Monday, December 19, 2011

Congress Agrees to Nullify Traditional Incandescent Light Bulb Ban

*Please see below for the image key

I have never bought one of those newfangled, compact fluorescent bulbs, and I never planned to do so even with a pending a Congressional ban. I would have had to find a legal alternative for my energy needs, because I was not going to use a
fragile, glass bulb that contains mercury. Fortunately, it appears that Congress is going to void the previous law that was set to ban traditional light bulbs.


Congressional Republicans dropped almost all of the policy restrictions they tried to attach to the bill, but won inclusion of the light bulb provision, which prevents the Obama administration from carrying through a 2007 law that would have set energy efficiency standards that effectively made the traditional light bulb obsolete.

I have not been able to find the actual bill text, but I hear the provision is tucked within 1,200 pages of Congressional language.

Source: Washington Times

*Image Key: Diagram showing the major parts of a modern incandescent light bulb.


1. Glass bulb

2. Inert gas

3. Tungsten filament

4. Contact wire (goes to foot)

5. Contact wire (goes to base)

6. Support wires

7. Glass mount/support

8. Base contact wire

9. Screw threads

10. Insulation

11. Electrical foot contact



1 comment:

KPV Lights said...

First of all, the Act was passed under the Bush administration, not the Obama administration. Secondly, halogen lights are available and use the same technology with nearly identical light quality output to the old bulbs, using inert gas to redeposit tungsten flakes back to the filament. Thirdly, it's not a ban. If they create light bulbs that produce 30% less heat, they can sell them. Lastly, there is more mercury in a can of tuna than there is in a CFL light bulb.
Respectfully,
Lighting designer of twelve years who also loves incandescent lights but has taken time to do the proper research.