CFL bulbs... the experiences of others

Break? no. I put one in my garage to replace the regular bulb on my door opener. Before, the light would come on a split second before the door started to open. Now the door starts to open and two seconds later, the light comes on and its brightness is questionable. Tried to put one in a small lamp only to discover the shade is made to snap onto a round bulb.
No Deal!

Please mail your old and broken mercury bulbs to: Ethan Stimling, 211 Spring St. , Portland, ME 04102

It's a good chance you and anyone in the room inhaled mercury when that bulb blew. :shock:

I refuse to have those things in my house. I don't give a d*mn what feel good environmentalists say.

Stock up on incandecent bulbs!

Thankfully I haven't had one break yet. Or burn out. I will say I'm disappointed in how we can't fit our light fixture covers over the new bulbs.

they aren't all they are cracked up to be.
I put them in just about every light socket in my house and garage.
With my kids trying to get them to remember to turn off the lights is
a never ending quest.
Anyway...
The bulbs do not perform to the specs that are claimed on the package.
I have had to change several after less than a year.

I'm trying some of the new LED lights, the ones that I bought are 1 watt
which replaces a 25 watt standard bulb. The CFL can't go into an enclosed fixture
so the LED bulb is good for that and it uses a lot less electric than the CFL or standard bulb.
the LED is supposed to last 100,000 hours-we'll see.

I had one in a lamp burn out/leak.......it smelled awful. It was less than three months old. Great to know I inhaled mecrury when I rushed over to see what that awful smell was.

Are those the little 'corkscrew' curly flourescent bulbs that replace regular lightbulbs?

I have 2 open fixtures in the basement (2 bulbs each = 4 bulbs) that I put them in. They take about 20 seconds to warm up to full light, but very bright.

Haven't had any issues, but are you saying when they burn out it's dangerous?

I'm trying some of the new LED lights, the ones that I bought are 1 watt
which replaces a 25 watt standard bulb. The CFL can't go into an enclosed fixture
so the LED bulb is good for that and it uses a lot less electric than the CFL or standard bulb.
the LED is supposed to last 100,000 hours-we'll see.

Where did you find the LED lights for house lightfixtures?

I have replaced just about all the bulbs in my house with CFL's. I save a net of about $25-$50 bucks a month on my power bill. As far as failures go, if they make through the first 48 hrs (lost 2 out of ~20, Manufacturing defect), I haven't had one fail yet. They are sensitive to cold. The ones outside and in my garage can take 5-10 minutes to come up to full brightness. As far disposal goes, I use dark green trash bags and no one can see what's in the bag, not that I am implying anything.

Why not?
Am I in big trouble with the LightBulb Police?
(I have one in an enclosed ceiling fixture.)

I replaced several of my bulbs with CFLs but have seen no impact on my electric bill. I probably leave them on longer knowing they are cheap to operate, and it's a net wash? Another case of unintended consequences!

I found the LED bulbs on e-bay.

as far as the curly compact fluorescents they are not as good or as safe as
the compact fluorescents that are contained in a plastic covering.
It's the curly ones that dont seem to last as long as they should.
and when they stop working they don't leak, they just stop working.
they're safe as long as you don't break them and the plastic covered ones
that look like a regular light bulb are sturdier.

I have saved a bunch of money on my electric bill,
I figure they cut my bill about $40 bucks a month.

I am going to transition to LEDs as they become more available.
They use a lot less electric than the CFL's, supposed to last a lot longer and
you can use them in enclosed fixtures and they don't take time to warm up
like CLF's when it's 60 degrees or below.

...---... :

Could you tell us why CFLs aren't supposed to be used in enclosed fixtures?

He said "can't", JustSayNo. I think it has to do with fit. I've had the same problem.

charlie

I replaced a lot of my bulbs, mostly in recessed cans, with CFLs and the only change I've noticed is a lack of light, and the light is different. I haven't seen any impact on my CMP usage, but I think we do pretty well turning off lights when not using them. I also read that CFLs are only efficient after they warm up, so that you will only realize their potential in lights that are used for longer durations. As I don't care for the quality of light they produce, I have moved them to fixtures in hallways, closets, etc. instead of trying to work or read with them, and those are obviously the intermittent fixtures. I will certainly stock up on traditional bulbs if this thing goes through!

With all the education on these new bulbs that is available and considering all the safety concerns and lighting requirments, don't you think it should be the homeowner that decides what lighting is best and not the government?

absolutely

The brand I bought won't work in the porch light or the garage. I find they work outdoors OK down to about 40 degrees.

