Dim View

It will definately take some time to take off. Where's the comparison come from? Will the packaging have to state the lumens and watts? Watts are still an important descriptor. Take compact light fixtures for example; one that says "Do not use lamp rated over 60 Watts" for the fire hazard concern may be over heated by someone like me who has no idea how to convert Watts to lumens. Good blog because I'm sure there's more to come on this. How many years have all of us been learning to convert from standard to metric measurements?

In the age of point-and-shoot cameras, I guess using a light meter would be a "complex laboratory test." Lots of lamps already show lumens on the container, and plenty of people are familiar with lumens/watt comparisons.

Now Tornado

what would you expect from an Anonymous Coward blogger, who's only qualification is the ability to irritate a few electrons [use a keyboard].

of course we want to know in, out, peak & load factor

I thought the watt rating was an input rating. For that matter, although a cfl may draw less steady state current for a given amount of light output, the inrush current can effect switch elements designed for resistive loads.

In industrial settings the amount of light (in lumen's) falling on a work surface is regulated.

That said, maybe we need an inductive load and a lumen rating.

what about simply listing the lumens per watt alongside the total wattage?

That's the number I would want to know.

there is also the issue of 'spot' lighting and 'wash' lighting.. there are many other unique factors that each technology posses.

"what about simply listing the lumens per watt alongside the total wattage?

That's the number I would want to know."

zactly...

Interior designers and Industrial designers all want to know Lumens (also) but removing the Watts rating would be stupid, dangerous, and incomprehensible, especially in this age of energy conservation. I believe that the US is the largest per capital energy consumer.. but the safety aspect affects everyone.

chris

or not

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/breaking-news/economy/china-1-energy-consumer-where-does-new-era-in-energy-history-lead.html

perhaps.

but the metric applied includes all forms of energy.. which can include burning stuff... yak manure, etc.. Three Gorges is still coming up to full operation...

it is definitely coming.

chris

It will probably be a few more weeks until the chinese surpass north americans in kwh's / person or even per inhabited acre

:D

The packing of bulbs should indicate input(watts),output(lumens),holder size(B22,E27 etc),bulb size(A,B etc),color temp,color of light(yellow,bluish,colorless etc) harmonics, RFI,EMC,inrush current,life,efficacy(lm/W) and any other data required by the designer/consumer.Light fittings should indicate CRI.

Exactly ... that's what I thought ... thank your for this illuminating reply ... Jaan

Thanks.You may add power factor too.For light fittings too all these parameters and efficiency of fixture=lumens/lumes w/o enclosure may be added

If not available on the package that information is certainly available on any reputable manufacturer's web site.

A customer may not have access to internet.

Then they also probably have no idea what the whole thing is about so it doesn't make any difference.

In modern society people are educated and they know many things.But can they carry a laptop when they go shopping if descriptions of articles are not printed in the package?.

If 1 person out of 100 (in the general public) understands all that technical information, I would be very surprised. Probably more like 1 in 500 or 1000.

Most electrical types would have little idea - only a person dealing directly with the lighting field can make sense out of most of it - or someone who spends the time to learn the subject.

If that 1 person is buying a new lightbulb for his/her kitchen it matters little what they know. But if that person has been tasked with properly lighting a factory floor, large commercial establishment, or even the hallways in his condominium...... they should hire the 1 in a thousand that knows what they are doing. No?

The state should educate the public regarding harmful effects of harmonics/RFI/EMC/high inrush current etc

In the case here in Australia...they did away with the tungsten filament light globe. It is now illegal to sell this type. We switched to CFL only. I only question why was it done in such haste. Anyway... our packaging still has the wattage rating together with the 'old' style equivalent since 50W, 75W, 100W and 125W is so impregnated in our minds.

that's not completely true you can still buy Halogen light bulbs, which still use tungsten filaments http://www.climatechange.gov.au/what-you-need-to-know/lighting.aspx

the chart has a basic comparison

It really doesn't matter to the consumer what the units are on the box. Ultimately picking a light bulb is simply not a complex decision thanks to standardization. The obvious end result is that lower numbers give dimmer light which is nice when relaxing in the evening, and higher numbers give brighter light which is useful when doing work. The fact that this issue has been brought up as a piece of legislation seems silly to me, but at least it will be accurate legislation rather than completely useless dribble that makes inaccuracy law like determining that a tomato is a vegetable.

I'm sure that for most people the awful confusion of Watts v/s Lumens will be resolved by the time they purchase their 5th or 6th power saving light bulb (at least for people who have enough sense not to buy the 100 lamp economy pack the first time they shop for a type of lamp that they have never tried before).

Not only for bulb but for other electrical equipments too the consumer has the right to know the harmful effects like leakage current,harmonics,EMI/RFI,inrush current etc

Let's make it the consumer's obligation to know all this stuff, and if they flunk the quiz, send them back to school.

If they fail the test the customer gets three strokes with a wet noodle!

Unless a person is really into the topic they could care less about all the details. Look at the junk lamps the big boxes manage to sell to foolish customers buying the cheap CFLs or LEDs.

these days a cheap cfl costs about what a standard incandescent costs [we can still but em] may have a reasonable lifespan [much like an incandescent]

In shopping malls and supermarkets you might have seen the full details or composition of the food items like milk food,marmite,cheese,vegetables,nuts etc even crabs printed in the packing.They indicate carbohydrates,fats,proteins,vitamins.anions,cations etc even the dosage.A person can select an item which is not harmful to him as recommended by the doctor.For instance if one has kidney problems he will avoid items containing high levels of potassium. Similarly diabetic patients will do.In medications full details are printed although the buyer has no idea of medical science.He depends on doctor who prescribes or recommends. I think it is high time to make engineering goods to be sold only for prescription by an engineer. For a bulb,food mixer,washing machine,oven or a motor an engineer should study the manufacturer's literature and if harmful effects are within limits laid down by the state he should recommend. In pharmacies only few items like aspirin are sold without prescription. Mechanical items like screw,nail or a bolt may be sold without prescription but not electrical items even a bulb. In this age of energy efficiency and energy savings the state should implement it. Bad quality items can pollute the power lines too.

Quotes - 'I think it is high time to make engineering goods to be sold only for prescription by an engineer - Bad quality items can pollute the power lines too'

Set the engineer up as god when many are just as foolish as the general population? The second statement proves the foolishness of the whole thing quite nicely.

You have a few others around here that would agree with you but personally I think that is among the worst ideas I have heard this year!

Yeah, another would-be "big brother."

If a home appliance or bulb generate harmonics or RFI it will pollute the power connected to the same premises which in turn will affect the other equipment connected.

Further background on this "problem" http://pmpaspeakingofprecision.com/2010/11/19/heatballs-unintended-consequences-of-regulation/ Milo