The light bulbs the geniuses are forcing us to use

[duke_john]

CFLs are more expensive than incandescents, but they do produce far less heat.  So much heat is produced by halogen bulbs that I refuse to use them, as they can bake the wiring when left on too long.  CFL technology is improving, just as LED technology is improving.

I have not found CFLs burn out as quickly as the video claimed, but they probably don't last as long as the manufacturer's claim.  CFLs are in every light socket in my house.

The glass used in CFL bulbs is cheap flint glass, not quartz.  It does not transmit significant amounts of UV light.

Any flicker in CFLs should be at least the same as incandescent bulbs, as AC current is the same, but the ballast smooths the effect.

Twice I've had the built-in CFL ballasts burn out and produce a smoke condition.  That's a definite drawback.

I'm buying LEDs as the price drops to replace CFLs.

[Jim]

total bullshit, jtopp.  seriously.  what a fucking stooge you are.  did you ever have a mercury thermometer in your house when you were born in the 19th century?  did your parents have to call a haz mat team if you broke a freaking thermometer?
 
#1.   It wasn't in gaseous form, and if they ever broke, the mercury would seep through the floor cracks and be gone in no time.
 
#2.   Its as Stretch says, this is more about "Choice."   Since when do you tell me what light bulbs I have to use?   If you want to use CFLs you go right ahead and do so to your little hearts content.  Will you agree I should have the same courtesy?
 
 
 

[hoosier_daddy]

something like 94% of the electricity used in regular bulbs produce heat, not light.  that is why they are so wasteful.  cfls are not perfect, they are just better.  and way less expensive.  why fight improvement?

people said the same thing about unleaded gas.....and now nobody bitches about it and it helps the air quality and the environment in general.  improvement....it's what for dinner...

[stretch351c]

They cost 3 times as much as a regular bulb you dumbfuck. And it's not up to you or the government, or or anyone else to decide for me what kind of light bulb i choose to use.

[hoosier_daddy]

another thing...you could buy a whole boatload of regular bulbs between now and when they are phased out...enough to last you a lifetime, probably.  go for it.  there is your choice. 

[Jim]

why fight improvement?
 
Thats the problem. You seem to think every "change" is an improvement. But they are not an improvement. They are just a crappy replacement while awaiting an actual improvement.
 
Same as Obama. Just a crappy replacement while awaiting a real President. Like Romney...
 

[Jim]

people said the same thing about unleaded gas
 
Unleaded gas ruined engines that required the lead content.
 

[stretch351c]

I didn't figure you were smart enough to understand ho boy, but thanks for proving it. It's not the government's business to tell me what I can or cannot buy you moron.

[Jim]

another thing...you could buy a whole boatload of regular bulbs between now and when they are phased out...enough to last you a lifetime, probably.  go for it.  there is your choice.
 
Been there -  done that.... :- )
 
 

[stretch351c]

I have a 76 Ford pickup with a 67 Ford motor in it ho boy. I have to spend up to $20 a tank full above the price of gas for a lead substitute.

[hoosier_daddy]

Comparing Costs
The best way to compare the three types of bulbs is to calculate their costs over 30,000 hours of usage – the lifespan of a single LED bulb.

Standard incandescent bulbs The CFL used here has a lifetime of 1,300 hours, so we would need 23 bulbs over the period of this study. I was able to purchase a single incandescent of this type for $0.34, so our total cost for bulbs over 30,000 hours would be $7.82.

As it uses 60 watts, over a period of 30,000 hours, an incandescent bulb would use 1,800,000 watt hours, or 1,800 kilowatt hours. At the current approximate price of $0.10 per kilowatt hour, you would have to pay $180.00 to run an incandescent bulb over this period.
Thus, the total cost of a 60 watt incandescent bulb over a 30,000 hour lifespan is $187.82.

CFL bulbs The CFL used here has a lifetime of 8,000 hours, so we would need 3.75 bulbs over the period of this study. I was able to purchase a single CFL for $1.24, so our total cost for bulbs over 30,000 hours would be $4.65.
As it uses 13 watts, over a period of 30,000 hours, a CFL bulb would use 390,000 watt hours, or 390 kilowatt hours. At the current approximate price of $0.10 per kilowatt hour, you would have to pay $39.00 to run a CFL bulb over this period.
Thus, the total cost of a CFL bulb over a 30,000 hour lifespan is $43.65.

LED bulbs The LED bulb used here has a lifetime of 30,000 hours, so we would need only one bulb over the period of this study. Unfortunately, that single bulb has a cost of $119.99.
As it uses 7.5 watts, over a period of 30,000 hours, an LED bulb would use 245,000 watt hours, or 245 kilowatt hours. At the current approximate price of $0.10 per kilowatt hour, you would have to pay $24.50 to run an LED bulb over this period.
Thus, the total cost of an LED bulb over a 30,000 hour lifespan is $144.49.

[Jim]

 
Now, watch the video and see how they react in real life...