http://glolux.com/



Guys at Candle power forums are doing that for years to their reflectors in flashlights. I guess somebody borrowed the idea and is going to cash in. But it does seem like a decent backup feature especially since lights stay on in the office buildings 24/7.

What is the technology behind it? <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Glow-Lux? Technology
Glow-Lux? afterglow bulbs combine a high-spectrum, scotopic-rich phosphor blend with a stronium aluminate(non-radioactive) after-glow phosphor blend in a discharge fluorescent tube. Glow-Lux? bulbs have been designed to maximize and compliment the eye?s ability to see under low light conditions. The combination of this scotopic-rich phosphor blend and the afterglow phosphor blend compliment each other in many ways: visual acuity, scotopic eye response, high-spectrum color correctness, melatonin reduction, energy efficiency, and quicker emergency response time in low light levels. The Glow-Lux? afterglow phosphors are fully charged in just 15 minutes and partially charged immediately when turned on. The afterglow light output will continue for a period of time after power is cut off (approximately 1 hours of high intensity glow and up to 12 hours of lower glow). Even if the bulb is broken and the gas is released, the pieces on the floor will continue to emit light, maximizing this emergency lighting bulb to its greatest potential. The bulb, when charged, can be removed from the fixture and will continue to glow, and can be used as a portable emergency light source.

http://glolux.com/ Links, they're a good thing <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

They use Luminescent material such as on the hands of the watch to line up the reflector portion of the bulb. Since the light stays on, the material is being "charged" and when light goes out it will emit the "stored" energy. The idea is that since the Luminescent is the most productive right after it was charged and office buildings keep the lights on all the time so then when somethign happens (like blackout) you will get the brightest light you can get for free. It is safe (don't know about biodegradability and disposal) and looks good and prevents panic. I think the biggest catch is that it is not suitable for home use since we dont keep our lights on all the time and last blackout cought NYC at 4 pm in full daylight.

In essence, somebody added glow-in-the-dark powder to the phospors in a floruescent tube. Not a bad idea, actually. I have some of this same type of strontium-based power. That stuff is BRIGHT. If you paint a business card with this stuff, it will almost give off enough glow to read by for 10 minutes or so. The stuff is still very visible 8 hours later.

However, in an emergency, carrying around a tube with mercury vapor seems like a bad idea. Flourescent tubes are not very healthy when broken.

" I think the biggest catch is that it is not suitable for home use since we dont keep our lights on all the time and last blackout cought NYC at 4 pm in full daylight. "

You don't know my housemates...

We have several lights that are kept on 24/7 to make sure we can get around the house - it has very few windows on the north side. They are CF bulbs, so I don't feel bad about leaving them on.
Something like that may help in hospitals as well as office buildings.

This sounds pretty crazy to me. That strontium stuff is expensive and is probably hazardous waste. And sometimes when you turn lights off in a room, it's because you /want/ it to be dark. I think traditional battery powered emergency lights make a lot more sense. Maybe there could be a few LED's installed in the fluorescent fixtures that light up in power failures, powered by AA cells in the fixtures.

Strontiums is pretty safe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strontium

It is found in some toothpaste.