Dimmable CFLs

[crokett]

Several months ago I got some GE dimmable CFLs for the basement. They are dimmable, but not like incandescents. They don't start dimming till the slider is about 20% down, then they reach a certain point and shut off.

Today I got some Sylvania dimmables for the living room and they are much better behaved. They work exactly like incandescents. The dimmer switch is same brand in both places and incandescents worked fine in the basement, so I've no reason to think the basement switch is a problem So if anybody is looking for dimmable CFLs, the Sylvania bulbs are very nice ones.

[Tom Slick]

Where did you buy them from? I have been looking for dimmables but never find them so I still have a few fixtures with incandescents.

[crokett]

Lowes. I was there tonight looking for other stuff and remembered I needed some bulbs. I wasn't really looking for dimmables, I was surprised to find them.

[jackellis]

Someone cares about dimmable CFLs in North Carolina? You're starting to sound and act like a Californian

[crokett]

Someone cares about dimmable CFLs in North Carolina? You're starting to sound and act like a Californian

Actually I have CFLs almost everywhere now. As the incandescents blow out, I am slowly replacing them.

[just started]

Tried them, HATE them, hello halogen.

[Pappy]

My only problem with CFL's is the warm up time. You have to wait for the light to come up to full brightness. Any of the newer ones more of an instant-on?

LED's are starting to show up for the home, too. So far, all I have seen are low-watt night light bulbs.

[leehljp]

LED's are starting to show up for the home, too.

I would like those too! In the mean time, I can put up with the slow (less than one minute) warm up times in winter for the savings I get from CFLs.

[crokett]

My only problem with CFL's is the warm up time. You have to wait for the light to come up to full brightness. Any of the newer ones more of an instant-on?
.

The only warmup time I notice is the bulb outside by the front door and one of our spotlights. All the inside bulbs work just fine.

[jziegler]

Lowes. I was there tonight looking for other stuff and remembered I needed some bulbs. I wasn't really looking for dimmables, I was surprised to find them.

I'm surprised. From time to time, I look for the dimmables, and never see them. I got one at HD many years ago (and for too much moeny). The difficulty in finding dimmables has kept me from using them in some places. Good to know what brand is better though.

Thanks.

Now I wait for the LEDs to become affordable.

JIm

[Mr__Bill]

I thought the dimmables required a special dimmer. Perhaps I am just in the past on this. I did discover the 3 way CFL and now some of my lamps no longer have two off positions on the switch.

There is something to consider with CFL's If you heat your house with electricity, resistance not heat pumps, then you are not saving any money on electricity during the heating season. A standard incandescent giving off heat supplements the heating system in the home and the heat is not wasted. You may even find that you have to have the thermostat turned up a bit higher to compensate for the loss of directed heat on you from the standard incandescent lamp.

Bill, that's my opinion and I'll stick with it until I change my mind.

[crokett]

Bill,

Assuming the heat from regular bulbs is enough to make a difference, I cool my house with electricity in the summer too. So then it costs more to cool with regular incandescents since they are heating things up. So it balances out.

[jackellis]

LEDs are still extremely expensive, though that's likely to change.

Relying on the heat produced by incandescent bulbs isn't that efficient and as David points out, their heat bites back in summer.

Even better than CFLs are the new air conditioners with variable frequency drives. They do a better job of matching cool air output from the A/C with cooling requirements in the home (or office).

[Mr__Bill]

Bill,

Assuming the heat from regular bulbs is enough to make a difference, I cool my house with electricity in the summer too. So then it costs more to cool with regular incandescents since they are heating things up. So it balances out.

David you are absolutely correct. If you live where you need AC in the summer it may cost you more. I seem to remember that it's more to cool a degree than to heat a degree.

Now where I now live AC is not necessary but for about 10 days a year. Even at that CFLs' make sence in the summer. I imagine if I were really anal about it I would change out the ones in the house, but being lazy I only do the reading lamp. Keeping the house at about 65 it's nice to have the warmth on my hands when reading.

One nice thing about CFLs, they don't seem to flicker like the tubes do and they withstand vibration more than a standard lamp. I have them in the work lights at the grinder. Thought about it in the portable one but not sure of the consequences when you break it while your head and the lamp is in something like a cabinet.

Bill,

[leehljp]

Here in Japan where energy cost is usually 50% higher and most homes are heated and cooled by individual rooms, I still am not up to the cost of summer (April - Sept) as I was paying before 2005.

In early 2005, I changed 26 bulbs to CFL at a cost of about $8.00 each. Our June - Aug bill normally ran $400 - $450. After and since, every year, we average $300 - $350 (at the most) per month for summer months. The only change was the CFL. (I have replaced 3 bulbs in those 4 years.)

In my USA home (N Mississippi), I did the same in 2006. My daughter lives in our home there. She keeps good records and says that the summer months for '06, '07, '08 were lower electrical usage than previous years. They do make a considerable difference, more than the offset cost of heat needed in winter.