Hope this topic isn't too OT for this forum. What's the general consensus on stocking up on incandesant bulbs give the ban on them that's coming next year?
Stocking up on Incandesant bulbs
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One POV is that there isn't a ban. You will be able to buy (halogen-tech) incandescent bulbs that are essentially indistinguishable from current incandesants if thats how you roll. These will be slightly more expensive up front, but lower cost over their lifetime. They are already for sale if you want to check them out.
semipro
Minister of Fire
It may not be the consensus but I believe that that stocking up on them would be an even a bigger waste of money than using them in the first place.
I know that a compact fluorescent would not used to fit in my range hood though a standard incandescent bulb would. So the only ones that I would consider getting are a few extra of are the the specially ones that go in microwaves, range hoods, etc and I'm not even sure those are covered by the new Bush administration efficiency standards.
I know that a compact fluorescent would not used to fit in my range hood though a standard incandescent bulb would. So the only ones that I would consider getting are a few extra of are the the specially ones that go in microwaves, range hoods, etc and I'm not even sure those are covered by the new Bush administration efficiency standards.
Later
New Member
- Jan 30, 2009
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For now, as I understand, the only ban is on 100 watt bulbs. But I am confident that the rest will disappear due to business decisions of the manufacturers to get out of a dieing business. Actually a killed business. Looks like we'll be able to import all the non incandescent bulbs we want in the future.
They have essentially banned making something here that just isn't made here anymore. The last factory I knew of was in one of the Carolinas and that ceased production a while ago.
Maybe the next step will be ceasing importation, but I think the price of LED tech will be where CFL is now anyway.
I just bought a Sylvania 40 watt equivalent and put it in a light next to a 60 watt incandescent and the LED is brighter and whiter. Not much of a bargain at $20.00, but at 7 watts it's sipping on the coal with a much smaller straw.
Maybe the next step will be ceasing importation, but I think the price of LED tech will be where CFL is now anyway.
I just bought a Sylvania 40 watt equivalent and put it in a light next to a 60 watt incandescent and the LED is brighter and whiter. Not much of a bargain at $20.00, but at 7 watts it's sipping on the coal with a much smaller straw.
maverick06
Minister of Fire
the ban on them is either 60W or 100W i forget. regardless, dont worry about the little stuff.
And yes, they are silly to use, fear not there are current alternatives, and newer designs coming out. CFL are great. LED are better. some of the halogen stuff is nice, albeit not very efficient, for certain applications.
conversly, i have stocked up on CFL, because the power company was offering huge discounts on them.... dirt cheap! of course, at the burn out rate, I will be great for years to come, maybe a decade... because I bought an extra 8 pack. haha
The wife does like the regular bulbs in the bathroom fixture.... I hope they all burn out as soon as this ban goes into effect. Its 3x 60w bulbs.... and the fan all on the switch... turning that on burns a good bit of power, probably 220 watts to see yourself in the mirror. waste.
The ONLY place I dont like to have CFL is in drop lights. as I tend to drop them and CFL cant handle that... incadecent is the same, but they are cheaper when i break them. LED is the answer, but i havent wanted ot spend the money for an LED in a drop light that doesnt get used much.
And yes, they are silly to use, fear not there are current alternatives, and newer designs coming out. CFL are great. LED are better. some of the halogen stuff is nice, albeit not very efficient, for certain applications.
conversly, i have stocked up on CFL, because the power company was offering huge discounts on them.... dirt cheap! of course, at the burn out rate, I will be great for years to come, maybe a decade... because I bought an extra 8 pack. haha
The wife does like the regular bulbs in the bathroom fixture.... I hope they all burn out as soon as this ban goes into effect. Its 3x 60w bulbs.... and the fan all on the switch... turning that on burns a good bit of power, probably 220 watts to see yourself in the mirror. waste.
The ONLY place I dont like to have CFL is in drop lights. as I tend to drop them and CFL cant handle that... incadecent is the same, but they are cheaper when i break them. LED is the answer, but i havent wanted ot spend the money for an LED in a drop light that doesnt get used much.
mayhem
Minister of Fire
I've been severely disappointed with the CFL's I've been getting for the last few years. Enough so that I went out abd bought 8 100w incandescent bulbs. The CFL's just haven't been lasting as long lately or they make a very loud buzzing noise. I do have some CFLs in my house that have been operating faithfully for nearing 10 years now, some that I bought this past spring have already been replaced due to failure. I think just ever cheaper electronics really.
Anxious to try LED bulbs, but at $25-30 per bulb I'm in no hurry.
Anxious to try LED bulbs, but at $25-30 per bulb I'm in no hurry.
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
My biggest problem is that the CFLs don't work with dimmers. I spend a good part of my life indoors and in the dark. I NEED the lights to be on dimmers at home.
I work as a stage electrician. We are starting to use LEDs in the theater now. Lighting that used to require 200 amps with Quartz Halogen lamps now uses 20 amps! The jury is still out on reliability, and initial cost, but it sure is nice to run MUCH less cable to a location. The LED fixtures also have the ability, with the help of computer control, to make just about any color light by mixing white, and the primary colors. LED is the future and when electronic control becomes more affordable our homes will be more efficient and look pretty cool too.
I work as a stage electrician. We are starting to use LEDs in the theater now. Lighting that used to require 200 amps with Quartz Halogen lamps now uses 20 amps! The jury is still out on reliability, and initial cost, but it sure is nice to run MUCH less cable to a location. The LED fixtures also have the ability, with the help of computer control, to make just about any color light by mixing white, and the primary colors. LED is the future and when electronic control becomes more affordable our homes will be more efficient and look pretty cool too.
