You are right, it is confusing when watts are used in that way, but, as you know, lumens are the generally used measure of illumination, whereas energy consumed is measured in watts.  If I am not mistaken, fluorescent bulbs use about a fifth of the wattage of incadescent bulbs for the same number of lumens.  So, if one doesn't need a 0-60-miles/hour-in-3-seconds kind of bulbs, then fluorescent bulbs are a sensible choice. They also tend to last a very long time.  They are far from ideal, but the tradeoffs favor their use.  It took Moses 40 years of roaming in the desert to change the minds of his clueless followers, but at the end they got religion, and switched to more efficient forms of energy use.

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Dave <[log in to unmask]> 

> I find it interesting how we use the watt as a measure of illumination 
> (not just this list, but marketing in general). Of course you may be 
> using 200 watt fluorescent or incandescent. In which case I wonder which 
> would use less electricity? 
> 
> 
> 
> Ray Shahan wrote: 
> > I have 200 watts of compact fluorescents in my garage, and I did it 
> > cheaply by just buying a 1.29 "Y" adapter and two 100 watt fluorescents. 
> > Works great, and the bulbs I got are white light (vs. yellow)...it does; 
> > however, take a minute or so to actually come to full brightness (or it 
> > just may be my old eyes). 
> > 
> > 
> > Raymond Shahan 
> > Computer Programmer 
> > REPUBLIC TITLE OF TEXAS, INC. 
> > 2701 W Plano Parkway 
> > Plano, TX 75075 
> > 
> > 
> > direct 214.556.0202 
> > main 972.578.8611 
> > fax 972.424.5621 
> > www.republictitle.com 
> > [log in to unmask] 
> > 
> > 
> 
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