CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

ggunn
ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Over the years I have been converting from incandescent bulbs to CFL's for most of my lighting, and one thing that I have noticed is that they do not seem to last that much longer than regular bulbs. Is it just me? I have only been doing this for a few years, and I am already on my third CFL in a couple of places.
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  • TheBackRoads
    TheBackRoads Solar Expert Posts: 274 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    What type of fixtures are they being used in? How many hours a day? I hear heat mounts to an early death... I've had a few go bad but those were the earlier ones to the market.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I've had CFL's burning for years now. Started with replacing the incandescents in fixtures that get the most use. So far only two have failed, and they were both the type with the plastic covers to make them look more "bulb like". All of the "twisty kind" have remained working. Some of them are now 8 years old.

    I shouldn't expect cheap ones to last. We can get some real "bargains" around here that are 1/2 the price of the "name brand" units. Haven't ever bought and tested them, but I suspect they'd be the ones with the poor power factor and would give up sooner.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Hasn't been my experience, however I've heard that some may be of inferior quality. I've only used Sylvania because they were easily available to me. Found them very good. Had 5 outdoors, about 15 inside, for over 10 years and cannot remember loosing any to failure except for one enclosed outside that filled with water. Now I'm in the process of switching to LED. Really like them, especially for outside because no matter how cold, they're instant on, full brightness. Expensive though, so my only purchases are on sale. Recently got a big boost when Wal*Mart put their stock on clearance to make room for newer, better ones. The newer, better ones by the way, really are better, got one at full price for educational purposes.
    Couple of possibly negative points about LEDs that could cause a problem in some cases - - - the light comes from small points, so can be a harsh, sharp shadow casting light compared to CF, so you may need 2 lamps separated by a foot or more over a kitchen counter etc. Some also may cause static on nearby radios. They're still working up to the brightness we were used to with the old 100 watt space heaters we were brought up on though. But overall, I like them better than CFL.
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  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    There are a lot of quality variation in CFL's. Most are sourced from China.

    I have some that have lasted years. Some die in 5-6 months.

    Philips are usually the best quality but they are also forced to compete with the dirt cheap China sourced CFL's.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I have a few older ones still working, you can tell as there is a detectable delay at startup. The newer ones I have seem pretty bullet proof, even the cheap ones from Home Depot, I bought some in 4 packs for $1.58 this summer. I have some that are 5 plus years old still cooking. failure rates have been very low.
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Thanks for all the replies. For now I will continue replacing incandescent lamps with CFL's and not worry too much about the failures. I'm looking at LED's as well for some applications.

    Most/all the "white" LED's I have seen have had a very bluish hue. My sister gave me a barbeque light with white LED's which is really useless for its touted purpose. With nearly no red component to its output spectrum I cannot tell rare from well done with it. It works great as a reading light, though.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    i'll add that asside from the brand causing (its own) premature death that your voltage can add to that premature death as well if it is too high. the unloaded voltage should not exceed 126vac on either leg as per my utility and i was in the 128vac range before (if my remember right) and mine were going bad quickly too. the excessive voltage causes more power to be dissipated and that creates extra heat.

    if you have a decent dmm check the voltage in your home without anything drawing power. you should note that excessive voltage doesn't sit well with incandescents either, not to mention everything else you'd have operating on it in your home.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?
    ggunn wrote: »

    Most/all the "white" LED's I have seen have had a very bluish hue.

    That definitely has been a problem, but thankfully one that is being addressed very successfully.
    And the BBQ light you mentioned - - unfortunately that was a "get rich quick" idea that someone had, and it gave LED lights a bad name. In reality they were a product that should have gone into the reject bin at a surplus outlet somewhere. Unfortunately they were advertised as the icing on the cake, and sucked in a lot of trusting, well intentioned people.:grr
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?
    waynefromnscanada wrote: »
    That definitely has been a problem, but thankfully one that is being addressed very successfully.
    And the BBQ light you mentioned - - unfortunately that was a "get rich quick" idea that someone had, and it gave LED lights a bad name. In reality they were a product that should have gone into the reject bin at a surplus outlet somewhere.
    Or sold as a reading lamp. It has C clamp type attaching hardware that can grab a bed headboard and about 24" of gooseneck that lets you position the LED assembly wherever you want it. It throws a pretty narrow beam, just about the right size to illuminate a paperback book without lighting up the room when my wife is trying to sleep.

