From another thread on the question of mercury in CFLs:
The video is a Canadian TV news item on health effects from CFLs. A woman introduced only as “an expert in her field” shows the reading on a meter held next to a CFL showing how high it is. Five hundred! Wow, that’s high! I found it odd that the news clip didn’t make an attempt at giving her credentials, or offering an explanation of the meter being used or what is is measuring. I found it on the manufacturer’s siteand still can’t figure out what the hell it does (IANAEE). Oddly, the manufacturer says it measures “energy” but they themelves put “energy” in scare quotes. Now what is that supposed to mean?
What is it exactly about CFLs that people are claiming is harming people? The story focused on people who seem to have headaches caused by proximity to CFLs. I won’t discount the possibility but the science doesn’t seem to be there.
There was a brief bit on a Canadian Discovery Channel show recently about dangerous UV levels at very close ranges. They were careful to mention that it would really be a danger for people working very close to the lights, such as desktop lamps and such.
Electromagnetic radiation. The manufacturer’s site makes clear this is about electrosensitivity. It’s supposed to be measuring electromagnetic field strength, or actually rate of change in field strength. dV/dt. Since the manufacturer also sells “filters” that will fix so your appliances don’t radiate this harmfull energy and has as a prominent selling point that the meter is certified in Kazakhstan, I feel confident calling shennanigans! They’ve even made up their own unit…
“Oddly, the manufacturer says it measures “energy” but they themelves put “energy” in scare quotes. Now what is that supposed to mean?”
Those CFLs emit electromagnetic radiation. RADIATION!!!
Seriously though, some people report to be sensitive to the high frequency flickering or buzzing that CFLs may produce like normal fluorescent tubes. As far as that clip goes, the high frequency electronics in the CFL ballasts can produce high frequency EMFs which she is reportedly measuring in some manner. I don’t know how that makes the electricity “dirty”.
I’m a lighting engineer. Any “real” measurement device from a manufacturer will provide unambiguous performance and data sheets for what it actually is measuring. This has “magic crystal dowsing rod” written all over it.
This quote is especially amusing: “The measurements of dV/dt read by the meter are defined as G-S (Graham-Stetzer) units (since no standard term is available). The G-S units are a measure of “harmful energy” which is a function of frequency, or more generally, rate of change of voltage or dV/dt.”
dV/dt as an averaged parameter is useless, unless it is scoped as a waveform, where it can give you some idea of signal quality.
You know, for half the price of what they’re selling, you could buy one of MY patented Woo-Meters. The bogosity flux it measures is defined in BS units since no standard term is available. The BS units are measures of the “scientific illiteracy” of whatever is being measured.
However, if you want to buy one, you’ll have to wait until I make a new one. That website caused my Woo-Meter to go off-scale and break.
I don’t think there is really anything hokey going on, but I guess you have to judge for yourself. All things electric emit some amount of EMF, so I was thinking it was just an EMF monitor.
Heres a link to the same show talking about dirty electricity
I found it odd that the news clip didn’t make an attempt at giving her credentials, or offering an explanation of the meter being used or what is is measuring. I found it on the manufacturer’s siteand still can’t figure out what the hell it does (IANAEE). Oddly, the manufacturer says it measures “energy” but they themelves put “energy” in scare quotes. Now what is that supposed to mean?
