What kind of energy saving/efficient light bulbs?

[Al]

Originally Posted By: opus1
it's OK to use a CFL that's equivalent to a 100W light output since the bulb is actually using a little over 20W to make the light?

Yup..unless the cfl is close to touching it. Even then it still overall emits only a 60 watt.

But the problem is sometimes the cfl may be so big that it isn't effective in a given fixture.

 

[Pablo]

Honestly - I've about had it with CFL's. All brands. Sure some last OK, but many have just croaked out, way too early. They probably did save some juice - but I have to wonder on the true $ saving. It didn't really hit me until I took the bucket of CFL's to the recycle center. I mean a big bucket of them and we have been in this house just over 5 years.

Makes me wonder.........

I hope LED's are more reliable!

 

[Blaze]

I still use incandescents everywhere. I just can't get used to the CFL's. Florescent lights anywhere bug me. My shop is all 200 watt incandescent bulbs and halogens over the work bench. I think LED's will be my future in lighting too when the price cames down.

 

[unDummy]

Energy savings are minimal. Its like thin ATF or oil on MPG.
You won't notice much off your bill, but your electric company will notice a million customers using CFL's over incan's. You're refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, AC, heat, hot water.... or anything on electricity(like your TV), are bigger sources of waste.

There were resources used to make your incan bulbs. I don't replace anything that hasn't burned out. Eventually, you'll be able to replace most bulbs. I think I had 12 incan's burn out the 1st year in a new residence. By year 3, everything but a few in the closets were CFL, LVD, or LED. E-bill is still the same or similar. I kept the incan's in some closets because they're instantly on and bright and rarely used. Can't find what I'm looking for in the dark closet waiting for a CFL to warm up.

Call your electric company. One town I lived in, they came out and replaced ALL the bulbs with CFLs for free. It was great for the condo that I rented and didn't want to waste my money on improvements. The water department also had a program to replace or upgrade water efficient toilets(a brick), water taps(aerator), and shower heads(low flow).

When using CFL, I also opt for one size bigger. It helps a lot with the warm-up.

When buying LED, the only warning I give is that whatever they're claimed to be, is usually grossly overrated.

When buying LVD or induction, they're usually overpowering and bright. No worry with LVD!!!

Halogens are also a great bulb if available in your size. You can use a halogen that is 2/3's the rating of an incan for equivalent lighting. They'll flicker for a second but come up super bright after a couple seconds. When my 60w incan's in the closet burn out, I'll replace them with 40w halogens.

LED's and LVD's do run hot and are not designed for most enclosed light fixtures. They work best in 'open' fixtures so that the can stay cool. LED/LVD are bad for mushrooms/globes but great for tulips or free air. I'm hoping that the light fixture companies take into account the heat-sinking needed. We need better fixtures to dump incan's. New technology lighting is being hampered by old school fixtures.

 

[PandaBear]

Depends on what you have, my parents' apartment complex saved about $100 a month on the public area lights, 15 in total, when convert from incandescent to CFL / tube. On average if turned on 12 hours a day, they last about 2 years each.

In my own home I use them for another reason: reduced AC bill in the summer.

 

[ddrumman2004]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
Energy savings are minimal.
You won't notice much off your bill, but your electric company will notice a million customers using CFL's over incan's. You're refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, AC, heat, hot water.... or anything on electricity(like your TV), are bigger sources of waste.



This.

I use the cfl in hard to reach places only...meaning a place where I have to drag a step ladder out to reach one!

 

[Cujet]

I have a large house with plenty of CFL's. The Costco ones are not that great, don't last all that well and have poor color temperature.

I've switched to Sylvania "instant on" CFL's purchased at Lowes. They are the ones with the SMALL TIGHTLY WOUND TUBES. They last, they come on instantly, brighten up rapidly, and have perfect color rendition. They are worth the extra money. Especially if you have a well decorated house. Everything just looks better.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: unDummy

You won't notice much off your bill, but your electric company will notice a million customers using CFL's over incan's.

