Fluorescent vs. incandescent? Environmentalists can't decide

[Thor]

I can't tell the difference between a 60 watt CFL and a 100 watt CFL.  They both throw off about the same light. They're cheap, though. $1-$2 for a 4 pack.

Where I see the difference is after they've warmed up. I use 60 watt CFLs mostly, but where I need MORE light, I use either the 100 watt of even the 200 watt CFLS. There is a noticeable difference. I wish they had some lower wattage CFLs, other than the 40 watt ones, but I think the savings might be negligible. LED lights have a lot of potential, but I don't care for the bluish light they put out.

[Nitrogen]

Well, you'll get more mercury in your body from eating a swordfish steak than you will by breaking a CFL, so, yes, It's a crap story, like most everything worldnetdaily prints.

I'm not sure if you misunderstood me, I was referring to this:

California, Canada and the European Union are so persuaded he's right, the three governments are in the process of banning the sale of incandescent light bulbs, following the trailblazing paths of Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.

Can't find much about PACE either, don't seem to have too many 'take them seriously' points.

Gotcha, I did misunderstand.
Banning inandescents IS nuts.

[K Frame]

I replaced 4 60-watt incandescents in my bathroom with two 100-watt equivilent CFLs. Much more light.

I'm getting to the point where I really prefer CFLs.

[Manedwolf]

I still don't trust CFLs after I had one melt its plastic housing when some of the made-in-China circuitry burned out.

[Firethorn]

I'm getting to the point where I really prefer CFLs.

I have them all over the place - the thing to try if you don't like their light is to shop for high 'Color Index' bulbs, and 'Warm white' rather than sunlight.  Sunlight is a lot 'whiter' compared to the relatively rosy glows of incadescent lights.

Manedwolf, I'd try shopping for non-made in China stuff.  After all, besides the mercury we want to avoid lead, don't we. 

[Manedwolf]

Show me a CFL that's not made in China. I've not yet found a single one. 

[K Frame]

Buy Phillips or GE CFLs. They will actually last.

Earthlight fixtures are OK, while Sylvanias just aren't that good.

Don't waste your money on cheapass CFLs.

[Manedwolf]

Sylvania anything aren't good. That's why their bulbs are featured in dollar stores. I've never seen any other lightbulb brand burn out so fast.

[Paddy]

Aren't Philips and GE high dollar?  Like multiple times incandescent?  How is that cost effective?

[Brad Johnson]

Aren't Philips and GE high dollar?  Like multiple times incandescent?  How is that cost effective?

Energy savings over the expected service life of the bulb (vs. an incandescent bulb of similar illumination).  That being said, I've never had a CF last anywhere near what the mfg claimed.

Brad

[K Frame]

How's it cost effective to buy a CFL and have it crap out thousands of hours early because it's a cheap POS?

The 13-watt GE spiral on my back patio has been burning, almost 24x7 (I sometimes turn it off in the summer when I sit out at night so I can see the stars from my patio) for nearly 3 years now. Late December or early January it should be 3 years.

By my calculations, that's now close to 25,000 hours.

I have two CFLs at the front of my house, one on a photo eye in the post lamp, the other in the wall sconce. Both burn for 8 to 10 hours a day. Both have been in place for over 2 years.

I've had cheap CFLs crap out in as little as 6 weeks before.

And they are NOT that much less expensive than GE or Phillips.

[Gewehr98]

I put a single halogen in my unheated garage yesterday, because the CFLs take forever to get up to brightness. 

As for the mercury hazard, if one pays attention they'll notice the mercury component of CFLs is continually dropping as mandated by law. WalMart even lets me return dead CFLs for disposal.  I'd be more afraid of the tuna I had for dinner. 

[Iain]

Aren't Philips and GE high dollar?  Like multiple times incandescent?  How is that cost effective?

I picked up two free Philips ones from a friendly policeman at an event my charity ran on Friday. If you lived in the UK I'd tell you to make your way to every Fire Service electric blanket testing you can, free electric blanket if your old one fails, and free CFL's often to be found.

[Paddy]

I didn't know they had a warm up period.  I'll pay more attention and also buy a couple of Philips or GE for comparison.  Noticed they also sell 'Daylight' CFL's.  Better light?

[K Frame]

The two GEs I put in my bathroom have a distinct warmup period, about a minute before they're up to full power.

The colder the bulb is the longer it will take to warm up. When it's really cold the outside bulbs on the front of my house take quite awhile to warm up to full power.

[Firethorn]

I didn't know they had a warm up period.

