Just bought energy smart lightbulbs... TOO BRIGHT!!!?

Question

My mom just bought us energy smart lightbulbs and they are extremely bright white and remind me of her work ( Labor and Delivery ). We don't know if they come in other colors like the regular lightbulbs. Does anyone know?

Answer 1

Have your mom buy lights w/ lower wattage for you.  As people age they often develop cataracts and actually need more (brighter) light than someone your age.  Perhaps your mom doesn't realize the light is so bright.

Answer 2

All other answers are correct, except for Jack.. There is a "three-way" CFL, I have one and I hope the technology gets better on these. (or maybe it's the manufacturer I bought ??) The difference between each setting is not that much different. If all the 3-way CFL's are all like that, then the incandescent 3-way would be better in the way of lumens, not in the way of energy/longevity savings.

Answer 3

You mean compact fluorescent bulbs, right?  Spiral tubes coming out of a plastic base?

You probably have "cool white" units.  What you want for a softer light is "warm white", which uses different phosphors to give a light with less blue and more red.  Bumping down the wattage a bit might make it more your style and save even more electricity!

You can even get CF's which are compatible with dimmers.  I picked up a 3-watt candelabra-base CF at Home Depot a few weeks ago which can be used with a dimmer.  I put it in my outside fixture instead; it replaced a 40-watt bulb (saving 37 watts), but nobody in the complex noticed the difference without me telling them!

If you are looking for new units, there are some brands to avoid.  I have had very good luck with GE and Sylvania.  I have had very bad luck with Feit Electric and Lights of America (the ballasts of the 3-ways die explosively).

Answer 4

I don't know if they sell them in softer colors, but I do know that flourescent lights can push a person into seizures. Ask your Mom. People who are prone to seizures can have one triggered by lights that strobe, and flourescents do that.

Answer 5

yes, there is another problem with these bulbs, their disposal please follow the directions carefully.

Answer 6

I have had these type of bulbs in my house for some years. Most of mine have the quivalent light output as a normal 60 watt bulb, but consume only 20% of the normal electricity needed for the same amount of light.

The only problem with this kind of bulb is that you can't use them with dimmer controllers, because the elements work more like fluorescent tubes (you can actually see the fluorescent tubes inside some of them).

any of these bulbs with a light output of between 60 and 100 watts light output (Equivalent) should be quite sufficient.

Yes, they come in either warm white, and cool white as well as some tinted ones (pink, peach etc).

Answer 7

If you have cataracts bright light will be glaring and painful! Energy smart light bulbs don't save any energy really. They just emit less light than regular incandescent bulbs so they use less power.

Answer 8

yes they come in colors like the regular light bulbs. they also come in different wattages

the main colours are cool blue and warm blue. one is more bluey and the other more red. its mainly a preference thing but i prefer the cool blue ones because they are less harsh but they sometimes look like hospital lights.