Do those swirly light bulbs that save energy work?

Question

I've used them but they don't last 7 years like it says on the box.

Answer 1

no they don't last that long but they do last longer than regular ones

Answer 2

they do work to conserve

Answer 3

My father decided to go green before going green was popular, so when we built our house 7 years ago he put in the "swirly" light bulbs and they are still working.

Answer 4

They'd only get 7 years with occasional use though you should be able to get at least a year out of them.

If not then you either bought cheap lights with badly designed ballasts or you are abusing the lights by putting them in a dimmer circuit or enclosed fitting.

In terms of money saved, the light itself costs more (even taking account of how much longer it lasts compared to an incandescent heater) but the lower energy usage means that you come out ahead of the incandescent in the end (even with cheap electricity).

Answer 5

Yeah, they work but you're right about how long they last.  Have a look at how many hours they say they're good for.  Even that is bs. You save money while they work but, depending on what you paid for them in the first place I reckon you'd be mighty lucky to get a saving that's worth bragging about before they die on you.  They are the way to go if you feel good about using less electricity but you pay out even more money (replacing the bulbs) for that warm, fuzzy, inner glow.

Answer 6

Yes, they do work.  I've had mine for about 3-4 years now, and only 1 has gone bad.

Answer 7

I work at a Utility Exploration center. We have a couple displays for light bulbs, I've seen them hooked up to watt meters and had to turn a crank to power them. So, I can say I've seen the proof that you can light 4 CFL's with the amount of electricity it takes to light 1 incandescent bulb.

Not all bulbs are created equal. I've found that the cheap non brand name bulbs don't seem to last as long as the Phillips or GE bulbs that I've puchased. Also they aren't designed to be put on a dimmer switch. I've had several bulbs that I've had in lights for more than 5 years. The only ones I've had to replace are the discount bulbs and the one I accidently put on a dimmer.

Answer 8

They are junk. Use a regular bulb. All green products are primarily expensive and will not work as advertised. It's all political hype.