Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Bringing home an energy saving product can be a satisfying experience and most of us are very happy with our purchases until we install a product and it performs in a way that was unexpected. As with all purchases, make sure you are getting what you want. Some people are disappointed in a technology simply because product is not of the quality they were expecting.

When buying compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, make sure you pick the light quality and color you want. For example, a typical 13 watt CFL will suffice for most applications where you were using a 60 watt incandescent bulb. The chart below has some common wattages and their equivalent in CLF and incandescent type bulbs.

Incandescent Watts	CFL Watt range
40	8 to 10
60	13 to 18
75	18 to 22
100	23 to 28
150	34 to 42

Most manufacturers are very good about advertising the matching light levels between incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs. However, if you are expecting a warm glow such as what the incandescent bulb gave you, you may be surprised unless you check the color temperature rating of the bulb. Now most CFL's do not quote color temperature so you have to look for "Warm White” or “Cool White” on the package.

One of the many specifications for bulbs includes color temperature. This rating is expressed in degrees Kelvin (K). The higher this color temperature, the whiter the light is seen. If you are looking for warm white, a rating of about 2700K to 3000K is what you seek. Color temperatures in the 5000K + range are considered “cool white” and emit a greenish-blue hue.

Note; First Choice available in Texas and some other states.

The environmentalists’ conflict

Some energy advocates are in turmoil. These bulbs are not without controversy. They do after all contain mercury. They must be recycled to prevent this poisonous element from contaminating landfills. Do you recycle your CFL’s? Click on the link for an idea on how you can get rid of your spent bulbs properly with little effort. Yes it may be easier to drop them in your trash but that is not the right way to dispose of them.

Maximizing bulb Performance

Although the bulbs are getting much better, they do not really last as long as sometimes advertised. You see it really depends on the application. These bulbs really do well in an application where they are left on for several hours at a time. An ideal application is where the bulb is left on over night, over a driveway for example. I have had a pair of bulbs last three years under these conditions. Compared to an incandescent flood which lasts about 6 months and uses about 8 times the energy, this application works well and saves money.

Alternatively I used one of these bulbs in a clothes closet where we would turn it on and off within about 10 minutes. These bulbs did not last very long as compared to the driveway example. There have been great improvements however in recent years. I placed a CFL in the bathroom about 8 months ago and it is still burning bright.

Heat is also a contributor to shortened CFL life. Make sure you install them in well ventilated fixtures.

Dimming is not a common feature of CFL bulbs. Use caution if you want to install a CFL with a dimmer. Make sure the bulb has that capability.

So in summary, CFL’s do save energy. You must recycle them in order to prevent mercury from entering the environment. Make sure you purchase the light quality you expected by choosing warm or cool white. And lastly, place them in an application where they will be burning with adequate ventilation and for extended periods to maximize your savings.