CFL bulb lifespan

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
scottydl

scottydl

Site Team
Joined
Jul 1, 2006
Posts
9,080
Location
Land of Lincoln
Well my first CFL bulb went out last night... lasted 3-4 years IIRC instead of 9 as advertised. Ah well, I guess that's about the most I can expect from a product these days. What's everyone else's experience with these things so far? I like the power savings and I'm kinda used to the harsher light output, but they are still pretty expensive and I only use them in a few fixtures around the house thus far.
 
I'm unimpressed by CFL's. I find that I change them out almost as frequently as the incandescents. I've actually gone back to the old bulbs for some rooms in my house.

The florescent tube that's been above my sink for 18 years, however, is another story. Wish they were all made like that!
 
A lot depends on how frequently you turn 'em on and off, no lamp likes to be cycled, They do, however like recycling (ok, bad joke)

I have been using CFL's for decades and I've had some die a quick death, epically when line voltage hit 150+ in my basement (As measured) due to a floating neutral and floating ground both.. (nice, power company fixed it within the hour of said measurement, well the ground, neutral took a while longer)

I've had them last.... Well, Back when the only Florcesent replacements for Incandescent lamps were the circiline type.  (The lamp formed a ring) I replaced some of the incansadents.. This would have been around 1980 give or take a couple of years.. When the bank took the house back 2 years ago.... Still in use.

On the other hand,,, 2 of the Florescent fixtures (long tube type) in my six  year old Motor hoem have had their lamps replaced already.

I'd say the life span varies.. I have seen them last a decade or longer, or go within a year.
 
We stopped using them after so many of them burned out after a year or less.  I worry about the disposal of them as they contain mercury. I'm not sure how to balance which choice is actually environmentally better for the planet. I'll probably give led's a chance in some applications but I'm done with CFLs.
 
We've had decent service from them, but more like 3-4 years than 9. Must be something about the way the tube is coiled, because our U and circular and straight tube fluorescents all last for a long, long time.  I have U-tube bulbs with standard screw bases in my porch and driveway lights that are on from dawn to dusk and they last forever,

I think John is right about the cycling - our kitchen straight tube fluorescents don't last anywhere near as long as others.  And ditto with a straight tube pair in the coach that go on/off whenever the entry door opens. They seldom lasted more than 4-6 months and I finally replaced them with Leds.
 
Anyone have any comments on the NEW spiral (politically correct lamps) ?

I have tried 3 so far. The first one lasted 3 days. The second on lasted 2 months and the third lasted 6 months.

Gimme a break.. I'll stick with Edison bulbs of which some of them have lasted 4 years or more. My garage bulb has lasted 11 years to date as have some of my exterior bulbs.

  I suppose there are quality spirals available, how does on tell ? Not that I am interested.

Carson
 
deal said:
I worry about the disposal of them as they contain mercury. I'm not sure how to balance which choice is actually environmentally better for the planet.
Click to expand...

Home Depot accepts burned out CFLs for recycling at no charge.  At least the one near my house does.  Don't know if it's a company wide policy or not.  My local municipal government accepts them for recycling too.

I was disappointed with the life span of the first CFLs I bought but the new ones seem to last longer.  I use quite a few of them in the stick house. 

Mike Wagner
 
CFL Bulbs are obsolete. I suggest that anyone considering CFL bulbs first get some LED Bulbs and compare.

The LED bulbs are brighter and cost less than CFL, plus they do not have dangerous material.
 
CFL's, The answer to those pesky incandescent according to the prevailing opinion from the middle of the east coast.  I tried them early on, didn't care for them, if the area is cold it takes awhile to warm up and brighten the room.  In my stick house I had a location, on the ceiling of the basement stairwell.  Really hard to get to, involving ladders in a stairwell.  Figured the longlife CFL would be great, not so much.  Cold area, dim light, but it did last untttil I haated it enough to swap it out and get some light where I needed it.

Now we see the disposal issues, the issues if one breaks.  We used to just take care and sweep it up.  Now we need a home hazmat suit.

LED's, I have used them in some areas, replaced the over the desk lamp in the coach with an array, but half of it died after less than a year.  Bad sample size statistically, but went back to incand'  I think that I will eventually change it out to a slimline flourescent.

 
ceemike said:
Home Depot accepts burned out CFLs for recycling at no charge.  At least the one near my house does.  Don't know if it's a company wide policy or not.  My local municipal government accepts them for recycling too.

I was disappointed with the life span of the first CFLs I bought but the new ones seem to last longer.  I use quite a few of them in the stick house. 

Mike Wagner
Click to expand...

unfortunately I don't have the faith that the people involved properly recycle the material. My guess is that a non trivial percentage of those dropped off for recycling end up in landfill. That is where greed would send them when nobody was watching.
 
