I See The Light - Actually, It Just Burned Out

[puckstopshere]

Are we being fed a line by the energy people.

I just replaced one of those fancy spiral light bulbs that are supposed to be more efficient and longer lasting than incandescent bulbs. 

I had the idea last year  that I am replacing these bulbs as often as regular bulbs.  When one of the bulbs in the bathroom burned out, I replaced them both.  One was a new style bulb, the other a regular old-style bulb.  The bulb I replaced today is the long-life bulb.  The incandescent bulb is still as bright as ever. 

The package says - save 74% on energy.  Bulb lasts 8000 hours (I assume this is while it is on).  This would mean my bathroom light would have had to have been on for 24 hours a day for almost a year.  I know the wife spends a lot of time in there, but not that much.

Anyone else unhappy with these bulbs?

[pigdog47]

Sorry to hear yer bulb burned out.  Google "CFL bulbs in enclosed fixtures"  Some folks say them things are sensitive to heat.  I dunno.

[valve37]

Fed up with the supposed efficent spirals. Have had many burn out and in fact Nancy is buying incandescent again and stocking up while they are still available. Is not McGuinty taking them off the market soon? 

[pigdog47]

Go to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.   One local one still has quite a few of the old bulbs for sale.

[zoomrr69]

They contain mercury..don't buy them

[pigdog47]

Mebbe you guys should just go back to burning candles and kerosene lanterns.

[stevephinn2012]

They contain mercury..don't buy them

just lighting them up not opening them !

and yes i had 2 just go in my bathroom, have a 3 light fixture and replaced 2 with the new style the 3rd was already there at the time and is still there. AND it is an "open" fixture so not enclosed. at 3 times the cost or more i will remain with the old ones

[art-in-the-making]

I researched the pros and cons of these things a couple of years ago and I think I posted the results here but can't find it now.

Huge list of "cons". Here is the link to the blog post I did. There were some interesting comments.

Reading over it, I'm not exactly sure whether there is presently a ban on the old bulbs coming into effect in Canada. Got the info from somewhere but don't remember - not sure exactly what the status of that is now. 

http://co2-art.blogspot.ca/2010/09/pros-and-cons-of-cfl-lights.html

[ilurkthereforiam]

It must be you.

I use the 16 watt flourescant floods in the store. They replace 150 watt incandescant floods. The incandescant had to be replaced 1 to 2 times a year. The 16 watt flourescant floods have been lasting 3 to 5 years.

I have about 30 to 40 of them in my 3000 square foot store and I use less electricity than I do in my 2000 square foot apartment.

I changed all bulbs that can to them.

You're supposed to properly dispose of these bulbs at recycling depots.

[puckstopshere]

Some folks say them things are sensitive to heat. I dunno.

According to what I can find, one of the reasons that they are supposed to last longer is that they are cooler than incandescent. 

I have (had) them in various fixtures - all of which I would call open.

I bought a decent brand - Noma.  They are just not lasting as long as the old bulbs.  I am heaing out this aft. to buy up a bunch of the old type.

I think were are being scammed. 

[puckstopshere]

I use the 16 watt flourescant floods in the store. They replace 150 watt incandescant floods.

Maybe floods are different.  On the ox I have, it says that a 26W CFL replaces a standard 100W incandescent.

[ilurkthereforiam]

I use those too and have had no problems with them. I use those in the bathrooms and down in the basement of the store.

We use them in the apartment as well.

We started changing over to the flourescants that replace the 60 watt bulbs 15 to 20 years ago.

[pierrelebel]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/01/faq-new-lightbulbs-new-choices/index.htm 

[reallynicestamps]

What I dislike about the fluorescents is the way they burn out.

Not fast, but reaaaallllly sloowly losing light.

After a couple of years they are giving out less light than they are claimed to be giving.

This is a problem for old biddies like me who have eye problems. Before my cataract operation I took out the CFLs from all the floor and table lamps, because they were too dim for me to read by. I may or may not go back when those burn out, especially since the eye doctor is now waiting for the other cataract to "ripen".

Boy, old age is not for the weak.

[zoomrr69]

and of course once they burn out..

You throw it in the garbage..

and where does the mercury go then..

heaven forbid if it breaks on you and covers you in a white dust...

Times a million or 2 or 3 ..

mercury is a heavy metal..it ends up in the water...

env nightmare...like batteries

[i*m-still-here]

I bought 2 of them some time ago. They cost about $17.

They were awkward and i dropped the first one and it literally exploded when it hit the ground.

So I cleaned it up and tried using the second one and, wouldn't ya know it?  It exploded too.

I was so turned off.  Normal bulbs wouldn't have broken when dropped from the height I dropped them form f they did mercury wouldn't have been an issue.

[valve37]

I bought 2 of them some time ago. They cost about $17.

They were awkward and i dropped the first one and it literally exploded when it hit the ground.

So I cleaned it up and tried using the second one and, wouldn't ya know it?  It exploded too.

I was so turned off.  Normal bulbs wouldn't have broken when dropped from the height I dropped them form f they did mercury wouldn't have been an issue.

Did you use these cleanup procedures?

http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

[puckstopshere]

You're supposed to properly dispose of these bulbs at recycling depots.

And how many of us lazy Canucks actually do that?

[i*m-still-here]

I was absolutely fanatic and totally paranoid about the cleanup.

Yup........ I did the clean up correctly but still I hate that kind of thing.

BUT....... mercury in this form isn't really toxic unless you breathe it because it rolls off of everything.

You just can't vacuum it.

How many people do you think just go at it with the vacuum?

Quite a few I'll bet.

$34+ tax gone just like that.  So much for saving $.

I'll never trust them again.

[ilurkthereforiam]

You had one bad experience so you will never use them again. Wow.

I'm starting to wonder and think that I accidently logged on to the American TS.