Power-Sipping Bulbs Get Backing From Wal-Mart

new york times ^ | 1/2/07 | MICHAEL BARBARO

[mathprof]

As a way to cut energy use, it could not be simpler. Unscrew a light bulb that uses a lot of electricity and replace it with one that uses much less.

While it sounds like a promising idea, it turns out that the long-lasting, swirl-shaped light bulbs known as compact fluorescent lamps are to the nation’s energy problem what vegetables are to its obesity epidemic: a near perfect answer, if only Americans could be persuaded to swallow them.

But now Wal-Mart Stores, the giant discount retailer, is determined to push them into at least 100 million homes. And its ambitions extend even further, spurred by a sweeping commitment from its chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr., to reduce energy use across the country, a move that could also improve Wal-Mart’s appeal to the more affluent consumers the chain must win over to keep growing in the United States.

“The environment,” Mr. Scott said, “is begging for the Wal-Mart business model.”

It is the environmental movement’s dream: America’s biggest company, legendary for its salesmanship and influence with suppliers, encouraging 200 million shoppers to save energy.

For all its power in retailing, though, Wal-Mart is meeting plenty of resistance — from light-bulb makers, competitors and consumers....

A compact fluorescent has clear advantages over the widely used incandescent light — it uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But it is eight times as expensive as a traditional bulb, gives off a harsher light and has a peculiar appearance.

As a result, the bulbs have languished on store shelves for a quarter century; only 6 percent of households use the bulbs today.

[visualops]

Night lighting is a crime deterrent and personally I like the roads at night to be lit at intervals. If I lived out in the open with straight roads I might not care but on winding dark roads in wooded areas it matters.

[kitkat]

Thank you for your response. I'm learning by reading this thread.

[Dan Evans]

That's interesting, thanks. I'm intrigued, but it seems like the ones that I have found are $20--or more!

I think the high price is because of low supply and high demand -- not manufacturing cost. These are relatively simple semiconductor devices and should be much easier to manufacture than a light bulb.

Currently, colored LEDs sell for much less than light bulbs because of the enormous manufacturing capability.

[ErnBatavia]

I use these bulbs in Almost all my lights at home. They don't seem to last as long as they claim...........

Ditto on the usage throughout the home...and ditto on the long life claims; that's BS. I've been using them here and there for years and they often fail before an incandescent.

[sionnsar]

They don't flicker because they derive their power from a DC electronic circuit than creates it's own A/C that is in the base of the bulb fixture.

LOL. That was from an off-topic discussion of the windstorms in our area. Even the CF bulbs flicker when the power goes off sufficiently long.

But you're correct about how the lamps work. What frequency range do they use? 20+ kHz? I seem to recall the early ones could be audible, but are no longer.

[visualops]

Thanks for the FYI. 3-ways cost alot anyway so it'll be well worth the investment.

[Neoliberalnot]

"Night lighting is a crime deterrent and personally I like the roads at night to be lit at intervals. If I lived out in the open with straight roads I might not care but on winding dark roads in wooded areas it matters."

I have heard the argument advanced by the pols and the power companies. Nothing against power companies, I own some of their stock, but I stand by my suggestion and see the benefits outweighing the disadvantages. It is a simple solution with minimal associated costs that would save millions of barrels of imported oil. I know it is convenient to have the lights on all the time, but I just can't find the justification in imported oil.

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

Truth be told, these CF bulbs don’t save as much electricity as they are touted to save when they are used indoors (outdoors, the published data is probably about right). The savings for indoor use depends on what else is going on in the space and that is dependent on a lot of other factors i.e. ambient temperature, insulation of the space etc. Let me explain…. In the winter time, when heating is already required for space heat, the use of the more efficient light bulbs just means that something else is going to have to work harder since the ‘inefficiency’ of the old style incandescent light bulbs is still useful heat to the space. Thus a conversion to CF bulbs will reduce the electrical input ‘to the bulbs’ ….but an equivalent amount of energy as the bulb savings will then have to be put back into the space to account for the reduction in heat that the inefficient bulbs used to give off i.e. electrical baseboard heaters or an equivalent amount of heat from a gas, oil furnace or something like that. In the summer time, the CF bulbs make some sense since not only do they take less electricity, their use will help to offload the air conditioner working to remove the unnecessary heat they generate i.e. typically the electrical requirements of the air conditioner will be about 1/3 of the energy that it’s trying to remove. Thus for every 3 kW of heat that a light puts into the space, an air conditioner would require 1 kW of energy to move that heat outdoors. The other side of this however is that one needs less hours of artificial light in the summer because the days are naturally longer. Factor all these things together, the savings are typically way overstated, even if the rating data on the packaging is accurate – and the effect on the pocket book will vary accordingly. If one lives in a very cold clime with lots of heating season and little air conditioning, the savings aren't all that much. If one lives in a hot clime with very little heating requirements but lots of air conditioning, the savings are much better.

[Paradox]

I think for specific uses, CF are IDEAL, as I said, for places where lights are left on for many hours, like outdoor lights. I also like to use them where changing bulbs is difficult, and where light "color" isn't too critical. Save the regular "old school" bulbs for where you really need them. CF are not perfect, yet, but they are much better than they were even a few years ago. Some brands ARE better than others too, you have to try them out and see what works for you.