In some cases I've seen the CFLs interfere with a (IR) remote control. Basically, the remote didn't work until I turned the light off. Something to watch for...
 
I feel so out of the loop here, but I didn't even realize LED screw-in replacements were available now - doesn't surprise me though as that's the direction that lighting technology is headed.  I obviously don't shop for light bulbs often.
 
Very satisfied with CFL's.  Yes, 3-4 years .... maybe more but the incandescent bulbs we replaced them with burned out in months in most cases.  Mercury?  Our electricity is generated by coal power plants and they put into the air many times as much mercury keeping incandescent bulbs of same lumen level going then the equivalent CFL's.

We did a study 5 years back and replaced all incandescent bulbs at our church that we could get at (non dimming) with CFL's.  We save $500 per year on electric bill.  Also lots less maintenance work replacing burned out light bulbs. 

I am sold.
 
Anyone have any comments on the NEW spiral (politically correct lamps) ?
Click to expand...

That's primarily what we ARE talking about, Carson. The spiral-shaped bulbs are CFL - Compact FLuorescent. The normally lengthy fluorescent tube is made into a spiral to reduce the size to that of an incandescent bulb of similar light output.
 
8 or 9 years ago, I bought some CFL's for fixtures in my vaulted ceiling.  Got tired of dragging the big ladder up to the loft to change incandescents.  They lasted till I got rid of the house.  Now, it seems as if they don't last as long. About  a year or two is it.  The incandescents that are available now seem to last only about three to six months.  Maybe I'm just getting old, but the quality of lightbulbs seems to have really slipped in the last few years.  I have not tried the LED's yet but next time I see some and need bulbs, I'll probably try them out.
 
1.  The box says: "CFLs work best in fixtures that are on for a substantial amount of time per day (minimum 15 minutes per use).  For best performance, use in fixtures that allow airflow, such as table lamps, wall sconces, pendants and outdoor fixtures."

2.  Had one fail right out of the box.  Called the 1-800 number and got a replacement in the mail the next week. 

3.  I do like the "green" aspects but the bottom line really is we use them because they SAVE US MONEY.  The payback (cost break even point) is measured in months.

4.  I believe all Home Depots have a CFL recycle area.

5.  Some people do object to the light quality and the brightness does increases slightly as they warm up.  We use them in lights that are normally on for more than just a few minutes so warm up is a non-issue for us. 

4.  Do not know the history of where manufactured but the ones we buy at COSTCO are made in China.

5.  Again we mainly do it for THE MONEY saved. 
 
Not impressed with them at all.
Replaced all incandescent bulbs in the stick house with CFL and have had several go out as well a a couple of intermittent ones, it has only been about 2 years.
 
Changed out six std. bulbs for CFL about 12-15 yrs ago. These are in LR ceiling fixtures (fans). I've certainly replaced all of them by now, but compared to the std.bulbs, they last at least five times as long.
They save $ and effort. I do note that they are on from morning until bedtime.
Ernie

PS All of our bulbs at home are CFL, these are just an example because a std bulb was always burned out in these fixtures.
 
The incandescents that are available now seem to last only about three to six months.
Click to expand...

That's due to the energy saving requirements the government put on incandescent bulbs several years ago. 

Look at the box - a 100 watt bulb uses 90 watts or less to produce the same amount of light as the older model.  They do this by making the filament run hotter, giving off more light at the expense of filament life.  TANSTAAFL.

Side note - there's an incandescent light bulb that's been burning for over 110 years in a firehouse in Livermore, CA.  Has it's own web site.  Notice it's filament runs cool, with an reddish tint instead of putting out a white light.
 
Thanks Lou, I never noticed that notice. Makes perfect sense. You are right about "no free lunch".

Re the CFL lamp, I think that they are very heat sensitive.... fast failure.

  Guess we have to have special lamp fixtures too to meet the estimated life span. Probably the built in ballast is fragile.
Good grief, great way to save on electricity. Another eco plan run amok, notwithstanding the chemical hazard.

  I wonder what the unit production cost is for a standard bulb vs the 100W CFL. The CFL is a complicated device and probably needs a lot of energy to produce.

  I read a while ago that there is an old (decades in operation) company in the NE which makes incandescent bulbs, will be eliminated when CFL become mandatory. I'll bet not one CFL is made in the US.

I am afraid this is another problem where half the Country is pro and the other half is anti. (Sounds like another political war. I will not pursue this matter.
-30-

Carson FL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,032 (members: 36, guests: 996)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,959
Posts
1,388,214
Members
137,712
Latest member
number1RVuser
Back
Top Bottom