Save the puppies! CFL light bulbs

WickedLou9 · 11-02-2006, 10:40 AM

So I was at home depot one day last week, like I am almost every other day..
and I came across these bulbs. CFL ( Compact Flourescent Light) bulbs. They look like this: ( on the left)

These things are great! THese sorts of bulbs used to be big and pretty dim. Not really worth the cost becuase they didn't produce enough light. These new ones are different though. Even the 60 watt equivalent bulbs are very bright and the light that they produce isn't all creepy and off colored. It looks like light from a normal bulb. A pack of 4 costs about 10 bucks, but they last 7 years and each 60 watt equivalent bulb only uses something like 17 watts of power. That's a pretty big difference. Multiply that by 10 or 20 bulbs that you probably have in your house, thats a significant energy savings.

You can use this link to calculate energy savings. with 15 bulbs averaging 6 hours a day, you can save about 1000 dollars a year in energy costs.
AND help save the environment by using less energy of course.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/busines.../Calc_CFLs.xls

I replaced the light on my porch with one of these. That light used to run all night. 9 or 10 hours X 60 watts. Now it is only using 14 watts.
I also replaced the lights in my living room , dining room and kitchen. The kitchen light is on all day and all evening because my puppy stays there during the day and we are there at night. Thats three 60 watt bulbs replaced with three 14 watt bulbs.

7960 · 11-02-2006, 11:09 AM

I tried using them in the living room but even the 100W equivalent didn't seem to give off as much light as a 60W incandescent. I put them in and left them for a week or so but the wife hated them and even the kids mentioned how dark it was, so I went back to 'regular' bulbs.

I have a farmer's porch so I used the "spot light version" out there (replaced 16 100W bulbs) and I replaced all the ones in my barn (another 10 or so at 60W or 100W) and replaced all the bulbs in the closets and my work area and some of the accent lighting around the house. But the main lights for each room are still incandescent bulbs.

JaJae · 11-02-2006, 11:12 AM

They're not as bright. We use them where I work. They do last longer and require less energy, but you can't use them on dimmers.

WickedLou9 · 11-02-2006, 11:22 AM

The ones that I bought are really bright.They do take a minute to warm up. They start off kinda dim but after a minute or two they are just as bright as a normal bulb

The brand at Home Depot is N:vision. I do have an older CFL bulb in a lamp upstairs and it is really dim. I think these new ones are alot better.

Oh, but one thing. they have 3 different types. Soft white, bright white, and Daylight. I like the soft white the best. Bright is a little bit funny looking, but not bad. It does provide good visibility for work areas.. but for gods sake.. whatever you do, do not buy the Daylight bulbs. I bought two for my workshop area in the basement...The light is creepy. It's an erie sort of off bluish-white. I don't even know how to describe it other than to say that it's horrible and I am going to throw them away.

7960 · 11-02-2006, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

The ones that I bought are really bright.They do take a minute to warm up. They start off kinda dim but after a minute or two they are just as bright as a normal bulb
The brand at Home Depot is N:vision. I do have an older CFL bulb in a lamp upstairs and it is really dim. I think these new ones are alot better.

The ones I bought were from home depot. I know all CFL bulbs probably look the same, but the ones I got look the same as the ones you show. For a 7 year old to comment that he didn't think the lights were all the way on, I'm guessing the bulbs either weren't as bright or the slightly different color didn't reflect/propagate through the room quite the same...either way my living room was darker with them. Like I said though, I did replace about half the bulbs in my house with fluorescent bulbs.

You should also call your electric company. Mine had a deal that they'd pay for 10 bulbs so I sent in the receipt and they mailed me a check.

WickedLou9 · 11-02-2006, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

The ones I bought were from home depot. I know all CFL bulbs probably look the same, but the ones I got look the same as the ones you show. For a 7 year old to comment that he didn't think the lights were all the way on, I'm guessing the bulbs either weren't as bright or the slightly different color didn't reflect/propagate through the room quite the same...either way my living room was darker with them. Like I said though, I did replace about half the bulbs in my house with fluorescent bulbs.

You should also call your electric company. Mine had a deal that they'd pay for 10 bulbs so I sent in the receipt and they mailed me a check.

I don't think I still have the receipts. I'll have to check

7960 · 11-02-2006, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I don't think I still have the receipts. I'll have to check

Call your electric company before you dig through the trash and see if they do that. I didn't know, my sister told me about it.

SICKGUY · 11-03-2006, 01:06 AM

i swapped out almost all the bulbs in my house with cfl bulbs. they sell an 8 pack at sams club for about $11 bucks.

SICKGUY · 11-03-2006, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

The ones I bought were from home depot. I know all CFL bulbs probably look the same, but the ones I got look the same as the ones you show. For a 7 year old to comment that he didn't think the lights were all the way on, I'm guessing the bulbs either weren't as bright or the slightly different color didn't reflect/propagate through the room quite the same...either way my living room was darker with them. Like I said though, I did replace about half the bulbs in my house with fluorescent bulbs.

You should also call your electric company. Mine had a deal that they'd pay for 10 bulbs so I sent in the receipt and they mailed me a check.

i have 60w ones, they are advertised to give off the brightness of a 60w while using only 13w of electricity. they are not as bright, but its nothing i cant live with.

maliboost · 11-06-2006, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

They're not as bright. We use them where I work. They do last longer and require less energy, but you can't use them on dimmers.

they make some that you can dim, just cost more Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

WickedLou9 · 11-06-2006, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by maliboost

they make some that you can dim, just cost more Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

yeah they are so expensive it's not really worth it.

They do make 3 way bulbs that are cheaper though. Sorta like a dimmer but not really.

Ardentfrost · 11-06-2006, 01:47 PM

I like how they're low energy, but I don't like the light they give off. I don't know exactly what it is, but my old roommate had them all over his house, and I had to put regular incandescents in my room because I couldn't stand it.

Stylerod · 11-06-2006, 04:30 PM

Every time a bulb blows I replace it with one of these. I haven't noticed a difference in light (after it warms up) and my wife and kids haven't said anything either. Works for us anyway!

WickedLou9 · 11-06-2006, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Every time a bulb blows I replace it with one of these. I haven't noticed a difference in light (after it warms up) and my wife and kids haven't said anything either. Works for us anyway!

I havn't really noticed much of a difference in light either. I just put 2 new bulbs in the baby's room ( well it will be her room once she is born! ) and they are almost TOO bright. I got two of the 75watt equivalent soft white bulbs.