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#1 |
Evangelist
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Compact Fluorescent Bulbs -- some are unreliable
A while back we were discussing whether Compact Fluorescent Bulbs really were more energy saving than incandescent bulbs some of their lifespan seem to be so short. I've have quite a few of these bulbs fail prematurely.
Here is a New York Time article addressing the issue. Indeed, some compact fluorescent bulbs are shoddy. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/bu...t/28bulbs.html |
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#2 | |
Guru
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FTA:
Quote:
![]() I'm not arguing that general reliability isn't an issue, I've said that from day one and that is one of the reasons why I -do not- support any laws mandating usage. Thanks for the article. -MJ |
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#3 |
eBook Enthusiast
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Fluorescent lights can't be used in dimmers. Every one that I've ever bought has clearly stated that on the box.
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#4 |
Shade
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Here's something new:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06...t_enhancement/ |
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#5 | |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
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It's a shame they're so wrong in their arithmetic.
If this new technique worked as well as the inventors hope, the new incandescents would use 60% of the power of the old ones. Current Compact Fluorescent Lamps use 20% of the power of the old lamps, or 1/3 of the power of the new incandescents. It still doesn't make incandescents very efficient. Quote:
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#6 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Quote:
http://www.environment.gov.au/settle...es.html#docfls I've not seen them, but then I've not looked as we don't have dimmers in our house. Cheers, Marc (who doesn't like the colour of fluoro lights) |
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#7 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Quote:
![]() You know, back in the day, when you could buy incandescents anywhere, there was a wide range of quality there, too. One brand of bulb might last you for years in a fixture, yet another brand in the same fixture would burn out after a year. A lot of people fall prey to this, because they look for deals, and low-cost items, and when they find a low price, they often overlook the quality of that product, or the reliability of the manufacturer (often to their regret). This isn't a reason to criticize fluorescents, or even their requirement by governments and agencies... rather, it's a reason to criticize the authorities whose job it is to protect us from shoddy manufacture. IOW, if you have a problem with such bulbs, get in touch with Underwriters' Labs, the Dept of Commerce, etc, and alert them to unscrupulous or inadequate manufacturing of products the government demands we use. It's also a reason to look for quality, and pay that extra when you find it. And always keep in mind: It may be the 21st century, but we haven't managed to establish manufacturing perfection yet. Things still break down, whether we like it or not... and they likely will for the foreseeable future. Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 06-01-2009 at 08:47 AM. |
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#8 |
Chocolate Grasshopper ...
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I've been using cfls for years, no major problems.
Get daylight-rated ones for a brighter light level. |
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#9 | |
curmudgeon
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Quote:
My wife and I are rather partial to the 4300K bulbs known as "cool white" in the US market. This represents a compromise between "not-too-far-from-incandescent" on the one hand, and "helps with her SAD" on the other. In the US, I buy from 1000bulbs.com (which won't help Marc, but may be of use to the US readership). Really, there are tons of options if you look around a bit. Xenophon |
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#10 | |||
Guru
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As to my own lighting I probably have a 30/30/40 mix, CFL/Inc/Flr. Interesting to note, I have four fluorescent shop lamps that are still going strong after 30-40 years. And they are used daily. ![]() -MJ |
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#11 |
Grand Sorcerer
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I actually wasn't suggesting that the government is right in requiring CFLs... just that the lack of quality in one brand's bulb is no reason to criticize that requirement.
Of course, you're always free to disagree for disagreement's sake... that's one of the cool things about this country. |
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#12 |
Guru
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I've been replacing my bulbs very slowly, as the old bulbs burn out, because of the labels on them. (I'm college educated too.
![]() ![]() Actually, that's wrong -- it's not that I'm not replacing them because of the labels but that I am not looking for replacements for all of my fixtures. I often use (rightly or wrongly) price (as a function of the store) as a measurement of perceived quality and certain things -- like light bulbs -- I do not buy super cheaply because I expect cheap ones to have a less than acceptable (to me) lifespan. I am not surprised that with the recent popularity of CFLs, that there maybe some cheap low quality versions out there. Last edited by sakura-panda; 06-01-2009 at 04:53 PM. |
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#13 | |
Guru
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Quote:
To elaborate that point, if the overall quality of a product is not known or is under question I don't feel that any authority would be in the right to make required usage of that product. On the overall topic I wouldn't feel mandating would be proper either but that would be an expansion of the point. I will concede that I think it is promising and the risks are probably minimal which is why I am using them myself. In those areas where I cannot currently use standard CFL's in place of INC I will admit that cost prohibits me from using the higher priced CFL alternatives. I don't need a lecture about the cost savings and so on differential, let's just say I am struggling right now and really cannot afford said bulbs and leave it at that, thanks. ![]() -MJ |
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#14 | |||
Grand Sorcerer
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This isn't to dismiss what you say, Xenophon, at all. I'll be a bit more "scientific" in my selections, and, in particular, try out in my bedside lamp all the varieties I can find. It annoys me that I am sensitive to their "colour", while being partially colour-blind. One would hope it would go some way to being a spectrum-leveller for bulbs (yeah, I know, it doesn't work that way ![]() Quote:
Cheers, Marc |
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#15 |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
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Incandesent lamps have full spectrum light. Incandescents have a very restricted range that work well for people with normal colour perception. If you're missing one of the colour receptors, that will definitely make the colour different for you compared to incandescents of the same colour temperature.
There are "full spectrum" CFLs out there, that might work better for you. They use a larger range of phosphors than the ordinary CFLs. |
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