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Early Access: What Is A Beige Whale?

🕑 Added 2021-01-17 07:21:10 +0000 UTC

Comments

Jeffrey

The thing you are describing is called LEP or Light Emitting Plasma. I think they are a close relative of the sulfur plasma lamp. They use microwaves to excite the plasma in a tiny quartz grain. They appear to be used in the growing industry. They are also prohibitively expensive from my experience. (200-1000) I would definitely throw them into my beige or yellowed beige whale categories. Would love to have one, but not for the price or for the size. Sulfur plasma are designed in high wattages for large space lighting (most famous installation is air and space museum) and as such are not that common. They also only come in pretty high wattages (like 500 to 1000). The novelty, and the look of LGs PLS particularly captivates me. http://www.lgelighting.com/psf1032a.asp

Cathode Ray Dude

Oh gosh, the sulfur plasma light, is that the one that came out in like 2004 and was supposed to be, like, a tiny totally sealed glass capsule the size of a grain of wheat that would supposedly outshine any streetlight on the market at a tenth the power? I WANTED TO SEE ONE OF THOSE SO BAD. did they ever hit production?

Jeffrey

I got overexcited, this is definitely my white whale. I am prepared to grossly overpay for it. Must have! I have many many beige lights though. So many I would love but cannot and will not pay for. Like a sulfur plasma light. Who doesn’t want a light that uses a magnetron to bombard a capsule of sulfur? Not willing to pay what I would need to in order to have one.

Cathode Ray Dude

what on EARTH. WOW!

Jeffrey

For sure. Mine is a VU1 ESL bulb. It is a light bulb that is actually a CRT. It has a deflection coil and everything. Was made back when led wasn’t ubiquitous, and was still competing with CFLs. It is such an odd idea, and combines my love of lighting with my love of vintage electronics. Cannot find one though. One of these days... http://www.vu1corporation.com