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| CFLs in the cold | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 3 2009, 06:52 PM (148 Views) | |
| kenny | Dec 3 2009, 06:52 PM Post #1 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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It is 65 deg F in our house now. When I turn on a light it is very dim. It takes 30 seconds or so for it to brighten up, and a few minutes before it stops becoming brighter. Y'all in colder climes: . . . do they work outside when it is very cold? FWIW these are from Home Depot and are around a year old. |
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| Jolly | Dec 3 2009, 07:18 PM Post #2 |
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Geaux Tigers!
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I use them on the carport. It'll be 29 Saturday morning. Yep, they start out pretty slow, but eventually get bright enough... |
| The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros | |
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| John Galt | Dec 3 2009, 07:21 PM Post #3 |
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Fulla-Carp
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Depends on the CFL. Some take a while to get to full brightness, others are labeled "instant on". The instant-on variety is almost as good as incandescent or halogen. Temperature tends to affect all fluorescents, compact or otherwise. The instant on variety seems less affected by cold. Home Depot had some that we bought that were designated for outdoor use in temps below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. They definitely work, but they do take some time to ramp up. Seems like the bulbs keep changing. HD was carrying one line, and is now dumping them (you can find them on the closeout rack) for another. Bulb manufacturers are juggling multiple design issues: mercury content, ballast efficiency, size and color rendering. Hard to keep up with what's good. I can say I've tried a few of the LEDs and I don't think the technology is there yet. |
| Let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness. | |
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| John Galt | Dec 3 2009, 07:24 PM Post #4 |
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Fulla-Carp
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Oh yeah, if they don't say they are rated for cold temps, they may not go on at all. I'll try to find the box for the outdoor bulbs to see what brand they were. I bought a bunch because they were so good, but it's been a few years since I purchased them. For all I know, they aren't available anymore! |
| Let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness. | |
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| QuirtEvans | Dec 3 2009, 07:29 PM Post #5 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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+1 Works fine for flashlights and such, but not for "real" lighting. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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| John Galt | Dec 3 2009, 07:32 PM Post #6 |
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Fulla-Carp
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Quirt, have you seen/tried the seventy dollar variety of LEDs? I was looking at some PAR16s online for a small recessed fixture, but didn't want to spring that much for one bulb. The LEDs I tried were 15 bucks for three small bulbs at Costco. They were awful! |
| Let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness. | |
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| George K | Dec 3 2009, 07:36 PM Post #7 |
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Finally
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I wonder how much of our criticism of LEDs is because of what we're "used to." Had Edison developed the cold, harsh, colorless light that comes from an LED, would that not be what we consider "real" lighting? I hate LED lighting*, for now, at least. *but the flashlights are awesome |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| QuirtEvans | Dec 3 2009, 07:37 PM Post #8 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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No, I haven't tried the ultra-expensive ones. The whole idea is that LEDs use less electricity .... but I'm not going to spend a small fortune to save a little electricity. That would be penny wise, pound foolish. Like you, I've tried a couple of things from Costco, and one other cheap thing mail order. I was unsatisfied. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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| 1hp | Dec 3 2009, 07:46 PM Post #9 |
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Fulla-Carp
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I've noticed the same thing as Kenny. 2 of the 3 floods in my kitchen are CFLs and they take a while to warm up now it's getting colder. Seemed fine in the summer. |
| There are 10 kinds of people in this world, those that understand binary and................ | |
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