With power companies raising our rates on a regular basis, CFL lamps offer an opportunity to minimize the blow to our pocket books.  It’s as easy as the math.

60 watts * 1/1000 kilowatt/watt = 0.060 kilowatts /hour
0.060 * 24 hours = 1.44 kilowatts /day
1.44 * 30 days = 43.20 kilowatts /month

At the rate of $0.08 per kilowatt: 43.2 * .08 = $3.46/day

(2010 National average is $0.1154 per kilowatt)  http://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/index.cfm

Using the logic from above a standard incandescent light bulb will cost $3.46  a month to operate.

 15 watts * 1/1000 kilowatt/watt = 0.060 kilowatts /hour
0.015 * 24 hours = 0.36 kilowatts /day
0.36 * 30 days = 10.80 kilowatts /month

At the rate of $0.08 per kilowatt: 10.80 * .08 = 86¢/day

To produce the same amount of light an equivalent CFL will cost 86¢ a month to operate.  Now imagine if there are 20 sockets in your home.  Now it is starting to add up.

I realize that these figures are based on if I leave it on all the time and who does that?  My children!  Can I get a holla?  I am pretty sure that I can turn off the utility room light 10 times in a given evening.  The fact remains that it cost me less because I use a CFL in every socket I have.  Here are some other tools to help you figure it out.

http://www.energysavingscalculator.com/

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/news/4217864

http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/products/2012_energy_legislation/

As my Facebook savvy increased, I have learned that I could find old friends and relatives that distance had disconnected.  How cool it was to show my wife those people we shared memories with.  The boundaries seemed endless.  Cousins, childhood enemies, high school friends, former cities and lost loves, if they had a Facebook page, we were in business.  If Facebook isn’t good for anything else, it’s good for reconnecting.

At this stage in my Facebook education, the reality is that Facebook connects a ton of people.  People I know, people I don’t know, and people it was worth the $20 bucks I loaned them to never see them again.  There used to be a trivia game that linked a certain Hollywood actor within 6 people to anyone of your choice.  I think Facebook can do that in less steps.  The fact remains that Facebook corrals Billions of people.  This makes a great tool for information and selling products.  So now Facebook is a marketing gold mine.

As my interest in Mafia Wars has waned, another useful benefit of Facebook has emerged.  Better grades for my children.  You ask how that works?  It works because not everyone is up to my Facebook IQ.  Some are just now discovering Facebook and all it offers.  Facebook estimates that over 650,000 people join each day.  Extra credit points for Mafia Wars items may not be the intent Mr. Zuckerberg had in mind, but if it gets my kid a higher grade in History it works for me.  With the people that join Facebook each day I may need to revisit my Mafia Wars account to bolster material for future teachers.

Here is a something that you might have not thought of, if you live in the Central to Southern regions of the US, a standard 100W light bulb can offer enough heat to take the chill out of your crawl space or well house. The farther North you go the more wattage you will need.

Traditionally, we have been taught that leaving the faucet run slightly will take care of freezing pipes.  I have done that and still had my pipes freeze.  So this year I have installed a light socket and use a 100w bulb close to the problem area in my crawl space.  So far so good.  Of course I have only had to use it a couple of times.

Have you ever thought of giving light bulbs as a Christmas gift, Housewarming gift, or Dad’s Birthday?  I’ll pause while you finish laughing.

Think about it, a standard compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) can save some serious cash to operate over a traditional light bulb. The new LED light bulbs can save even more than a CFL bulb! If you spent $30 on the cardigan sweaters that Kohl’s had on Black Friday you got a good deal. But what if that $30 could yield $50 EVERY month for the next 2 1/2 years. Now that would be a deal!

Just a thought for you to think about when you don’t know what to get Dad for a gift.  I think he would appreciate the light bulbs over another sweater or box, cheap cologne, or paisley tie.  At any rate it would cut down on the ugly sweater competitions they would be invited to.

What about Grandma and Grandpa that live on a fixed income?  How much do you think they would appreciate an extra $30-$50 a month? It might make your present next year a little more special.

Like us on Facebook and visit our website for more info on a CFL Gift Basket you can arrange for someone special.

2008 statistics show that animal strikes have increase almost 15% since 2000.  November – January are the months you are most likely to hit an animal with your car.  Not to mention hunting season, but these months have the longest nighttime hours of the year.  In 2007, 223 people lost their lives in accidents involving animals.

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr103008.html

We are often quick to make sure our oil is fresh and our tire pressure is good but what about the headlights of our vehicles?  Fogged lenses and weak headlamps are often over looked.  But what if we could see that potential roadkill 25 feet sooner?  Standard halogen lamps are okay but Xenon headlamps are much better.  High Intensity Discharge (HID) are, as  my children say, “da bomb”.  That’s if you can swing the pricey tag that come with them.  All things said, an extra $25 – $50 can sure look better that a $1000 repair bill or even worse a hospital stay.

Don’t be fooled, accidents will happen and even the most expensive headlights can’t prevent that.  But if I can spend a little extra and reduce the risk for me or my student driver, I think it’s worth it.  Just my opinion.

The match was called a draw

The recent bill passed by both the House and Senate removes funding for the Energy Department’s standards for traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient.  What this means is that all the policies from the 2007 energy mandate are still in place but there is no money assigned to enforce them.   That’s like the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for the military.  We see where that went.

What does it mean for us?  If you love incandescent light bulbs you better buy what you can now.  Don’t think that this “stop gap” will mean an influx of 100w incandescent light bulbs will be on store shelves anytime soon.  No “Buy One Get One” deals are coming to your local hardware store.  Manufacturers have already committed to different technologies.  Tons of marketing money is being spent to make us aware of the benefits of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and LED technology.   Importers still won’t be able to bring incandescent lamps in to the country because guidelines have already been put in place to keep them from passing customs.

In order for manufacturers to produce incandescent light bulbs, assurance from the government will have to be in place to not penalize these producers for supplying lamps.  That is just not gonna happen.  We are getting used to promises not kept and rugs being pulled out from under.  Why take the risk?  Remember the legislation didn’t go away, it just ran out of money to be enforced.  For now.

In July 2010 another staple of lighting fell to the axe know as EPAct.  The T12 magnetic ballast was no longer manufactured.  This time however, there was a suitable replacement with the T8 ballast and lamp combination.    As the T12 lamp phases out in July 2012, Americans have a substitute that will actually save money for them.  T8 lamps and electronic ballast are a smart choice to advert a drastic change.

The most prolific change will come in January 2012 when the standard 100 watt incandescent light bulb will no longer be manufactured followed by the standard 75 watt incandescent in January 2013.  Then in January 2014 we say goodbye to the standard 60 watt incandescent light bulb and then the 40 watt in 2015.  All this as an effort to move America to the CFL and the energy savings that come with it.  That is a subject for another time.

But DON’T throw away your older Easy Bake Ovens quite yet!  With any government legislation there are loopholes.  The list of lamps that can no longer be manufactured is an extensive list but it leaves a just as long list of lamps that are still available.  Lamps that will allow your easy bake oven to make the finest cakes in the neighborhood for years to come.

ATR Lighting has been at the forefront of modern lighting techniques and technology for over 25 years.  We aim to put some of that experience to work for you, our customers, and the rest of the world through this blog.

Please feel free to email us if you ever have any questions that you would like us to address either in the blog or in person on the phone.

We can be reached via Phone at 800.624.4568 or email sales@atrlighting.com
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