About Flourescent Lamps

[T3D <JValaVIDI@xxxxxxx>]

   Phosphors are rather "spikey" in their spectral output if you were to
compare them to the more uniform output of an incandescent source, but....
because they are "formulated" for different color characteristics it's fairly
easy to blend them to the color you want rather than filtering them to the
color you want.  They also have the feature that you can effectively create
wavelengths (like blue rich) which are far more difficult to get, if not
impossible, from an incandescent source.  Besides, they run much cooler also.

   If someone tells me where to send spectral curves for various fluorescent
lamps, I can show just how the lamps behave.  I have also done tests where I
have operated a 4 inch lamp for 9 hours continously from a set of 4 AA
batteries with only about 40% drop in light output.  Try that with a halogen
lamp!!  The light output is very stable until the last hours of operation at
which time the inverter starts to give up and the light starts falling off as
the batteries give out.  This makes for a very nice source for a viewer
since, unlike a halogen or other incandescent lamps, the color temperature is
invariant as a function of drive voltage or current, the color is in the
formulation.

   I will be going out of town until Wednesday Oct. 30, so any replies from
me will have to wait until then.  I'll be in Orlando, with my cameras of
course!

Respectfully submitted,
John Vala


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End of TECH3D Digest 15
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