light bulbs

[phrog]

I had just the opposite experience. The GE's were either DOA or blasting out after only a few minutes. As a result, I never buy anything made by GE.

[iceman61]

My warning is this...DON'T TOUCH THE BULBS WHEN THEY'RE ON BECAUSE YOU'LL BURN THE KRAP OUTTA YOUR FINGERS.

.

I needed that laugh today!

[LCHIEN]

CFLs are available in 3 basic colors at the box stores now. ...

...

not in sizes like BR40... you can find CFLs but only one brand and there's no choice in color temp and they're all greenish

[cabinetman]

not in sizes like BR40... you can find CFLs but only one brand and there's no choice in color temp and they're all greenish

That's not fair.

.

[guycox]

Another failure mode for Sylvania Bulbs

I have experienced the same short lived bulbs from Sylvania -- I have also noticed that it is also accompanied by a failure at the base, the clay-like substance that joins the screw base to the glass envelope fractures. Then when the bulb dies the glass part will twist off in the base.

A raw potatoe makes a good extraction tool - kill the power and jam the spud onto the base remnants and give it a twist --

[Cochese]

Lowe's takes returns without receipts, as they can look it up on your card.

I don't remember if the cutoff is three or six months.

[lago]

I talked to our electrician about this several years after we moved into a new house. We had bulbs and still have some of the orignal bulbs after 9 years, that lasted a long time. We replaced them with bulbs from HD, Lowes, and Walmart. Didn't last too long.

He said to check the rating. What he installed were rated for 130w and the elcheapos were for 120w. Guess you get what you pay for.

Anyhow, we have some special bulbs and plan on stocking up on some of those in the event they are prohibited.

Lago

[LCHIEN]

I talked to our electrician about this several years after we moved into a new house. We had bulbs and still have some of the orignal bulbs after 9 years, that lasted a long time. We replaced them with bulbs from HD, Lowes, and Walmart. Didn't last too long.

He said to check the rating. What he installed were rated for 130w and the elcheapos were for 120w. Guess you get what you pay for.

Anyhow, we have some special bulbs and plan on stocking up on some of those in the event they are prohibited.

Lago

Lago, those would be 130V and 120V bulbs, not w (watts).
130V bulbs are commonly sold as long-life or extended life bulbs and you can get them in the stores readily. They may be marked as 120V and Long life if not marked as 130V.
Running a bulb at under the rated voltage extends the life and decreases the light output. I'm guessing offhand that it about doubles the number of hours you get but that the light output is reduced about 25%-30%.

Considering that you'd have to put a 100W long life light bulb to get the same light output of a standard 75W bulb,

to get 2000 hours with the long life 100W bulb
1 bulb - $0.30
2000 hours at 100W and $0.12 per KWH = $24
Total $24.30

To get 2000 hours same light output with 70W standard bulb
2 bulb = $0.60
2000 hours at 70W and $0.12 per KWH = $16.80
Total = $17.40

saving a bulb change will cost you about $7 in energy.