CF Light Bulbs Suck

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 14 2007, 12:41 AM) [snapback]539305[/snapback]</div>

Careful on outside use. Not all CFs are rated for outdoor use. I'm guessing it is a humidity issue.

I've replaced most of my lamps with CF bulbs too. Haven't had any die yet (of this batch). Years ago I had some problems with them. But those were the older "non spiral" ones...

 

I have been using CFL's for... well, for as long as they've been out. At least 15 years. Probably longer. I have had a few of the cheapies die of infant death syndrome. In general though, they last FOREVER. I have some in daily use from 15 years ago. STILL working fine.

As a general rule, they do not suck. Some do. What you declare here would be like buying a Yugo, and determining that "cars suck." Look for a different brand. You shouldn't be losing so many.

That said, CFL's use WAY the hell too much energy for me. I'm slowly converting everything to custom LED. Where I had 75W incandescent... replaced with ~20W of CFL, I now have 5W of LED.

CFL's are to LEDs like what my Prius is to EVs - my gas guzzler.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Nov 13 2007, 11:04 PM) [snapback]539314[/snapback]</div>

That has been my experience but I've only been using them for about 4yrs and no burnouts yet. I've heard about some of them not lasting but I chalk it up to poor materials or workmanship.

I still have a bunch of low wattage ones on campus to give away. If you want to pay shipping and sign this PG&E pledge I have I might be able to get you a dozen.

 

The bulbs (13w CFL) I am giving out for PG&E are labeled under Maxlite.

On the box it states:

2 Year warranty from date of purchase.
Suitable for indoor use.
Reliable operating temperature 0-100F.
Do not use with dimmers or other control
devices. Manufactured in China under
license from Maxlite U.S.A.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 13 2007, 11:44 PM) [snapback]539335[/snapback]</div>

Germany has always been known for great light bulbs and associated equipment. Might look there.

 

What do people do with their old working incancesdents? Besides making a museum?

I hate throwing good stuff away, but I see them as "bad" gifts. You are cursing the recipient with high electric bills!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(n8kwx @ Nov 14 2007, 12:41 AM) [snapback]539341[/snapback]</div>

It's not a "bad" gift if the recipient can't afford to purchase CFLs. You are saving them from having to buy light bulbs.

As for me, they sit in the bottom of a plastic storage box in the utility room awaiting their turn to be executed in the trouble/work light . . .


. . . or given a reprieve to stand in for a burnt-out CFL until I purchase a replacement.

 

The only ones I have had fail are the ones in the bathroom - from the humidity.

 

consumer reports has a iss out on CFL's..
They don't last as long with short on /off use such as a hall way etc. and cold weather is not good ether, slow to light up.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Nov 14 2007, 05:40 AM) [snapback]539352[/snapback]</div>

here is tip... CFL's work great for drop lights and garage door opener light where the vibration kills regular lights.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 14 2007, 03:26 AM) [snapback]539324[/snapback]</div>

I can't imagine that is the case. They build up much less heat than incandescents.

PA P

 

I had some in recessed lights that barely lasted a year- but that was because it had a dimmer switch and I did not have dimmer CFL's- still hard to find and expensive. So I figured I would just burn the regular CFL's and replace more often, until the dimmer ones became more available.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Nov 14 2007, 03:04 AM) [snapback]539314[/snapback]</div>

Do you have any sources for LED's to recommend? Five years ago we outfitted our new strawbale house completely with CFLs. We have replaced a few in this time.

PA P

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 14 2007, 02:26 AM) [snapback]539324[/snapback]</div>

Here is some of my experience summarized on a local web site
http://www.localactionpa.org/compact-fluor...-lights-or-cfls

I had the best experience with TCP brand, especially their dimmable CFLs. I had to get them through the web at buylighting.com.

CFLs should be fine in recessed lights, as long as they are not fully enclosed. Although they generate less heat than incandescent, it is possible that the electronics in the ballast are more sensitive to the heat. We had one stop working (Greenlite brand) but they replaced it free of charge.

 

I've been using mostly Sylvania "Daylight" or "Daylight Extra" CFLs and have been quite happy with them. The oldest ones are 4 years old now and still going strong. They are a touch on the "blue" side, but have quite good subjective colour depth (I assume they must have a number of phosphors). They come with a 7-year warranty but were quite expensive ($9 CDN for 2).

I also have a few Ikea brand CFLs, these ones have 3 "rectangular" tubes rather than the one spiral that the Sylvania's have. They are a much "warmer" light, kind of orange like a 25 W incandescent, but subjectively they don't have very good colour depth (I wonder if I can borrow the photospectrometer from work to quantify it). They were quite cheap, though. I don't recall what their warranty was, and I didn't bother to keep the box...

I kept mine and put them back in all the fixtures when I moved out of my last apartment

I also use them in the outdoor fixtures, any fixture that's used less than once a week, and in the lamp by the main hallway (I am a little paranoid about smashing a CFL, so I use an incandescent in that one tumble-prone lamp).

 

the only CFLs we have had burn out were 3-way bulbs. we lost 2 of those in the past year we're keeping receipts on those from now on.

we got our garden-variety CFLs at home depot and they have worked just fine since early 2006.

 

While I do not say that CFL's 'suck', I have had several burn out more quickly than expected.

Two have burnt out in recessed ceiling fictures. I would prefer to use the kind that are shaped like a flood light, but these have not been available on SCE promotion. I would not say that these are often turned on and off, either. They are not often used, or used for a long period.

We have changed all the globe lights in the restrooms to CFLs. They are shaped like a frosted globe light. One has failed, but I suspect there is some sort of a problem with the fixture - the replacement bulb failed as well. These do take a while to brighten fully. But not a problem.

I have a wall lamp by my PC, and I cannot put a CFL in there, as they do not fit - too large at the base.

I cannot honestly tell if I have saved on my power bill. I have not seen a clear drop in my electic usage since installing the bulbs - but they were installed over time, as I bought the bulbs.

I have not seen LEDs available much in the stores. Would they work in a wall lamp? Is their light focused of diffuse?

I guess every little bit helps, and when they cost about a dollar or less, I am not concerned about the cost of replacement. One bulb, in a recessed fixture, in a toilet room, has been working for 10 years.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PA Prius @ Nov 14 2007, 06:40 AM) [snapback]539374[/snapback]</div>

It is the case, I'm afriad. Heat is REQUIRED for an incandescent lamp. Heat is the enemy for a CFL. So even though it doesn't make as much - what it does make is destructive to the product.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 14 2007, 12:26 AM) [snapback]539324[/snapback]</div>

I have about as many brands as are available! I've bought them in batches over the years when I've needed them. They come from everywhere. I've had a few bummers. But the ones that keep working just never seem to die.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PA Prius @ Nov 14 2007, 07:31 AM) [snapback]539387[/snapback]</div>

Nope. That's why I make my own.

Somebody asked if LED lights are spot of diffuse. The answer: Depends on how you make them. The main lights in all of my bathrooms (in the integrated fans behind the white lens) is all LED now. Those are used a lot, and mine now consume about five watts, and they're as bright as the CFL's that they replaced. Instant on to full brightness as well. No humming, etc. Of course cost of parts alone is insane... and then there's my time that's worth nothing.