Well that's the point. Redu
Take 50 million homes each using 1 KW less electricity.

Thats fifty 1,000 MW power plants.

And lets not forget the whole Energy Star program than many would sneer at. Energy star and CFL's have probably reduced growth of electrical demand to Zero in the U.S in spite of uncontrolled immigration into the U.S.

 

[stockrex]

I would not trust the piece of *&^^%$ mag called consumer [censored],

my 2.5 cents:
buy em at costco/lowes/sams/hd where local power co gives discount or instant rebates, you can get 4 regular bulbs for less then $2.

some of them make a high pitch noise and some will have early failures.

all give nearly the same light output. they don't like the heat and to be turn on/off cycles. no suitable for motion sensing switches, use leds here.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
I have a large house with plenty of CFL's. The Costco ones are not that great, don't last all that well and have poor color temperature.

I've switched to Sylvania "instant on" CFL's purchased at Lowes. They are the ones with the SMALL TIGHTLY WOUND TUBES. They last, they come on instantly, brighten up rapidly, and have perfect color rendition. They are worth the extra money. Especially if you have a well decorated house. Everything just looks better.


+1 for those 'mini' CFL bulbs. We switched to CFL about 10 years ago and still have a few of the original bulbs. I prefer the warmer colors - I think the biggest appeal of the incandescent bulbs was the warmth of the color. I buy 23 watt, 3500k mini CFL-s [100 watt equivalent]. Those mini-bulbs usually fit where a 60 watt incandescent was previously used.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Al
Well that's the point. Redu
Take 50 million homes each using 1 KW less electricity.

Thats fifty 1,000 MW power plants.

And lets not forget the whole Energy Star program than many would sneer at. Energy star and CFL's have probably reduced growth of electrical demand to Zero in the U.S in spite of uncontrolled immigration into the U.S.


Yep, one of the first big pushes of the technology was in Canadastan to offset a new power station....which they did quite successfully. Given that a coal station is $2,000 per KW, plus needs fueling, a KW of savings from CFL is really very cheap...

That being said, we've reduced our electron consumption from 20KWhr/day, and $3.30 per day (16c/KWhr inclusive of connection) to 13KWhr/day, and $3.30 per day (25.6c/WHhr) over the last 18 months...and demand is currently back to 1995 levels.

 

[Shannow]

I've got 10' ceilings (very hot up a ladder painting), and some dark spots, and some children who need toilet at 2AM, and this bloke came from just up the road (70 miles give or take).

http://foreverlight.com.au/products-foreverlight_panelgen2point3.php

And occasionally flying insect problems

http://foreverlight.com.au/safetyinformation-why_does_it_kill_some_insects_and_not_other_insects.php

Pretty pricey, but I don't plan on air conditioning my home with them.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Al
Well that's the point. Redu
Take 50 million homes each using 1 KW less electricity.

Thats fifty 1,000 MW power plants.

And lets not forget the whole Energy Star program than many would sneer at. Energy star and CFL's have probably reduced growth of electrical demand to Zero in the U.S in spite of uncontrolled immigration into the U.S.


Yep, one of the first big pushes of the technology was in Canadastan to offset a new power station....which they did quite successfully. Given that a coal station is $2,000 per KW, plus needs fueling, a KW of savings from CFL is really very cheap...

That being said, we've reduced our electron consumption from 20KWhr/day, and $3.30 per day (16c/KWhr inclusive of connection) to 13KWhr/day, and $3.30 per day (25.6c/WHhr) over the last 18 months...and demand is currently back to 1995 levels.


How are we ever going to "refuel" all those new Chevy VOLTS when they are at rest ??

 

[Shannow]

I work in the power industry, and unless you can force them to refuel between 10PM and 7AM, you haven't got a hope.

And if you do, you'll quickly suck up that spare capacity (and power station maintenance time).

And it's going to mean much hire electricity prices for people who don't even HAVE electric cars.