No more Fluorescent - going back to Incandescent

Ron-P

I changed over about 90% of my house to fluorescent lighting. I lost yet another fluorescent yesterday, these bulbs are lasting less then a year, and the package says 7-8 years. HA! That's a lie.

Over the last year I've lost at least 8 bulbs, all different brands, types and sizes. Some I've returned others replaced. Fluorescent has a long way to come for household use, a long way. They are not ready. Oh yeah, and instant on, is not very instant.

From now on I'll pay much less and go back to incandescent. No more fluorescents in my house once the current ones die.

thuffman03

Stock up....You won't be able to get them in a year or so.

Ron-P

Says who?

thuffman03

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59298

Was a bit wrong on how quickly but you won't be able to get them.

schwarcw

Yeah, we've had this discussion before. They might save energy, but not cost. The big green lie!

Face

I have a couple of fluorescent bulbs that have been going strong for 2-5 years. I only had two die in under 2 years. One that stays on 24/7, the other was an outside bulb.

schwarcw

In England they are considering fining you for exceeding your "carbon footprint". Basically, you will be given carbon credits. If you use more, you can be fined. Throw away the incandecents, your SUVs, vacations and all your TUBE equipment. Pay attention to what's going on people!!! There are some real crazy people infiltrating the administration with radical "green" ideas.

Ron-P

Wow, and some say it sucks to live in California. HAHAHAHAH!!!

After my experience with fluorescents you can bet I'll be buying up incandecents and even stocking up.

sucks2beme

Tejas doesn't put up with that bull.

I had the same problem with them. They didn't last.
Going green means they're taking your hard earned money.

comfortablycurt

Wow. This is the first time I've heard anything but praise for those bulbs. I love them.

Every fixture in my house has had a fluorescent bulb for the last 5 years or so...and so far I've only had one of them burn out, and that was just earlier this year. The bulb that burnt out is on almost 24/7 though.

JYAJoe

Not hard to make a light bulb..... Incandescent

http://www.livescience.com/technology/060227_light_bulb.html

Gadabout

This article in Wikipedia has a bit more information.....

Many of these state efforts became moot when the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 in December 2007, requiring all general-purpose light bulbs that produce 310–2600 lumens of light [19] be 30% more energy efficient (similar to current halogen lamps) than current incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014.

Light bulbs outside of this range are exempt from the restrictions (historically, less than 40 Watts or more than 150 Watts). Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, "rough service" bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, and plant lights.

By 2020, a second tier of restrictions would become effective; which requires all general-purpose bulbs to produce at least 45 lumens per watt (similar to current CFLs). Exempt from the Act are reflector "flood", 3-way, candelabra, colored, and other specialty bulbs

If you would like to read more, wikipedia has some more information on the Energy Independance and Security Act of 2007

Curious to see how it affects halogens, since the majority of the house has halogens on dimmers.

Scott

F1nut

The only place I use and will ever use fluorescents (color correct, which is joke really) is in my shop as it helps keep the heat level down. However, I also use incandescent when it's time for color matching.

dorokusai

I just keep my receipts. When they go bad, I submit a claim and get free bulbs in the mail. It's a hassle but at least I'm not out much money.

brettw22

I can get an 8 pack of them for under $3 at Sams Club........$.40 each doesn't bug me so I bought 5 or 6 packs of them to stock up on.....

Cogito

All this Green BS is making me want to go out and buy the biggest, baddest, hottest Class A amp I can afford. You can keep your mercury laden CFs and shove deeply where the sun doesn't shine.

Can I get a AMEN?!

Face

No..

steveinaz

My house is about 95% converted, what brand/type are you buying Ron? Mine are holding up real well...

Systems

I blame Al Gore

DollarDave

I concur with the fluorescents being crap. They start out life being nice and bright, fade over the next 7 mnths and burn out. I have replaced too many of them and converted 100% back to incandescents. Tried every brand known to mankind. They suck. Period.

I also blame idiots like Al Gore.

Cogito

187CAM wrote: »

I blame Al Gore

OMG Did he invent the CF too??? :eek:

bobman1235

brettw22 wrote: »

I can get an 8 pack of them for under $3 at Sams Club........$.40 each doesn't bug me so I bought 5 or 6 packs of them to stock up on.....

This. They're not quite as cheap as incandescents but they're not expensive at all. Considering the energy savings (I don't care what you think about the "green" movement, electricity still costs money) even if they die quicker than expected they're saving you money.

nadams

Most of the issues I've had with short lives have been with the cheap bulbs.

