DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
You have had better luck than I, If your life figures are real time.
Or are you going by what the package says ?
Maybe the key words are "up to" 10 times longer.
CFL Bulbs that really last for 5 Years
- Thread starter DonL
- Start date
You have had better luck than I, If your life figures are real time.
Or are you going by what the package says ?
Maybe the key words are "up to" 10 times longer.
BobL43
DIY Senior Member
Yah, I think she's reading that info from the box and not talking from 'sperience.
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Jimbo
Plumber
My bad on the apostrophe. I know better than that but I was careless. Rep for "representative", is a noun, not necessarily in the OED, but widely accepted in trade circles without the period. The switch, if I understood him correctly, is a bimetallic, something like what might be found inside a thermostat. It is a physical switch which is either conducting..or INFINITE ohms. Electronic switches do not "snap" open to closed in the same manner, and very typically have leakage current even when the light should be "off". Devices with electronic drivers, like CFL and LED , do not respond well to such leakage currents.
Jimbo
Plumber
LIFE CYCLE. The industry standard measure of the life-hours for a product is to put 10,000 items in a room. Subject them to whatever is considered the "normal" off/on cycles, possibly accelerating the cycles. At the point where exactly HALF the bulbs have stopped working, THAT is the listed hour lifetime for that model.
A rep from American Fluorescent recently explained to me that it is a little different with LEDs. The element may run 30 years + and still be putting out light. But the elements do get dimmer as time goes by. Up to the stated life...let's say an item is an 8 year rated LED....the brightness is nearly the same as brand new. But then as further time goes by, it will get dimmer and after a certain period of time will be considered unsatisfactory, and that is when you replace it.
Yes, I do get to meet a lot of "reps" .. Long story.
A rep from American Fluorescent recently explained to me that it is a little different with LEDs. The element may run 30 years + and still be putting out light. But the elements do get dimmer as time goes by. Up to the stated life...let's say an item is an 8 year rated LED....the brightness is nearly the same as brand new. But then as further time goes by, it will get dimmer and after a certain period of time will be considered unsatisfactory, and that is when you replace it.
Yes, I do get to meet a lot of "reps" .. Long story.
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
I still have incandescent bulbs that have lasted much longer than these GE CFLs in the same room.
When a incandescent gos bad it gets brighter, for a split second. I have even heard them sing.
When a incandescent gos bad it gets brighter, for a split second. I have even heard them sing.
BobL43
DIY Senior Member
Must be the fat lady inside. It ain't over till the fat lady sings. COULD NOT RESIST THAT DON! Thanks!
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
Lost another CFL at around 1500 hours
That is funny Bob.
I turned it off after I heard her singing, and she stopped singing, then I turned it back on and she Blew. I guess she got pissed off.
I just lost another GE 6500K CFL this morning, I estimate it had about 1500 hours of use. less than 1 year old.
That is funny Bob.
I turned it off after I heard her singing, and she stopped singing, then I turned it back on and she Blew. I guess she got pissed off.
I just lost another GE 6500K CFL this morning, I estimate it had about 1500 hours of use. less than 1 year old.
Jimbo
Plumber
The major manufacturers warrant their CFL bulbs for the stated life...typically 6000 to 8000 hours. You should be able to return those to place of purchase.
Jimbo
Plumber
And apparently this thread will last 5 years, even if the bulbs don't!
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
They are in warranty, but the shipping to China would cost more than a new bulb. Or would they just send new ones, Same Junk ?
I want to take them apart and see what failed.
Ballvalve
General Engineering Contractor
My best friend was doing 3 girls a day and his wife, and living a wild life.
I warned him "that the bulb always burns the brightest before it goes out"
he got a bit depressed, but a week later he was vaporized by running a stop sign just in front of a triple trailer big rig.
4 seconds more or less and he would be alive. The eastern europeans never leave for a car trip without a one minute sit down together just for such reasons.... rather odd idea, however.
I warned him "that the bulb always burns the brightest before it goes out"
he got a bit depressed, but a week later he was vaporized by running a stop sign just in front of a triple trailer big rig.
4 seconds more or less and he would be alive. The eastern europeans never leave for a car trip without a one minute sit down together just for such reasons.... rather odd idea, however.
Jimbo
Plumber
What is inside the base on the ones I have taken apart is a little circuit board with a small transformer, a torroidal core coil, half dozen capacitors, a few resistors, 4 diodes, couple of transistors that's it.
No need to send it to china. Take it back to the store. They all have an open door bulb return policy.
No need to send it to china. Take it back to the store. They all have an open door bulb return policy.
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
Happy National Weed Day. 4/20
I guess you are celebrating.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/420-meaning-the-true-stor_n_543854.html
Enjoy.
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DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
BobL43
DIY Senior Member
Better to be pissed off then pissed on
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
Runs with Bison
Member
Half your problem is right there: GE. Their CFL's suck...and are unfortunately the most numerous. Still they last longer than incandescents by a long shot. They don't last as long as the HD store brand though, not even close. The failure rate of incandescents I've measured is at minimum 4 times greater than even the lousy GE's. I bought the GE's in Houston while I was living there in 2005...I still have a few of them although they are burning out at a faster rate than the HD store brand.
JWelectric
Electrical Contractor/Instructor
I have two 100 watt incandescent bulbs that have been burning from dust to dawn for more than 14 years now.
Anyone want to guess how this works?
Anyone want to guess how this works?
Chad Schloss
Member
probably because they never heat and cold cycle? i know that your bulbs last longer burning them than letting them sit. even with 12v automotive bulbs. i haven't replace any bulbs on my 2008 cr-v yet because i drive with the lights on all the time.
DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
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