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OT: Any experience with those long lasting spiral light bulbs?

stuball48

Stainless
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Location
Dickson, TN
I have three of those long lasting spiral light bulbs in our kitchen ceiling light--no bottom on light fixture to trap the heat. This afternoon, one of those three got so hot it burned out. It followed the coil and the coiled burned out but at the base of the coil near the threads of the light, it got glowing red and I turned kitchen switch off. When all cooled down--I replaced all three and will not be buying any more Sylvania environmental light bulbs. Sure glad I was home. Have any of you had any problems with these type spiral bulbs? Thanks
 
I had one burn up last year. I smelled that telltale "electrical burning smell" and searched all over the house before seeing the lightbulb with a hole melted through it. It wasn't that old. I beleive it was a Sylvania.
 
I replaced most of the standard bulbs in my house with spiral type Phillips ones about 4yrs ago, not one problem at all, and they are all still going.
maybe it is a quality issue with that brand?
 
I have them in my shop. My 200 pound hammer would cause the incandescent buld directly overhead to go out in a short time. I have not had that problem with the spirals. They are mounted pointing down but they have lasted a good five years. I put the date on when I install them. I have heard they contain enough mercury to make your own hazzardous waste site if they get broken.
 
I've never had any trouble with the older CFL bulbs, but a lot of the new ones are trash. I assume that's since they used to be a premium product, now they're just trying to crank them out and sell them cheap. Strikes me as a whole lot of BS. Now you have a rather complex assembly of resources and toxic chemicals that are being tossed instead of a cheap incan bulb.
 
I've been switching to florescent and CF as the conventional ones burn out. Early on, most were "Lights of America", sold and given away (underwritten by electric company) at HD.

About half of the "LoA" ones just quit working, long before the warranty was up. A couple got hot enough that I noticed the characteristic odor (hot electricals) to which I'm very sensitive. One went with a "zip and POP" and blackened the plastic base of the bulb but nothing else. Lots of putrid smoke - I suspect a capacitor popped off.

They seem to run cooler than incandescents until something goes south, then they run just as hot or hotter. I've not had trouble with the name brands, I think I've used GE, Philips, and maybe Sylvania.
 
I got the ones they sell at COSTCO. So far, no problems with the bulbs. I refitted the fleet except for a few in my house. You don't realize how many of those little heaters you have until you retrofit. Plus, the COSTCO ones were cheap due to a subsidy paid out of my light bill. They are big bucks at the grocery store or anywhere else I have seen them.
 
OLD ones lasted.

New ones.......................

This one was shooting sparks............... note small hole in glass, mercury took a hike.

burntCFL5.jpg


burntCFL6.jpg


burntCFL7.jpg
 
Danny- I hear ya on the vibration. I had a garage door opener that much have had a high frequency vibration because any light bulb I put in it only lasted a few months. I finally mounted a porcelain fixture and used a threaded adapter in the garage opener to power the fixture which I mounted about 4' away. It is still going strong.

I have only tried one of those green bulbs and it was quite expensive but has been in service about 5 years now. I suspect there is some truth in the quality decline now that everyone wants them.
 
My complaint is that they are quite dim until they warm up. We've installed compact fluorescent bulbs in half the fixtures in the kitchen ceiling, but I'm leaving the other incandescent bulbs in to provide instant on light while the fluorescents warm up.
 
Ahh.. Here we go again...

The best CFLs are made by Philips in Germany.

The cheap chinese ones should not be ran any other position than base down.

There is not enough mercury to do anything in a lamp. That belief is because of some stupid woman who overreacted and the DEQ of that state that didnt know any better. Metallic mercury is not that bid of a deal. Mercury compounds are whats toxic.

If your going to put up fluorescents to replace incandescent lamps just install a new fixture with snap in lamps with a g24 base. Cheaper in the long run and lasts a heck of a lot longer.
 
Ahh.. Here we go again...

The best CFLs are made by Philips in Germany.

The cheap chinese ones should not be ran any other position than base down.

There is not enough mercury to do anything in a lamp. That belief is because of some stupid woman who overreacted and the DEQ of that state that didnt know any better. Metallic mercury is not that bid of a deal. Mercury compounds are whats toxic.

If your going to put up fluorescents to replace incandescent lamps just install a new fixture with snap in lamps with a g24 base. Cheaper in the long run and lasts a heck of a lot longer.

I bought a bunch, and so far none of them have lasted anywhere near as long as they're supposed to. The electronics in the bases burn up. And of course, to use the warranty, you have to have your receipt. Now we have to save receipts of friggin' light bulbs?

The other problem is that they are very dim until they warm up for 30 seconds or so. Makes things like having to pee in the middle of the night more of a challenge, and almost useless for security lights should they ever be completely crammed down our throats.

And now we will have to use special disposal techniques? For light bulbs, are you kidding me?

Here's an actual scientific study testing many different bulbs, brands and models of vacuums to clean them up, and even containers the fragments are put into. http://mainegov-images.informe.org/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport/cflreportwoapp.pdf Compare this cleanup method to an incandescent:

6.8.1. Never use a vacuum. A standard vacuum can spread dust throughout thearea and potentially contaminate the vacuum
6.8.2. Keep people and pets away from the breakage area to prevent mercury inthe powder from being tracked.
6.8.3. Ventilate the area by opening windows.
6.8.4. If possible, reduce the temperature.
6.8.5. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as rubber gloves, safety glasses, old clothing or coveralls, and a dust mask to keep bulb dust and glass from being inhaled.
6.8.6. Carefully remove larger pieces and all waste and materials used to clean up a break and place them in a secure closed container or airtight plastic bag.
6.8.7. Collect smaller pieces and dust. Use a disposable broom and dustpan or
two stiff pieces of paper to scoop up the pieces.
6.8.8. Pat the area with the sticky side of tape and wipe the area with a damp cloth or paper towel to pick up the fine particles.
6.8.9. Consider using a drop cloth when changing a lamp so that any accidental breakage can be easily cleaned up.

They had levels in some cases multiple times above their 'safe' levels even after it was 'cleaned up'.

Thanks, but I'll pass. Glass and tungsten works just fine for me. I think these are a fad anyways, LED lighting will be I hope the preferred technology. Unfortunately, they last way too long though, so they may never be brought to market.
 
I bought two Phillips spirals (23Watt) for my house, they lasted just over 12 months only, both started to fade, then stopped within a few weeks of each other with a curious burnt smell. Phillips sent me two replacements, but I am not too confident about their long-life claims. I have had no problems with the Phillips 20 Watt cluster-of-4-straight-tube (rather than spiral) bulbs, they are more than 5 years old.
 
I have replaced just about all my incandescent bulbs with the spiral flourescent type. They save money and energy (experience a drop in your electric bill for a change). Unless or until leds become competive in price, spiral flourescents are the second coming of the light bulb.
 
I've had most of my Philips bulbs in for several years and haven't had one go bad yet. HD started selling them again.

Chris P

bet they had to.

The one in the pic above was a Feit Electric co (Commercial electric) from HD.


WHO SAYS CFs DON'T COME ON RIGHT AWAY?

MOST OF OURS DO. SOME OLD ONES (THE ONES THAT LAST) DIDN'T, NEW ONES GENERALLY DO COME ON RIGHT AWAY AT FULL POWER.
 








 
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