By Alex Johnson
Reporter MSNBC March 19, 2008

Compact fluorescent light bulbs, long touted by environmentalists as a more efficient and longer-lasting alternative to the incandescent bulbs that have lighted homes for more than a century, are running into resistance from waste industry officials and some environmental scientists, who warn that the bulbs’ poisonous innards pose a bigger threat to health and the environment than previously thought.....

But while the bulbs are extremely energy-efficient, one problem hasn’t gone away: All CFLs contain mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause kidney and brain damage.

The amount is tiny — about 5 milligrams, or barely enough to cover the tip of a pen — but that is enough to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, Stanford University environmental safety researchers found. Even the latest lamps promoted as “low-mercury” can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.

Source

Note: Edited so link now works. Thanks for providing corrected link.

Corrected Source of above article

The article is unsettling to say the least! I'm replacing all my cfl's tomorrow. Incandescents.. for me!

The cost of illuminating your home is about to go up significantly. Most Americans take for granted that when they flip a switch, darkness immediately gives way to a warm, natural light. That's no longer possible in California, where a regulation that took effect Jan. 1 only allows the sale of harsh, cold compact fluorescents above a certain wattage. Unless the new Congress takes action, the same rules will apply to the rest of the country, beginning next year.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/5/light-bulb-banning-begins/

There are some things that will still exist in an incandescent bulb such as anything 40 watts or less and 3 way bulbs as well as appliance bulbs because they, the CFL, can't withstand the extreme heat or cold from what I understand.

But if you think a CFL is expensive, you should take a look at the price of a LED bulb some time. They may only use 8.6 watts worth of energy and put out 75 watts worth of light, but some of those bulbs are $20 and $30 a piece. I actually saw one for $50 recently. That is when you have to ask is the price of the bulb really saving you the money over the long run. They only guarantee a lot of these bulbs for two years.

Nothing like finding more household applications for mercury.

I have a coupe of CFLs and find them unsatisfactory. The amount of light they put out is NOT as advertised. I read (but cannot now find) that CFLs will burn out very quickly if they hang from a fixture (like a ceiling light) rather than upright as in a table lamp.

Another government creep into our homes and lives.

Up the revolution!

These curly bulbs don't work when it's 20 below. I tried them on the porch and in the garage. I then went out and bought a large supply of incandescents at a closeout sale.

I think I see a business opportunity here...black market 100 watt incandescent bulbs.

Geeze....what is America sinking into when you have to hide from the imperial government and smuggle toilets and light bulbs into your home?

I read...that CFLs will burn out very quickly if they hang from a fixture (like a ceiling light) rather than upright as in a table lamp...

It actually depends on the style, base, and size of the bulb. I use 65 watt CFL's in my gooseneck lights over my exterior signs. There is an icon on the box containing the bulb showing the bulb in a down position which indicates that they are, for lack of a better term, a 'down' bulb.

The 40-watt bulbs I had been using were burning out prematurely. When I mentioned this to my electrician, he was the one who clued me in on the icon and showed me the 40-watts had an upright icon meaning it was to be used in that position, such as a lamp.

In nearly 3 years, I've only replaced two of the 65-watt CFL's.

Though I'm NOT a fan of banning regular bulbs I do have to correct you here Roger..I have had a 100 watt CFL in our outside lamp post for 3 years and it works fine..It gets 10 below here but not 20 so maybe that's the difference...It takes a couple of minutes to warm up but it lights as good as a regular 100 watt and has lasted 3 times as long so far and is still going..I also have a work light that uses 2 100 watt CFLs I bought at Home Depot for 50.00 that is indestructable compared to the Halogen work lights which are JUNK..The light is tube shaped with legs that fold in..The light part slides down into the tube protecting it when it's in the truck..It also puts out better light compared to the blinding light of the twin Halogen work lights and it won't give you 1st degree burns if you bump up against it...You set it in the center of the room and it gives 360 degree light from the round clear plastic tube...GREAT work light..I also have 100 watt CFLs in the cellar hanging down from ceramic fixtures and they are fine ..I still like the regular bulbs in thr house though...Thet have there place and no need to ban anything....

There are some things that will still exist in an incandescent bulb such as anything 40 watts or less and 3 way bulbs

I have several 3 way CFL bulbs

I couldn't give a * about the "environmental" waco stuff, but I had someone give me some bulbs to try out a while back and I have yet to have one burn out, it's been 3 years. I don't like the 5 min warmup time, but saw yesterday that Lowes is now stocking an "instant on" bulb.

I've used the regular long bulb fluorescent lights in the kitchen and my wood shop for years with no problem.

They have cut the electric bill down a few $10's of dollars, that's the only selling point for me.

I've used one in my bathroom for 3+ years now, a night light. Still going strong.

charlie