Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Not Worth Cost and Trouble

RightSideNews ^ | 12/13/08 | National Center of Policy Analysis

[Sammy67]

NCPA: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Not Worth Cost and Trouble Report Says Government Should Not Force CFLs on Consumers

DALLAS (Dec. 10, 2008) - Although touted by many as the smart energy choice, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are not suitable for many common uses and should not be required by the government, according to a new report by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA).

The Environmental Protection Agency states that CFLs will reduce energy use and will last longer than standard bulbs. However, NCPA Senior Fellow and report co-author Sterling Burnett argues: "For many uses, compact fluorescent bulbs may be more costly and

[RDasher]

I have had short life experiences with CFL. I have been dating them so I really know how long they last. About 1 year is it. The color spectrum of them is still crappy for use in living areas.

In a residential application lighting is really a very small amount of electricity use. Major users are your refrigerator, furnace (heating and cooling) fans, air conditioning, water heaters. New televisions like large screen plasmas and LCD draw 400 watts and up.

[mysterio]

Well, it’s covered by a lampshade. But the violet is right under the thing.

[cripplecreek]

I can’t keep an incandecent over my stove for more than two or 3 weeks but I’m going on 8 months with a CFL.

[ridesthemiles]

I’ve also got them outdoors, hanging downwards (supposedly a no-no) where they work fine (but take a little while to warm up) in temperatures well below freezing.”

I walked around, and between my fan/ceiling lights, the can lights in the kitchen, and the enclosed light fixture in my laundry room, all of those locations are either hanging down bulbs, or enclosed.
The outside light- which are security lights on movement also hang upside down, and the entrance lights to house and garage are also upside down. Basically the only place a buld doesn’t hang upside down is over the stove.
I have also been told they won’t work inside a refrigerator, nor inside your oven.
The mandatory part of this whole discussion is abhorant to me on the face of it.

[fanfan]

Waste of time. I say, “let there be light!” immediately.

It's not only the warm up time.....if you don't leave them on for a certain amount of time, they use more energy then an incandescent bulb, and don't last as long.

[LadyPilgrim]

I just don’t like to be told I HAVE to use what someone else says I need to use,
when I don’t believe them to begin with.

I’m not dumb, and these things are simple sooo much more expensive...
so, they could have at least made them the same price!
But no....
just like computers and cars, houses and everything else.

“Give me more money please!”

[LiberConservative]

"It’s 15 degrees here in west TX right now..."

And it's 25 here in MI. (???) That ain't right!

[omega4179]

Same here,I like to leave stove hood lights on all evening so I put small cfls there. They are good for recessed hall lights and things like that but not reading lamps or bathroom vanities.

[RobRoy]

I got mine for peanuts. They save a ton of electricity.

But this whole argument is really moot. In my new house in Kentucky it will be rife with embedded LED lighting.

There will probably not be a fluorescent or incandescent on the property. I’ll be able to control not only intensity, but color temperature and color period. And at a fraction of the power useage of even fluorescents.

LED is to fluorescent what fluorescent is to incandescent.

Times ten.

[fanfan]

Well, it’s covered by a lampshade. But the violet is right under the thing.

That's why it's doing so well. :-)
I'm glad you have a shade on it to shield your eyes.

Maybe we could grow frankenfruit under those bulbs.

;-D

[RobRoy]

Yes, pods.

Here is unretouched video of plants exposed to too much fluorescent light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUdpFN4O4B0

Pretty tasty stuff though!

[SmallGovRepub]

Some of the new compact fluorescents do look better than the old ones. You have to pay attention to the color temperature of the bulb and its “CRI” rating to make sure you get the good ones though. If the package says the color is “warm” then it means the light will look sort of orange/yellow. The daylight bulbs are more expensive but they'll usually have a whiter light with a higher “CRI,” or color rendering index. The sun has a CRI of 100, while most compact fluorescents have a CRI of closer to 80. Some of the “daylight bulbs” are 90 or better. The color of the light the bulb puts off is measured in “kelvin.” If the package shows the “kelvin” rating to be 3000 or lower it will be a really orange looking light. It will probably have a lower CRI as well. If the kelvin is up there in the 5,000 to 6,000 range it will be very white, or almost blue. I think the “daylight” bulbs are usually around 5500 kelvin with a CRI of 85 or better.

[NellieMae]

I HATE those things. They are ugly, expensive, dangerous if they break. Did I say UGLY? I did not pay good money for nice light fixtures in my new house to have the libs force these creepy, wierd things into my life. If you don’t leave your lights on excessively you shouldn’t worry about light bulbs anyway. I guess libs are scaredy cats who are afraid of the dark and leave their lights on all of the time. Let them buy them. Leave the rest of us ALONE.

[fanfan]

15 degrees?

Fahrenheit?

Wow, I’m in Ontario, Canada, and it’s 44F.

[CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC]

I don’t know what everyone’s complaining about. The ones I bought worked just great for a couple of weeks.

[sionnsar]

We’ve been using these for years all around the house (usage spread as light quality improved) and I’ve had to replace, maybe, three.

[sionnsar]

More like burning electronics. There’s VERY little mercury in one of those — 1% or less of the old mercury fever thermometers.

[fanfan]

I can’t keep an incandecent over my stove for more than two or 3 weeks but I’m going on 8 months with a CFL.

You need to use "appliance bulbs" in your range hood. There is a lot of vibration when the fan operates, so you need a better bulb, with better filament support.

[mombi]

I got an LED nightlight earlier this year. It lasted only 3 months.

[fanfan]

Would you mind sharing the suppliers you are buying from?

I haven’t come across affordable/practical LEDs yet.