CFL Lightbulbs, LEDs, Incandescents

[ERD50]

I am going to have to go check them out.... but, I am VERY disappointed in the ones I have bought...

The first batch from SAMS lasted just a bit under one year...

The second batch has two burned out in a little over one year and three still going, but they have turned very yellow...
....

I'm surprised. I don't have a lot of CFLs, because a lot of the most used lights in our house are on dimmers. But, probably 8 inside, and only one that burned out - and that was a floor lamp as I was moving it, so maybe the bump got it?

I've had some outside, on a timer, so probably on for an average 6 hrs/day all year for years. No burn outs. 2 of those are the old heavy ones that flicker a bit as they turn on. Worked fine through the cold weather here in Northern IL.

A tip: The outside lights are on one of those electronic timers that says 'incandescent only'. Turns out, these timers feed a little trickle current through the filament to power the timer when the lights are 'off'. A CFL does not have that filament to provide that current path. I solved that by putting in one 25W bulb in one of the fixtures. That is enough to keep the timer powered.

Also: here's a much more scientific analysis than Mythbusters for the 'should I turn off that CFL when I leave the room' question:

http://tinyurl.com/2fh2c8

Oh, for the last post - 13W CFL ~ same as a 60 Watt regular soft white. Try one and see.

A 'regular' night light is about 7W.

-ERD50

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

They usually mark the cfl packages with equivalences to regular bulbs.

Generally its a little shy of 1/4 the wattage for the same light output.

Other nice thing about CFL's in the summer time...they dont get anywhere near as hot as a regular incandescent lamp. Saves on the cooling. But then again, you get that back in the winter time as inefficient electric heating.

 

[Nords]

The first batch from SAMS lasted just a bit under one year...
The second batch has two burned out in a little over one year and three still going, but they have turned very yellow...
If they make them as cheap as the old ones.. then I don't care if they only last one year... but for 5 to 10 times more.... disappointed...

Amazing. We just had our first CFL burn out. It was nearly 10 years old, a "free" SDG&E gimme, and had been used in both San Diego & Hawaii in three different homes. (Hey, those CFLs used to be expensive!) Luckily we got a second CFL at the same time as the first one and we've also been moving it with us for the last decade. It replaced the burned-out one, it works just fine, and we're probably going to get a decade out of it too.

We found low-wattage globes for our bathroom light fixtures. We're using one-quarter as many bulbs and the room's temperature reduction is impressive. If it makes a difference, we're buying them from Lowe's & Home Depot instead of Sam's.

Almost our entire house is CFL. The only remaining incancescent bulbs are either not turned on for long or are hardly ever used. Someday they'll go CFL as well.

What do we do with our drawer full of incandescent bulbs?!?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Do what I do. Save them to put back in the fixtures in your old house when you move all the cfl's to the new house.

Then I guess I'll be saving THOSE leftover incandescents for 9 years until i move out of THAT house


Actually, the tiny little narrow yet tall cabinets over the stove where the vent pipe from the vent hood runs is useless for almost anything...but just the right width for light bulb boxes...

 

[laurence]

We had one CFL burn out after just a few months, the others are still going but I was shocked. Maybe poor quality control?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I've had two quit. Both of the same type. One in the socket, and my spare.

Had me taking the fixture apart to find the loose wire.

What are the odds?

 

[calmloki]

Re: CFL Lightbulbs, LEDs, Incandescents - Costco sale $

On apartments that we have upgraded windows and insulation on there is a program here in Oregon that swaps out incandescents for cfls. I've been told by the guys installing the bulbs that the CFLs take a "set" for a given location and that when the bulb is first installed that it should be left on for a couple hours. CFLs that we have burning in walkway lights for 14 solid hours /night seem to have particularly good life expectancy - Mythbusters results are not duplicated by our strictly anecdotal experience. We tend to use them where the light is left on for extended periods. Costco had a mixed pack - 3 60W, 3 100W, and a 65W reflector type for about $6 after on-site rebate yesterday - pretty cheap.