EMF in new lighting...

[sparkydon]

As a Californian electrician, I am forced to comply with a plethora of new "efficacy" codes (TITLE 24) and am shoved into the world of using fluorescent lighting for practically everything while still providing the customer with what they feel to be "esthetically pleasing" products. HALO and Prescolite make a 6" recessed can light which is equipped with a 26W rapid start electronic ballast. These cans produce more high quality "warm" lumens than an R-30 incandescent of 75W, and have nice looking trims available that don't look too shabby..

My problem is: these things are stated to possibly interfere with high frequency signals (TV reception, sattelite etc..) and I've read that magnetic and electronic ballasts create EMF (electromagnetic fields) which are known to affect melatonin levels in the body, thus creating the possibility of insomnia and other adverse medical issues..

My question is: does anyone have similar concerns about the use (or misuse) of this technology? I don't want to be reccomending and forcing customers to load their house with this expensive technology if its going to interfere with their health and function of other devices...

Am I just being paranoid?

 

[ghostbuster]

Here is a link that may add some perspective to the perceived problem for you.
http://www.nachi.org/emfs.htm

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Magnetic ballasts give off more emf's than their electronic counterpart. The electronic ballast produce very low EMF's --- at least that is what I have read. All electrical equipment will give off some EMF's.


Here is a site from your state to check out on emf's
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ehib/emf/ckbod.html

In terms of intereference --- I can't say for sure but their are millions of these lights in office buildings throughout the country and you know these buildings have lots of electronic equipment. My guess is that it is not a problem in that area.

 

[memyselfandI]

I have heard that flourescent light causes people with blue eyes problems. Just a rumor though, but you have to wonder. Sorry to go in another direction.The only problem I see with changing over to all flourescent lighting is the lamp disposal. I don't know whether these compact fluorescent contain a small amount of Mercury or not but I know most of the larger lamps do and they have to be disposed of accordingly. If one house throws one lamp away, most people will say no problem, it's just one lamp. Well what about a million homes all throwing one lamp away. That's a million of these lamps in the landfills which filter down to our drinking water. Has anyone thought of this? I see this as a potential environmental problem in the future, not that we don't have enough to worry about all ready.

 

[sparky_magoo]

I personally don't believe EMF's cause health problems.

Some people claim magnets worn in bracelets relieve pain. I don't buy that either. I have wondered any of the people who wear these bracelets worry about magnetic fields from power lines.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Here is something that might interest everyone

After more than 25 years of intensive study, the health and safety conscious Swedish government has established a safety limit for exposure to ELF magnetic field at 2.5 mG, and VLF magnetic fields at only 0.25 mG. Although the U.S. government has been slower to act in establishing its own standards, the Swedish standard is generally accepted throughout the world. What this possibly means is that if someone consistently experiences exposure which exceeds the standard, that person could be at risk for developing health problems which can range from headaches, fatigue, and dizziness to skin rashes, miscarriage, leukemia, and cancer. In fact, numerous court cases where plaintiffs claim to have been injured by EMFs are now in progress. Even though the controversy of conflicting scientific studies persists, it seems strange that cigarettes and alcohol are packaged with warnings we already know about, and the sodium, fat, and cholesterol content of foods must appear on the labels, but NO ONE TELLS YOU THAT THE AVERAGE HAIR DRYER, VACUUM CLEANER, OR CAN OPENER YOU USE EMITS AN AMAZING 300 mG OR MORE!!!

Here is a picture of sores supposedly caused by EMF's

And here is the website where this info was gotten from. I cannot say how accurate the info is but it is convincing enough to know I don't want too many emf's around me all day if I can avoid them.
www.lessemf.com/emf-news.html