Depends on the temperature, and the bulb.  I haven't had problems with the CFLs in my garage starting, though they take a couple minutes to get bright, and it's currently in the single digits in there.  Still, the one I have in my bathroom takes ~30 seconds to get up to full brightness when 'cool' (IE the 60 degrees I keep the house at at night).  It's not a bad thing, keeps me from being blinded instantly by the 100watt equivalent.

Noticed they also sell 'Daylight' CFL's.  Better light?

Depends on what you're looking for.  Humans actually prefer more red than daylights provide in relaxed settings(closer to the 'ol campfire?).  I like them for helping to keep my clock on balance when I'm working shift.  For precision work they can be better.

It's very much personal preference, what you're used to, etc...  People can be quite adaptable.

[mfree]

My house is full of GE "75w" and "100w" CFLs. I honestly cannot tell the difference between them and incandescents...

...except the house is brighter and my power bill went down appreciably.

I made the changeover more than 2 years ago when the GE CFLs were just getting cheap. What lit me off was finding out that the previous owner (I'd just bought) of the house had installed, on a dimmer circuit no less, FIVE ONE HUNDRED WATT INCANDESCENTS in a chandelier. The circuit BUZZED audibly whenever that light was on.  I looked around and there were 75's and 100s everywhere... so figuring I'd have to replace every bulb in the house anyways, I made the change. Changed the dimmer out too, and that's the only light in the house with standard bulbs in it, 5 25w bulbs.

As far as warmup and failure, they're nearly instant when new, but I notice a slight dimming on some of them now. I've only had one fail so far and it took a good two or three minutes to warm up in the weeks leading up to it's demise. That one was on the ceiling fan in the kitchen so it was getting heat and humidity as well as being constantly shaken... fan's out of balance just a tad. It's sister bulb is still burning brightly.

[K Frame]

Most makers recommend that you don't put standard CFLs into a ceiling fan due to the vibrations.

GE makes a ceiling fan compatible CFL.

[wooderson]

It is really and truly pathetic that this was posted and some people took it seriously or continue to do so.

Here's a page from the one (1) (uno) organization that Worldnut Daily could find to support their assertion of a GREAT AND MASSIVE DIVISION AMONG ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

http://www.svpvril.com/svpweb9.html

[Iain]

I knew I'd seen this somewhere recently.

I present your Friday Dose of Woo

edited much after to say that this whole thing is amusing me rather too much. There's some high quality woo to be found out there.

[roo_ster]

I still don't trust CFLs after I had one melt its plastic housing when some of the made-in-China circuitry burned out.

It is not just the cheapies.  GE & Philips will burny/melty, too.  No CFL I have yet tried works well when plugged into fixture angled down towards the ground.  They all get a little "burny" after a while.

Aren't Philips and GE high dollar?  Like multiple times incandescent?  How is that cost effective?

Energy savings over the expected service life of the bulb (vs. an incandescent bulb of similar illumination).  That being said, I've never had a CF last anywhere near what the mfg claimed.

Brad

Same here.  I really would like to replace a lot of my bulbs, but paying the big cost up front and having it last as long as your average incandescent is no fun at all.

[K Frame]

"No CFL I have yet tried works well when plugged into fixture angled down towards the ground."

I've got a number of CFLs that are base up, including the one on the back patio that's been burning for nearly 3 years.

[Thor]

I have roughly twelve CFLs that are base up and have been running great for almost two years. I have four more outside that have been working great for six months (except for the inordinately long warm up time since it got COLD). In my last house, it seemed to eat both incandescents and CFLs. Incandescents wouldn't last very long, 3-6 months. CFLs usually hung in there six months to over a year.

[mfree]

Thor, there are particular outdoor CFL lamps. They're a pain as far as warmup times, but mine's been outside for about two years now with no problems.

The outdoor lamps I think cool themselves a little better and have a clear plastic cover for the tubes. I still wouldn't stuff one in a sealed fixture, but that's no issue here... I had to replace my IR front lamp fixture and it wouldn't fit under the eave so I have duct tape and window screen keeping the top sealed of bugs instead of the factory brass plate.

[Firethorn]

I've been switching over to CFLs since 2002.  I used them in europe as well, but didn't bring those back with me.  I'm mostly using GE.

I've only thrown one away so far, which failed due to sudden impact trauma when I decided to change light balances and stick a larger one in the bathroom.

I have bulbs upside down, sideways, and right side up.  In the freezing garage as well.

I love not having to replace light bulbs.  When I do replace the CFLs, I suppose I'll have to note the install date on them, like suggested elsewhere.

Anybody having premature failures, consistantly across brands/lots, might want to get their power checked out.