LED 48 inch fluorescent vs LED bulbs

18.11.22: How do the new LED 4 foot tubes compare to established fluorescent tubes? 

I have included this chart indication local information on both types of 4ft tubes.
 

My question, before getting into this analysis, was the ROI ... what is the payback period?


Suppliers are smart enough to bypass the need to change/remove existing ballasts which means simple remove/replace works. 

We do lag behind the USA in cost and variety but the variety of LEDS is growing and prices will reduce.

It was difficult to find a true comparison of fluorescent vs LED for Canada but BC Hydro has something I can come close to agreeing with (check the bottom line of the chart).
It indicates annual energy cost of LEDs is about a third of fluorescents.
At BC Hydro rates, a home owner might save between $12 and $20 per year for each LED used.

When you consider the cost of the 4ft LEDs tubes are $12 to $16 (see chart - Home Depot), it is quickly apparent LEDs can pay for themselves in as short a time a one year. 

I had been thinking it might be best to use up my 28 fluorescents before switching to LEDs but, if this analysis holds up,  I should start the replacement now (even if the payback is 2 years)!

One concern about using the existing fluorescent fixtures is the ballasts are necessary with the replacement LEDs. I can live with this (although there is a hum in some of mine) but would prefer LEDs that bypass the existing ballast. They have them in the USA so they may be coming here soon.
My lesser concern about LEDs is will they last the stated timeframe and how easy is it to get replacements if they don't?

Is there something I have missed? 
Do you have comments and/or suggestions?

Do you have other references that may increase the accuracy of a 4ft LED/fluorescent tube comparison?

Statins - are they for you?

18.04.04: I just watched a documentary "Cholesterol: the Great Bluff" and was quite surprised by what it had to say about STATINS.

Unfortunately, it leads to poor conclusions on the role of statins to the general population.

I have been on statins for over 20 years. For the first few years, joint pain occurred, so i was reduced in dosage. My cholesterol level goes up and down slightly but remains well within tolerance levels.

What I have been noticing, in the last few years, is slight vision loss, slight memory loss, and feeling weaker and less enthusiastic about exercise. The documentary refers to some of these as possible statin impacts ... not just getting older. 

Apparently, the current research (last 20 years) indicates trying to manage cholesterol with statins (to avoid heart attacks and strokes) may has a negative impact on your liver (80% of cholesterol is produced by your liver and intestines - the remainder is from the foods you consume) and, although unconfirmed at this time, may be a contributor to NAFLD (liver disease - which a third of Americans don't know they have).
This Harvard article indicates there may be a relationship between statins and memory loss and type 2 diabetes.
This newspaper article (which, IMO, resulted in fake news) indicates statins cause weight gain and diabetes. 

It does seem that statins are beneficial to those who have had a heart attack or stroke.

In Summary

After doing some unbiased research, I have come to understand you cannot trust any group to present completely unbiased results.
I also have concluded the medical profession (including scientists) do not fully understood the connection between cholesterol and heart disease.

I may reduce or eliminate statins over the next couple of years, unless very compelling evidence (not funded by big pharma) gives me doubt. If I do, I will report results as an update to this blog item.

If you are on statins, ask your doctor and cardiologist their position on statins for you. Millennials may want a second cardiologist opinion.

p.s. I have had shingles and it permanently reduced vision in my right eye. For those over 50, have you had your first Shingrix shot yet? 

Alectra - TOU vs APP

18.03.12: Alectra (was called PowerStream) in our area of Ontario has just introduced a follow-on to the original Advantage Power Pricing (APP) risk-free trial pgm.

The APP has been replaced with a "Dynamic Plan" which has slight advantages over Time-of-Use (TOU) but not as advantaeous as the original APP pgm.

As you can see (in side chart - click to enlarge), there are savings to be made if you choose to avoid higher cost times.

With the original APP pgm, you were never at risk of exceeding TOU costs.
With the new Dynamic Plan, it is up to you to choose to save or not.

You can save up to 25% of the TOU cost by being selective.

With the new plan, the lowest rate (4.9 cents) is charged 9PM to 3PM.
With TOU, the lowest rate (6.5 cents) is charged 7PM to 7AM.

The additional incentive to move to the Dynamic Plan is you can receive a smart thermostat (Nest, Ecobee, etc) for free.

If you already have one of these (as we do), you can receive a $75 incentive.  

Transition to the new Dynamic Plan from APP

Comparison of TOU to the new Dynamic Plan

Access to your Alectra Portal

To register your thermostat (and receive $75) - click "sign up"

to book appointment for free thermostat installation (save $200)

For other Dynamic Plan FAQ inquiries

MyUHN

18.03.08: (modified 18.3.12) Finally, access to the medical system for people using the Toronto University Network.

It has been a long time coming ... and will continue to improve ... until we can share our medical records anywhere in Canada!

When you next go to a Toronto UHN facility, ask the Information Desk where to get your access to the UHN portal.
The Information people will send you to the Registration desk where you will be given your Registration Code. Take only a few minutes.

IMO, it is very important that each patient does this ASAP. We need to indicate our need for open health information access!  

Think about it. If you happen to be in Vancouver and have a medical problem, wouldn't you want instant web access to your medical status and wouldn't you want to see your CURRENT information?

You may have noticed I find this quite exciting ... a long time coming!

But, somehow, I sense the medical profession (and provincial/federal govts) may not be as excited...

Let's be pro-active and encourage our "systems" to support "need for immediate information". 

With your registration code, you have access to everything related to you in the UHN system ... including your schedule of appointments...your Results, Reports ... and more (coming soon)...

GreenON - have you looked into it?

18.01.06: The GreenON program is meant to help Ontario homeowners reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions.

Their program involves buying one of the identified wi-fi thermostats and then a GreenON analysis is completed, by their people, to outline what changes should be considered.
I ch
I am looking forward to what GreenON advises after their visit.



I bought an ECOBEE thermostat (ecobee3 lite Smart Bundle with two added room sensors). One sensor for our bedroom and one for the grandkids bedroom. These sensors allow you to indicate temperature control is with either sensor or the main thermostat. We will use the senors for sleep time only.

The associated android app is very easy to use and Helen seems to find it easy also.
We were on the APP project offered by Alectra but found it only saved approx $40/year and was difficult to adjust and manage the wi-fi access.

Bottom line:
The best part is there are two rebates to reduce the cost of the thermostat by $200.
The secondary benefit is ease of use.

Trump's Tweets

18.01.06: You knew this would happen.
Early on, before he was elected (surprise, surprise!), he began ti use Twitter with ridiculous tweets that the average person would suspect couldn't be from someone who has made a lot of money.
Isn't it funny, how we think making money relates to intelligence??

This will definitely become much larger (and stranger) than the inventory of Harper items, but I encourage you to do a review of the oddities to-date (especially in the last 24 hours).

This site will continue (as long as there isn't a presidential decree) to log each and every "gem of wisdom" from DT.
Here is the last one uttered by this "genius".
What is particularly strange is the number of "likes".
If you find the time, take a look at some of the retweets. Strange country...