news: a major replacement of lamps in Cuba

[Max]

TF1 27/05/2005:

le chef de l'Etat a annonc? en avril dernier que toutes les ampoules incandescentes du pays allaient ?tre d?truites et remplac?es par d'autres, fluorescentes et plus ?conomes d'?nergie, en provenance de Chine.

translation: The head of state (Fidel Castro) has announced last April that all incandescent lamps of the country will be destroyed and replaced by compact fluorescent lamps, more energy efficient, made in China

This news really struck me! This is the first time in recorded history that a government will impose (if it does) such a drastic measure.
The whole article says that the power grid of Cuba is completely outdated and induced some repetitive black outs last summer in the island. Beside lamps, F. Castro plans to replace 2 millions of electric cookers?

Max

[pSlawinski]

Just what are they planning on doing with the destroyed lamps?  That will be a BIG mess! 

[Max]

Hi Philip,

I guess the millions of lamps will end up in a landfill of crushed glass - I am just wondering how they will dispose of the mercury from the millions of CFLS in the future...

Max

[pSlawinski]

I have a bad feeling that the mercury will find it's way into the ocean somehow....   

[pSlawinski]

By the way, I like your avatar, very nice!? Did you color correct that picture with photoshop?  I have a very similar picture.  You can find it here: http://www.metal-halide.net/index.php?id=gallery&cat=HID&scat=MV&bulb=H36GW-1000-DX  The only difference with my picture is that the lamp is being run by a neon sign transformer @ 25mA.  It's also a much larger lamp as well 

[Max]

Hi Philip,

No, the color in the picture were not photoshop-enhanced. The reason why the red color appears so saturated is because this american lamp has a phosphor coating of magnesium fluorogermanate instead of today's europium phosphovanadate. The former absorbs blue light and has an emission peak lying in the mid-far red region , namely ~700nm, while vanadate radiates in the near red 612-620nm, giving a more pinkinsh overall color when combined with the blue emission from the mercury discharge.

The problem I was faced with was that the run-up period of this lamp was too short for a good picture to be taken. So I used a transformer that forbade the discharge from shifting to higher pressures and kept the lamp in a steady regime as found during run-up.

Best regards

Max

[pSlawinski]

Tell me ... what manufacturer made that lamp.  Also, when was it made?

[Max]

The 100W lamp is made by GTE Sylvania, referenced H38-4-JA/C and made in early 1960's. This type of lamp is often known as a cleartop for obvious reasons.

Max