CFL - Daylight (white light) or Normal (yellowish light) ones ?

[gsethi]

Which ones do you prefer and why ? For normal everyday use in your home.

We use the Daylight ones but someone told me to switch to warmer Normal yellow CFLs (reasoning is that they soften the enviroment)

 

[guyver01]

the cheapest, most environmentally unfriendly bulb i can buy.

thats what i prefer.

 

[gaidensensei]

One disgruntled physics professor I used to have once claimed that twisty environmental friendly lightbulbs are useless.

I personally don't know though, was never a physics buff enough to understand the efficiency calculations behind it.

 

[0roo0roo]

you generally don't just arbitrarily choose the color, it affects all the colors and feel of a room, so generally unless you have some strange decor, warm lights are for homes.

 

[MikeMike]

What are you planning on growing?

 

[Jeff7]

I tried the 5000K CFLs for awhile, but eventually switched to something closer to 2700K. It just seems more pleasant.

One thing to watch for is CRI - Color Rendering Index. Try to get something above 80. A low CRI will lead to funky looking colors. Cheap CFLs, or things like "shop lites" will usually be down around 70.

What are you planning on growing?

If you're growing any manner of plant life, I'd think that red LEDs would be the way to go, maybe with a sprinkling of IR and blue LEDs mixed in there. LEDs really do well at producing a single dedicated wavelength - that's where they get their high apparent efficiencies.

 

[AndroidVageta]

I tried the 5000K CFLs for awhile, but eventually switched to something closer to 2700K. It just seems more pleasant.

One thing to watch for is CRI - Color Rendering Index. Try to get something above 80. A low CRI will lead to funky looking colors. Cheap CFLs, or things like "shop lites" will usually be down around 70.



If you're growing any manner of plant life, I'd think that red LEDs would be the way to go, maybe with a sprinkling of IR and blue LEDs mixed in there. LEDs really do well at producing a single dedicated wavelength - that's where they get their high apparent efficiencies.

NEVER thought about using LEDs...lower power requirements, lower heat, less wasted space in the closet...wow, I gotta look into it, but I think you just changed the way I grow...THANKS!

 

[Jeff7]

NEVER thought about using LEDs...lower power requirements, lower heat, less wasted space in the closet...wow, I gotta look into it, but I think you just changed the way I grow...THANKS!

And remember, when you make LEDs illegal, only criminals will have them.

Also, use a constant current driver chip. Thermal runaway = dead LEDs, and using resistors to limit current = wasted power.


(My growing experience was to be with wild red raspberries from back home. Alas, around that time, I decided to head back to college, which completely eliminated all project funding.)

 

[PaperclipGod]

Personally I prefer 6000k+ bulbs. I hate the yellow tone of incan's and most cfl's. It's just a lot nicer to have a room appear to be lit by natural daylight than something clearly artificial.

Also, supposedly 6000k+ bulbs are the best choice for reading lamps.

 

[lxskllr]

I hate white light. I haven't found a cfl yet I've been completely happy with. My favorite bulb is an incandescent 40w soft white. It has a nice yellowish glow. Really candle light's my favorite, but it isn't always practical.

 

[PaperclipGod]

I hate white light. I haven't found a cfl yet I've been completely happy with. My favorite bulb is an incandescent 40w soft white. It has a nice yellowish glow. Really candle light's my favorite, but it isn't always practical.

Have you tried a lantern with the shade opened just a hair's width? I hear its good for your type.

 

[lxskllr]

Have you tried a lantern with the shade opened just a hair's width? I hear its good for your type.

Like a Coleman fuel lamp? I've never had them, but I have a bunch of oil lamps. I haven't used them in awhile though; not sure why... I should pull them out. If you use the highly purified oil, they don't smell too strong.

 

[PaperclipGod]

haha, I was actually making a reference to your avatar:

😀