CFL bulb sham

madengr

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Dec 16, 2007
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This is about 1 years worth, not including the small candelabra ones I have not bothered to replace. Most CFLs were about 5 for $15 at Costco. Now the whole isle is mostly LED at 3 for $20. You can't even buy the globe CFLs anymore, so I'm forced to shell $40 for just the downstairs bathroom for 6 above the mirror. It cost me $300 a few years ago to replace all the bulbs in my house with CFL, so I figure it will be at last $600 for LED. Good for the environment my ass! However at least it's economic stimulus, Obamanomic style!

Oldie but goodie, Rand Paul grilling DOE bureaucrat:



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I thought this was going to be about the Campaign for Liberty. Those bulbs suck.
 
We moved into our current home about four years ago and use about half low-energy bulbs and half regular bulbs. We've had to replaces scores of low-energy bulbs and maybe two regular bulbs.

There is no way that the reduction in usage costs makes up for the higher price and higher replacement rate of low-energy bulbs.

I almost have my wife convinced that we should just quit using low-energy bulbs and stick with the regular ones I stocked up on before they started banning them here in Sweden.
 
Oh these things really grind my gears. It is complete BS that they last 7+ years. They last maybe a few months longer than a regular lightbulb, but of course they're taxpayer subsidized, cost 3 times as much, don't light up right away and aren't nearly as bright. Plus you have a hazmat situation if they break. I've been saving the burned out bulbs so they can be "properly disposed" by traveling to "Material Recovery" facility, but I'm ready to just dump them all in the trash. /VENT
 
Led generates more light per watt than cfl, and it's better light than cfl. Incandescent bulbs give the best light, but much is heat. The government shouldn't be in the light bulb business. That heat that incands generate is useful in the winter.
 
You could be living in countries where tungsten bulbs are banned...

Governments are weird.
 
Plus you have a hazmat situation if they break. I've been saving the burned out bulbs so they can be "properly disposed" by traveling to "Material Recovery" facility, but I'm ready to just dump them all in the trash. /VENT

Careful citizen! That might be perceived as constructing a weapon of mass destruction. We can not be too careful here. "Dirty bombs" are not welcome in our country.

-t
 
CFL Bulbs are meant for use in light fixtures where the light is on an average of 15 minutes at a time. I've never like those globe designed ones because the globe will retain the heat of the fixture and also reduce the light output. Incandescent light bulbs are likely best for the bathroom.
 
The the recessed can lights seem to last the longest, however it uses the same spiral element as the others; go figure. Maybe it's because the are mounted upside down and the mercury condenses at the bottom. The globe ones are complete garbage. I was calling up the manufacturer to get free replacements, but got tired and gave up. Guess I'll be spending several $100 over the next couple years for LED replacement. The only thing I like about the CFL is they don't burn your eyes out in the morning due to slow warm up.
 
I have a one of the origional bulbs, circa 1993. Still works. Somewhere along the line, they changed the design, and now they do suck.
 
I have a one of the origional bulbs, circa 1993. Still works. Somewhere along the line, they changed the design, and now they do suck.


This. I did my whole house with them in Florida when they first came out, and never changed another light bulb as long as I lived there.

I would not care if I had to pay $10 a bulb *if* I didn't have to keep replacing the damned things ever month or three.
 
We moved into our current home about four years ago and use about half low-energy bulbs and half regular bulbs. We've had to replaces scores of low-energy bulbs and maybe two regular bulbs.

There is no way that the reduction in usage costs makes up for the higher price and higher replacement rate of low-energy bulbs.

I almost have my wife convinced that we should just quit using low-energy bulbs and stick with the regular ones I stocked up on before they started banning them here in Sweden.

CFL bulbs die out quickly if you constantly turn them on and off.
 
CFL's are great for any light that is on constantly. I use them for porch lights and just don't turn them off since they use about a quarter as much power as an incandescent. I've yet to have to replace any of those after a couple years. They're also good for light fixtures that have a low power limitation. I use daylight CFL's for growing tropical plants indoors during the winter.

CFL's are actually about as cheap as incandescent bulbs if you buy them on Ebay. That's because the people selling them live in an area where the CFL's are subsidized to a ridiculous degree with no limit on how many bulbs you can buy. I recommend the bright white CFL's for their good balance of light quality to price. This one is a good deal.
 
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