work with CFL’s. The only way to determine whether the dimmable CFL works with your dimmer is to try one out. You should also be aware that CFL’s do not dim in the same way incandescent lamps dim. There is a difference in the dimming range. Incandescent lamps dim smoothly from 100% brightness to being completely off; CFLs have a narrower dimming range and only dim to 20% to 90% of full light.  LEDs on the other hand, dim smoothly but produce much less light output. Two popular dimmable CFLs in our warehouse are OSF13DDE835 and OSF13DDE827, both from Osram.

By the way, an X-10 device is one of the original dimming systems introduced by Leviton. Since then, newer technologies have been introduced to the market with moderations being made to fixture and bulb types, color temperatures, and life hours.

LED lamps (light emitting diodes) are the newest technology and are available today for household usage. They will respond to dimmers, but the range of dimming will be small and at this time, not worthwhile unless an LED fixture unit comes with an integrated dimmer. LEDs promise even greater energy savings than CFLs but are significantly less bright and offer a very direct field of light rather than an overall wash of light. While LEDs are being hyped as the latest and greatest technology they are still evolving and it is safe to say that the technology is playing catch-up to the public demand that has been generated. When choosing between CFLs or LEDs to replace incandescents, consider the brightness of the light output, whether you want a general field of light or a directed field and compare the life hours: CFLs last up to 10,000 hours; LEDs last up to 50,000 hours compared to incandescent lamps that last up to 1,500 hours. And lastly, consider the cost - CFLs are considerably less costly than LEDs at this time and emit light that is comparable to incandescent lamps. Overall, CFLs are the best bet - for now. To search for dimmable compact fluorescents on Bulbtronics.com click on this link and choose dimmable from the drop down list: Interactive Drilldown Search Here's a list of Popular Compact Fluorescents - Buy them now! For more information about LEDs call 1-800-624-2852 x438 and talk to Mike.

Visit Bulbtronics South America Bulbtronics S.A will soon be opening its doors in Miami under the direction of John Dahdouh, Vice President of the newly-created subsidiary that will service the south Florida and Latin American specialty lighting markets. The storefront and stocking location will stock product for the entertainment, industrial, medical and scientific markets. If you're in the area, plan on dropping in: 1835 NW 112th Ave. Ste.185, Miami FL, 33172 Phone 305-704-7163 Fax 305-704-7076 Email: John Dahdouh – jdahdouh@bulbtronics.com Brasil: (55) (11) 3304-9964 (SP) Argentina: (54) (11) 5235-4507 (BA)

Read all about us... Bulbtronics was featured in the January 7th issue of Newsday (Long Island, NY) and newsday.com as a distributor on technology's cutting edge... The interview with President/CEO Bruce Thaw detailed the history, present and future of Bulbtronics and the changes in the lighting industry - LEDs and CFLs that "... will change the nature of the lighting business," Thaw says. "An LED has basically an unlimited life." The article also discusses that "only a few of the LED products on the market can match the brightness and color of standard white bulbs" and that "constant innovation is likely to make them better at yielding white light."

New NiMh Batteries

Bulbtronics is pleased to announce the addition of the PowerEx line of nickel metal hydride batteries - C, D, AA, 9V -and chargers from Maha Energy Corporation to the company's over 150 manufacturer product lines. Maha batteries meet and exceed safety requirements regulated by agencies such as UL, CE, GS, C-Tick, PSE, etc. All Maha manufacturing facilities are certified as ISO-9001, as well as UL, TUV and various other accreditation agencies. The Maha Energy Corporation is a global leader specializing in the design, manufacture and distribution of battery and charging technologies for users and equipment manufacturers. Bulbtronics' extensive battery inventory includes a large selection of battery types, chemistries, chargers and accessories to fit any Industrial, Commercial, Stage, Studio, Medical and Scientific applications. Click on the link to view and buy.

Get your Maha batteries today!