cfl light bulbs

[KLynnTX]

Am I the only one who thinks these are such a scam? They were advertised as lasting like 10 years, and they barely are making it 6 months....I hate them. There, I feel better now.

 

:0)

[Jennifer in MI]

I'm with you!!!!! We're slowly replacing ours with regular old BULBS!!!!

[HappyGrace]

I'm with you!!!!! We're slowly replacing ours with regular old BULBS!!!!

 

:iagree:

[gardening momma]

Ours last a long time. Make sure that you don't turn them off right after you turn them on. Turning them off right away drastically reduces their life span. Leaving them on longer is much cheaper than turning them off too soon.

[Jen in PA]

I have heard other people mention this problem on the boards, and it doesn't match our experience at all! We started switching over 5 or 6 years ago, and now have the new bulbs in every room of the house. We have never had one burn out. Not a single one.

 

ETA: DH just reminded me that a few of our CFL bulbs weren't bought by us, but by his sister when she bought this house 8 years ago -- and 2 of those older ones are ones that I keep on all night, every night.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Jen in PA

[TravelingChris]

We won't use this because of migraines and my disease.

[Jennifer in MI]

We won't use this because of migraines and my disease.

 

Do these bulbs trigger migraines? Lately, I feel dizzy when the lights are on. I swear it's because it's darker longer and these lights are making me crazy!!!

[KLynnTX]

I won't use these again ever, because I hate them....Even when they were still working, they got very dim before they went out. But mainly I hate false advertising. Overpriced, because they'll supposedly last longer. Except they don't.... I'm getting mad all over again!!! :0)

[rwjx2khsmj]

You shouldn't use CFL bulbs in rooms where the lights stay on for less than 15 minutes at a time. In our house that means anyplace except the kitchen.

 

You also shouldn't use them in a ceiling fan light fixture. Almost every room in our house has a ceiling fan.

 

No one told me this until we had bulbs going bad every few months and so I did some research.

 

Also, DO NOT throw these bulbs away. CFL bulbs need to be handled properly and should be dropped at a center that will recycle them.

[kfeusse]

Do these bulbs trigger migraines? Lately, I feel dizzy when the lights are on. I swear it's because it's darker longer and these lights are making me crazy!!!

 

yes, this is one of things that is so bad about these bulbs...we won't use them at all...and I have heard that they will be phasing out the old fashioned ones...so I have started stock piling them.

[GoVanGogh]

Do these bulbs trigger migraines?

They trigger 'something' with our DS. He hasn't been able to verbalize what they do to him, but he digs at his eyes and gets very edgy when he is under/around them.

 

You shouldn't use CFL bulbs in rooms where the lights stay on for less than 15 minutes at a time. In our house that means anyplace except the kitchen.

 

You also shouldn't use them in a ceiling fan light fixture. Almost every room in our house has a ceiling fan.

 

No one told me this until we had bulbs going bad every few months and so I did some research.

 

So - where can you use them? Seriously.

And I read in the paper today that the old bulbs will no longer be made - or are no longer being made? So what are you suppose to do about ceiling fan lights? Or bathroom lights?

[*lifeoftheparty*]

.

[Dana]

The CFLs we have work fine in our ceiling fans.

 

I love them! :)

[Parrothead]

Today I bought 4 boxes for 60w bulbs. They will last us a year or two.

[tmulcahy]

They are expensive and DO NOT last any longer than the cheap 4 pack of traditional bulbs.

 

And... have you read the directions on what to do if you break one?:eek:

 

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

[gardening momma]

What is the problem with using them in ceiling fans? We don't use the open coil (my term) in our ceiling fan because I think it just doesn't look good. We have the ones that have the coil inside a glass bulb, so it looks like the old kind of light bulb.

[justamouse]

they burn out, they're a nightmare to get rid of and they trigger my migranes. I *hate* them.

[gardening momma]

And... have you read the directions on what to do if you break one?:eek:

 

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

I saw some heavy duty ones at Walmart the other day. The package said they have a film of some kind over the glass bulb so that if it drops the glass won't shatter (and the mercury won't leak out either). I don't know how much they were. I think they were labeled as some kind of shop bulb).

[Jen in PA]

I still don't get it. We don't buy expensive ones (tend to get them at the discount store). We don't follow the guideline about leaving them on for 15 minutes (we worried about this when we first put them in the bathroom and laundry room). We don't have super-modern wiring in our home (an older home with old wiring). But how is it that our CFL bulbs have never burned out, including the ones we have used for over 12 hours a day, every day, for 6 - 8 years? If I bought a bulb that burned out that quickly, i would assume it was a dud, not that all CFL bulbs were bad. And if all my CFL bulbs burnt out quickly, I would assume it had to do with my wiring because I know other people who have had them last for years. If they triggered a health issue for me, I would avoid them -- but my eyes are extremely photosensitive, and actually do better with these than traditional bulbs. I understand being opposed to them where there are health concerns, but have trouble seeing any argument for them not being cost effective.

[Perry]

they're a nightmare to get rid of

 

Do you have a Home Depot nearby? You can drop them off at any Home Depot store.