    It's very useful, just not for the purpose for which it was marketed.
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  • samuel
    samuel Solar Expert Posts: 80 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Heat can also do CFLs in. A common way to extend the life of CFLs is to modify the fixture. Bell shaped fixtures that point downward and vent poorly (heat rises) can trap heat and shorten the life of CFLs. Mounting the light the other way so the bells point up (providing it looks OK) can lengthen the life of some CFLs
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  • Seven
    Seven Solar Expert Posts: 292 ✭✭
    #12
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I have not had good luck with cfl bulbs. We had them all over in the old house. The bathroom ones were replaced a couple times a year, the ones in the garage lasted for a few weeks in some cases, the ones outside didn't like very hot or cold. Moving to led at the new place, about half were done during the remodel.

    Hoping the LED bulbs will last for years.
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  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Just about all the CFLs over 10 or 12 years old, are gone now.
    Some only lasted 3 or 4 years. I'm not sure, but I think
    voltage surges and/or continuous high voltage (127vac range) isn't helping their life span.

    The CFLs from the last few years seem to be doing okay so far.
    But, I've already replaced about 40% of them with LED bulbs.
    I'm hoping the high voltage isn't going to zap them too.
    Those LEDs are what I call an Investment. :roll:
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  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    #14
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Someone here liked the phillips. I started out with them and GE. My first phillips were pink and didn,t last a year. I called them and they sent replacement coupons and some of them lasted longer. I still have a couple of the GE bulbs I started with. I had good luck with sylvania and walmart brand. :Dsolarvic:D
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #15
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    The GE's are good, their three way CFL's just keep going. The best CFL I have ever bought was german from Stecca. It is a 24V yard light and has been running for 8 years from 20F to 100F. Anything that Stecca makes is pretty hard to beat.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Long life on all of my CFLs, switched the whole house over to them 4-5 years ago. The 2 most-used (at least 6 hours a day) went not that long ago. The only other ones I've replaced were destroyed by accident during an exterior remodel. Others outside have been exposed to -5 F to 100 F and still work fine.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • a0128958
    a0128958 Solar Expert Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    #17
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    CFL quality varies widely now. Use almalgam technology bulbs for high reliability needs, especially for recessed light fixtures (ceiling 'cans').

    Here's a reference slide that I put together on this subject for some recent events, that hopefully helps:

    original.jpg

    Best regards,

    Bill
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #18
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I gave up cfl and have moved to LED 40W, only 2W
    John
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  • manzanita
    manzanita Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭✭✭
    #19
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I've had good luck with CFLs. Bought most of them when they were on sale. I buy the ones that replace 100w bulbs.

    Some friends have had the problems that others have mentioned, with bulbs failing due to heat, surges and high voltage.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #20
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Had great luck with CFLs over the last probably 20 years, but now just two more "bulbs" to change in an outbuilding and every light I have, both inside and out, will have been changed over to LED. Finding them way better, especially in the cold with their instant on/full brightness. For me, the CFLs were wonderful when there was nothing better, but now I'm finding the advances in LEDs to be incredible, especially in the last year. I know I've posted on this before, but had to share what I'm now finding with LEDs. I'll never buy another CFL.
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  • tallgirl
    tallgirl Solar Expert Posts: 413 ✭✭
    #21
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I relamped the entire house in '07, starting slowly, then buying bulbs like crazy by 6/07 or so.

    Of the 52 or 54 (I forget) bulbs in the house, I think 22 have burned out in almost five years now. I am starting to switch over to LEDs and like the fact that the smaller bulbs (candelabra) are a point source, rather than some long curley-Q inside a plastic shell.