[The South Texan]

I am replacing my old bulbs with the CF's as they burn out. You can get an 8 pack of them at Sams Club for 10 bucks and it sure beats replacing bulbs every few months as they burn out as these have a five year guarantee.

The only draw back is the delay start up when you flip the switch, but they warm up fairly quick and if anything, the lighting is better. The bulbs that are coming out now are much better than ones that came out two or so years ago.

[The South Texan]

"I have quite a few in my house, but they're terrible for reading by, so my reading lamp has a regular soft-white bulb. Some that I have in the kitchen have been in use for over 5 years now, and I use them in fixtures where the light stays on at all times. We're out in the country, so I like a little light because some nights there isn't any at all. "

Go to Lowes and you can find 3 way CF's there. I have them in all of our reading lamps and bedside lamps and they work real well. Beats having to replace them like I was having to do with regualr bulbs every few months. Warm up time and light quality is good.

[Old Professer]

Very good point, here in Nashville we have relativly high line voltsge - I routinely measure 127.5VAC; I tried 130V lamps but they are too dim for good illumination except as hard to access fixtures where changing them is a greater inconvenience.

[Dan Evans]

I went into a department store that had converted to them and I left, unable to speak and barely able to walk. I thought I had had a stroke.

I've never seen a large store that used CF lighting. I wonder if it was actually metal-halide lamps. These lamps are similar to sodium vapor or mercury vapor lamps and they could have some degree of flicker. Some people are more sensitive to that than others.

As far as blue light goes, I wouldn't expect the light from a CF to be any bluer than that from a blue sky coming through a window.

[Chief Engineer]

I do not understand the poor, greenish color of most of the less expensive bulbs.

Fluorescent tubes have overcome the poor light color problem 30 years ago. The CF bulbs use the same technology. Why can't they use the same technology for the CF's

[flaglady47]

What I did was to buy a tabletop full spectrum lamp (made by IGIA), 27 watt. It is lightweight, and I put it next to my recliner in my living room where I freep w/my laptop, and read a lot or write. It's not a thing of beauty (it's white) but it only cost me 30 bucks (through a discount catalog) and I can haul it from room to room. It's great for reading. Uses about 1/4 of the energy of an incandescent lightbulb, thus lowers electricity costs. As it is portable, I can put it anywhere I want, and therefore I can leave the aesthetically more pleasing incandescent lighting in my lamps in the living room and other rooms but I don't use them often as I use the portable full spectrum lamp instead when alone.

When company comes, I put the full spectrum lamp into my 2nd bedroom by my desktop computer, and use the incandescents that look much better until the guests leave. Then I haul out my full spectrum again and use it for my general needs. Works great. I have since gotten a full spectrum floor lamp for by my bed, where I also do a lot of reading, as it is also great light for doing such tasks as (if female) shaving one's legs, putting on makeup, plucking hairs w/tweezers, looking for fatal facial or body flaws, etc. Again, when company comes, I just move the floor lamp away from the side of my bed to a corner of the room, and use the regular incandescent bedside table lamps, that throw off a more attractive light. This is working like a charm, saving me energy costs, but still allowing for the use of incandescents which are better when company comes, and they don't look ugly like the flourescents do in your lamp socket. Can't stand that swirly looking bulb. I think I've got the best of both worlds now.

I might add, as a last note, that one of the reasons I got the full spectrum was in an attempt to alleviate the SAD syndrome that winter brings in cold, dark climes such as exist where I live here in Illinois. It may be psychological sleight of hand, but it really does improve my mood when I turn on these full spectrum lamps. Even if it is a brain fake, if it works, it works. I need all the help I can get in the middle of January and February, two reasonably hard months to take during winter.

[metesky]

But now Wal-Mart Stores, the giant discount retailer, is determined to push them into at least 100 million homes.

I'm just as determined not to use them. In fact I just got back from stocking up on regular light bulbs at Wally World.

[Paradox]

I'm just as determined not to use them.

Can I ask why not? What don't you like about them?

[Eclectica]

"I bought my first low watt bulbs about 10 years ago when they were even more expensive. To date, none have expired."

My neighbors "didn't like the color" ten years ago and gave two to me. They are lighting my keyboard and bathroom presently. (At only 10 watts, I leave them on most of the day—and any unnecessary greater wattage produces harshness anyway).

"...cut the street lights in half across the nation...Who needs all the light pollution...?"

Nighttime Miami/Fort Lauderdale has sodium-yellow skies. ("Crime-fighting lights"). Even the brilliant "Evening Star" can't be seen. Now that I've retired to rural Florida—and for some unknown reason—seeing "The Pleides" is worth gold to me.

New-car dealerships ought to be involved in reducing back-scattered light somehow, too.

[Doohickey]

I use CF bulbs exclusively except in two rooms which have lights on dimmer switches.

[cogitator]

** ping **

Not necessarily for the global warming list; but since you posted that article about the "middle ground", this seems to follow under the category of "practical and pragmatic", doesn't it?