[mom4him]

We won't use this because of migraines and my disease.

:iagree:Non in our house.

[mom2a&z]

We don't have any in our house and I won't be using them until I have no other choice. I try to pick up a few of the "regular" bulbs whenever I'm out and happen to remember.

[Brenda in FL]

We haven't had a problem with ours either - they last a very long time for us. And we've used them in ceiling fan fixtures. We have had one or two go out - but its not nearly annoying as how often the incandescents would need changing.

 

The only thing I don't like is that some take a few minutes to brighten up.

[athena1277]

You also cannot use the CFL's in fixtures with a dimmer unless you turn them on all the way every time. Our church recently switched to CFL's and it was very annoying at first as some would not be on all the way, so they would flicker horribly.

 

And I still don't understand about not using them in ceiling fan fixtures. Other than looking ugly, why can't you use them there?

[tmulcahy]

What are the chances of that? That's what I get for posting a link about cleanup.:tongue_smilie: My daughter is jumping rope and hits the light fixture with the rope. Well it breaks and lands on the carpet....but you are not suppose to vacuum. You are not supposed to sweep either. OK.....so what do you do? I have glass shards in the carpet. Last time one was broken it was on the hardwood floor so cleanup was easier....not easy, just easier. I am so not a fan of them.

[Mergath]

yes, this is one of things that is so bad about these bulbs...we won't use them at all...and I have heard that they will be phasing out the old fashioned ones...so I have started stock piling them.

 

I have epilepsy, and CFLs actually trigger seizures for me. I can't be around them for more than a couple of hours- less if it's the old kind- or I start having auras, which will then progress to a full-blown grand mal if I don't get away from the lights.

 

Didn't Congress actually pass a law that will make incandescent (sp?) light bulbs illegal after something like 2012? Or was that just a Minnesota law? I don't know what I'm going to do then... Hopefully it's just a state law. Then I can smuggle in contraband light bulbs from North Dakota. :P

[Dana]

 

Didn't Congress actually pass a law that will make incandescent (sp?) light bulbs illegal after something like 2012? Or was that just a Minnesota law? I don't know what I'm going to do then... Hopefully it's just a state law. Then I can smuggle in contraband light bulbs from North Dakota. :P

 

Don't know the date, but yup, the traditional bulbs won't be around much longer. On the plus side, the LED bulbs are starting to come out. Sounds like their "flicker" is much less, so maybe they won't be a migraine trigger. And although they're still pretty expensive right now, they don't have the mercury issue.

[KatieH]

I hate CFL. They're stupid and dangerous and full of mercury. But they're "green" so soon we won't have any CHOICE on whether or not we want to use the stupid things.

 

Uggh.

[rwjx2khsmj]

And I still don't understand about not using them in ceiling fan fixtures. Other than looking ugly, why can't you use them there?

 

From the GE Lighting website:

 

Can I use a CFL in applications involving vibration such as a ceiling fan or garage door opener?

Currently it is not recommended to use CFLs in vibrating environments. Vibration can cause the electronics in the CFL to fail.

[mmasmommy]

What are the chances of that? That's what I get for posting a link about cleanup.:tongue_smilie: My daughter is jumping rope and hits the light fixture with the rope. Well it breaks and lands on the carpet....but you are not suppose to vacuum. You are not supposed to sweep either. OK.....so what do you do? I have glass shards in the carpet. Last time one was broken it was on the hardwood floor so cleanup was easier....not easy, just easier. I am so not a fan of them.

 

Roll up duct tape and try to get it up that way. DS threw one down the steps in a fit of rage a few months ago. Needless to say it was a giant PITA to clean up. I will be stockpiling regular lightbulbs until they're no longer legal. We need an eye rolling smiley. :tongue_smilie:

[Nicole M]

Interesting. I've used CFLs exclusively for 18 years - I remember the first one I bought, and how flickery and yucky it was. They've come a long way since then. Now that they're more popular, there are more options available, and the quality varies incredibly. I typically buy mine at IKEA now, but I've had some good luck with other stores, too. The Ikea bulbs don't give off a cold light, and they do not flicker, and they last a very long time. The bulb over my stove, that I keep on 12 hours a day, is going strong after 5 years. The one in my hallway hasn't been changed in over 10 years.

 

For energy savings, I'm looking forward to LED technology improvements. GE is now selling some very expensive LED lightbulbs, but I can't stand the coldness of the lights. I bought one with a coupon and immediately returned it. I bought some LED Christmas lights last year, and do not like the blueness of the whites at all. But we're five or so years away from affordable, and hopefully better quality light for home use.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I have heard other people mention this problem on the boards, and it doesn't match our experience at all! We started switching over 5 or 6 years ago, and now have the new bulbs in every room of the house. We have never had one burn out. Not a single one.

 

ETA: DH just reminded me that a few of our CFL bulbs weren't bought by us, but by his sister when she bought this house 8 years ago -- and 2 of those older ones are ones that I keep on all night, every night.

 

 

 

This has been our experience as well. We have not had to replace a single CFL bulb. We have about half and half (CFL and incandescent) now.