apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Fluorescent lighting has come a long way, and it's about to get even better since it's now mandated to account for 50% of lighting in remodels and new building in California. You can get bulbs that go very far out into the red side of the spectrum, non-flickering ballasts, and even dimmable bulbs (but dimmable isn't cheap). Given how expensive energy costs are going to become, and given that incadescents are better heaters then illuminators, dismissing fluorescents just because you haven't checked out the new technology is pretty old-fashioned! Tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps are nothing like what you think of when you think fluorescent (most people can't tell they are fluorescent), but they are not cheap. Philips and Osram make good bulbs, so does Verilux. Paying attention to the Color Rendition Index helps when you're picking out bulbs. You usually have to mail order these better bulbs, big box stores are still in the dark ages too.

Check out

http://lightingdesignlab.com/articles/fluor/hatefluor.htm

regards,
trillium

1. disconnect with a little twist, and use lamps.

2. GELS!

Theatrical lighting gels come in thin plastic sheets/rolls. You can get a neutral density one to just change the color temperature.
That is, warm up that awful blue.

Wrap the flourescent tube, or laying a sheet in the fixture between you and the bulbs. It's a special kind of plastic that can stand up to hot lights without burning -- don't use plastic that xmas cookies are wrapped in!

B&H and other photo/film supply places sell them.

I had that problem in my apartment. GE does make better bulbs (daylight bulbs) that are more white. Still, they are harsh on the eyes.

What made a world of difference, was covering the fixure with a fabric. I build a wood frame (looks like a window frame), varnished the wood, and stabled a tight fabric to the other side. In a sense, it created a lamp shade over a ceiling fixture that diffused the light as well as adjusted the tint. I've asked others, and they can't tell it's flourescent (except when I turn it on, it still flickers quickly, like any flourescent).

I recently purchased Sunwave's full spectrum compact fluorescent bulbs (http://www.sunalux.com/s_lightbulbs.cfm) and have been quit happy with them. They are silent, flicker free, emit a non glaring, bluish white light with a color temperature of 5500K and a 93 CRI - supposed to be comparable to sunlight. I've tried Verilux's compact fluorescent but found the light to be too bluish.

Forgot to mention that Sunwave makes tubes also. Obviously the compact variety is of no use in your situation.

Incorrectly typed the previous link. This is it:

http://www.sunalux.com/s_lightbulbs.cfm

Had a long converstation with shop-girl/woman at Artemede/Phila. this past saturday. They carry many flouresent fixtures. She explained that often it is a matter of the bulb itself, re: wattage, color of light... Made alot of sense to me since I am obsessed with low watt Philips "natural light" bulbs... so maybe flouresent just has a bad rap.

I replaced mine with Sylvania "daylight" ones with a 6500K white point. It's definitely a softer and bluer light, not nearly as harsh. I can even stand to see myself in the mirror in this light.

there are warm fluorescent bulbs that cast a better light for residential use. i removed the fixture in my rerntal and replaced it with an incandesant ceiling light. i also have lamps in my kitchen on the counter and another near the sink stove area that create a pleasant atmosphere in the room.

Thanks for posting this question. I recently moved into a new apartment (over Thanksgiving) and discovered that the light in the dining area is fluorescent - it is a large round ceiling fixture. I was horrified - I hate the light. But I am completely inept at anything remotely electrical, so, even though I would love to change the fixture, I have no idea how to even begin. Maybe a different bulb will help. Also, does anyone know if I can put a dimmer on that kind of light? Sorry if my questions are retarded.

I can't recommend a specific brand, but when you check out bulbs, look at the color temperature. The lower the number, the "yellower" the light and the higher the number, the whiter. Natural sunlight is pure white, about 6000 Kelvin. That would be extraoridinarily harsh in a bulb. For indoor light, we're accustomed to 2700 to 4100 Kelvin. 2700 would be like yellow parlor light, 4100-- think operating table. 3000K is about what "soft white" incandescents come in and would be good in a bedroom. Around 3500 would be a bright white-- nice for a kitchen or home office. Don't convert to incandescent! They are very inefficient. Fluorescents use 2/3 the energy and last 10 times as long. And newer ones don't have that starting flicker and the light they produce is almost indistinguishable from incandescent. Also, get one with the Energy Star label.

There are a number of things to consider. First, do not be as concerned as to what the fluorescent lamps looks like when lit. You are normally not looking at the light, you are looking at objects lit by the light source. These objects reflect and aborb different light spectrums. Newer fluorescent lamps are rated in two ways, Color rendering Index (CRI) and degree kelvin. CRI is too difficult to explain here. Go to sylvania light site and get a good explanation. Degree kelvin is simpler. Most fluorescent lamps run from 2700 / 3000 (old warm white) to 3500 to 4100 (old cool white) to 5000 to 6500 (daylight). In most cases the same wattage lamp rated at different degrees kelvin give the same amout of light. Difference is perception and dominant color. 2700 3000 (lamps appear pinkish) enhance reds, browns, yellows, skin tones. (If you have expensive natural wood cabinets, this is the color that you want to enhance the cabinets.) Dulls blues / purples. 3500 is mid-range. 4100 to 5000 to 6500 enhance blues / greens, dull reds, skin tones. The 4100 is the most common in workplaces. At 4100 and above lamps themselves appear a crisper high noon bluish white.
Another trick with fluorescent is to hide the light source. Cheap fixtures where you can see the actual tube stink. Need to go to better hardware store, electrical distributor to buy fixtures with full diffuser covers (some look like egg crates; these are mainly for commercial use.) New tennant; you cannot put a dimmer on that round fluorescent fixture. If it is bare bulb than I agree that it is ugly. Look around for more contemporary fixture with a diffusing cover. Replacement is not that difficult. Make sure that you turn off the circuit breaker or fully remove the fuse. Should be able to do simple replacement in 1/2 hour. Good hardware store will show you how to do it.

can anyone get me directions for replacing a double, round flouresent bulb in a ceiling light -
they are about 6" and 8" diameter but they are a narrow tube - 1/2 to 5/8" max and i believe they're made as 1 bulb to replace - i can not loosten them or pull them out of any plugin and there seems to be a square plastic fitting in the center about 1 1/4" square that may be the plug but i couldn't loosten it either? thanks

There are definitely good warm white fluorescent bulbs available. As others maybe have already said, daylight fluorescents aren't necessarily what you want. Most people prefer something more like incandescent light--a color rating that's around 2700-3000K. www.servicelighting.com has a large selection of bulbs--even round "circline" bulbs, the round bulbs used in the ugly kitchen lights in many rentals--that come in warm white (3000K). The site has about 9,000 bulbs, so I'd recommend calling customer service and just asking for help. Otherwise, you'll drive yourself nuts trying to figure out what you really need.

Can you put compact flourescent bulbs into incandescent fixtures that have covers or a glass dome cover? I'm told these should not be covered. What about into a recess ceiling light fixture? Also can you use a 3-way switch or dimmer switch on compact flourescents?