Australia to Ban Old - Style Light Bulbs

[BlisteringSheep]

I don't think I've ever had any die. I have had some (cheaper ones) that aged faster than normal, so that they take minutes to reach full output. These were also enclosed in a globe-like structure. The newer ones I've been getting with the exposed twists work much better, coming almost immediately to full output, and the light is a better quality. They're also smaller overall and so fit better (for me) into enclosed ceiling fixtures.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by masser

Has anybody had experience with CFs dying prematurely?

Yes, in the 4 lamp set up over the mirror in the WC, 2 have died. (They are 40w equiv, replacing 25w, makes it much nicer.) And an overhead fixture.

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by masser

Has anybody had experience with CFs dying prematurely?

In the mid-1990s, I bought about a dozen CFs from the Wisconsin Electric utility, which was promoting them. The brand -- maybe Philips. One of them failed immediately after being switched on.

Last year, I had a CF that failed soon (minutes) after first use.

Last week, my landlord replaced a CF (after long service) in a basement socket. The new one failed immediately.

[Uncwilly]

I am suprised that sulfur molecular lamps have not made it into common use. I had thought that by now we would have them in new homes, cars, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_lamp
http://eetd.lbl.gov/newsletter/cbs_nl/nl6/S-Lamp.html

[Jeff Gilchrist]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

So does that mean the bulb is subject to relativistic perihelion shift?

I had to look up what that was before I realized you were just kidding...

[Jeff Gilchrist]

Are there or will there be CF bulbs that *can* be used with a dimmer switch?

I think our bathroom right now has 8 incandescent bulbs on a dimmer switch. The rest of our house has CF, so I think when those 8 are running at full blast it is using more electricity than all of our other lights combined.

[Mini-Geek]

Originally Posted by Jeff Gilchrist

Are there or will there be CF bulbs that *can* be used with a dimmer switch?

I think our bathroom right now has 8 incandescent bulbs on a dimmer switch. The rest of our house has CF, so I think when those 8 are running at full blast it is using more electricity than all of our other lights combined.

It's not that hard to find, just search for dimmer switch cfl on Google, first result is:

Originally Posted by http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/faqs/cfl.htm#3

3. Can I use a compact fluorescent light bulb with a dimmer switch?
To use a compact fluorescent bulb on a dimmer switch, you must buy a bulb that's specifically made to work with dimmers (check the package). GE makes a dimming compact fluorescent light bulb (called the GE Longlife Plus Soft White Energy Saving Bulb) that is specially designed for use with dimming switches. We don't recommend using regular compact fluorescent bulbs with dimming switches, since this can shorten bulb life. (Using a regular compact fluorescent bulb with a dimmer will also nullify the bulb's warranty.)

[Xyzzy]

It seems ironic that we are talking about saving electricity when we have all these computers running distributed computing projects 24x7.

[Mini-Geek]

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

It seems ironic that we are talking about saving electricity when we have all these computers running distributed computing projects 24x7.

Not quite as much when you look at it like this: with the money saved from the electricity, you can run another crunching computer without a higher electricity bill.

[akruppa]

masser: I haven't seen CF's die prematurely yet. In fact, I've only seen one CF die at all so far (out of about 15 we have), but that was a pretty old one. If the CF wasn't obviously maltreated (i.e. by a dimmer switch), it sounds like a manufacturing error. If you still have them under warranty, I'd take them back to the shop and ask for replacements.

Alex

[ewmayer]

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

It seems ironic that we are talking about saving electricity when we have all these computers running distributed computing projects 24x7.

Many of us make a point to only run GIMPS on PCs that need to be n all the time for other reasons - I only run it on my work PC, and that's a laptop, so uses less than a single light-bulb's worth of power. Also, GIMPSers in cooler climates would be heating their living space one way or another anyway, so doing it by way of CPU or incandescent light bulb is CO2-neutral.

Anyway, talking about CFs is certainly not ironic if we're Mr. Al "An Inconvenient electric bill" Gore ... 200000 Kilowatt-hours in one year! Sheesh - sure, it's a big 10000-sq-ft house (most of which is probably unused most of the time, but still lit and heated, I wager), but that's equivalent to an average continuous usage of 30KW - 500 60-Watt incandescents burning all the time, or 1000 such, each burning 12 hours per day. Fluorescents would make a big difference there.