[Boatanchors] OT CFLs

[Glen Zook]

The reason incandescent bulbs have gotten a very bad "rap" is that the ambient line voltage in the United States now has a "target" voltage of 125 volts +/- 2 volts and most electric companies run on the "+" side much of the year.

Bulbs purchased at virtually every retail outlet are for 120 volt maximum systems and the life is cut substantially when run at the higher voltage.  Bulbs rated for 130 volts are available but can be hard to find.  Why?  Because the retailers sell many more bulbs of the 120 volt variety that do not last and, therefore, the retailers have pretty much a high number of repeat sales when the 120 volt bulbs are the only thing readily available.  When 130 volt bulbs are purchased, the number of bulbs sold drops dramatically and, therefore, the retailers sales drop accordingly.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Fri, 2/25/11, D C *Mac* Macdonald <k2gkk at hotmail.com> wrote:

Ain't this the truth!!! The ones I tried in the garage lasted less than 9 months of VERY intermittent service. They also don't work worth a damn during the winter.
 
 I generally don't leave lights on all that much.
 
The 250 or 300 Watt incandescent lamps I put in the garage get very little use in the long run, are made for 130V service and will probably outlast me!