Energy Efficient Lightbulbs

[SuperGLS]

Does anyone use any kind of "energy efficient" lighting in their houses?

Just wanted to see what other people are using besides the regular light bulbs. Thoughts on different kinds (CFL, LED, etc) are welcome in this thread. Any personal product reviews would be good too.

[soullesselantra]

i had a couple of the low wattage flourescent swirly ****s in some of our lights that stayed on all the time (over the stove and outside) and they lasted 2 years before we moved out, and they will probably last even longer than that if i actually cared enough to bring em with me...but i will get them and put them in everything when i have my own house...i loved em

[KeWLKaT]

Yeah we use the swirly shizzlez sometimes, and at work all of our litebulbs are like that.

They're cool.

[Tommy]

Ive CFL's in a fixture in my kitchen. It seems dim. Color of the light is pretty good, about like a regular light bulb.

They say you do save a lot of energy, as they're like 75% more effiecent, but think of this.

There's mercury in those things. What happens when it breaks?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431198

[KeWLKaT]

Oh, please. Neons contain mercury aswell. Do you think homes and businesses should stop using neon fixtures? This is the funniest thing i've heard in a while. There is a single drop of mercury in there. Enough to... wait... do nothing!

[soullesselantra]

but if all those drops of mercury convene in a world order to decimate all humanity as well as all the foliage on earth, then the bad outweighs the good by FAR!!! but then again, maybe all that mercury got into my drinking water for thinking a $9K turbo kit would be fun on my car...

[Tommy]

Oh, please. Neons contain mercury aswell. Do you think homes and businesses should stop using neon fixtures? This is the funniest thing i've heard in a while. There is a single drop of mercury in there. Enough to... wait... do nothing!

yea, but how many homes have neon tubes? how often do those get replaced?

Just playing devil's advocate, but it is an interesting note as to what you're supposed to do with them if you actually care about recycling.

[slyderdai]

I don't use them. My parents do in every light in their house. I do know that in 2012 incandescents will no longer be manufactured and phased out. I heard that on Glenn Beck a few weeks ago.

[KeWLKaT]

yea, but how many homes have neon tubes? how often do those get replaced?

Just playing devil's advocate, but it is an interesting note as to what you're supposed to do with them if you actually care about recycling.

Well I guess I'm weird, lol. I live in an old house (30 years) and the basement has 6 neons as far as lighting goes. Replace them at least 1-2 neons a year. Also, to get rid of them, I do the same thing as I do with my part time, and my summer job: dump em in the garbage. LOL When I dump it, the neon usually breaks and the mercury contained within quickly evaporates. Just make sure you aren't standing close not to inhale it. Hah.

[Tommy]

Neons or tube fluorescents? There's a difference...

that and mercury doest evaporate, its a metal. Mercury vapor is really bad for you, but i guess it would disperse.

[KeWLKaT]

Sorry. Fluorescent tubes. They are just called ''neon'' for short around my area.

[Tommy]

crazy Canadians.

neon = beer signs
fluorescents - lights that give you a headache when sitting in an office all day.

[bdiggy]

I have converted my entire place over to the swirley's. Spent $120 to do it, but should save come time for the electric bill. We'll see.

[rusto85]

I do have E.E.L.s in my house. Haven't had to change them in a couple of years.

[Keyan]

If I ever move into my own place, I am so getting these

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-x-110V-38-Led-WHITE-MR16-Spot-light-bulbs-Lamp-E27_W0QQitemZ150240470389QQihZ005QQcategoryZ20706Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


think of the bill! omg lol

[jacob]

My entire home is lit by CFL's and it's made a significant dent in our power bill. Wer replaced the incandescent bulbs with CFL's as they burned out over the course of a year so I didn't notice any realy additional cost in replacement. I've not had a CFL burn out yet.

Also, all of my electronics such as my TV, DVD player, PVR, Wii, laptop and stereo are on accessable power bars. When they're not in use, the switch on the power bar is turned off. You would be very, very suprised at how my electricity is wasted by an appliance in the 'off' position.

[SuperGLS]

40% according to some commercial I saw last night.

I don't think I'll ever get to the stage where I am turning stuff off like that.

The reason I started this thread is that two of our light bulbs went out so I thought I'd ask.

[Gman]

I changed the lights on the front of the house to CFL and leave them on 24/7 they have been going for 4 yrs now. And they cost me maybe $2 a month.

A big draw of waisted energy are the big wall worts that come with just about everything now. They sit and use electr the whole time they are plugged in even if you are not using whatever they power.

[bdiggy]

My entire home is lit by CFL's and it's made a significant dent in our power bill. Wer replaced the incandescent bulbs with CFL's as they burned out over the course of a year so I didn't notice any realy additional cost in replacement. I've not had a CFL burn out yet.

Also, all of my electronics such as my TV, DVD player, PVR, Wii, laptop and stereo are on accessable power bars. When they're not in use, the switch on the power bar is turned off. You would be very, very suprised at how my electricity is wasted by an appliance in the 'off' position.

My wife and I unplug things that only get used once a day when we're done with them. Stupid things like the toaster and coffee pot add up.

[KeWLKaT]

Toaster? How does a toaster still use power when it's off? TV I can understand because of settings yaddi yadda, but a coffee machine? Please explain. I haven't heard of this before.

[kylemorg]

I have mostly the CFL bulbs in our house now. If you think the wattage offset ones are too dim, buy a higher wattage equivalent (like a 90 watt equivalent CFL to replace a 60 or 75 watt incandescent). They still consume less power.

I've had a few burn out, but they typically last a lot longer than the incandescent ones did in the same location. They have made a dent in our electric bill.

And yes, all fluorescent type bulbs (like the 4' tubes you see everywhere in stores and garages / basements) contain mercury.

[Ugzz]

the only standard bulb in my whole house is in my fridge, the rest is compact florescent. i hate the way they have to warm up, but you get used to it and they are bright as hell once they are warmed up. (i have the 100w equivilent in the living room and my bedroom, the rest are 75s and i think the bathroom uses 35s. the energy draw on them is way lower. i think the 100w draw around 40w . so its more then 50% savings.

[SuperGLS]

Felix, coffee pots have clocks and settings too!

At least in Americaland.