Got a CFL?

[suburban george3]

Yes, CFLs do contain mercury. If you break a CFL bulb it presents a health hazard, and they should not be thrown away.

[suburban george3]

I have converted another room! Replaced 4 40W ceiling fan bulbs with 9W replacements (160W when fixture is on to 36W). Also, two other fixtures in the room form 60W to 13W. So if every light in that room is on, I've reduced from 280W to 62W!! I've replaced 16 bulbs now!!

[runawayjim]

I have converted another room! Replaced 4 40W ceiling fan bulbs with 9W replacements (160W when fixture is on to 36W). Also, two other fixtures in the room form 60W to 13W. So if every light in that room is on, I've reduced from 280W to 62W!! I've replaced 16 bulbs now!!

[Rural King]

Here is a surprising and welcomed write up on how Walmart will make CFLs, compact florescent lights, available to their customers. It is nice to see them do this and a great technology to reduce energy and resource usage to light our homes.

Have you folks converted at least some of your lights to CFL technology?

[suburban george3]

Woo Hoo! I have now replaced 33 incandescents with CFL's! Though I still have about 20 more bulbs to go!

[nashvillwill]

Woo Hoo! I have now replaced 33 incandescents with CFL's! Though I still have about 20 more bulbs to go!

[Captain Worley]

good god, you have alot of lights!

[suburban george3]

good god, you have alot of lights!

[runawayjim]

i have about 20 bulbs in my apartment. when you start to count them all you really realize just how many you have. i thought 33 was a lot, but i guess it's really not all that much. i've converted all the lights i use all the time to CFL (bathroom, bedroom, office, dining room, kitchen, and one of the end tables in the living room has a CFL). i think i'm done converting though. the difference in electricity for me won't really be noticed (at least compared to the cost of the bulbs), so it's not worth buying more because i won't be staying here more than a couple years.

[suburban george3]

One thing I have started doing is preaching the benefits of CFL's to businesses I frequent. I am impressed with the number who have switched, but there are many many more who haven't. I actually have saved a form email that I send to the business or fill out the customer comment card/website section encouraging the site to switch from incadescent to CFL's. I encourage everyone else to do the same!

[Captain Worley]

Can someone tell me how these things perform outside in the cold? I'd like to put them on my porches, but I'm afraid the warm up time mught be too long. Can anyone give me an idea, say in the form of "40 degrees, two seconds before it comes on, then 80% light for five minutes?"

[runawayjim]

Can someone tell me how these things perform outside in the cold? I'd like to put them on my porches, but I'm afraid the warm up time mught be too long. Can anyone give me an idea, say in the form of "40 degrees, two seconds before it comes on, then 80% light for five minutes?"

[Captain Worley]

Thanks, runaway. I was worried there'd be a delay in having the bulb come on. I'd consider that a safety issue; its good to know there's no issue there.

[runawayjim]

Thanks, runaway. I was worried there'd be a delay in having the bulb come on. I'd consider that a safety issue; its good to know there's no issue there.

[Captain Worley]

I was worried about someone knocking on the door, flicking on the light, and having to wait before it came on. Is that an issue? I can deal with less light, but I need instant on like an incandescent.

[runawayjim]

I was worried about someone knocking on the door, flicking on the light, and having to wait before it came on. Is that an issue? I can deal with less light, but I need instant on like an incandescent.

[Raintree21]

The problem I've run into is that they often won't fit into the lamps and fixtures I already have. The socket is fine, but the metal that hold the shade or the glass that encases the light won't fit with it.

[Neo]

Can someone tell me how these things perform outside in the cold? I'd like to put them on my porches, but I'm afraid the warm up time mught be too long. Can anyone give me an idea, say in the form of "40 degrees, two seconds before it comes on, then 80% light for five minutes?"

We have them in our fixtures outside such as the porch, deck and the sides of our garage. This past winter was the first time we did this and they performed well IMO. There were days it got in the low teens and I didn't notice any issues with them. The same CFL's are still working so I assume no real damage was caused by the low temperatures. I might add they perform just fine on the other end of the spectrum as well. We've had several days over 100 and they're still doing fine.

[suburban george3]

The problem I've run into is that they often won't fit into the lamps and fixtures I already have. The socket is fine, but the metal that hold the shade or the glass that encases the light won't fit with it.

[monsoon]

I was worried about someone knocking on the door, flicking on the light, and having to wait before it came on. Is that an issue? I can deal with less light, but I need instant on like an incandescent.

[Captain Worley]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll check out the small form CFL's, since I am limited in size. I haven't seen any smaller ones around, though. Are they only available at Lowe's at Home Depot type places?

[suburban george3]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll check out the small form CFL's, since I am limited in size. I haven't seen any smaller ones around, though. Are they only available at Lowe's at Home Depot type places?

[Raintree21]

Speak of the devil. I saw Walmart's ad today that advertised the mini-lights for $6.97 for a three pack.

[Raintree21]

Is there a version that could be used to replace the large, round, clear bulbs you see in bathrooms or on something like a powder-room mirror? CFL's would look a littl funny in them I think.

[Captain Worley]

I'm going to Lowe's this afternoon to look for a smaller CFL for my front porch, so I'll take a look. I have lights like that and I've wondered the same thing. CFL's wouldn't really work for me there, though, because those lights get turned on and off a lot and don't stay on for very long.