Do you use compact fluorescent lighting?

[GVA]

And what does one do with the CFL when it stops working?

Do you throw it in the garbage????? I bet most do....

I don't know if I should destroy the environment during the life of a bulb of after the life of a CFL, Kinda like the paper or plastic debate.
Who knows what the potential environmental impacts could be in 20 years....

 

[pdboilermaker]

We use cfl's in all of our fixtures except for the sodium vapor outside light and a couple of outside halogens. Many of the inside and outside lights are also tied to motion sensors. Places such as the back entry dorr and the utility room have the motion sensors switches rather than the typical on off switch.

 

[tinkabranc]

we use the CFLs in most lights in the house. The exception is
appliance lights like fridge/freezer and oven. Some utility
companies also lease them to their customers and they have a
lifetime warranty.

 

[backpack09]

I installed a couple... But they keep buzzing... And giving the wife migraines. So back to incandescents.

 

[Corey]

I installed a couple... But they keep buzzing... And giving the wife migraines. So back to incandescents.

That is strange, too. Are you using any type of dimable switch or bulb? I have not really noticed the standard CFL in a standard socket/switch to make any detectable noise. I thought the inverter frequency was above 20KHz which should be inaudible for humans. Seems like I do remember getting a buzz with one particular CFL light in a dimable fixture - IIRC, that same dimmer even gives a little bit of a 'whine' noise with pure incandescent lamps.

The disposal issue - mentioned earlier is somewhat funny. They've spent all this time trying to get mercury and lead out of the environment only to sell it back to everyone as 'green' technology.

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

I installed a couple... But they keep buzzing... And giving the wife migraines. So back to incandescents.

I've had the same issue, with the "100Watt" bulbs. The "60Watt" bulbs don't seem to do it.

Of course, I hear TV sets whistling, so I'm probably not typical in terms of hearing range...

About half my lights are CF. The other half are on dimmers, or are rarely on, or are in enclosed fixtures, so they are standard incandescents.

I also have two street lights (I mean the big ones, not the usual light on a post) on the back of the house. The previous owners must have really light late-night outdoor parties, or something. One is on the barn and will probably just stay there, since I do turn it on maybe three times a year. The other is on a telephone pole in the middle of the yard and will be coming down as soon as I find someone who wants it badly enough to climb the pole and unbolt it. Then I can take a chainsaw to the pole without trouble...

(anyone want a street light? )

Joe

 

[reaperman]

About 5 years ago, before they were popular, Sam's club used to have 5 packs of 100 watt (equiv), for a reasonable price (cant remember off hand), I bought 2 packs. I replaced all overhead lights in the dog kennel, (24x40 bldg), where the lights are on almost always. I have only replaced one bulb of 6 so far.

I put 4, 60 watt equivalent, flood style lights, in the recess lights in my living room. They were way too bright, much brighter than normal 60 watters for sure. So I ended up putting them outside under the 6-foot eve that covers my porch. Those four, recess lights, light up the outside like crazy. Especially with the snow now. They start up a bit slower starting being outside in the winter. They are on their 2nd year. I have a few scattered throughout the house, especially in the areas where the little woman spends time. She has a habit of leaving a trail of lights on where ever she has been. Drives me crazy. but as long as they are only using a bit of juice I dont mind. I find them much brighter overall, compared to a standard bulb.

 

[mrmojo]

Yes, but bring on LED, they are keeping it artificially high and developmentally hamstrung.

 

[burnham]

I use them on all my outside lights. On my floodlights I have a time clock switch that turns them on at sunset and off at 11PM. I find it easier having stay on rather than rely on the motion sensor.

 

[Highbeam]

With the recent mandate to go to these things it was discussed at our Xmas festivities. Without fail, those of use who have actually been using them for 5-10 years all had the same story. We like the electric consumption, like the light output, like the slow warm up, throw them in the garbage when they go out, and must replace them VERY frequently. Like 6 months to one year with the occasional oddball lasting much longer right beside one that blows out.

I wonder if the gov't is assuming the savings based on that BS 7 year life?

 

[Cazimere]

I just replaced all my regular bulbs with CFL's. The local power co. paid 50% of the price. Bulbs have a 9 year warranty,
with 10,000 life hrs. My cost, for Cool White 2700k, about 75 cents per bulb. Not bad : )

 

[velvetfoot]

The led Christmas lights, while expensive, are quite nice.

 

[caretaker]

My daughter did an energy adit for our home as a school project, we use alot of electricity, changed all my lites to CFL's, I call them scawiggys, and my electic bill went up, I don't know what happen, they must have read the meter wrong

 

[backpack09]

And the color... for outdoor lights? I keep seeing them in peoples light posts and ugg... blue light in a out door lamp is very ugly... Cant they get the color temp to something closer to incandescents, they just look so much better.

 

[amkazen]

Hi, We have used the CFL lights exclusively for over 5 1/2 years now due to how we power our home: from the sun. I think I have replaced maybe 1 bulb per year, and I think 3 of those are from one pendant light hanging above the kitchen island. I am just now starting to suspect something must be wrong with that pendant light but at this point I have no idea how to determine that. CFL lights work good, and some are better than others in that some takea longer time to warm up & get bright and others just come on bright immediately.