Incandescents for Winter?

[rh77]

Some discussion has formed regarding incandescent bulb heat in the Winter.

Currently, I have CELs in all commonly used light sets. As it gets colder, hot/cold spots in the house return.

The question then becomes: should the regular bulbs be replaced in common areas during the Winter, to generate heat in rooms that are currently being occupied? Theoretically, the thermostat won't need a bump to help out with even-heating.

RH77

[rh77]

I have to preface my response with my failure to properly use TLAs. After I re-read the post, it looks like I've replaced my lights with these:




That's pretty efficient, Clench. I generally try to get away with the "put on a sweater" method, but I can only get away with so much with the Wife

95% of waking hours spent in the house, is in the living room. This room has always been a challenge. It's situated between the garage, and 2 outside walls on the other sides. On one end, there's a gas burning "Heatilator" fireplace that just leaks cold air. This room has always been difficult to heat.

The plan is to seal-up the gas exhaust vent and disable the system (it works well, but inefficiently for the rest of the year -- should I get a blower for it?)

Second, the ceiling fan/4-pot light fixture could be changed to the Incans and left on low/reverse blade operation to force the heat down. This light is almost always used to light the room. (If it's just me, I usually just turn on the single-bulb stand-lamp). I could use these for the in-ceiling lights around the house, that get used more often: hall lights, garage light, etc.

The Clothes Dryer: I assume there's a device to re-direct the exhaust back into the house, without the lint? It would definitely add much-needed humidity -- then that exhaust could be sealed too.

RH77

Originally Posted by theclencher

my thought is, since heat likes to rise so much i'm not gonna replace a cfl with incan in any ceiling fixtures- with the heat factor in mind. i keep incan in ceiling fixtures in rooms where i'm in 'n' out for short periods. also i think incans handle on/off cycling better than cfl. i keep cfl in rooms where the light tends to be on for longer periods.

thus for winter i replaced the cfl with incan in my nightstand lamp; it's close to me and low enough to throw some useful heat. also it's a 3-way and i usually run the lowest setting anyway. i've been thinking of pulling the shade and fabbing up some sort of heat reflector for it that points my way...

i keep the place pretty cold over winter. it doesn't bother me except on 3 occasions: in/outta bed, and outta the shower. cured the inta-bed scenario with flannel sheets and an electric blanket. outta bed- just hafta grin and bear it, now. yoosta have a captain's water bed and with the clothes drawers right under the heating element, they were always nice and toasty, almost like pulling em outta the dryer! shower: recently set up a halogen work lamp on the counter next to the sink. those things throw LOTS of heat- more than the milkhouse heater i yoosta have there for winter (fan in summer). i've no interest in wunna those infrared radiant heater bulbs that mount in the ceiling as iy don't wanna heat the ceiling or the attic either. so far very pleased with the work lamp! also don't flip on the regular light when i use the worklamp.

am using an extreme variation of "zone heating". iy heat not even the room iyme in, but the space within the room that iy occupy. my bills are almost nothing.

[cfg83]

theclencher -

The part of my parent's house that I used to live in has had the gas heater disconnected for 10+ years. I used to sleep with all the windows open year-in year-out. But, all of that's pretty easy to do in LA, .

I am familiar with "zone heating" or "task heating". There was a factory that Pierre Koenig designed with task heating :

Pierre Koenig (book)

... The individual workstations were also designed by Koenig, and have heaters and fans that the worker can operate. In the morning, when the factory floor is cold, individual workstations and a radiant heater pad are activated. As the temperature rises during the day, individual fans are used at each workstation while windows vent and cool the overall workspace. ...

Pierre Koenig did the famous Case Study House #22 :
Attachment 1064

CarloSW2

[GasSavers_Ryland]

Remember that if you have an incandecent light on, that it's giving off heat in all directions, so if you have an unshaded window near the light then that window is sucking light and heat out thru it, insulated window shades would be ideal but simply pulling shades at night can help keep the heat in.


There are a number of devices that alow you to keep the heat from an electric cloths drier in your house (gas driers must be vented to the out doors), check at home improvement stores.


Also fire places are pretty bad for keeping heat in the house, they can be improved when you use the damper, installing a damper on the top of the chimney is ideal, making sure that the chimney is in good shape, and if your chimney is exposed all the way up (thru an outside wall insted of thru the center of the house) then you can save alot of energy in heating if you insulate that chimny and box it in, otherwise it's a mass of cold stone and brick that is sitting in your living rooom.

[trebuchet03]

So I've been running a 13W CFL in my refrigerator for about a week (maybe a little less?).... I can def. see that it takes longer to start up - rather than instant, it's about 2 seconds - I reach 75% brightness in about 30-45 seconds and full after about an additional 30 seconds. Measurements are far from "accurate" - mainly, I grabbed my roommates and individually tested them with a cool down time So far, no problems finding stuff in the fridge while the kitchen light is off

Temp ~38-40 degrees F.

I'm going to do this again with the Kill-a-Watt to see if there's an additional draw....

[GasSavers_Ryland]

I would say that the fridge would be the perfect place for an LED, maybe even a string of the LED christmas tree lights, epoxyed to the inside edge pointing twards the inside, lighting every shelf, or lighting it all from the back? a 2-5 watt string of LED's would be way less power/heat in the fridge, and it would light up instantly.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Ryland

I would say that the fridge would be the perfect place for an LED, maybe even a string of the LED christmas tree lights, epoxyed to the inside edge pointing twards the inside, lighting every shelf, or lighting it all from the back? a 2-5 watt string of LED's would be way less power/heat in the fridge, and it would light up instantly.

Meh, I've considered taking it out altogether... Really, it's just there so you know the fridge is plugged in

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by Ryland

I would say that the fridge would be the perfect place for an LED,

Yep. After all, you want as LITTLE heat in the fridge as possible (because the fridge just has to work that much harder to cool down that heat), and the more watts a light uses the more heat it also produces.

Which is why I replaced all my fridge and freezer lights with (the "white" version of) these LED lights (aprox $6/each) from http://www.superbrightleds.com some time ago. They aren't quite as bright as I would ideally like, but they are only 2/3 of a watt each! And LEDs (unlike incandescents) really don't mind cold. In fact, a LED would much rather be cold than warm/hot!



http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/e27-w8.htm

[2TonJellyBean]

DracoFelis, the light doesn't stay on yanno... *kidding*

Anyway, my guess is that the bit of additional wattage is nothing compared the door being open and all the cool air tumbling out.

Perfect application for LEDs though...