I have just read an article on the BBC news page concerning energy saving lamps. The article states that over time the lamps get dimmer. I am amazed at this finding as any electrician 'worth his salt' would already know that this is nothing new. I have been in the electical field (no pun intended) for over 45 years and can state that as long as I can remember fluorescent tubes needed to be changed because they gave a reduced output. What does really concern me is that there seems to be very little information concerning these lamps that contain mercury.
Dave

Must not let a small detail get in the way of controlling climate change, must we.

Remember, there never was an Ice Age, the earth is flat (until proved otherwise) and the British Isles was once in the tropics.

Politicians take advice from those who will give the right answers to the question asked. Wrong answer, and you suddenly find yourself on the dole. Let's be honest, we have to admit the average temperature is rising slowly. Think of a reason that no-one can disprove and there you are.
I'm still waiting for the penny to drop about the disposal of the mercury, the energy cost of making these lamps/cars/insulation and all the other nasties that are ignored. Bit like PFI!

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Norman

What exactly makes you think the penny is going to drop? 100's of millions of people have more mercury in their mouth, and still allow dentists to install more, even though we know it is highly toxic. In addition to this as many people still smoke even though they know what can happen. In addition to that the so called nasties did not stop you, or me, buying our TV, car, annual vacations on the plane, washing machine, etc., etc., or did you believe they were all perfectly clean?

Regards.

Every kind of lamp gets dimmer: Metal is vaporised and coats the inside, dirt clouds the outside,
not to mention any luminaire coverings needing cleaning.

The scandal is the need to evacuate the room, with the windows open, for an hour
if you break the glass. How well is that advertised on the packaging.
How do you re-cycle them? Throw them in a WEE container?
But, Oh, the glass will break when you do.

This actually came from the IET itself via E & T magazine, BBC news had a short interview with the editor-in-chief Dickon Ross, who in my opinion was not a good choice for the interview. I thought he was unclear and vague about the point he was trying to make (if I'm not mistaken, the IET was not even mentioned, just that some scientists and engineers had carried out a study).

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Rob Heywood MIET

As you get older, three things happen, the first is that your memory goes and..........I can't recall what the other two things are!

Norman Wisdom