Who has CFL's in their home?

[ztirffritz]

I'm slowly changing all of them over. I had to get full-spectrum ones in the bathroom. My wife kept coming out of the bathroom looking like a streetwalker. I finally realized it was the bulbs throwing her make-up application out of wack. Much better now.

[viaripatti]

I've used them for about 10 years now; they used to cost $15/each. Everyone has just about covered the constant improvements above. I love the savings in energy/dollars.
I don't care if they don't last longer; I'm just trying to save a barrel or two of oil now and then.

[Racer X]

It may be that those that have CF bulbs failing in a short time are turning them on/of multiple times a day. That will cut down on their life span quite a bit. That 10,000 hour rating is probably based on something like 10 continuous hours a day.

I have a CF bulb in our porch light on a sensor, and it must have 5000 hours on it by now. Turns on and off one cycle a day.

[DharmaDog]

I'v swapped out about 80% of my 60 watt bulbs for CFLs. The only remaining incandescents are 6 bulbs in the basement, 2 bulbs in dimmer lights and 4 bulbs outside. The bulbs in the basement are rarely used, and I haven't bought outdoor use or dim-able CFLs yet.

I have a number of irregular bulbs that haven't been swapped out because the specialty CFLs are quite a bit more expensive.

[ka jowct]

They are lasting a very long time here, even getting turned on and off several times a day. The ones that will fit in lamps are a bit harder to find, but definitely worth it.

[Racer X]

I have noticed more and more are coming with smaller diameter bases. My problem is that that the daylight bulbs are way tio blue for my tastes, butb the regular ones are way too green/green yellow. If someone would make some 4100K bulbs that are reasonably neutral for a reasonable price, I would get a bunch.

[anonymouse1]

The fullspectrum ones from fullspectrumsolutions are very, very comparable to natural sunlight. They're not perfect, but they're much better than anything else I've seen-halogen, incandescent (including those pink colored ones) or regular flurescent (sp).

I've been using these for five years, and they're great. My wife uses them in her light box for Season Affect Disorder--she says they work well, and make a difference.

[graylocks]

i've been using them for over 15 years. they used to be ridiculously expensive but no longer. i had one bulb in my kitchen last 11 years. i replaced it because it got dimmer, not because it stopped working.

i think the only incandescent bulb in my house is in my fridge and the reptile tank; the gecko likes the heat. i especially like it for outdoor fixtures. i think i replace my front porch light about every 7 years or so. the car port light stays on all night and is on a timer so it tends to die once a year.

since i've been doing this so long i have no idea how much i'm saving; i just know i am and doing good for the planet. i do know my brother is saving on air conditioning. the overhead lights in his office really heated up his room. i replaced the bulbs with CFLs and in the summer he was able to turn the setting on his AC down!

[Racer X]

graylocks, for every watt of light output, it takes a watt of A/C to cancel it out. So if he went from 300 watts in his office down to 50, he needs 250 watts less A/C to keep that office cool. Or in my case, that is an extra 250 watts to run some other equipment on that same circuit.

This is why so many office buildings went to flourescent lighting years ago. being able to install HVAC systems that are 1/4 smaller (or whatever) is a HUGE deal.

[M A V I C]

[quote billb]I use the CFLs rated for outdoor use for in cold locations. It helps to read the specs on the box.
I didn't know there were some rated specifically for outdoor use. I did read the specs on the package. I just re-read the package of the ones I'm having problems with outdoors, and there's no indication they aren't for use outdoors.

I bought these about a year ago.

I might buy some of those full spectrum ones and try those out. So far I have yet to see any CF that doesn't have a lag on startup.