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Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

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    Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

    Ok so I've recently had a bunch of energy savers die in my apartment, after only 3 years (they're supposed to last 8-10). I did the math, and even if I burned them 24 hours a day (which I didn't), they still should have lasted a little over 3 years. I've used a few different brands. One was a cheapie from Ikea, which I guess is understandable, and the others were Phillips (expensive!) They didn't even fade like normal before they died...they just burned out. They didn't burn out all at once, I haven't been having electrical problems otherwise (no surges or anything), and my building (and its wiring) is new.

    Is it because it's cold? Air pressure? Humidity? I did have major humidity problems in my apartment for a while...

    In the summer, one in the hall actually blew....it was just before a thunder storm (probably crazy air pressure?) and the bulb exploded in the fixture.

    #2
    Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

    I don't know what it is, but I don't usually get more than a year or so out of any brand.

    If it's much colder here than it is there, that may be it. But we have lakes everywhere, and a lot of rain and snow, so it's pretty humid here. I don't know...
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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      #3
      Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

      I think you fell prey to marketing, Danie. We bought a pack of expensive CFLs, & they had all that 'up to 10 years' stuff on them... and burned out in 2 years. They did outlast the regular ol' incandescents (which we kill in like, 6 weeks - that's the downside of being nightowls), but didn't live up to the promises. And they give off crappy lighting, so we only used them in our hallway.

      I'm waiting for the LEDs to come down in price.
      The forum member formerly known as perzephone. Or Perze. I've shed a skin.

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        #4
        Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

        I don't recall changing a single light bulb in the house since I bought it and switched everything to CFLs. It's been just over 5 years. So we do seem to be getting the hyped life span. But we are really careful about turning off lights and much of the house is naturally lit during the day.

        I've not heard of any environmental reasons for burning out early. Interesting...
        The Pagan Porch - a Pagan Homesteading forum

        Sand Holler Farm Blog - aren't you just dying to know what I do all day?

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          #5
          Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

          Originally posted by perzephone View Post
          I think you fell prey to marketing, Danie. We bought a pack of expensive CFLs, & they had all that 'up to 10 years' stuff on them... and burned out in 2 years. They did outlast the regular ol' incandescents (which we kill in like, 6 weeks - that's the downside of being nightowls), but didn't live up to the promises. And they give off crappy lighting, so we only used them in our hallway.

          I'm waiting for the LEDs to come down in price.
          I didn't fall prey to marketing...lots of people I know have the same ones and use electricity about as much as I do, and they lasted longer!

          ---------- Post added at 08:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 AM ----------

          Originally posted by Madness View Post
          I don't recall changing a single light bulb in the house since I bought it and switched everything to CFLs. It's been just over 5 years. So we do seem to be getting the hyped life span. But we are really careful about turning off lights and much of the house is naturally lit during the day.

          I've not heard of any environmental reasons for burning out early. Interesting...
          Yeah this is more in line with what everyone I know has had. Also, I did use them back home in Canada as well. I had the same light bulbs for the over 3 years I lived on my own there and they were still going when I went to Germany.

          I seriously don't know what's up with mine! They -should- be lasting. I expected the Ikea ones to go because they're not that good really (they've died on me in the past after a couple of years) but everyone else has had good luck with the other ones. I also have a bright apartment and don't turn on lights all day.

          My electronics in general tend to die though....even the ones plugged into surge protectors. So I'm wondering if it's the humidity in here (which I've solved...it caused my wood floors to warp).

          EDIT: Overall, they've saved enough electricity per year to pay for themselves in one year, so they were still worth it. I just really don't want to change bulbs so much. I'm too short to reach them so it's this big production where I have to call taller friends and get them to come over....
          Last edited by DanieMarie; 12 Feb 2012, 23:34.

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            #6
            Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

            Originally posted by DanieMarie View Post
            Ok so I've recently had a bunch of energy savers die in my apartment, after only 3 years (they're supposed to last 8-10). I did the math, and even if I burned them 24 hours a day (which I didn't), they still should have lasted a little over 3 years. I've used a few different brands. One was a cheapie from Ikea, which I guess is understandable, and the others were Phillips (expensive!) They didn't even fade like normal before they died...they just burned out. They didn't burn out all at once, I haven't been having electrical problems otherwise (no surges or anything), and my building (and its wiring) is new.

            Is it because it's cold? Air pressure? Humidity? I did have major humidity problems in my apartment for a while...

            In the summer, one in the hall actually blew....it was just before a thunder storm (probably crazy air pressure?) and the bulb exploded in the fixture.
            My father's an electrical engineer, so I get to hear it all the time. It's a design flaw with energy-saving bulbs.
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              #7
              Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

              Originally posted by Caelia View Post
              My father's an electrical engineer, so I get to hear it all the time. It's a design flaw with energy-saving bulbs.
              Like what design flaw? Some of them just crap out? They don't withstand certain conditions?

