Article Donald Trump reignites the lightbulb wars

[C C]

https://www.theverge.com/news/609951/tru...candescent

EXCERPTS: Trump said he’s going to sign “orders” to reinstate standards that were in place during his first term. Along with lightbulbs, the president indicated he would weaken standards for sinks, showers, toilets, washing machines, and dishwashers.

[...] his administration has taken aim at energy efficiency initiatives as part of a broader effort to derail action on climate change and promote fossil fuels. He signed a sweeping executive order called “Unleashing American Energy” on his first day in office that includes “safeguard[ing] the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including but not limited to lightbulbs.”

Oil and gas companies pumped more than $75 million into Trump’s campaign and Republican efforts during the last election cycle, and now they’re reaping the rewards. Trump picked fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to lead the Department of Energy (DOE), which set higher efficiency standards for lightbulbs before he stepped into office.

Old-school incandescent bulbs are far less efficient than their newer counterparts because they lose about 90 percent of their energy as heat. Household LEDs typically use at least 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 25 times longer... (MORE - missing details)

[Magical Realist]

Proving once again that all his policy decisions are based on what his dumbass voter base believes and says is important instead of on actual facts and information. Hence too the cancer-causing windmills..

[Syne]

You mean making things cheaper for Americans? You do know that all those regulations increase the costs of those items, right?

Some people have zero sympathy for the poor.

[Magical Realist]

Cost effectiveness for morons. I think even Trump could do this math...

"Incandescent vs. LED light bulbs: A cost comparison

At around $5 to $7 per bulb, LED lights are initially more of an investment than their incandescent equivalents—which go for around $2 to $3 per bulb. But, when you factor in energy costs, they’re a better value in the long run. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, residential LED bulbs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting, and last up to 25 times longer.

So how do the costs break down over time? The team at Hutton Power and Light did the math for us. The figures are from 2019, and are calculated using the average cost of electricity in Virginia that year ($0.11 per kWh), but you’ll get the general idea.

The comparison was done using two bulbs of similar brightness: A 60W incandescent and a 12W LED:

The 60W incandescent bulb uses 60 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every 1,000 hours. At the rate of $0.11 per kWh, it would cost $6.60 to operate the incandescent bulb for 1,000 hours.

The 12W LED bulb uses 12 kWh of electricity every 1,000 hours. At the rate of $0.11 per kWh, it would cost $1.32 to operate the LED bulb for 1,000 hours."--- https://lifehacker.com/the-cost-differen...1849576073

[Syne]

Many poor people can more readily handle a larger cost defrayed over a longer time period than a higher cost all at once. But you'd have to have been poor or have some empathy to fully appreciate that.

[Magical Realist]

All poor people are better off saving more money than less over time. Hence the common sense of buying one LED bulb over time rather than 25 incandescent bulbs over that same time.

"A good quality LED light can last from 25,000 to 50,000 hours. That's way longer than incandescent bulbs, which last about 1,000 hours."

So Trump and his dumbass followers are actually paying way more for incandescent light bulbs in the long-run and paying a higher electric bill because of it. What next? Bring back the adding machine?

[Syne]

It's clear you've never been poor, nor have the empathy to refrain from talking down to them, by saying things like "poor people are better off..."

“Fewer stores in higher poverty areas even carried LED bulbs, but when they did, they were far more expensive.”
In zip codes with high poverty levels, an LED bulb costs, on average, more than six dollars more than an incandescent bulb.
- https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/...oor-areas/

"Can last" doesn't mean will/do last.

"However, in just a couple of years, probably 10% of the bulbs have started flickering to the point of needing to be replaced - and one fixture is on its third bulb! None of these failures have lasted even as long as I'd expect an incandescent to last."
...
"I used to think the exact same thing, my house was somehow burning up LED bulbs.

Then I found some brands that worked great. I think there are a lot of SHIT LED bulbs out there."
- https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comm...?rdt=46181

So you want poor people to pay up to six dollars more a bulb, that could still only last as long as an incandescent.

[Magical Realist]

It's clear you've never been poor, nor have the empathy to refrain from talking down to them, by saying things like "poor people are better off..."

No..I just don't paint the poor as economical idiots to suit my political agenda. All poor people want to spend less over time just like all people do. And buying one LED over the years vs 25 incandescents is how they do it.

"I used to think the exact same thing, my house was somehow burning up LED bulbs.

Wow...anecdotal evidence from a random Reddit poster! I'm impressed. Let's compare that to the actual science:

"LED bulbs last significantly longer than traditional incandescent bulbs because they generate light through a process called electroluminescence, which produces significantly less heat compared to the filament-based burning process in traditional bulbs, meaning less wear and tear on the components, and are made from durable materials like silicon and sapphire, making them more resistant to damage; this results in a much longer lifespan with minimal degradation over time.

Key points about LED longevity:

Less heat generation:
Unlike incandescent bulbs which convert most energy into heat, LEDs convert a much higher percentage of electricity into light, producing minimal heat which contributes to their longer lifespan.

Solid-state design:
LEDs are solid-state devices, meaning they don't have a filament that can burn out like traditional bulbs; instead, they gradually lose brightness over time through a process called "lumen degradation".

Material quality:
LEDs are often made from robust materials like silicon and sapphire, which are more resistant to physical damage compared to the fragile filaments in traditional bulbs.

Heat management:
Modern LED bulbs utilize heat sinks to dissipate heat effectively, further enhancing their longevity.

An LED bulb might not last long due to factors like overheating from poor ventilation, incompatible dimmers causing voltage fluctuations, loose connections, incorrect bulb type for the fixture, improper installation, exposure to extreme temperatures, faulty wiring, and sometimes even a bad batch from manufacturing with defects in the LED components."

[Syne]

Many people have experienced the same with LEDs. That's the same anecdotal evidence you tout for UFOs, hypocrite.

Again, you're calling poor people "idiots" because they don't follow your sage advise to be "better off." If they could simply be "better off," they wouldn't be poor.
If you knew anything about being poor, you'd know that immediate expenses always trump expenses "over time." There is no foresight when you're poor. It's hand to mouth, where an extra six dollars for one light bulb can mean you have to skip several meals.

Again, you're completely out of touch.

[Magical Realist]

If you knew anything about being poor, you'd know that immediate expenses always trump expenses "over time." There is no foresight when you're poor. It's hand to mouth, where an extra six dollars for one light bulb can mean you have to skip several meals.

I know they like to save money any way they can. They buy in bulk to save paying more for smaller packages. They collect coupons. They ride the bus. They scan the papers for sales. They like to save on their utilities by keeping their power consumption low. And they buy longer lasting light bulbs instead of ones that burn out quickly. Come back when you can prove your ignorant claim that poor people don't have the sense to save money in the long run.