Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

[SgtMaj]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

It takes awhile before these stupid things light up.

hmm, mine light up immediately.

I know early CFL's used to take some time to light up (I hated 'em back then also), but that was years ago. Is it possible you bought old bulbs?

 

[aspeck]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

The more you use them the quicker the light response will be. Let them burn at full brightness for a few hours and have a few on/off cycles. They will come on much faster then, and burn brighter also.

 

[rwise]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

It doesn't matter what we think of them. Incandescent bulbs are about to be legislated out of existance.

But is it our governments place to tell us what to use? I think NOT! Our government is out of line!

 

[mudmagnet63]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I have used some CFL lights for a few years now and like them. Mucury does concern me though. Now that our wise men in Congress have mandated that we use them I will never buy another. Anything that they require by LAW cannot be good. None of their business what I use for light. I might start using TORCHES just to create some GLOBAL WARMING.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I bought 4 dimmable CFLs today to go into a ceiling fan light fixture that dims.

I wanted to buy N:Vision brand because of some research I did online and an article I read where Popular Mechanics rated brands (http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/4215199.html?page=2), but all the store had was GE which was rated low.

Yeah, I'd rate them low too.

They did take a second to turn on and they don't dim very much (which isn't that big a deal to me).

The biggest problem is that they are A LOT larger than a standard bulb though so they made the fan look funny.

I think I'm going to put 2 of them in outdoor fixtures that turn on automatically at dusk - they should work well there and I'll return the other two.

A large hardware store in the area sells N:Vision. Next time I'm out that way, I think I'll pick up a few and try them out. They also sell the bathroom fixture globe style. I have 12 bulbs in one bathroom, so I'm very interested to try them out.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Also the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs contain mercury so the disposal of them is hazardous waste.

What you're not hearing about is that its an extremely small amount. An electric generating station produces more mercury to fire that 75W inca. bulb than whats in several 75W replacement CFL's. Living about 10 miles from 1 powerplant and 25 from another thats a concern to me. I'll keep burning my CFLs where I can.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I have many CFL lights in my house. The only places I don't have them is where they don't fit or, some of my decorative lights. The CFC's I found are always the same as a 40 watt bulb or more. I like a little dimmer light then that for some things. My CFC's come on instantly. Except, the one in the porch that gets cold on the winter. When it's cold it takes a half second and then another full second to get up to full light output. I have never tried to use them outside. I like the quality of the light they put out.

I hate the way houses sometimes have all the switches put together in the same place. This house has that in some cases. If I won the lotter I burn this house to the ground. If your switching on and off your lights just to try to turn on the correct light your wasting so much electricity doing that your screwed in your electric bill anyway.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Kenneth Brown:

Would you give me the references as to the amount of mercury in those bulbs? I especially does not seem right when compared to the output of mercury from a dirt burner powerplant.

I have found most information that supports more goverment environmental regulations is lacking in verifiable statistics.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

We get a monthly magazine from our electric co-op ( Navasota Valley) and the article was in it. I'll try to find the mag but I'm sure Its been in the trash for several months now, long gone I beleive. Sure its in their interest to get us to use less electricity but it did give the figures to back it up. If I think about it I'll try to find an online source for you.

 

[gss036]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I have been using the circle type in my basement family room since about 1980 and have only had to replace the CFL's one time. I also have a bank of 6 in the ceiling ligh in the ktichen, works great but with the constant on/off they have to be replaced every 2-3 years. The 4 ft tubes are cheap though. I replace everything that burns out with them. I get mine from Costco, when they have the instant rebate thing, I think they are about the same price, so I stock up. We do have a location here that takes them off of your hands for free, just have to drive by and give them away.

 

[rwise]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

If the government want us to reduce power consumption, then they should look at TV, RADIO and other devices that plug in and stay plugged in but CANNOT be turned off! You have a button that says *Off* but it really puts it in standby mode so when you hit the *On* button it comes on right now!

