[Boatanchors] CFLs made in Hungary - Biax base - going Green and RF HASH

[Steve Belcher]

Sheldon,

The Biax base is common for non-ballasted (ballast built into fixture) 
lamps. It is with great interest I watch these threads come and go on our 
amateur radio boards.

When I built (rebuilt) my home in 1998 I decided to utilize the knowledge I 
had gained over the previous 15 year with a friends home in Maine that was 
off the grid. I opted to use CFL though out my home the exception being the 
outside lamps where I went with halogen.

To date, I have never experience any RF noise from one of my fixtures or 
self-ballasted lamps. I do have one PIA Green piece of technology, the low 
energy washer is AWFUL! I can here that on 75 meters 300+ feet done the 
road!

I have only recently started replacing lamps in the bathroom fixtures and my 
kitchen lights after 12+ years.

Most of the Biax Base CFL's in my home are liner ballasts. I have run into 
some issues (not at home) with European T-8 lamps being dumped on the US 
market and proceeding to fail all most out of the box to to be incompatible 
with the Non-Linier Ballasted that were just being promoted by the 
utilities. I suspect that this may also contribute to reports of RF hash 
when the wrong lamps are being fired by the wrong ballast..  This brings us 
back to the Self-Ballasted CFLs making noise.

There is a difference with Lamps made for liner and non-liner ballasted. I 
can see the CHI-COM manufacturers in an effort to build these thing for less 
and less using (producing)  lamps not matched to the correct type ballast. 
It's going to take complaints to the QC departments of the major 
re-labelers - If the lamps are not counterfeit already)

Bottom Line, I got lucky, I have no doubt that if I was building my home 
today, I wouldn't have FRO issues.  My unity also offer a comparison of my 
home energy use to those in my area, I am always in the lower 25th -30th 
percentile.  Pretty good for a 2000 SF home with an In-law apartment

Steve - W1TAV




----- Original Message ----- 
From: <sdaitch at kuw.ibb.gov>
To: "Undisclosed-recipients:"
Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 9:11 AM
Subject: [Boatanchors] CFLs made in Hungary


>I had to make a run up to the Co-op hardware store to
> get some halogen lamps for the living room, so I made
> a little inspection of the CFLs in the store.  I found
> some GE Biax based CFLs which are made in Hungary.
>
> I don't know if this is end-of-run stock bulbs or
> recently manufactured stock.
>
> Note this appears to be a European marketed
> lamp, as it doesn't have the typical Edison base
> we normally use in the US.
>
> This site shows a photo of the Biax base:
>
> http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/344420809/GE_Biax_Energy_Saving_CFL_TE.html
>
> I seem to recall seeing other CFLs with the normal
> Edison base which were made in Hungary, but that was
> about two years ago.
>
> I suppose the CFLs are like so many other products, that is,
> sure, they could be made in the US, but they aren't going to
> be at the same price as the offshore manufactured units.
>
> 73
> Sheldon
> WA4MZZ
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: LEE BAHR <pulsarxp at embarqmail.com>
> Date: Friday, February 25, 2011 9:12 pm
> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] OT Another Harbor Freight Bargain
>
>> I know of no CFLs made anywhere except in China.  I was told this
>> is
>> factual.  If you can buy quality CFLs made in the US, please tell
>> this group
>> the Brand name and where to buy them. A specific price would be
>> good to.
>> Maybe even give the seller's URL.  I'd like to buy some today!
>
>
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