Home Page link

CFL vs incandescent bulb: Brightness

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
CFL vs incandescent bulb: Brightness Stanko 04-28-2008
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Stanko on April 28, 2008, 2:45 pm
Perhaps it's just the brand(s) of CFL bulbs that I've been buying -
but has anyone else noticed a lack of "brightness" with these things.
Case in point: I've switched bulbs out in light fixtures that I
normally would use 75 watt incandescents in - replacing them with
CFL's. The light output always seems dimmer in nature. I've even
gone as far as replacing my "normal" 75-watters -- upping them to 100-
watt CFL's...but I get the same results.

I also don't believe the long-life promises. Most of mine burn out in
less than a year or two -- the same term that standard bulbs with.

I'm disheartened that incandescents will no longer be sold after 2012;
I visualize us all in a "dimmer world".....


Posted by David Nebenzahl on April 28, 2008, 3:09 pm
On 4/28/2008 11:45 AM Stanko spake thus:

> Perhaps it's just the brand(s) of CFL bulbs that I've been buying -
> but has anyone else noticed a lack of "brightness" with these things.
> Case in point: I've switched bulbs out in light fixtures that I
> normally would use 75 watt incandescents in - replacing them with
> CFL's. The light output always seems dimmer in nature. I've even
> gone as far as replacing my "normal" 75-watters -- upping them to 100-
> watt CFL's...but I get the same results.
>
> I also don't believe the long-life promises. Most of mine burn out in
> less than a year or two -- the same term that standard bulbs with.
>
> I'm disheartened that incandescents will no longer be sold after 2012;
> I visualize us all in a "dimmer world".....

You've raised two separate points (maybe more) here:

1. Brightness of incandescents vs. CFLs:

Keep in mind that the "equivalent" rating of a CFL ("equal to a XX-watt
bulb") is an advertising claim not subject to any objective standard. It
turns out that this does correspond pretty roughly to the *actual* power
consumption of the bulb, meaning that a 23-watt CFL will be brighter
than an 18-watt one. Which means that this claim will vary from
manufacturer to manufacturer. I've had very good results in terms of
brightness with the 23-watt bulbs I've been buying recently (cheap ones
subsidized by local power company, Pacific Gas & Electric), and find
that they are equal to, or possibly a little brighter than 100-watt
incandescents.

2. Longevity of CFLs:

Again, this varies from mfr. to mfr. I've seen CFLs with piss-poor
infant mortality rates (i.e., burn out in weeks to months); on the other
hand, the 20-watt CFLs I bought at Ikea about 6 years ago are still
burning bright.

I wonder if /Consumer Reports/ has good information on which brands of
CFLs are better? Such reports are clearly needed, now that this market
is booming.


--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute
conversation with the average voter.

- Attributed to Winston Churchill

Posted by Don Klipstein on April 28, 2008, 6:48 pm
wrote in part:

>1. Brightness of incandescents vs. CFLs:
>
>Keep in mind that the "equivalent" rating of a CFL ("equal to a XX-watt
>bulb") is an advertising claim not subject to any objective standard. It
>turns out that this does correspond pretty roughly to the *actual* power
>consumption of the bulb, meaning that a 23-watt CFL will be brighter
>than an 18-watt one. Which means that this claim will vary from
>manufacturer to manufacturer. I've had very good results in terms of
>brightness with the 23-watt bulbs I've been buying recently (cheap ones
>subsidized by local power company, Pacific Gas & Electric), and find
>that they are equal to, or possibly a little brighter than 100-watt
>incandescents.

Light bulbs intended for "general purpose", including single-wattage
screw-base spiral CFLs, have their light output in lumens printed on the
packages. I believe this is an FTC regulation - though most dollar store
CFLs don't follow this.

Specialty lightbulbs, such as decorative, appliance and colored ones,
mostly do not mention light output in lumens.

- Don Klipstein (don@misty.com)

Posted by David Nebenzahl on April 28, 2008, 7:47 pm
On 4/28/2008 3:48 PM Don Klipstein spake thus:

> wrote in part:
>
>>1. Brightness of incandescents vs. CFLs:
>>
>>Keep in mind that the "equivalent" rating of a CFL ("equal to a XX-watt
>>bulb") is an advertising claim not subject to any objective standard. It
>>turns out that this does correspond pretty roughly to the *actual* power
>>consumption of the bulb, meaning that a 23-watt CFL will be brighter
>>than an 18-watt one. Which means that this claim will vary from
>>manufacturer to manufacturer. I've had very good results in terms of
>>brightness with the 23-watt bulbs I've been buying recently (cheap ones
>>subsidized by local power company, Pacific Gas & Electric), and find
>>that they are equal to, or possibly a little brighter than 100-watt
>>incandescents.
>
> Light bulbs intended for "general purpose", including single-wattage
> screw-base spiral CFLs, have their light output in lumens printed on the
> packages. I believe this is an FTC regulation - though most dollar store
> CFLs don't follow this.
>
> Specialty lightbulbs, such as decorative, appliance and colored ones,
> mostly do not mention light output in lumens.

After I posted this, I thought to suggest that the O.P. compare bulb
brightnesses by lumens. Thanks.

And keep in mind that another annoying "feature" of CFLs is that they
don't achieve full brightness at turn-on, unlike incandescents. (One can
easily get used to this behavior, though, so it's not necessarily a
show-stopper.)


--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute
conversation with the average voter.

- Attributed to Winston Churchill

Posted by on April 28, 2008, 4:08 pm
wrote:

>I visualize us all in a "dimmer world".....

Antidepressants already do that anyway. :)

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Device to measure bulb brightness? May 30, 2008, 5:23 am
Non-incandescent freezer light bulb November 23, 2006, 2:28 am
incandescent bulb on magnetic low voltage dimmer? February 4, 2006, 5:27 pm
Incandescent Bulb Ban -- Motion Detector Fixtures, Poto cell fixtures and other exotic applications January 18, 2008, 11:44 am
Constitutionality of light bulb ban questioned - Environmental Protection Agency must be called for a broken bulb June 20, 2008, 2:08 pm
Pool light bulb any different than regular light bulb? September 2, 2007, 9:24 pm
CFL vs Incandescent April 27, 2008, 5:11 pm
halogen or incandescent March 3, 2007, 12:57 pm
What is the highest wattage incandescent January 9, 2007, 9:57 am
Incandescent that avoids upcoming ban April 27, 2008, 7:49 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap