Anyone else stocking up on 100w bulbs?...or am I just crazy?

The thing I have a problem with CFL's is their failure rate. A couple years ago, back when they first started showing up everywhere, I saw them as a nice little long-term investment so I jumped into them whole hog and started replacing them all over the house. Unfortunately I had many failures. Mind you, this was when they still cost $5-$10 EACH). When you pay $10 instead of $1 for something that is going to take YEARS to pay you back, having it fail in 6-12 months is a BIG money LOSER. (And most certainly worse for the environment) You also can't put CFLs in some locations, such as light fixtures that are enclosed, because the heat build-up will cause them to fail in short order.

Personally, I'm waiting for the price of LED replacement bulbs to come down, though I'm sure they would be susceptible to failure under the same circumstances. Some LED replacement bulbs even have active cooling (i.e. a little fan) which adds even more complication and opportunity for failure.

I just found this, it's two years old but interesting: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/01 ... hancement/

Make sure you check out the link at the end of the article to the University of Rochester.

You know, if it were MY decision to use CFLs, I probably would; but I'll be blessed if I'll let a bunch of environmental extremists in DC tell me I HAVE to use them! For the time being, this is still a free country, so I too am putting in a stock of incandescent light bulbs that will last for the rest of my life!

For all those supporting CFL lights, I'll make an offer, buy my CFL new and lightly used bulbs. I have about 30 since decommissioning them. First $2.00 per light + shipping takes them!

most states require drivers to wear seat belts. is that dc extremist invasion too, telling everyone how to drive, how about speed limits? back to bulbs, new technology takes some de bugging, but now they are cheap, and mostly work well,if they can do the same job, and save some electricity, why wouldn't they be useful?

They throw out a lot of RF hash. Put a portable radio near one.

homecomfort wrote:most states require drivers to wear seat belts. is that dc extremist invasion too, telling everyone how to drive, how about speed limits? back to bulbs, new technology takes some de bugging, but now they are cheap, and mostly work well,if they can do the same job, and save some electricity, why wouldn't they be useful?

It's not about which light bulbs are better. I hate, and I mean HATE fluorescent lighting. It's about what I CHOOSE to have in my home. I do not CHOOSE these light bulbs. The Government driven by a clearly proven fraud by environmentalist zealots is invading my home and making my decisions for me whether I like it or not. The light bulb issue is symbolic of what is wrong with left wing thinking. If you want to be dictated to by a group of elitist central planners, move to China. There still is a concept in this Country called Property Rights at least for the time being.

And as far as seat belt laws go, yes they are invasive and many people fought against them when the do gooders started in on that one.

I agree. chose of type of lighting should be ours to make. each as it;s place, and just like burning coal at home, the difference in consumption and pollution is minimal.

Try finding a 100+ watt narrow beam spot light for residential outdoor fixtures. Online and in stores, they aren't available any longer. Flood lights about 90 watt are still available so stock up while you can!

I have noticed the floodlight thing also. I used to use 150w outdoor floods but now you cant find them in the store only 100w , so far. They make CFL ones but they are completely worthless as a motion light bulb, they arent even up to full light by the time they shut off. And for the record I dont hate CFLs I do use them in fixtures that are on for long periods of time because they are cost effective in certain applications. But then if you want the same light output the CFL equivlent of 100w bulbs wont fit in many tight fixtures either. We actually use alot of CFLs in the underground coalmine I work in.

The reasons we drive cars with outdated technology is because there isn't a choice. Sure there are Hybrids which I have one but they are basically the same technology with a small electric engine to help with acceleration. If I could by a car that ran on air, hydrogen or natural gas I would get one. Old style bulbs are dangerous. When I was 10 I dropped a lamp on the ground it is started a fire from the heat of the bulb. Also, living in NY with very high electric rates LED and Fluorescent bulbs make much more sense and are better for the environment.

I don't think you are crazy for hoarding but I don't see the point unless it is for health reasons.

I switched to CFL's many years ago for two reasons - to cut my power bill and because using the "daylight" CFLs in all my fixtures eliminated the depression I usually fell into in wintertime.
I buy the n:vision 14 watt bulbs from Home Depot and haven't had any problems with lack of light from them. They do start slower than incandescents, but I am used to that after so many years.
I believe GE has a new bulb with a small halogen inside the CFL that eliminates the slow start problem. The halogen bulb goes out after a few minutes.
The LED lights I have seen don't seem very useful, except maybe for a porch light or a bulb that can be left on all the time to provide a minimum level of illumination somewhere. I expect they will be improved.
I believe North Carolina plans to keep producing incandescent bulbs to sell only within the State (The Feds can only regulate interstate commerce). However, even if I wanted them, I wouldn't want to drive that far to buy some!
A bigger problem than bulbs is all the blowers on my coal stove (2 plus the feed motor on the stove, a power venter, and a blower to circulate heat.) They jacked my power usage this past winter up an average of 285/kwh per month over the oil furnace.

South Carolina Battles Feds Over Light Bulbs

http://www.newsmax.com/US/SouthCarolina ... /id/395866

SC is on my list of places to visit ... or possibly move to, God willing. Good for them.

Every light in my house is a CFL. But that was my choice. Some are better than others. Lightwiz makes a good one that doesn't start out too dim. I have a CFL motion light too ..... and it SUCKS in the winter time. When something trips it, your supposed to SEE it ... not wait 7 minutes till it's fully bright. Stupid. Not worth the money I might save on electricity. How about a gun that takes 7 minutes to fire? Makes about as much sense.

I couldn't give a rats ass about what people use for bulbs. Nobody should care what their neighbor uses for bulbs ... or what vehicle they choose to operate. This is AMERICA - your supposed to have freedom of choice here. The government can kiss my ass! I don't wear a seat belt either. Stay the F*** out of our homes!!

Hey Smitty, when you think about it if you can`t see what your going to shoot at for 7 sec. a time delay may be a good idea. Like most things they suit different applications differently.

SMITTY wrote: I have a CFL motion light too ..... and it SUCKS in the winter time. When something trips it, your supposed to SEE it ... not wait 7 minutes till it's fully bright. Stupid. Not worth the money I might save on electricity. How about a gun that takes 7 minutes to fire? Makes about as much sense.

I had a short experience with a CFL in an outside light, it was worthless. It took forever to put out any light, and the bulb died in about 30 days. Now I have a two 100 watt High Pressure Sodium dusk-till-dawn lights on poles...I just let 'em blaze all night, every night. No more guests backing out on the lawn because the couldn't see, and it is easy to keep an eye on the "hounds" when they go out at night.