Re: >Subject: Re: First post: Fluoresce

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: >Subject: Re: First post: Fluoresce
From: pgantt <pgantt-at-ix-dot-netcom-dot-com>
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 14:16:23 -0700
Tesla List wrote:
> 
> > Subject: Re: >Subject: Re: First post: Fluoresce
> 
> >From bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-comSat Oct 19 21:29:45 1996
> Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 09:58:26 -0700
> From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: >Subject: Re: First post: Fluoresce
> 
> Tesla List wrote:
> >
> > >From couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-netFri Oct 18 21:54:09 1996
> > Date: Fri, 18 Oct 1996 08:20:48 +0000
> > From: "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-net>
> > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> > Subject: Re: >Subject: Re: First post: Fluoresce
> 
> <SNIP>
> 
> > >> > When the primary was
> > >> > excited with an RF generator and the secondary connected to a
> > >> > 40 watt fluorescent tube with a single wire (return path
> > >> > through the air), the lamp could be fully illuminated with
> > >> > less than 6 watts.
> 
> <SNIP>
> >
> > Keep in mind that light is radiant energy and must be less than the energy
> > at the input of the Tesla coil or you will have over unity energy. The
> > efficacy of the light is dependent on color, frequency, and bandwidth. The
> > efficacy of white light (wide bandwidth) is about 187 lumens per watt. The
> > lumen is light power. One footcandle is one lumen per square foot. A 40 watt
> > fluorescent lamp is about 100 lumens per watt.
> > Light output energy = Tesla input energy minus losses.
> >
> > Jack C.
> 
> Phil,
> 
> This brings up an interesting question - do you have any measurements on
> the overall conversion efficiency (i.e., lumens out versus watts in)?
> Seems that I remember RF excitation being significantly more effective
> in lighting fluorescents.

Unfortunately no.  My funding was very limited and I did not have any
light meter to measure light output.  However, comparing the brightness
by eye, it seemed that the light was just as bright as a lamp
illuminated with a conventional fixture, side by side -- for whatever
that is worth.

> 
> To Jack's point, on Chip's list at least, you can't get something for
> nothing. I once had a prof who concisely summarized the 1st and 2nd laws
> of Thermodynamics:
>   1. You can't Win!
>   2. You can't even break even!  :^)
> 
> Safe coilin' to ya!
> 
> -- Bert --

Thanks for the comments and inputs.

Phil Gantt