energy efficient lights

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Barry J

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I want to put energy efficient lights in our ceiling fan, I put some in my daughters, but it takes about 4-5 minutes for them to get up to full brightness.

Is there a certain kind i can get that does not do that?? Or a certain label to look out for??

Thanks

Barry
 

Jimbo

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Slow run up to full brightness tends to be a characteristic of electronic ballast instant start bulbs. But some, Philips or TCP I think, makes a line called "InstaBrite" try those.
 

Jadnashua

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Iminaquagmire

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They just burn out. I did have one in which the ballast burned up in and melted the housing, but that was a no name brand and probably 6 years ago when they were first becoming widely available. If you're worried about the mercury, don't throw them away. The recycling center here takes them and I know there are places you can ship them if your local town doesn't.

All of mine are nvision and are instant on by the way. The only bulbs in the house that aren't CFL's are the GU10 bulbs in my recessed cans and the halogens in the motion light for the backyard. Even the flood lights for the track lighting are CFL's.

The LED bulb posted above is only equivalent to a 25 or 30 watt incandescent. I can't direct link to it, but SuperBrightLEDs.com has quite a few less expensive LED bulbs from edison screw base to MR16.
 

Jimbo

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LED will be the bulb of the future. The US energy department has commited to that, but I think the drop dead date is 2015. By then the technology will have evolved, and the price will come down. Right now the cost of LED to replace a regular 40 watt bulb is $50 to $115, and the electrical savings would not pay that back if you lived to be a hundred!

So, I will stay with fluorescents until the government realizes they have created a mercury disaster that will make the Love Canal look like a tea party!

On the plus side, Home Depot has stepped up to the plate, and accepts all fluorescents for recycle from all comers. I do not go out of my way to recycle. Last weekend, my old microwave just went right in the dumpster, because I refuse to schlep that all over town. But HD stores are everywhere, and I AM a little concerned about mercury, so I will drop bulbs off there.
 

Scuba_Dave

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I won't ever use them indoors, but, I do use them outside. I am wondering though when they do burn out, will they break or just burn out? I haven't had one go yet, but I do use one in the postlamp, front porch, and 3 flood lights.

They just burn out, I have never had one break due to burning out. I have been using CFL's for about 15 years. I still have one of my original CFL's bulbs
 

JWelectric

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Box I just looked at says Made in China

Why am I not surprised?????????????

China is the only country that does not restrict the manufacturing process of these bulbs. They all are made in China so bare in mind that for every bulb you buy another American is starving to death because they can not find work.
 

Jimbo

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Why am I not surprised?????????????

China is the only country that does not restrict the manufacturing process of these bulbs. They all are made in China so bare in mind that for every bulb you buy another American is starving to death because they can not find work.

And another chinese child will suffer brain damage from mercury poisoning.
 

Speedy Petey

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Why am I not surprised?????????????

China is the only country that does not restrict the manufacturing process of these bulbs. They all are made in China so bare in mind that for every bulb you buy another American is starving to death because they can not find work.
Come on Mike. This is a bit dramatic, don't you think?
What things like are NOT made in China any more?

Don't get me wrong, I go out of my way to buy quality items and buy American when I can. It's just this is becoming nearly impossible any more.
What companies like Milwaukee go to China to make their tools it signals the beginning of the end. WHY the hell is it that no one wants to spend the money for quality??? Adjusted for inflation, many things are MUCH cheaper than they were 20-25 years ago. And this is NOT a good thing IMO.

There are WAY less people like us, and WAY more that shop almost exclusively at that sh*thole walmart. :mad:
 

Scuba_Dave

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99k

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Mercury is incredibly toxic! Don't underestimate it ... I do not have fluorescent bulbs in my house either. Sure they don't break when then burn out, however, they easily break when they are hit or dropped. Where are the majority ending up when they expire? In the garbage of course ... most don't bother with recycling. The mercury is now out of batteries ... I suspect the technology exists. There are many who believe autism is related to mercury ... I'll stay with incandescent until they come up with an alternative material.
 
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