I just switched all my bulbs over to CFLs

[Sledder]

Make sure your lights can handle them. I bought some energy saving bulbs, stuck it in an enclosed dome. After several months it exploded and smoked! Read the box that you aren't supposed to put them in enclosed lighting fixtures.

Can't be true for all CFCs because I have them in enclosed domes all over my house and they have been in there for about a year and a half and have yet to have any problems.

I also don't see why they couldn't be in enclosed domes as they obviously generate almost no heat which I would think is the problem with enclosing bulbs of any kind.

 

[Geckothan]

CFLs give me a pounding headache, I could never use them for ambient lighting. As a result, I can't use TFTs either for extended periods unless they're LED backlit, but there aren't too many of those around. The only use CFLs have for me is a certain application that doesn't involve me having to look at them, as HPS bulbs are overkill and produce huge bills.

 

[SummerDream]

I really wanted to switch over to LED lighting, but the price is too high still. Once LEDs come down in price to the level of CFLs then maybe I'll make the switch to LEDs!

Switched to those energy savers a couple of years ago myself. I would advise everyone not to buy "megaman" brand since they only lasted about a year, despite costing 15 euros for one, same place regular bulbs lasted 2-3 years, same use, room temp. Six no-brand lamps are still doing fine. (First bought the more expensive ones, then figured why not try the cheaper ones too, they were 3 euros a piece then.)
They were different designs too (another was to a place where had to be smaller.)
Also bought led bulbs first but returned them all, they promised to have as much light as 60 watts - got something like 10 I guess.

 

[Wrongway Janeway]

I had to search for this thread.

Just broke a CFL this morning. Freaked me out a bit, especially when two of my cats walked around the area where I was carefully cleaning away the pieces! I called the vet, checked online, and still couldn't find out whether my pets were in danger from having been in that spot.

I've cleaned their paws off and have closed off the bedroom, while leaving the windows open in there for ventilation. Before that, I double-bagged the bulb and the small amount of fragments.

What a pain! And I'm still quite concerned about my cats.

 

[Mr Awe]

To the OP, Cool! Now turn them all on to celebrate! Er, maybe not!

Mr Awe

 

[Trekker4747]

I had to search for this thread.

Just broke a CFL this morning. Freaked me out a bit, especially when two of my cats walked around the area where I was carefully cleaning away the pieces! I called the vet, checked online, and still couldn't find out whether my pets were in danger from having been in that spot.

I've cleaned their paws off and have closed off the bedroom, while leaving the windows open in there for ventilation. Before that, I double-bagged the bulb and the small amount of fragments.

What a pain! And I'm still quite concerned about my cats.

The tiny amount of mercury in them isn't going to harm them -or you- one bit.

 

[ByrdMan]

^^Yep, but imagine the savings if you went with LEDs. That's my goal, because it's long term savings.

Definitely, problem is they are so darn expensive right now

This looks awesome but look at the price

http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/geobulb-led-light-bulb.aspx

$99 doesn't seem so bad if they last 10 years (8 hours per day) like they advertise...

 

[Sledder]

I had to search for this thread.

Just broke a CFL this morning. Freaked me out a bit, especially when two of my cats walked around the area where I was carefully cleaning away the pieces! I called the vet, checked online, and still couldn't find out whether my pets were in danger from having been in that spot.

I've cleaned their paws off and have closed off the bedroom, while leaving the windows open in there for ventilation. Before that, I double-bagged the bulb and the small amount of fragments.

What a pain! And I'm still quite concerned about my cats.

Don't worry about it, florescent bulbs have been breaking in office buildings for decades with no ill effect or special cleanup procedures. Each of those would have significantly more mercury than a little CFL.

 

[Wrongway Janeway]

Thanks for the responses, Trekker and Sledder.

I knew there was very little danger in it for me, but I thought that it might be different for a ten-pound cat.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I haven't seen an archaic bulb actually used in somebody's home in 15 years, except for where a dimmer was preferred. It was all CFL by that time; LEDs are today's bulbs. That's what you get for living in the country where Philips started.

By the way, there's a motion passing (or has passed, I don't really keep up) outlawing incandescent bulbs here in the Netherlands, as well.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Make sure your lights can handle them. I bought some energy saving bulbs, stuck it in an enclosed dome. After several months it exploded and smoked! Read the box that you aren't supposed to put them in enclosed lighting fixtures.

Can't be true for all CFCs because I have them in enclosed domes all over my house and they have been in there for about a year and a half and have yet to have any problems.

I also don't see why they couldn't be in enclosed domes as they obviously generate almost no heat which I would think is the problem with enclosing bulbs of any kind.

It would help if CFLs carried a label as to whether or not they were appropriate for enclosed use. If any do, I'm not aware of it.

By the way, there's a motion passing (or has passed, I don't really keep up) outlawing incandescent bulbs here in the Netherlands, as well.

Not illegal to possess, I take it? Just to sell?

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

Not illegal to possess, I take it? Just to sell?

Yes, just to sell. It has the owners of lizards (since they need incandescent light bulbs for their terrariums) up in spades.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yes, just to sell. It has the owners of lizards (since they need incandescent light bulbs for their terrariums) up in spades.

Then they'd better do what I'm doing and stock up on incandescents.

 

[Geckothan]

People should be able to obtain whatever type of lightbulb they want. Silly law sounds silly.