Also, I remember reading when I first started using them, that they're not supposed to be installed at an angle. Pointing straight up or down is okay, but not tilted. Out of all the bulbs I've replaced in the last 2 years, 3 of the 5 were installed in fixtures where they were either at an angle or horizontal. The other two were in my bathroom, which violates two suggestions. The first being that they shouldn't be in high-humidity environments, and the second being that they're not meant for intermittant use. IE- turning them on for 30 seconds while I take a leak, and then shutting them back off, only to repeat 30 minutes later (provided I'm drinking )

If you avoid the above three situations, they do actually last quite a long time. Hell, even the one I have installed outdoors works fine after 2 years, but it's usually on for hours, if not all night.

disneyjoe7

The small twist one seem to hold up pretty well, never had any issues with them. Now the small Fluorecent globe bulbs I have issue's with them, and yes I hate them. They don't last, they aren't instant, I used them in the kitchen and I used them in my master bath.

mhardy6647

I think I am going back to lamps burning whale oil; very retro.

On topic: My luck with CFLs is mixed - I like the fact that they burn less electricity than incandescents and I am tolerant of their color temp/spectral distribution. I've been replacing most incandescents in the house piecemeal as they burn out; experimenting with dimmable CFL floods in the can fixtures in the kitchen and the 'back room'.

Less on topic: This thread topic brings to mind the song Living with the Lights On written by John Palumbo during (?) the Second (smaller) Energy Crisis in 1978. It may be found on Crack the Sky's fourth studio album, White Music.

I'm living with the lights on
I'm gonna keep my house warm
I'm gonna drive a big car
All around the town
I'm living with the lights on
I'm living with the lights on
I'm gonna smoke my cigarettes
Don't care about the big jets
I'm gonna fill my big car up
With gas, gas, gas, gas, gas
I'm living with the lights on
I'm living with the lights on
I'm talking with the Russians
I'm gonna make all the friends I can
I'm gonna have a good time
'Cause I don't believe you


http://www.crackthesky.com/Discography.htm

jdwmap

I saw some LED replacement lights in sams club over the weekend (about 4 styles). In my opinion they should have used LED's to start with, very low power draw, super bright and they last forever. The only thing they have to figure out is how to make an LED not be directional. Right now the ones that were at Sams Club were for Accent lighting, not whole room as they shine in a particular area, but not in a wide range area. The waste and danger of the Flourescent lights is not worth it for me.

phuz

I love GE Reveal bulbs. My whole house has 'em.

I bought and installed my first compact flourescent on my front porch, since GE finally made a reveal CFL. The rest of my house will stay incandescent until they CFLs are up to par with my GE Reveal bulbs (and made in America).

jimmydep

About 80% of my lights have fluorescents in them, I have 5 lamps on timers that stay on for 6-8 hours a night, and all my outdoor lights that stay on all night have them with no problems at all. I use them in my drop lights, they take a beating and don't get hot.

I'll trade you my incandescents for your flourecents......

Systems

Ron-P wrote: »

I changed over about 90% of my house to fluorescent lighting. I lost yet another fluorescent yesterday, these bulbs are lasting less then a year, and the package says 7-8 years. HA! That's a lie.

Over the last year I've lost at least 8 bulbs, all different brands, types and sizes. Some I've returned others replaced. Fluorescent has a long way to come for household use, a long way. They are not ready. Oh yeah, and instant on, is not very instant.

From now on I'll pay much less and go back to incandescent. No more fluorescents in my house once the current ones die.

Theres good CFL's and bad CFL's.....I've yet to see any of them showing 7-8 years on the ones I buy....

nooshinjohn

I have never used CFL's in my home... With the KNOWN dangers of mercury, they are all bad in my book. Wasn't it the Green Meanies that got this stuff declared a hazard in the first place? Now they want to give this **** back to us in the form of an easily broken lightbulb? What a bunch of hypocrits...


How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
•
Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
•
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
•
Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
•
Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
•
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
•
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
•
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
•
Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
•
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
•
If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
•
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
•
If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
•
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
•
If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
•
Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
•
Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
•
Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
•
The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
•
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.
For more information about compact fluorescent bulbs, visit http://www.energystar.gov/cfls
For more information about compact fluorescent bulbs and mercury, visit http://www.energystar.gov/mercury
EPA is continually reviewing its clean-up and disposal recommendations for CFLs to ensure that the Agency presents the most up-to-date information for consumers and businesses.

Face

Ok, Carl.