Edit: Include computers in that,,,

 

[steelespike]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

While its true some devices do use standby power and have memories that use tiny amounts of power.Some can have the stand by power turned off.
Compact flourecents use about 1/4 the power of an incandecent.26 watts for light comparable to a 100 watt bulb.14 for 60.The life of the flourecent is excellent as well.While I have had a few premature failures;I do have a number of early compact flourecents that I have been running since the early 90s in extended daily use.My lights are 100% flourecent.My 12 X 16 ft Computer area is lit very brightly by a single 26 watt compact flourecent.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Those tiny amounts of standby power add up if you consider how many are in your house and how long there consuming power in a years time. Then take that times millions of people and you have quite a large draw. Like I said I like my CFC bulbs but, I agree there are too many phantom loads in homes.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I don't know about the rest of you, but I could care less if the govt. wants me to reduce my power consumption. I do it because I want the lower bills.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

The good news about CF's:

If your thinking of buying a Prius Hybrid... It takes approx 18 CF bulbs in your home at normal useage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the same amount as driving a Prius. SO, if you woud prefer to spend around 18$ (u can get CF's for a buck around here) vs what... $35,000 for a Prius, you're eliminating the same amount of CO2 generation

This was written up in a respected science journal, and the numbers look pretty good, give or take a little bit.

BUT, you don't get to make your $35,000 "I'm good to my environment" statement, lol.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

and you don't get the $1500 tax refund. On the plus side though, you also don't have to pay an extra $8000 of infated price tag on your vehicle.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

and you don't get the $1500 tax refund. On the plus side though, you also don't have to pay an extra $8000 of infated price tag on your vehicle.

Let's not forget the obvious.... I don't have to try to squeeze 10 lbs. of crap in a 5 lb. bag. I hate trying to get my fat @$& inside those little tin cans.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Well, I ended up replacing a bunch of bulbs yesterday and this is what I learned:

GE CFLs have their place, but I won't put them in a room where I'll spend a lot of time. They are slow to come on, and start up dim and take a couple of a minutes to get to the full brightness. I ended up using them mostly in a couple of outdoor fixtures where those things don't matter.

I tried a couple of GE dimmable spotlight bulbs. The dimmer acted really weird with them (it's digital) - it wouldn't let me select the brightest setting and at the lowest setting, the bulbs just flashed on and off. They got returned to the store.

I got several N:Vision CFL globes for bathroom fixtures and also several candelabra style bulbs. I like the globe CFLs a lot - they light looks REALLY good and they come on instantly. They do take a minute or two before they get to their full brightness.

The candelabra style bulbs only replace 15 watt bulbs, which isn't bright enough for me for anything inside, so they ended up in different outdoor fixtures.

Overall, I think I'll only buy N:Vision CFLs until the others get better.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Let's not forget the obvious.... I don't have to try to squeeze 10 lbs. of crap in a 5 lb. bag. I hate trying to get my fat @$& inside those little tin cans.

Good point. When dealerships start talking about crumple zones, I tell them to stop talking about my family.

Note: the crumple zone on a vehicle, is the space between the seat and the dash board that is normally occupied by you.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Well, it's official..... I hate 'em.

After reading this thread, thinking, 'Hey, I'd like to save $48 a month on my electric bill!', I decided to buy some.

I installed them last night. Then, I found the problem. If you have an open house plan, you're forced to put many switches in few spots. With very few interior walls, you put the light switches wherever you can.

Why does this pertain? Stay tuned.

With 3, 4 or even 5 switches in a box, I can't remember what switch does what all the time. Built the house myself, wired the house myself. CRS (Can't Remember Sh..... Stuff) is apparently rearing it's ugly head.

Flip on the switch, nothing happens, shut it off, move to the next one. Nothing. Shut it off, move to the next one, etc. It takes awhile before these stupid things light up. Now, not that I'm in such a hurry that I can't wait the second, second and a half before they light, but when I turn on a light switch..... I'm used to the sucker doing something!

I'll take my incandescents. On the other hand, my flourescents are going back to the store.

Well it sure seems to me you could mark the switches with a color dot or a
tiny rub on letter ti id which light.Unless your bulbs are tards I'm pretty sure its less than 1 second to light.Train yourself and it will become automatic.