Lights out and no KOTATSU as the temp drops

[Taro Toporific]

Will the Neon Lights Go Out in Tokyo?

If they're unlucky, Tokyo residents could be huddling for warmth under blankets this winter. If they're really unlucky, the city's bright neon lights may dim ....

The capital of the world's second-largest economy could face a power crunch in coming months as its largest utility, Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc (TEPCO), struggles to keep supplies flowing with more than half of its nuclear capacity shut for checks.

...TEPCO vice-president Ryoichi Shirato said last month that power supplies were tight.
"...We could see a significant impact if the winter is cold," Shirato told a news conference in late October. "(The situation will be) totally insufficient for the summer."
"The magnitude of the generating capacity taken off line is vast," said report on the crisis by Boston-based Energy Security Analysis Inc.

????

[Buraku]

2009
No more Aussie Neon

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17233145/

Australia to ban incandescent bulbs

[Taro Toporific]

2009
No more Aussie Neon

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17233145/

Australia to ban incandescent bulbs

What folks will do with rheostat lighting (dimmer lighting)?
Does anybody know if LED replacements for incandescent bulbs will function with a variable rheostat wall switch?
Recently, I stupidly replaced a couple incandescent bulbs on dimmer switches with fluorescent bulbs which blew out in 20 minutes. Rheostats and fluorescent don't work, duh.

[Tsuru]

What folks will do with rheostat lighting (dimmer lighting)?
Does anybody know if LED replacements for incandescent bulbs will function with a variable rheostat wall switch?
Recently, I stupidly replaced a couple incandescent bulbs on dimmer switches with fluorescent bulbs which blew out in 20 minutes. Rheostats and fluorescent don't work, duh.

Very clever people will start a business selling readymade resistor boxes for this very reason. Then you'll end up using the same amount of power as before but not having to replace your expensive rheostats. Any person who knows a little bit about the laws of electricity can swing by the local radioshack and fix a solution, no problem.

[Kuang_Grade]

What folks will do with rheostat lighting (dimmer lighting)?
Does anybody know if LED replacements for incandescent bulbs will function with a variable rheostat wall switch?
Recently, I stupidly replaced a couple incandescent bulbs on dimmer switches with fluorescent bulbs which blew out in 20 minutes. Rheostats and fluorescent don't work, duh.

I have no EE skills but I have been following the LED lighting technology over the years and I've seen some bulbs/lights that had variable settings...some seem to be hard set, not unlike a three way bulb, with sets of LEDs lighting for each power level(ie, 3 for low light, 6 for med, ect) while I've seen some lights (designed for colored lighting, not necessarily pure lumens) that had color shifting abilities through shifting the output between a red, blue and green LEDs..you turned a dial and some of the LEDs would dim while others would brighten and the overall color of the light would shift. Poking around using "dimmable LED", there seems to be a fair number of commerical versions and small items/DIY geek project items but not so much for the household marketplace as of yet.

[Taro Toporific]

Very clever people will start a business selling readymade resistor boxes for this very reason. Then you'll end up using the same amount of power as before but not having to replace your expensive rheostats. Any person who knows a little bit about the laws of electricity can swing by the local radioshack and fix a solution, no problem.

Poking around using "dimmable LED", there seems to be a fair number of commercial versions...

Ok, now that I have the proper search term: "dimmable LED". Thanks.

Sorry about using the construction industry misnomer "rheostat lighting." Modern "rheostat" lighting for dimmers have not used resistance for dimming for at least 20 years. Dimmer switches actually are digital with about 15 step-down levels of power.

It was fun to wander around Tokyo lighting stores asking for LED replacement bulbs from my incandescent bulbs on dimmer switches, ha, ha. I've only tried to use one LED replacement bulb on my digital dimmer switches---It didn't work.

Now I see that early LED replacement bulbs may or may not accept differing power levels. I've found that technology is not quite there yet---maybe in a couple years-- for example.

LEDs magazine

Permlight’s patent pending technology enables the fixture to be dimmed with a standard dimmer, which cannot currently be done with compact fluorescents.
Details about the HI-EF line and the launch date were not disclosed, although Lynch said that it would be "much sooner than later and a much larger offering than most would expect. The complete product offering will be available through Progress Lighting distributors at launch."

[jingai]

There are 3 way compact fluorescents (I have one) but I'm not sure about dimmer-compatible models. I haven't seen LED lights in action but think it's a great idea.