Comments on: Reader hack: fluorescent bulbs

By: Mandy

Mandy — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:30:22 +0000

I live in KY and use KU for our home electric. They had a mailer a few months ago about fluorescent bulbs and how much they save on your bill. Along with this info they had a little post card to fill out to receive 4 free bulbs. What a great deal I have tried to change most of my lights to these bulbs, and have had to change only the cheepy ones from walmart & dollar store. The Sylvania ones from Lowes have lasted us at least 4 years and are still going strong.

By: Are fluorescent bulbs worth the price? - OC Deals : The Orange County Register

Are fluorescent bulbs worth the price? - OC Deals : The Orange County Register — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:14:43 +0000

[...] Read her post on Frugal Hacks here, she had some interesting thoughts, and also some interesting com… [...]

By: ren

ren — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:50:21 +0000

I’ve put em allover my house bought 4 years ago, and they are still ticking – I do have on socket in the house that burns em quickly – resolved to put incandescent in that one. probably something about the wiring. – should probably check into that

By: Mommaofmany

Mommaofmany — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:54:55 +0000

Whatever you do, don’t turn them on and off. They only have so many starts in them. Also, pay the extra cash up front for the good bulbs. My husband works for Sylvania, and we buy their bulbs, for the most part. He did buy a box of bulk bulbs at Walmart a few months ago, and has already had to change out a few, while the Sylvania ones keep burning and burning.

By: niki

niki — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:27:12 +0000

Good for you for letting them know!

By: Cori

Cori — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:55:31 +0000

I installed CFL bulbs in most of the fixtures in my apartment a few years ago, and ended up bringing the majority of them with me when I moved after three years. They are still going in my new apartment. Occasionally one does fail (the most recent one because of user error, I tipped over the lamp), but it’s markedly less than with any incandescent bulb. And since I’m terrible about turning off lights, they’re really useful!

By: Deb

Deb — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:42:47 +0000

My husband was just talking to his lighting guy at work (they manage 50+ senior care campuses) and learned something that we never knew before. He said that when you first install the bulb, you need to let it burn for 5 hours before turning them off again. This significantly increases the life of the bulb.

By: kimc

kimc — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:41:53 +0000

A dimmer switch is also very hard on fluorescent bulbs, significantly shortening the lifespan.
I think remote-control operated ceiling fans work like dimmer switches too, allowing a small amount of current to pulse through the bulb all the time, even when the light is off. Ours constantly flickered while turned off, and consistently burned out within just a couple of months.

By: Condo Blues

Condo Blues — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:20:39 +0000

How long CFLs last also depends upon how many times you turn it off and on and keep it burning. I had some CLFs burn out more quickly in a bathroom than in the living room where we turn on the light in the evening and keep it burning until bedtime.

Cold might also makes them burn out more quickly and can effect the quality of light. I found out that one the hard way with the bulb in our unheated garage

Still even if I have to change a couple of CFLs one a year instead of 5 or 10 I’m ahead of the game. It seemed like we were always going through traditional bulbs. Not so much with the CFLs.

By: Holly

Holly — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:50:52 +0000

I, too, have had many CFL fail sooner than they were “supposed to.” I’ve given up trying to use them in ceiling fan fixtures or the bathroom vanity lights — apparently the bulbs must be in an upright position with no vibration. However, I have had one of the older circle-type CFLs in a table lamp now for over 10 years.