sasaki@harvard.ARPA (Marty Sasaki) (01/27/85)
There is a company called Torch that markets, amoung other things, a light
bulb that has a five year guarantee. If the bulb burns out, all you need to
do is send the bulb back and they send you a new one. They are slightly less
bright than other bulbs. They cost about $4 each (I don't remember exactly).
Many will ask, why spend so much on a light bulb? The main reason is
convenience. I'm short enough that when I have to change a bulb in a ceiling
fixture, I have to get out a ladder. Many of my fixtures are above pieces
of furniture that have to be moved. I'm also lazy about these things.
Since changing to these bulbs I haven't had to change any of them (two years
so far). The only problem is that when one of them does burn out, I won't
be able to find the replacements since they are packed away somewhere.
--
Marty Sasaki
Havard University Science Center
sasaki@harvard.{arpa,uucp}
617-495-1270tauxe@uokvax.UUCP (01/30/85)
G.E., Westinghouse, Sylvania take note......... One thing that has bothered me for some time is the conspiracy against us consumers by the manufacturers of light bulbs. Without exception, the bulbs purchased at grocery stores, discount stores, etc. are all rated for 120 volts. Commercial distributors of light bulbs used by industies, schools, municipalities etc. sell bulbs rated for 130 volts. Commercial users are no fools, they know that it costs money to change light bulbs as well as to buy them. A bulb rated for 130 volts lasts MUCH longer when used on 120 volt circuits than do 120 volt bulbs, and the difference in light output is almost insignif- icant. If all bulbs sold were rated at 130 volts instead of 120 volts, far fewer bulbs would be sold. Short people would not need to get ladders out to change ceiling bulbs anywhere near as often. Also, one need not spend $4.00 per bulb (for the longtime guaranteed) to reduce the incon- venience of having to change light bulbs, which to my way of thinking is completely offset by the inconvenience of having to return them. The G.E. long-life lightbulbs are no better bargain. When you consider that the percentage increase in cost is greater than the percentage increase in life, it only increases the replacement interval by 1/3. I'm just a lazy as Marty, but tighter with my money and my time. To get 130 volt bulbs, one needs to go to an electrical supply store and ask for them. They cost just about the same price as bulbs do in the grocery store...not cheap but not outrageous. There is one big difference, however, that is not immediately apparent. When you buy a CLEAR bulb at the grocery store, you pay about three times the price of a normal FROSTED bulb for the CLEAR bulb because it is a 'd e c o r a t o r b u l b'.....when it is simply a normal bulb without the frosting. Clear 130 volt bulbs are the same price as their frosted 120 volt counterparts at the electrical supply store........ afterall, a bulb is a bulb, with or without frosting. George W. Tauxe University of Oklahoma