USB Stuff

[Chuck Guzis]

On 10/1/2005 at 10:25 AM Fred Cisin wrote:

>If you're paying $1 each for them, the ROI is substantial.

Again, it depends on the application.  I've got a 60w incandescent installed in the utility closet that holds my A/C, pressure tank and water heater.  It sees maybe an hour of use per year (if that).  I won't live long enough to see any ROI for that $1 spent.

And how long will it be before something better (i.e. more efficient) comes by to replace it?  Technology is really the joker in the deck.  A neighbor built his large house in 1992, taking adavantage of a $2K energy credit to use fluorescent fixtures for every one of his 60 or so recessed lighting "cans".  This was before solid-state ballasts had become widespread, so he's got iron-core ballasts in all of the fixtures.  Lots of them buzz like crazy now--since these fixtures were installed before the sheetrock, with the ballast external to the can, replacement is involved and costly.  All in all, probably a negative ROI if he can't live with the buzz.  He would have been much better off installing conventional fixtures and relamping when screw-in CFL's reached a good price point--the screw-ins probably exhibit better efficiency than his existing setup, too.

>OB_SUBJECT_LINE: does anybody make a USB powered CFL?   :-)

This looks like one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-new-High-quality-USB-desk-Lamp-light-4-Laptop-PC_W0QQitemZ5279451836QQcategoryZ31534QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

"Gentle ray, bright, without frequency change, benefit from preventing eyesight.

By using lowest work vnltages: 5v, safety & reliability High effciency, saving energy.

It makes 20 times long life than normal daylight by placing exeed ages cold light tube.

The lamp which not only can form a comlete set with usb computer soket, but also can directly set with city power supply.

Connect lampshade & lamp base in soft tube. economic, beauty. Convenience on easy handle light direction."