Comment Why this isn't an issue (again) (Score 1) 247
I worked for the company that did the first large scale installation of this sort of lighting.. That was several years ago.
Short version of the story: there were major problems with the system and after a year of installation the whole (very large) system was torn out at our companies expense? Why? Because we were losing money daily fixing the things when they broke.. This from a system that was supposed to save BIG $$$$$$ on maintenance. The company that makes these things was in bancruptcy last time I heard.
Slightly longer version:
- the lights are VERY expensive
- they work by radiating a glass globe with a bit of sulfur in it with microwaves. The sulfur turns to plasma and puts out a lot of light (and heat). To keep the plasma from burning through the glass that encloses it the globe is constantly turned and blown on by a fan (the globe is actually stuck in the center of the fan wheel).
- the lights break.. a lot. The 1st generation units had a 50% failure rate on their power supplies. Even the later units had many fan failures.. When the fan stops turning, so does the bulb. Bulb goes *POOF*.
- the units run very hot, this causes breakdown of plastics used in close proximity to the lights. Since one of the major applications of these units in our installation (and touted for use elsewhere) was light pipes (made the whole 100' long pipe look like a huge glowing flourescent bulb) and it made the light pipes break down, this is BAD.
Conclusion: was a great idea, and in 10 years someone else might try it and overcome the problems because it IS an energy efficient way to make a whole lot of light. Just a small reality check though: we aren't talking about 100 watt light bulb replacements. These things replace the big honking metal halide lights you see at sports stadiums on a 2 for one ratio (that is you can replace 2 big monster metal halides for ONE of these). The only place I can think of where they would be put out in public would be stadiums.. If the light pipes worked they would be perfect for large cubicle farms. But these things are VERY VERY expensive and put out a WHOLE lotta light.
Short term I wouldn't worry about it.
-] Crow
Short version of the story: there were major problems with the system and after a year of installation the whole (very large) system was torn out at our companies expense? Why? Because we were losing money daily fixing the things when they broke.. This from a system that was supposed to save BIG $$$$$$ on maintenance. The company that makes these things was in bancruptcy last time I heard.
Slightly longer version:
- the lights are VERY expensive
- they work by radiating a glass globe with a bit of sulfur in it with microwaves. The sulfur turns to plasma and puts out a lot of light (and heat). To keep the plasma from burning through the glass that encloses it the globe is constantly turned and blown on by a fan (the globe is actually stuck in the center of the fan wheel).
- the lights break.. a lot. The 1st generation units had a 50% failure rate on their power supplies. Even the later units had many fan failures.. When the fan stops turning, so does the bulb. Bulb goes *POOF*.
- the units run very hot, this causes breakdown of plastics used in close proximity to the lights. Since one of the major applications of these units in our installation (and touted for use elsewhere) was light pipes (made the whole 100' long pipe look like a huge glowing flourescent bulb) and it made the light pipes break down, this is BAD.
Conclusion: was a great idea, and in 10 years someone else might try it and overcome the problems because it IS an energy efficient way to make a whole lot of light. Just a small reality check though: we aren't talking about 100 watt light bulb replacements. These things replace the big honking metal halide lights you see at sports stadiums on a 2 for one ratio (that is you can replace 2 big monster metal halides for ONE of these). The only place I can think of where they would be put out in public would be stadiums.. If the light pipes worked they would be perfect for large cubicle farms. But these things are VERY VERY expensive and put out a WHOLE lotta light.
Short term I wouldn't worry about it.
-] Crow
