CFL lightbulbs

[Jade4u]

My landlord has recently put plugs in all our apartments that will not allow us to put regular bulbs in any of our light fixtures now. Now we can only use CFL bulbs in our units. I have read many positives/negatives about these bulbs and it is rather scary when I first turn the lights on in the bathroom now with the buzzing and flickering sounds, but like I read once they warm up they do stop the noise and settle down. It also looks like I will have to buy new bulbs now for my bedroom as it is on a dimmer and has blown out already and from what I have read this is the cause of it blowing out in only two weeks. Where can I find dimmable CFL bulbs close by to here anyhow?

Anyhow I found this very interesting all the debates about the new CFL bulbs too. http://hubpages.com/hub/Energy-Efficient-Lightbulbs

 

[333conan]

CFL's are not deigned to work with a dimmer. I was told they used to make dimmable fluorescent but they were very expensive. You will have to either find a way to use an incandescent bulb or remove the dimmer. You might want to check with an electrical supplier like Nedco, maybe they can help find soloution.

 

[biog]

They still make dimmable CFL's but they are more expensive than regular CFL's. Most home improvement stores should have them

 

[tboy]

I'm more interested in this modification to prevent the use of incandescent bulbs. Both CFL and IC use the same type of screw in socket.

 

[bennyboy68]

try leds if you want to use a dimmer...
they last (virtually) forever.

a little more $$ up front, but much better payback down the road...

 

[tboy]

try leds if you want to use a dimmer...
they last (virtually) forever.

a little more $$ up front, but much better payback down the road...

WAY more money up front and they do get fricken hot. I know the LED puck lights require a special "driver" not a standard 12 volt transformer.......

 

[Tangwhich]

WAY more money up front and they do get fricken hot. I know the LED puck lights require a special "driver" not a standard 12 volt transformer.......

I have 120v LED bulbs in my potlights, so it just depends on what you buy.

Hot? They do not get hot at all.

Like Tboy, I'm interested in what the hell they did to stop you using regular bulbs?

A couple of years ago I went all gung ho for CFLs, but I've really come to dislike them and the money savings is not even worth it when you consider all the surcharges you get on your electricity bill. As these burn out I'm switching back to regular bulbs.

 

[Never Compromised]

I find that the CFL bulbs do not last as long as advertised, they are more expensive than standard, and the flickering light gives me headaches when I try to read. I have found that a mix of 60% CFL to 40% regular solves the headache problem.

Nanny State McSquinty has mandated the use of CFL by some point in Ontario. Stock up on the old style quietly if you want to keep a supply.

His desire to have every multi-residential unit building to have in suite power consumption meters is running into stiff resistance in some quarters. I know that our building buys power "in bulk" and would not be able to do so if we go to the individual meters and billings.

 

[tboy]

I have 120v LED bulbs in my potlights, so it just depends on what you buy.

Hot? They do not get hot at all.

Like Tboy, I'm interested in what the hell they did to stop you using regular bulbs?

A couple of years ago I went all gung ho for CFLs, but I've really come to dislike them and the money savings is not even worth it when you consider all the surcharges you get on your electricity bill. As these burn out I'm switching back to regular bulbs.

Yeah, you can get 120V versions that have the built in driver. I bet you paid a pretty good dollar for them?

I've used the undercounter puck style lights and upon speaking with a sparky (aka electrician) he said "well, 12 volts is 12 volts...." but it's not. A standard 12 volt transformer fries an LED puck light in no time flat (even with the correct amperage). Supposedly the driver has some sort of circuitry that runs the LEDs correctly. (and they ain't cheap!).

As for the heat, check the backs of the installed units. I bet there is a pretty good sized aluminum heat sink on the back. I know the pucks I used each had one and while the LEDs themselves don't get that hot, the back panel does.

 

[Tangwhich]

Yeah, you can get 120V versions that have the built in driver. I bet you paid a pretty good dollar for them?

I've used the undercounter puck style lights and upon speaking with a sparky (aka electrician) he said "well, 12 volts is 12 volts...." but it's not. A standard 12 volt transformer fries an LED puck light in no time flat (even with the correct amperage). Supposedly the driver has some sort of circuitry that runs the LEDs correctly. (and they ain't cheap!).

As for the heat, check the backs of the installed units. I bet there is a pretty good sized aluminum heat sink on the back. I know the pucks I used each had one and while the LEDs themselves don't get that hot, the back panel does.

Yes, there were expensive, but there's nothing fancy about them. THe look like standard GU10 bulbs.
I don't think it's the bulb that gets hot, it's the transformer. I won't buy any low voltage lighting, regardless of bulb type.

 

[Jade4u]

From what I can see they are round but of course hollow in the center and I am wondering if I take a pair of tweezers if I can pull it out or not, but being an electrical place that it is placed into I would be scared to do so. Besides I am not sure with what I am seeing if it is the only thing, like is it attached to anything metal back there too or is it just the rubber ring and if I pull that out will I leave something else behind or was there something else there that they removed to put that there to begin with? I am with you on that I would like to know more about what they put there. I have no idea how to change back to a non dimmable switch, plus I like my bedroom to have dimmable light. Maybe I will just buy a dimmable lamp or something and forget all about the overhead light and leave it alone. I do not mind them any other place in my apt. except for my bathroom and my bedroom.

 

[tboy]

Do Not Stick Anything Metal Into A Light Socket!!

Ever

 

[333conan]

They still make dimmable CFL's but they are more expensive than regular CFL's. Most home improvement stores should have them

http://www.dimmablecfls.com/
I didn't know they made dimmable CFL's, my bad. All the time I have been in the trade and I have never heard of them. Next time I'll do my homework before I open my big mouth
As for the use of fluorescent bulbs, their days may be numbered too. With the problems of disposal of the bulbs, tubes and ballasts, they can be a pain. I can see LED's being used everywhere soon because of all thier advantages.

 

[Aardvark154]

it is rather scary when I first turn the lights on in the bathroom now with the buzzing and flickering sounds, but like I read once they warm up they do stop the noise and settle down.

Hmm, the current CFL bulbs that I have in table lamps don't buzz or flicker at all. I agree that when they were first being made that indeed they did, but I haven't seem that happen in several years.

 

[Jade4u]

Hmm, the current CFL bulbs that I have in table lamps don't buzz or flicker at all. I agree that when they were first being made that indeed they did, but I haven't seem that happen in several years.

They're not doing it any other place in my apt. but they are doing it in my bathroom. I thought that after what I had been reading that it was normal as I do turn my bathroom light off more often, so I figured that it needed more warm up time.

 

[pjoe43]

I have been using them for over a year now with no problems and they do save me money on my electric bill. The quality of these bulbs is excellent in the States, no flicker or noise at all. I'm all for them. I switched all my mainly used lights to them.

 

[Moraff]

They're not doing it any other place in my apt. but they are doing it in my bathroom. I thought that after what I had been reading that it was normal as I do turn my bathroom light off more often, so I figured that it needed more warm up time.

They shouldn't be buzzing/flickering... if they're only doing it in the bathroom then you might want to get the super to have an electrician take a look at the wiring.... something may not be right there.

Friends of mine have an older house and everytime the furnace kicks on the house lights (regular bulbs) dim.... they have had several CFLs kick the bucket (once rather spectacularly) which I'm guessing is probably related to the repeated "brown-outs"