I've been using these things for a while, and this just plain is a lie. If they are used in a closed fixture, then their life is LESS than an incandescent because they do not tolerate heat. If they are used BASE UP even in an open fixture, then their life is a bit more than an incandescent - again because of heat issues. ONLY if they are used base down in an open fixture is their life anywhere close to the six times incandescent as advertised, and a significant percentage of them develop a loud obnoxious 60 herz hum partway through their life, and although they still give off light, if the noise bothers you, then you have to replace them. Another problem is that they dim considerably over their life. At the end of their life I'd estimate that they're putting out about 70% 75% of the light that they do when they're new. Incandescents do this too, but it doesn't seem to be as much. The final thing is that they frequently fail by catching fire inside the base. I've come in to a room with one of the out and a burnt insulation stench and a faint haze of smoke in the air on more than one occasion.
King George II is a vast disappointment (and I had low expectations)
We do composite repair on sailplanes and this time of year we often use incandescent bulbs to provide spot heat when we do small repairs. It’s way cheaper than heating the whole shop to 80F. I also use a 100W light bulb in my paint cabinet to keep the paint and resins at workable temps, a couple of light bulbs in the bathroom in the hangar and one in my well pump house to keep the pipes from freezing. Flourescents just won’t work in these applications......
Right there with you.
Ironically, many of them are designed to run base-up -- they NEED the heat in order to run efficiently. (Unless you're exciting them with a very high voltage "instant-on" ballast, the startup process is more than a bit convoluted. The heaters at each end need to warm up enough to kick off enough electrons to allow "the spark" to traverse from one electrode to the other -- and then, the heat of operation is supposed to provide enough energy (heat) to maintain the spark (the white coating on the glass "fluoresces" and converts the UV light from the spark discharge to visible light).
Likewise, outdoor/cold-weather operation is often problematic.
I bought a G.E. three pack just to try them. Right on the package it states, "lasts 5 years", I'm keeping the package and the receipt.
It also states right on the package, "26 watt (picture of their bulb) = 100 watt (picture of regular bulb)" I am no dummy and know that 26 does not equal 100, but still wanted to try them. and my belief was affirmed - 26 does not equal 100.
Please read the posting by occupied ga.
My experience:
The bulbs don’t tolerate heat or cold. They burn out very fast when used outside or in certain fixtures where their heat doesn’t dissipate. When they burn out, they literally burn out, with a fizz, a pop, a spark, and smoke. Doesn’t sound very safe to me.
I have some now which look real nice - almost like normal bulbs. But they are real dim when you first turn them on, especially when the temperature in the room is below 62. They take about 30 seconds to reach a useable brightness.
I know what’s going to happen. The powerful, know-it-all government will force us to switch. This is the same government which gave us toilets which need to be flushed 6 times before they do what toilets are supposed to do. The same government which gave us “airport security”.