[Boatanchors] Replacing 866s with 3B28s thread drift to CFLs

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Sheldon,

The screw-in base 100 watt equivalents that I bought two of actually cost 
$8.65 each, not $11+.  But the lighting circuit they were in isn't turned on 
and off frequently.  Some days it's never on.  Most days it's on 12 to 18 
hours.  And the fixture they screwed into is open (no globe or enclosure) so 
no confined heat buildup to share the blame.  The majority of the lighting in 
both our house and my shop (AKA garage) is already 40 watt standard 48" 
dual fluorescents which I installed the majority of 30 odd years ago.  There 
are about 30 tubes.  I change out typically 4 tubes and one ballast a year.  
There are fixtures in and on the house where the 40W or 20W fluorescents 
aren't feasable and switching to CFL's would require all new fixtures.  Some are 
in locations where changing the lamps is a bit of a PITA.  So the shorter 
service life and higher service cost would be quite aggravating.  What's also 
aggravating is that all the CFL's I've looked at and the two I bought were 
made in China.  I don't know whose "fault" that is but I don't like it.  Add 
up shorter service life, much higher and more frequent service cost, high 
mercury content, all made foreign, and very small  decrease in monthly 
electricity bill (maybe 10% of the other costs) and there are no benefits to be 
had out of the changeover.

In a message dated 12/30/2010 2:36:41 AM Central Standard Time, 
sdaitch at kuw.ibb.gov writes: 
> Bob,
> 
> interesting information on the pricing.
> 
> CFLs generally run about $3.15 for the smaller
> 8 watt to 14 watt sizes, and about $5 for the
> larger sizes, 23 watts or so, Philips brand, at the
> local Wal-Mart equal (Carrefour).  I think Osram
> brand CFLs run about the same price and the
> discount CFLs are even cheaper.
> 
> Unfortunately, they are all 240VAC versions, as
> that is the local standard.
> 
> I use the CFLs for our exterior lighting at the house,,
> where they tend to last about a year, averaging about
> 12 hours per  night.  I'd never get that kind of life out
> of incandescent lamps.    Typical incandescent bulbs,
> GE, Sylvania, Philips, Osram, they run about 35 cents
> for 60 to 100 watt bulbs.
> 
> Changing some of the exterior lamps is a pain and
> requires dragging out a ladder, and while the use of
> CFLs may not be cost efficient, strictly from an
> accounting basis, but when the inconvenience factor
> is in the equation, CFLs can make sense.
> 
> We don't use the CFLs inside, as few CFLs fit the
> lamp bases and globe sizes, and a number of the
> ceiling lamps are on dimmers.
> 
> As for the mercury issue, you are correct, no more
> mercury in the home, but the CFL supporters claim
> with the reduce energy consumption of CFLs, less
> mercury is released in the atmosphere from the
> reduced fuels burned generating electricity.  I suppose
> if the US were 100% nuclear power for electricity,
> the mercury concerns in fuel would go away, but
> the US is a long way from being 100% nuclear.
> 
> I don't think I've ever changed out any of the CFLs
> twice in eight months.  I know my change rate for
> incandescent lamps is probably worse than that.
> 
> 73
> Sheldon
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480