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                #8
                Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                This explains it better than I can at this hour (I haven't slept yet): http://www.nuovaenergia.eu/en/hirek/...er-time/210/2/

                This one goes into better detail maybe, as it explains not bright places and rooms with frequent use (ie lots of on and off switching) will lessen their lifespan: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...WhatsNewsForth

                ADD: While not a design flaw in the bulb itself one thing you may want to consider is the fixture. http://www.earthmatelighting.com/faq.php
                Last edited by Caelia; 13 Feb 2012, 03:10.
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                to descend."

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                  #9
                  Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                  I loathe energy saving bulbs with every fibre of my being.

                  IMHO all they do is rearrange the gloom....
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                  Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

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                    #10
                    Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                    Originally posted by Caelia View Post
                    This explains it better than I can at this hour (I haven't slept yet): http://www.nuovaenergia.eu/en/hirek/...er-time/210/2/

                    This one goes into better detail maybe, as it explains not bright places and rooms with frequent use (ie lots of on and off switching) will lessen their lifespan: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...WhatsNewsForth

                    ADD: While not a design flaw in the bulb itself one thing you may want to consider is the fixture. http://www.earthmatelighting.com/faq.php
                    Thanks for the info!

                    ---------- Post added at 02:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:39 PM ----------

                    Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
                    I loathe energy saving bulbs with every fibre of my being.

                    IMHO all they do is rearrange the gloom....
                    I hate incancesdents more though. The light is so yellow and one-dimensional, and they always die on me. Even in rooms I don't use much!

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                      #11
                      Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                      Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
                      I loathe energy saving bulbs with every fibre of my being.

                      IMHO all they do is rearrange the gloom....
                      Have you tried any of the new ones? The first ones we bought for the house (5 years ago) were pretty damn hideous. We rarely turn on those lights (might be why they last so long!) and use lamps in those rooms - lamps with newer CFLs that have a MUCH better quality of light.

                      Just this weekend, we installed some halogen lights in the kitchen. They aren't as energy efficient as the CFLs, but they are much more like the old incandescent ones. There are lots of options out there now!

                      And I had heard that flipping them on and off a lot does reduce the lifespan. I forgot about that! We do have them in the bathroom and that's one place I know some people still hold on to the older ones. I've been fine with ours, but it does take awhile for them to warm up and get going.
                      The Pagan Porch - a Pagan Homesteading forum

                      Sand Holler Farm Blog - aren't you just dying to know what I do all day?

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                        #12
                        Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                        Thanks, Madness. I do keep trying and I'm sure there must be something out there that won't require me to take out a mortgage to buy it Probably I became prejudiced against the bulbs after struggling with the old ones...
                        www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


                        Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

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                          #13
                          Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                          We've never had a problem with our CFL's...we've taken them with us and switched them out from apartment to apartment, we just get the warm/soft white rather than the daylight--looks just like incandescent. I think we are going to switch though to the LEDs as they go out though--cheaper electricity, and no mercury issues if you break one.
                          Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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                            #14
                            Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                            I think I'll switch to LED ones as well when they come down in price as well, if they do...the CFL ones are still wayyyy more expensive than in North America. I read it was on the premise that they were still made in Europe to "protect European manufacturing", which would be a totally good reason to me, except every time I see them in the stores they all say "designed in Europe, made in China". So they're basically trying to bleed more money out of our market (especially since incandescents are getting phased out and wont be sold after a while). I wonder if it's all of Europe or just Germany....I read in the UK that energy savers are under 2 pounds, but here the cheapest one I ever found was 4 Euro...they average 6-8 Euro. That's why I got the Ikea ones..they're 2 Euro for 2, but they die really fast.

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                              #15
                              Re: Energy-saving bulbs- what am I doing wrong?

                              Originally posted by DanieMarie View Post
                              I didn't fall prey to marketing...lots of people I know have the same ones and use electricity about as much as I do, and they lasted longer!
                              Most people I know who've tried to switch were having the same experiences as I did - paying about $5 a bulb that promises a lifetime of 8 - 10 years... and they burn out in 2 - 3. It doesn't seem to matter which brand, either - GE, Philips (which were along the lines of $9 a bulb when they first came out), generic, same thing. I'm the only graveyard person I know, so even though my hallway lights are on for more hours than the daytime people's bulbs, I got about the same lifetime use from mine as they did. I tried some halogen bulbs, too - but kept running into packs of bulbs that didn't work from the get-go - or burned out even faster than the incandescents.

                              I know everyone wants to save the environment, but I'm thinking CFLs aren't the answer. I don't know what it is about the bulbs - we've got regular fluorescent lights in our kitchen. We moved into this house in '04 & haven't had to replace those yet. Who knows how long the little old lady who owned the house had them before we moved in, lol.
                              The forum member formerly known as perzephone. Or Perze. I've shed a skin.

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