Coast Guard Safety Alert: The Perils Of CFL’s

The Coast Guard has issued Safety Alert #02-09 regarding the potential for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s) to interfere with your communications or navigation equipment operating between 0.45-30 MHz. CFL’s have some big advantages: they use much less energy than incandescent bulbs of the same brightness (about 75% less) and, if they are used in applications where they don’t get turned on and off frequently, will last for a very long time. The reduction in house power demand may allow a vessel to use generators of lesser capacity, which brings significant savings in up-front purchase costs and long-term reduced fuel costs for the life of the engines. But their use does have possible complications that merit consideration, so read on…..