Fluorescent Bulbs

[_RaT_]

Minor to you, but not to me. My home currently has a very nice warm glow to it. I don't like the white light at all and fluorescent light really does bother my eyes, especially when watching a movie or visiting with friends. It is more like an interrogation room than a living room.

Does anyone know of a brand or type of CFL with a nice glow that isn't so industrial looking?

With the new "rare earth phosphors" being used in fluorescent lights, the warmth you want is available. Here is a snip from a article I saw online-

"High-Quality Light: Newer CFLs give a warm, inviting light instead of the "cool white" light of older fluorescents. They use rare earth phosphors for excellent color and warmth. New electronically ballasted CFLs don't flicker or hum"

I much prefer the lower Kelvin bulbs like the 2700K. Even 3000K is getting to blue for my tastes. With 2700K, the light is as warm as incandescent.

 

[zeuspaul]

While California is thinking about a ban the US beat them to it.

Congress bans incandescent bulbs

We should probably post the EPA cleanup procedure just in case one of our children breaks one of these things while playing ball in the house. Lead paint is not ok in a house with kids but mercury is now mandated.

***The federal EPA doesn稚 recommend professional cleanup for a broken bulb. It recommends you open a window, leave the room for 15 minutes, then put on some rubber gloves, scoop up the broken bits and seal them in a plastic bag, then put that bag in another plastic bag before throwing it out. Then wash your hands.***
Michelle Malkin Incandescent stupidity: Washington outlaws 100-watt lightbulbs

 

[Mike058]

Here's a good article on CFL's. Looks like the one I read before but couldn't remember what magazine it was. The Best Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Scientific Lab Test vs. Incandescent - Popular Mechanics

 

[ray66v]

I have not been happy with cf's, especially when I pay $10 for a 43 watt and use it in my basement periodically, after 1 year, the thing goes bad. How much did I save? About -$9.50 This is not the only bad experience.

I spent hundreds on dimmers to conserve energy, and now I am supposed to have them all removed, or pay about $15 a bulb for dimables? $15 x 24 =$360! MORE SAVINGS? How long will they last?

What do I do with my crystal chandelier? It sure will look nice with fluorescent bulbs in it. how do I dim it?

And what about all the mercury?

If we are going to ban the incandescent what do you say we get a better replacement first?

Of course they will force us to switch, there is hundreds billions of dollars to be made off this. Along with all the rest of the schemes their working on.

 

[_RaT_]

Here's a good article on CFL's. Looks like the one I read before but couldn't remember what magazine it was. The Best Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Scientific Lab Test vs. Incandescent - Popular Mechanics

Thanks Mike, good article. As I mentioned, I did not really like compact fluorescents until more recently. Many folks were disappointed to say the least. More recently I have been having great success. For new homes with recessed lighting, cans with built in ballasts are the better choice because the bulbs are less costly to replace, come on bright and are usually dimmable and also look more attractice. There is plenty more to learn about CFL's contrary the articles we read. I am a big fan of Michelle Malkin as one poster eluded to, but the article and the idea of the mercury is a very knee jerk reaction. The trace amount of mercury from a broken bulb has been blown considerably out of proportion and is now used by folks that hate CFL's as a means to further demote the usefulness of such bulbs. It may not be long before LED's are prolific if they can get the color right. CFL's have gotten better, cheaper and more reliable as long as you get a quality manufactuer, don't overheat it and don't expose the indoor type to outdoor conditions.

 

[zeuspaul]

Do the proponents of CF bulbs still think they are better if there is a match in energy efficiency between CF and incandescent??

*********
GE Developing Incandescent Light Bulb That Matches CFL's Efficiency

GE Developing Incandescent Light Bulb That Matches CFLç—´ Efficiency ï½· Environmental Leader ï½· Green Business and Corporate Sustainability News

 

[Ken_CT]

I am a big fan of Michelle Malkin as one poster eluded to, but the article and the idea of the mercury is a very knee jerk reaction. The trace amount of mercury from a broken bulb has been blown considerably out of proportion and is now used by folks that hate CFL's as a means to further demote the usefulness of such bulbs.

I agree with _RAT_, but unfortunatley, we live in a "Be afraid, be very afraid" society. Look what happens when a mercury thermometer is dropped inside a school. The school is evacuated, and the HAZMAT team is called in for the cleanup. I remember pushing mercury around in my hand in science class, and no one was the worst for it. That probably wasn't a good idea, even back then, but people overreact to everything now. I think the mercury problem with these bulbs will eventually be their downfall.

 

[davitk]

I agree with _RAT_, but unfortunatley, we live in a "Be afraid, be very afraid" society. Look what happens when a mercury thermometer is dropped inside a school. The school is evacuated, and the HAZMAT team is called in for the cleanup. I remember pushing mercury around in my hand in science class, and no one was the worst for it. That probably wasn't a good idea, even back then, but people overreact to everything now. I think the mercury problem with these bulbs will eventually be their downfall.

