Lighting

[danaeris]

In our hallway, there is no outlet where we could plug in a night light. So for night lighting, we have the choice of leaving an overhead light on all night, or plugging in the xmas lights strung across the hallway.

Which do you suppose is more environmentally friendly; the overhead hall light, or the string of xmas lights?

I found some numbers which said that a 100 ft. string of mini lights (which is what I think I've got, although I'm not sure) uses 40 W. Anyone got a clue, and how clueful is your clue?

foomp. Dana go boom.

Comments

A string of lights

[iceblink.livejournal.com]

I found THIS website on holiday lighting.

The string of lights is more economical. If you had an LED string of lights, that is even better. But the lights are less expensive than the bulb.

Re: A string of lights

[auros]

Well, that depends on the bulb -- if you have something like a 9W full-spectrum flourescent (which would be fine for night-time lighting; I have six 9W bulbs for lighting my bathroom, and that's plenty bright), that's probably more efficient, though most of them take a second or two to light up after you flip the switch. They also make 20W compact flourescents which are easily as bright as a 100W incandescent.

Re: A string of lights

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Oooh, LED string of lights! We have open beams in our house and my bedroom really needs something for soft lighting. I'll have to look for those.

[divineseduction.livejournal.com]

You could get those rope lights, and string them on the seam of the floor and wall. :) That could look nice. And associate them with Moonbasey directional signs. :D

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Rope lights, unless they are LED based, are actually quite the energy hogs.

[divineseduction.livejournal.com]

Oh. Hrm.

genitalmen: we can rewire it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_duncan/]

Unless you have a very wimpy or compact flourescent overhead light then the christmas light string definately trumps it as a more energy-frugal option. Your string is probably 100 bulbs rather than 100 feet in length.

The most environmentally friendly option is to learn to navigate your house in total darkness. Don't faw down. Don't go boom.

After that, in ascending order of cost recurring cost: outside light, luminescent paint, limelite nightlights, neon nightlights, single bulb incandescent nightlights or LED christmas strings, incandescent miniature christmas strings, incandescent standard christmas strings or the standard ceiling bulb, mercury vapor or halogen worklights, stage lighting.

Truly luminescent paint has been tough to get for the past half century or so. An old watch may have hands that glow without regard to recent exposure to light. Several old watches, taped to the wall, could show a resident where the wall is.

I'll ignore the nightlight options as they require a power socket. You could possibly replace the lightswitch with a switch-and-socket pair to put those back in the picture.

One option that greatly reduces the power consumption (and light output) of inexpensive christmas light strings is to run them at half their recommended voltage. A typical 100 bulb string is actually two strings of 50 bulbs each. The wiring at the 1st, 50th, 51st and 100th bulb will show the ends of the two circuits as they tie to the supply rails which go from the plug at one end to the socket at the other.

With two cuts and one splice you can make a 98 bulb series string which will draw a bit more than quarter of the power from the line as the original set pulled.

With two sets, an extension cord and a paperclip or cliplead you can try it out without cutting anything. Plug two identical sets of christmas lights into the same outlet of an unpowered extension cord, side by side, so the extra prong of each hangs out the side. Use the paperclip or cliplead to short those extra prongs together. Plug in the exension cord. For more light, remove one bulb. (Suggested exercise for your physics students: show why that works.)

I don't know how much electrical mess your housemates tolerate but if you leave the lightswitch on all the time you have a power point in the ceiling. To that you can attach nightlights, light timers and motion sensors.

So, yeah, if you must have light, this is the right time of year to explore decorative, functional and energy-frugal options.

Re: genitalmen: we can rewire it.

[toolittletime.livejournal.com]

Bravo!

[evergrey.livejournal.com]

The overhead light. Christmas lights use a BUTTLOAD of energy.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_duncan/]

GE "String-A-Long" Super Bright light set, assorted colors. 50 bulbs. Total set wattage: 24 watts.

As I said before, unless the ceiling fixture carries a flourescent bulb or is *very* dingy then the Christmas set will use less energy.

By "mini lights" I assume she means the little ones. The 50 watt quote for a hundred bulb set sounds right. Traditional Christmas bulbs, the larger ones that happen to fit night lights and some ceiling fixtures, do add up in power consumption very quickly. A hundred of those would burn close to a thousand watts.

Or ... maybe your butt is very small.

[evergrey.livejournal.com]

Hm, odd, because the folks at the Choir loft reported that their electrivity usage jumped a frightening amount when they used their christmas lights. And they were the small ones. :o

Naw, I have a huge ass.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_duncan/]

Then again with the meme of "oh, it's just 25 watts per string, no big deal" it's pretty easy to hook up a whole lot of them... and leave them on all the time. That'd show.

Oh, and I goofed on the half voltage example. That draws a bit more than *half* the power, twice what I said before. 200 bulbs at 1/4 power each compared with 100 bulbs at full power.

I gab too much sometimes.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Your best bet, actually, would be to get a string of the LED X-mas lights. Far less wattage per amount of light. And they're pretty cheap at this point, too.

[riseorbleed.livejournal.com]

Here's what I would do: At hardware stores, you can get non-invasive, standard lightbulb sized motion sensors about 2" long that fit between a standard lightbulb and the outlet, thereby making the overhead light motion sensing. Then point the sensor at a mirror such that it'll see people from both directions.

For about $0.75 you can also get little adapters that convert a light bulb outlet into a two-pronged electrical outlet, at which point you can plug in a nightlight, a motion-sensing light, a vibrating disco ball, or whatever else will prevent y'all from tripping in the dark.

Also, if your landlord/landlady wants a wall socket installed in your hallway, let's talk. Having replaced most of the wiring, switches and outlets in my house (and added more), it's something I've had a LOT of practice with.