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Author Topic: Compact fluorescent bulbs  (Read 8657 times)

Offline brewmichigan

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #30 on: February 10, 2012, 07:02:37 am »

Slowly I'm switching to LEDs.  Cheaper would be nice, but the power savings is great too.

I would love to say I'm doing the same but the light quality is really hit or miss currently. I've bought 5-6 different LED bulbs from lowes and HD and none have the same light quality that my halogens in the kitchen do. I have recessed halogen lighting in the kitchen and a chandelier type fixture over the island. I would replace all of them today with LED if they could dim the same and have the same type of light. I might be waiting a few years.
Mike --- Flint, Michigan

Offline Pinski

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #31 on: February 13, 2012, 01:04:10 pm »
Some good information on CFLs
CFL Killers
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Offline tonian

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #32 on: February 13, 2012, 02:27:39 pm »
Great link Pinski.
 
It has also been my experience that cfls don't last as long on circuits I'm turning off and on a lot. I usually reserve them for fixtures I have on for extended periods of time.

Offline dbeechum

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #33 on: February 13, 2012, 02:29:28 pm »
I remember reading somewhere that the mandates which were pit in place to effect a transition over to CFLs or LEDs has been lifted, or at the very least,  postponed indefinitely.   

I don't believe they were lifted. The mandates only specified a certain minimum efficiency level for a bulb technology to be sold in the US. Several incandescent types have been developed that hit that level.
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Offline euge

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #34 on: February 13, 2012, 05:21:45 pm »
Some good information on CFLs
CFL Killers

Thanks pinski.  Good info there. I have them on my ceiling fans and now wondering if the vibration will or is affecting them. However the lights in my master bedroom on the fan have been turned on and off an avg of 10 times a day for 4 years. That's about 15k on-offs on bulbs that are suppose to last only 7k on a ceiling fan that's almost perpetually spinning. But, I bought good ones from GE. 
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #35 on: February 16, 2012, 07:01:26 pm »
I remember reading somewhere that the mandates which were pit in place to effect a transition over to CFLs or LEDs has been lifted, or at the very least,  postponed indefinitely.   

I don't believe they were lifted. The mandates only specified a certain minimum efficiency level for a bulb technology to be sold in the US. Several incandescent types have been developed that hit that level.

It was not lifted, however Congress did not fund enforcement for 2012. Next year will depend on the next budget.
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Offline MDixon

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #36 on: July 02, 2018, 07:40:25 am »
Post seems fishy on an old topic, but yes.
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #37 on: July 02, 2018, 08:27:50 pm »
I'll bite. I've switched from Incandescent > CFL > LED in piecemeal over the years. I feel that I like the color spectrum from LED's, and the apparent brightness for the "wattage equivalent" is better, but I find that none of the bulbs I've used provide diffuse enough light to be able to read under if you aren't in direct line-of-sight. The room seems filled with light, but when I need to focus on something fine my eyes end up struggling with fine detail. I've never noticed that with CFL or incandescent.

I have also had to replace several LED's within a year or less, so either that points to shoddy craftmanship, or they don't last for years and years like they are supposed to. I hope that's not the case all-around, because my newly finished basement uses hardwired edge-lit LED's in my drop ceiling. They look great and throw tons of light, but I don't want to lose any and end up with dead fixtures.
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Offline MDixon

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #38 on: July 03, 2018, 05:53:39 am »
I did my undercabinet lighting with flexible led strips and learned quite a bit. Basically to dim prior to the power supply is expensive and painful and to dim after the power supply is easy and cheap. For the undercabinet it took a $65 dimmable power supply and a $35 dimmer for each circuit. When I revised my deck I bought cup lights off ebay from China and cut in a remote controlled dimmer, again from China, after the power supply. The cost was a dollar on ebay for the remote controlled dimmer. It works like a champ. Soon will be in the middle of a bathroom remodel and we will be using cup lights in the shower area and a valence light in the sink area. They will both come from the same power supply. The cups will be on one dimmer and the valence on another. These dimmers are pretty slick and were ~$20 since they are wall mounted. The valence is really just flexible strip lights adhered to a painted pvc board and I will make it.

I still use CFL in some places, but LED where I need instant light. I just changed out all my exterior lights to LED so no everything outside is either LED or solar. Once this bathroom remodel is completed I will only have a handful of incandescent bulbs/fixtures remaining. What I have noticed is my power bill has remained constant over the years so I still pay pretty much the same bill I was paying 20 years ago. As rates have increased my consumption has dropped.
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Offline Phil_M

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Re: Compact fluorescent bulbs
« Reply #39 on: July 03, 2018, 10:33:58 am »
I despise CFLs. Bad for the environment, stupidly flickery, they're just trash IMO.

I skipped clean over CFLs and went straight from incandescent to LED. Sylvania makes pricier bulbs, but they seem to not "spotlight" as bad as cheaper bulbs. We've almost entirely converted the house to LED, just the bathroom mirror lights left. (Those are $$$ to replace with LED.)
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