    The quality has improved dramatically over the last 5 years. That or Lowe's has stopped selling junk. Not sure which, but for a year there I was getting too many "duds".
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #22
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    My CFLs have been in for almost 4 years now, the only failures have been those small base bulbs, all replaced with LEDs.
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  • topper
    topper Solar Expert Posts: 113 ✭✭
    #23
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I switched everything over to CFLs a number of years ago.3,4,5 yrs?? The only place I had issues was the bathroom with them burning out every month. I blame it on lots of on/off switching and humidity. The rest have been no issue. I have only replaced a handful since out of 40 plus bulbs(Coiled little UGLIES by sylvania). Hoping to go to LED when the price gets better.
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #24
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?
    tallgirl wrote: »
    I relamped the entire house in '07, starting slowly, then buying bulbs like crazy by 6/07 or so.

    Of the 52 or 54 (I forget) bulbs in the house, I think 22 have burned out in almost five years now. I am starting to switch over to LEDs and like the fact that the smaller bulbs (candelabra) are a point source, rather than some long curley-Q inside a plastic shell.

    The quality has improved dramatically over the last 5 years. That or Lowe's has stopped selling junk. Not sure which, but for a year there I was getting too many "duds".
    I haven't kept count, but I have had similar disappointing results. I think that in large part the failure rate has offset the power savings. The highest failure rate seems to be in the enclosed units (round bathroom lights and floodlights), which makes me suspect that heat accumulation is the culprit. I hope you are right about CFL quality getting better; LED's are still pretty expensive.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #25
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    My solution to the globe/heat problem with bathroom fixtures was to ditch the globe and buy the "round" CFLs like this.

    http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100677486/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #26
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?
    techntrek wrote: »
    My solution to the globe/heat problem with bathroom fixtures was to ditch the globe and buy the "round" CFLs like this.

    http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100677486/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

    That is the kind I was talking about that keep failing. Inside that spherical shell there is a coiled CFL.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #27
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Mine have lasted for years in all 3 bathrooms, none of them have burned out even with short cycles in our downstairs bathroom (quickie breaks during commercials), and useage of over an hour every day in the other 2 bathrooms.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #28
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    techntrek,
    i'm gathering by your sigline that you are totally off grid. i'm curious as to the typical ac voltage you see to the cfls. if you have the grid then what is that typical voltage too?
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #29
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    Actually I'm on-grid. I just checked and I installed my CFLs in January 2006, and installed my online UPS in October 2008. 95% of my lights are supplied by the UPS, so for half of their life their voltage has been very tightly controlled @ 120 volts. Prior to the UPS they were usually fed around 118-122 volts but we get more than an occasional brownout, with the lowest voltage I measured pre-UPS in the 90's. Now brownouts only affect my 240 volt circuits.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #30
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?
    techntrek wrote: »
    Mine have lasted for years in all 3 bathrooms, none of them have burned out even with short cycles in our downstairs bathroom (quickie breaks during commercials), and useage of over an hour every day in the other 2 bathrooms.

    I started putting them in to replace conventional bulbs as they burn out in both our bathrooms about three years ago. So far I have had three of them fail, and a couple of the incandescents are still working.
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  • Wayne123
    Wayne123 Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭
    #31
    Re: CFL's not that long-lived - is it just me?

    I had terrible luck with CFLs, my voltage runs around 125v and most of my lights are on automated dimmers, I have had dimmable CFLs fail in as little as 2 weeks.

    I have switched over to all LED bulbs now and I like them so far, I bought a bunch of the Philips 60w equivalent, bug light looking bulbs at the beginning of the year and they are doing great, more recently I bought bunch the 60w equivalent Ecosmart bulbs and so far I have not had any failures, I got all my bulbs at Home Depot.
    This is a link for the Ecosmart bulbs I am using. http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-LED-Light-Bulbs/EcoSmart/h_d1/N-bm79Z4b8Z5yc1v/R-202668646/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

    I hope they last for as long as they claim or I wasted a lot of money.
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