If you have outdoor fixtures that use this style bulb, you would be very disappointed with CFL.
I was a very early user of CFL lamps, (always the scientist), over 12 years ago I bought my first "100w equivalent".
Initially, I used them in fixtures that were hard to reach, and thus I wanted something with longer life. Generally, I am happy with these, (if not dimmer switched).
However, I had a single lamp outdoor light which I flogged with CFL for about 7 years. A year or 2 ago, I finally returned to IC 100w in there, and it is Oh-So-Wonderful to flick the switch and it lights. I will never return to CFL in any outdoor light, unless I move to a warm weather climate.
NB; I also have a CFL flood light lamp, (designed exclusively for outdoor use). If the temp falls below freezing, it barely lights. If it falls below about 20f, it doesn't even glow.
Interesting aside to the original post...My family rented a large vacation home in GA this past summer. I smiled when I noticed that the owner had stockpiled several 25 packs of 100w IC lamps. He's prepared, and I will be too. Oh, BTW, he is a retired electrician.
Oops; one last thing. I believe the last US factory for these lamps was actually in VA and just closed last year.
I was a very early user of CFL lamps, (always the scientist), over 12 years ago I bought my first "100w equivalent".
Initially, I used them in fixtures that were hard to reach, and thus I wanted something with longer life. Generally, I am happy with these, (if not dimmer switched).
However, I had a single lamp outdoor light which I flogged with CFL for about 7 years. A year or 2 ago, I finally returned to IC 100w in there, and it is Oh-So-Wonderful to flick the switch and it lights. I will never return to CFL in any outdoor light, unless I move to a warm weather climate.
NB; I also have a CFL flood light lamp, (designed exclusively for outdoor use). If the temp falls below freezing, it barely lights. If it falls below about 20f, it doesn't even glow.
Interesting aside to the original post...My family rented a large vacation home in GA this past summer. I smiled when I noticed that the owner had stockpiled several 25 packs of 100w IC lamps. He's prepared, and I will be too. Oh, BTW, he is a retired electrician.
Oops; one last thing. I believe the last US factory for these lamps was actually in VA and just closed last year.
jeffoc
Member
mayhem said:
I feel the same way. The ones that I've bought lately have burnt out in less time than the incandecent bulbs that they replaced.
The big problem that I have with CFL's is that they contain Mercury and other harmful chemicals. Read the instructions to clean up one if it breaks in your house. It's scary.
No-one around here will recycle them and you aren't supposed to throw them in the garbage so I have about 8 of the burnt out ones in the basement waiting till I can figure out how to get rid of them. I'm sure there are millions of them in landfills already.
jebatty
Minister of Fire
I also stocked up on rock-hewn cart wheels, mammoth-busting wood clubs, flea infested animal skins, and more recently Swiss watches, the wind-up kind - all a big mistake - failed to foresee that technology passed these by.
jeffoc said:
There is mercury in every fluorescent bulb in existence. Even those long ones we used to break for fun as kids. If you break a CFL in a standard bedroom the maximum concentration of mercury in the air would be along the lines of half of OSHAs limit for exposure to mercury vapor. This is assuming that all 5 mg of mercury in the bulb were to magically vaporize at once and the air in the room is only exchanged 1 time per hour. Open a couple windows and poof it goes down even further. Burning an incandescent lamp for 8000 hours will release more mercury into the environment (from burning coal) than if you landfill the CFL.
http://www.environmentillinois.org/eehq/cfl/recycling
Every Home Depot takes CFLs for recycling.
mayhem
Minister of Fire
granpajohn said:
Not at all. In winter temps they do take an extra minute or two to warm up and brighten, but I've been using the same 4 100w equivalent blbs in my outdoor fixtures since 2003 when we completed construction. I've never had them not come on, even at -15F...definitely not something you want in a motion sensor fixture in the winter.
CFLs have been around comercially at least 20 years longer than that. My Mother got a case of them from the electric company during the first Regan administration...when the bulbs were $15 apiece. Those same bulbs are still in the kitchen and hallway fixtures. Good CFL's will last an amazingly long time.
If you buy dimmable CFL's, they do work with dimmers. Cost more of course..like $2-3 per bulb I think.
I've had dimmable CFL burn. Luckily I was home and could unscrew the smoking thing and get it outside.
All those Feits came out and got deposited on the Home Depot courtesy/returns counter.
The long tube and circular CFLs have been around for at least 50 years.
I too have some CFLs incandescent replacements that have lasted since 1999. these were nice as they weren't dim at turn on (they are starting to now, though).
I picked the first LED A19 incandesent replacement I've been impressed with at BJ's last weekend.(Osram-Sylvania Ultra something or other)
Supposed to be a 40 watt replacement , but it's more like 60 watts and at 8 watts that falls in line with more typical incandescent watt comparison from other bulbs. Not cheap at $20.00, but this thing is actually usable, up, down sideways in fixtures. In the National grid area they have rebates on some bulbs and that helps.
All those Feits came out and got deposited on the Home Depot courtesy/returns counter.
The long tube and circular CFLs have been around for at least 50 years.
I too have some CFLs incandescent replacements that have lasted since 1999. these were nice as they weren't dim at turn on (they are starting to now, though).
I picked the first LED A19 incandesent replacement I've been impressed with at BJ's last weekend.(Osram-Sylvania Ultra something or other)
Supposed to be a 40 watt replacement , but it's more like 60 watts and at 8 watts that falls in line with more typical incandescent watt comparison from other bulbs. Not cheap at $20.00, but this thing is actually usable, up, down sideways in fixtures. In the National grid area they have rebates on some bulbs and that helps.
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