I built a Pinewood Derby car for my son a few years ago and was offered mercury to insert in a tube for movable ballast - a winning tactic to be sure - but hesitated at the thought of what would happen if the car broke and spilled amidst all those kids

 

[RonMar]

Pretty big difference between the liquid mercury in a themometer and the thin coating of vaporized mercury in a CFL. I am not sure exactly how much mercury is used in a CFL bulb(have heard somewhere in the vicinity of 4MG), but I would make a guess that the mercury in a thermometer could probably make a LOT of CFL bulbs(more than 100?).

 

[SpringHollow]

Basically, it is the mercury vapors that are harmful, not the liquid mercury. So you get a higher instantaneous exposure from a broken hot bulb than a thermometer. Biggest problem would be for very young kids.

Ken

 

[CurlyDave]

So my barn is unheated and i am looking for something to replace my HO fluorescent lights. Does anyone have experience with CF's in very cold weather (single digits or lower)?


My garage in CA is not only unheated, but very damp. The CF bulbs only last 3-4 months under those conditions, with them being on only 20-40 hours total.

A complete waste of money in my opinion.

I am dreading the day when regular lightbulbs are no longer made.

 

[dmccarty]

So my barn is unheated and i am looking for something to replace my HO fluorescent lights. Does anyone have experience with CF's in very cold weather (single digits or lower)?

Ken,

Thankfully we don't get single digit temps or at least not often. But we do get down into the teens

We have 10 CFIs used in floodlights, 3 more CFIs used on some wall lights, 4 CFIs in recessed cans on the back porch and I'm making a guess but close to 12 more CFIs in recessed cans on the front porch. Plus one flourescent in a ceiling fan on the porch.

We have not had to replace any of the bulbs, thank goodness. Some of the ones on the front porch have to be 16 feet up. The only "issue" we have with SOME of the lights is that they are the older CFis that are not instant on. They take a bit of time to get full light. I'm sure we have run the lights in the teens and certainly in the 20s without a problem.

Later,
Dan

 

[Bird]

We have not had to replace any of the bulbs

One of the 2 in the kitchen was burned out when I bought this place two and half years ago, so I replaced it. We have two of the 5 watt (supposedly 5 year bulbs that put out 25 watt light) outside; one in front and one in back. Those two are on 24/7; never turned off, but tonight I just finished replacing the one out back for the second time. The one in front still works.

 

[SpringHollow]

I appreciate all of the feedback on the cold starts. I will try one and see how it goes. But CF's are strange - we bought some for in the basement and thy fail within 20 hours of use (typically short on times). Have some in my office that get used every day for atleast a few hours and they are over a year old.

Ken

 

[Ray2210]

Incandescent bulbs are going to be outlawed in Canada Soon. I am very concerned about the cold start issue. It gets extremely cold here. Winter temps of -40 or colder are not uncommon and with wind chills it can easily get into the -50's. The cfl's in the garage come on slow at +50 F. How are we going to light the outsides of our homes and our unheated buildings. Are we going to be forced to replace alot of fixtures? I am also concerned that chandeliers, fridges, stoves and a multitude of other reqirements are going to get orphaned. Some X10 type of controls will not work with cfl's. I can't speak for cfl's on the shelf today but it wasn't long ago that there was a fire hazzard if you put a regular cfl in a dimming fixture. I can go on but all in all there are questions that need answering before incandescents go extinct.

 

[Mike058]

Incandescent bulbs are going to be outlawed in Canada Soon.

Nuts, I was counting on you guys to supply me with my incandescents. Mexico's too darn far away.

 

[_RaT_]

Nuts, I was counting on you guys to supply me with my incandescents. Mexico's too darn far away.

Don't worry, the Indian's can get you light bulbs, cigarettes etc, tax free. Stock up on a few thousand incandescent bulbs now and Ebay them in a year or two after the ban.

 

[Mike058]

Don't worry, the Indian's can get you light bulbs, cigarettes etc, tax free. Stock up on a few thousand incandescent bulbs now and Ebay them in a year or two after the ban.

Interesting. Now they'll have something to sell out of the fireworks stands the rest of the year.

 

[davitk]

I can't beleive you guys don't all love the CF bulbs. My favorite feature is the fact that they are NOT instant on - I typically turn a light on in the morning, when my eyes are half open, and love the fact that they take a bit to get to full intensity. By then, I've had my morning coffee

 

[hockeypuck]

At first look CFL's seem to be a no brainer, but after further review I will have to put it into the same category as the Prius and ethanol. You buy them and they make you fell good, but they are not very echo friendly after all. CFL's do have alot of mercury in them. Proper disposal will be difficult to manage. I read on one web site that they actually recommend cutting up the piece of carpet that it broke on. The prius has too many byproducts from its battery production and disposal to really make it worth while buying and ethanol takes more energy to produce, than it actually produces. It also is driving up the cost of my cereal. Using food to make fuel, there is something just plain wrong with that.

So in short, use halogen lights, drive a Hummer, and drill in Anwar.