Do those new bulbs really last longer?

Question

I moved into my new place 6 years ago and I have regular bulbs. I have not replaced one yet. I don't leave then on when I'm gone or in the room. They're all off when I sleep. So, what's the reason for getting the incandence off the shelves? They are going to start in 2012.

Answer 1

They do last longer, and they produce about 4 times the amount

of light for the amount of power used.

27W. CFL = 100W. Standard bulb in light output.

You are paying for the power you know, and it's only going to go up.

Answer 2

the new flourescent coils are a great investment, they will pay for themselves in approx. 8 months, and have a projected life of 5 years. my electrical municipality even offers a rebate when i turn in reciepts with my bill, i have them throughout my house at a cost of nearly $200, and got a rebate of $77. however they do pose a disposal problem, because they contain mercury, at some time they will probably considered hazardous waste.

Answer 3

Yes they do last longer because they are a self-ballasted bulb.  Incandescent bulbs burn out sometimes very quickly due to the initial voltage surge at the hit of the switch that alot of times pops the filament.  CFL have an electronic ballast that is not so affected by this.  Plus you can get the equivalent of 100 watt incandescent bulb and only use 26 watts of electricity, well worth the extra cost.  

Answer 4

They use less electricty for instance you can get 60 watts from what the average bulb produces 40 watts plus your good for 10 years.

Answer 5

It's not that they last longer necessarily (although the lifetime of a fluorescent bulb is supposed to be several times that of an incandescent bulb). It's that they're just so much more energy efficient at producing light.

Incandescent bulbs produce light by heating the filament to such a temperature that it gives off a bright white light. Flourescent bulbs produce light by using high voltage to ionize a gas in the bulb, which causes it to glow.

But, most of the energy used to make an incandescent light bulb glow is lost in the form of radiated heat. So, an incandescent bulb only puts out about 15 lumens of light per watt, while a compact fluorescent bulb will put out between 50 and 100 lumens of light per watt.

So, some states (including California) have enacted legislation that will phase out the sale of incandescent bulbs by 2012 as a way to save energy.

Answer 6

The new bulbs do last longer and use far less energy.  With the need to reduce energy consumption across the board, they are a small, but important step in the right direction.  Keeping the old bulbs would be like driving a Honda Civic that gets 5 miles per gallon.  Why would anyone do that when 30 MPG Civics are available?

Answer 7

To answer your question, Yes, the CFL (Compact FLuorescent) lasts longer than traditional Incandescent Bulbs.  They use less energy to produce the same lumen's.  That being said, CFL bulbs have a catch, which is Mercury.  Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and their compact partners are no different.  Some retailers have recycling programs for these bulbs, but the majority of people don't realize that the bulbs shouldn't go to landfill.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of false dawns when searching for the supreme sunrise.  I am not saying that CFL bulbs are a false dawn, but we need to continue to research.

Answer 8

YES!!!!! and they do safe you money. Don't try to buy them all at one time. Your electric company may even sell them cheaper than the local stores do. Ours does.