I’ve been experimenting with the new compact fluorescent light bulbs. Maybe you’ve seen them in the store. Wal-Mart is really pushing them. They replace a normal incandescent bulb and use about ¼ the power. They also run far cooler than a normal bulb. You can easily unscrew a “100W” bulb that has been running for hours without singeing your fingertips. I put “100W” in quotes because it is really a 100W replacement. Because the process of generating light through fluorescence is four to six times more efficient than hot wire light, the bulbs are really consume something on the order of 25W.
Each bulb reportedly “lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb,” according to a NY Times article (link above). At the same time, they are eight times more expensive than a regular bulb. They also take a little getting used to because they aren’t “instant-on.” They take a second to flicker to life—like a traditional fluorescent tube bulb.
I’ve replaced about half the bulbs in our house. I don’t expect to see dramatic reductions in our power bill or anything like that, but I’m really curious to see if they last as long as advertised, because I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time changing burnt-out bulbs.
My e-friend Ali was inspired to write about me in his blog. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been the subject of a weblog. Ali and I have never met, but our interests have crossed at several different points. Like me, he’s a chemist and a fan of mysteries and books by Michael Slade and Stephen King.
I always find it interesting when I meet the same person two different ways. I first knew of Hunter Goatley from old listservs for VAX VMS computer issues before I encountered him again later as the webmaster of Robert R. McCammon’s site.
I reread and edited the 1000 words of the new short story that I wrote yesterday morning and continued on with the tale. At the end of my session I thought that I hadn’t accomplished very much (in terms of length), and was surprised to discover that I’d added another 1000 words. I really like the POV character and her issues. And boy does she have issues. Can’t wait to get back at the story tomorrow.
House, M.D. was better than usual last night. The secondary story about Cameron and the dying man was a little bit “meh” but the interaction between House and the rape victim evolved nicely. I wasn’t familiar with the actress, Katheryn Winnick, but she was muy impressivo. And a Canadian, to boot.
I replaced our most used bulbs with the compact fluorescent. Basically our bedside lamps and living room lamps. One thing I noticed is that they take a bit longer to actually get to maximum brightness but that is just a quibble. But so far they have outlasted regular bulbs that were replaced at the same time in other lamps.
I would love to get LED fixtures for some fixed lighting in my house. Maybe when we do the renovation
I need to track down the bulb-shaped ones (as opposed to the spirals) for our bedside lamps, because the clamp on shades don’t do well with the spiral versions. I didn’t realize the solid form existed until I started looking up an image to stick into this post.
Our bedside laps have shades that rest on supports not the bulb so we can use the spiral form of them.
I would love to know if they make candle form versions for my chandaliers
They make these:
TCP Candelabra-Base Torpedo
Here’s a page with charts of available bulbs.
oooh I might have to get them. I just don’t think my wife would like the way they look. Even though replacing incandescent bulbs every month or so is getting tedious
Yepper — we have at least six light fixtures that take those little bulbs and barely a week or two goes by that one of the two dozen bulbs doesn’t go out.
Those bulbs really do last. I think we’re still using ones that we bought and used in 2005.
We had to replace a few fixtures or lamps to switch to CFC, but it was worth it.
Sweet. Hadn’t seen those yet.
Excellent. Now I have a cupboard in the laundry room devoted almost entirely to bulbs I removed from fixtures throughout the house that maybe I’ll never have to use again.
I have one floor lamp that has two bulbs that tilt toward each other where the CFCs are a tight fit, but so far haven’t found any where they simply won’t work.
Wal-Mart wants to sell 100 million of ‘em this year. The off-brand ones are a good deal compared to the GE branded ones.
We replaced all the bulbs in our apartment with those about 2 years ago. We have only changed one so far. Not only that, but the price on the power bill is noticeably lowered.
Thanks for the info on the lightbulbs! I will definitely be purchasing some of those.
GE is the main brand manufacture I’ve seen, but the off-brand ones at our grocery store are about half the price of the GE ones, and the off-brand ones at Wal-Mart are cheaper still, about $8 for a pack of three 100W. There are also 75W and 60W equivalents.
A cupboard full of $20 worth of lights that were costing you $100 a year!
Actually, I don’t find the fluorescent dimness as offputting as I find its greenness. I think we only use them with colored lampshades to keep the place looking warm. In fixtures with multiple bulbs, like on fans, we use half fluorescent and half incandescent. I do like the ones that are shaped like regular incandescent bulbs. Keepin’ it low-profile.
I have all of one of those bulbs in my house – in my office standing lamp. I keep meaning to get more, but keep using “but they’re so expensive!” as an excuse. In the long run, they’re really not expensive. They don’t blow like regular bulbs, and they last a hell of a lot longer. :sigh: :goes to walmart cuz bev made me:
The one in my office lamp, I got in 2003.
Oh now that would be cool!
I partly colorblind, so I don’t notice subtle color changes like that.
That is most excellent news.
I’ll be honest here and admit that I did have one more. Did. I busted it in a move last Fall – slammed the lamp into the ceiling. Whoops!
A pack of three 100W off-brand replacements was less than $8 at Wal-Mart yesterday. Such a deal, I bought two packs.
Then I’m doubly on my way to Wal-Mart. Their prices have come way down.
The 3 that I put in the kitchen’s recessed lighting in place of regular bulbs perform(ed) oddly: After a couple of months, one began to sputter every time the lights were turned on, so that I thought it was constantly going to blow out. I finally took it out and put a regular mini-spotlight back in there. We still have the other two, but it’s like they take time to warm up or something– when I first turn on the kitchen lights (after they’ve been off for awhile), those two bulbs come are dim. After a few moments, they heat up and give off the same amount of light as the other ones.
I’ve heard other people comment that they take a while to warm up to maximum brightness. I don’t think I’m observant enough to notice that!
I’ve looked at those bulbs 3 without realizing what they were; I think I’m going to make that switch as well. How does your home look with all that florescent light? I’m not a big fan, but then again, I keep getting lower and lower wattage bulbs to save money, and the place is getting dark.
You’ll be able to up the wattage again! A ~25 W compact fluorescent replaces a 100 W incandescent, so maybe you’ll find things brighter. The short delay between throwing the switch and getting any light at all takes some adjusting. It gives you just enough time to wonder if the bulb has burned out.
I’m also noticing more that it takes a few seconds after that for them to get up to full speed, but I don’t have any serious complaints so far.