"RoseGarden" - - - - - - - from - nscave

We are being encouraged to buy compact fluorescent replacement bulbs in order to conserve electricity and supposedly lower our electric bill. Some areas are even going to ban the sale of regular bulbs. I have been using a few ever since they were made available.

First of all, they don't last five years as advertised. Maybe they would if you left them on 24/7, but where is the saving in that? If they are used in places like the bathroom where they are turned on and off frequently, you will be lucky if they last as long as an ordinary bulb.

You see standard size and mini size compact fluorescent bulbs advertised in packages of six for fifteen dollars or less, which is fine for some ordinary applications. But if you come across that six bulb fixture that is operated from a dimmer switch the cost suddenly jumps to sixteen dollars a bulb. And don't think for a minute they dim like ordinary bulbs with a continuous range. They drop the light output in a couple or several stages.

Even if you choose to eliminate the dimmer and put in standard compact fluorescent replacements they will cost in the range of six dollars each if they have other than a standard large base. Plus you have to replace the dimmer switch with a standard switch.

If you have flood lights, you can get replacements for those. But beware, both the floodlights and some other compact fluorescent bulbs have bases that will not fit ordinary sockets.

If you want coloured bulbs such as bug lights, or decorative lights, you can get those at an extra cost per bulb. If you want your compact fluorescent bulbs to look like ordinary bulbs, you can get those at an extra cost per bulb. Don't forget, compact fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, so expect expensive disposal instructions once they are used by large segments of the population.

If you use compact fluorescent bulbs outside, or in a garage or shed in cold weather, they glow dim for a long time and take several minutes or more to reach a usable brightness.  They also produce a certain amount of heat at their base from the electronics inside, and are not suitable for certain fixtures.

I like these bulbs, and as mentioned at the start I use a few of them. As far as saving money on electrical costs, that's an undetermined answer. Maybe if I lived another fifty years, but I don't have that much time left.

I think LEDs should be considered. That might be the coming standard after they get everyone converted to compact fluorescents. After all, replacement bulbs is a money making business, and if they can do it twice around they surely will.

Now where did I put my LED flashlight?

-=One Day At A Time=-

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