light bulbs

[Dingo]

LEDs can throw a decent amount of light. I've got a LED bicycle headlight that is bright enough to candle eggs with. I'm sure they could be utilized for outdoor purposes.

 

[rittert3]

I guess thats true Dingo. The main problem with LEDs though will be that most of them run off a 110 plug or batteries so you won't be able to just screw a bulb in a light socket. I guess you could get those 110 adapters that screw into the socket.

I guess we're going to rope lights in the coops, lol jk.

 

[LiLRedCV]

When they first came out, I thought it was an excellent idea myself... started replacing all the bulbs in my house with them. But you know what? They honestly did NOT last nearly as long as they claimed and I found myself replacing them more often than the old bulbs and at a much higher expense. It got to the point we were adding the date we replaced the bulb in magic marker on the new bulb so we could possibly get our money back with their "guarantee". Well, we've NEVER received any money back from them. Total waste.

Also, those new energy saving light bulbs have mercury in them. When they break? You have to treat it as hazardous material (i.e. wear a mask and gloves to clean it up and dispose of it in a proper manner fitting hazardous waste). How is that any better for us???? If you have one in your coop and it breaks, you'll have to worry about your girls eating it or it just contaminating your flock in general. Or what about the argument of possibly contaminating your own families??????

Many times the Government decides things are for the "Greater Good" only to seriously hose us with their new scheme.

 

[frostbite]

That's why I stocked up on incandescents!

I got a couple of cases of them. I only need them outside, so I probably have enough to last 10 years. By then congress will figure out they need to ban fluorescents for environmental reasons, and incandescents will be back in favor.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Get a strand of christmas lights and put it in there. You don't need a lot of light.

 

[frostbite]

I don't agree that there's any problem with using the incandescents that I have. A string of Christmas lights in my small coop will be a hazard to the chickens who wouldn't be able to leave it alone. It's a small coop, and a string of Christmas lights in that environment won't last, the severe cold makes the plastic wire coating very brittle, resulting fairly rapid degradation and more landfill. Plus the light intensity and wavelengths of the LED Christmas string can't match the output of the standard light bulb. On balance, I figure my solution to balancing energy consumption, pollution and chcken health, safety, and productivity is pretty sensible and responsible.

It's hard for those in more temperate climates to understand the challenges of living in the subarctic climate. But I love it up here and can't imagine moving back to the contiguous states.

 

[rittert3]

Totally agree that I don't know your climate, frostbite, I was simply trying to come up with other alternative to fluoresant. I do imagine that the christmas lights would be a pecking temptation and I'm sure you're right about the plasic insulation cracking off the wires, so probably not a good idea. We only see negitive temps once or twice a decade here so it is hard for me to imagine. I do hope our government changes thier mind about this move, the mercury yard lights we have at the sale barn run about $50 each which I don't see as being a practical price let alone cost effective for many private farms. I know it's a little off topic but I saw a quote a few months back that Obama suggested everybody buy new fuel efficant cars because gas prices wern't going to get any better, I can't count how many poeple I saw replies from who were living pay check to pay check and couldn't add in a car payment. I think our gov. is going to have to see a big change in the way our politions reason their desisions before we can see a light at the end of this gloomy tunnel. Maybe an honest well educated poor man in office would fix things. Dealing with two or three 0 figures is alot harder than thinking you can manage eight and nine 0 figures. I will stop there, sorry about my little rant, but these days to many of our problems originate from you know where.

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
This post in itself is a great one. Know what we need to do? Get this on facebook!

With a post like this LiLRed, many others will follow, then, I really believe that it will get around..then, I think it could possibly make the front page of concern on your main page..MSN..whatever you use..then, I can see it making Good Morning America..

It's possible. So many things start on FaceBook. I'm not on there any longer..anyone else want to give it a go? May sound silly, but you could post it asking, did you guys know they were doing this next year? Many people don't.

 

[rittert3]

^ Good idea, I think it could work. I don't know about keeping the production from ending but, maybe it could cut down the time that incadecants are out of production and off shelves. I think a few of us need to post to get it started so it get a good start at circulating but, what do we want to say so it appeals to the general public?

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
I thought I had a good page copied on page one, it isn't what I thought it was..will have to take it off, but, I think things said like LiLRed said would be great. She/He, said that they actually kept record of how long the bulbs lasted. And how often they had to change them. You could ask if anyone has experienced the same. Or, if anyone has good or negative thoughts, experiences, to share. I am going to look up the page that I had before.
I hope this works.. http://money.usnews.com/money/busin...9/faq-the-end-of-the-light-bulb-as-we-know-it