My longest lasting CFL was in the worst location?

[jrustles]

So recently, the CFL used in the showerlight has failed.
It's a fantastic CFL with a great CRI. Color temp not too high, not too low. It's not listed, but I'd estimate around 4200-4500K.

The shower light fixture itself is NOT approved for bathroom/shower use and is a standard recessed potlight. Exposed to a couple showers a day, this thing has been in service for nearly TEN years! It's been been on for most of the day, guaranteed over 8hrs, commonly 12+hrs/day.

Not long ago, it began randomly flickering. Thinking it's on it's last legs, a cap is bad or whatever, wasn't worrying much about it. Then it died. And then I cracked open the ballast case to inspect (Thanks Quest for getting me started on CFL repair lol)

All of the components looked fine, but the problem became apparent. The high voltage leads going to the tube, had simply corroded off from out of the tube, leaving no course of repair.

I tried other common, modern CFLs and they weren't the same. Colour temp is way high, bulb too short falling out of the reflector.

Anyway, today I came across a stash of old CFLs and found a match for my beloved original shower light! This time proactive measures were taken. I cracked the ballast open and sealed/encased the high voltage tube conductors, closed it up again and installed. Think this one will go for 9+ more years?

 

[Apollo14]

I have a CFL in a floor lamp that has been going strong for 8 or so years. Like yours its been on every day for several hours.

I think it is a major brand and something I purchased a little before it was possible to buy them for $1 or less with instant rebates.

Reflector style CFL's by Feit purchased from Costco have been very disappointing. Some have lasted less than a year while others from the same box are still going after 5+ years.

 

[The motor guy]

That's what they're designed for. The worst you could do is turn them on and off every few minutes.

 

[Donald]

I have a recessed flood CFL over my kitchen sink. It stays on 24x7 until it breaks. Given the watts consumed by the light it just seems like a good light to leave on in the kitchen.

 

[Quest]

Wow! excellent post jrustles!

I have excellent luck RE: first release of FEIT bulbs bought from Costco: when I took them apart: they used premium components, incl. Panasonic long life cap. For FEIT reflector bulbs bought from Costco: I still have a pair (been in-use intermittently for 8+ yrs, around 3hrs per day, sometimes longer) @ my parent's place.

I also noticed some recent FEIT bulbs being the bottom of the bin (cheep components, that is), and they failed around 600hrs.

I had poor luck with Globe brand CFL: none of them lasts more than approx. 1600hrs typical before their film (mostly mylar) caps broke down.

I have excellent luck with Ikea bulbs (the spiral type 40Watter, usually comes in pairs). I have stocked up on them and have modified them (re-cap). The 1st longest, still in-use one (dimmed over the years) now has in-excess of 6500hrs, and still working ; 2nd re-capped one failed around 5200hrs.

Some philips bulb are difficult to dissect; most chinese stuff can be taken apart with relative ease.

I now started venturing into LED bulbs simply because PSE (puget sound energy) subsidised them heavily: 3 packs of 40watters @ costco costs 7.99

Good luck with your endeavours. my house has 26 pot lights and for that I have to resort to the most economical means of lighting, and still maintain the energy efficiency part.

Lastly : @motoroilmadman: the switching on-n-off frequently part is just an urban legend. A conservatively constructed and rated CFL bulb can take that beating all day long and still last many, many thousands of hours.

Ref: Holland/Hungary made Philips marathon CFL bulb is a prime example.

Q.

 

[Smoky14]

When my parents bought their house in 1939 it came with a light bulb in the bath room approx. 40W. The last time I was in there was 1999 and that bulb was still working. In don't know who made it but it was quality you don't often get.

Smoky

 

[Smokescreen]

The worst conditions for operating a CFL for lifespan and performance are:

1) at or below freezing
2) short on/off duty cycle (less than 5 or even 10 mins)
3) any vibration