Household Lights

I have been using compact Fluorescent lights since around 1994.
There have been some major improvements since then.
Back in 1994 these Fluorescent lights took around 3 minutes to get to their full brightness.
Today, they are smaller and are at their full brightness as soon as you switch them on
They do save electricity but they do not last as long as the packaging says they do, under normal daily use.

I have been buying more of these lights because they DO NOT LAST VERY LONG.
I bought a twin pack of 13 watt = 100 watt equivalent the package said they will last 7 years under normal use. one went out within 2 months, then other one went out around 8 months.
They were branded GE so i called GE's household lightning department.
I first asked them what to they mean by normal daily use?
They replied the light being constantly on for 2 hours per every 24 hours.
I then told them  what had happened with my lights. He said i'm very sorry about your bad experience.
He then asked me how we were using the light?
I said it was installed in our kitchen on the ceiling.
He then asked how often do you turn it on and off per day?
I said hardly ever in the day because out kitchen had a huge skylight and lots of windows.
At night every time someone goes in to the kitchen, then off when someone leaves.
He then said that's what has caused the short life. these lights are designed to be on for longer that 30 minutes at a time. the longer you leave them on or off the longer they last.

I said that's the same with Incandescent lights. he said correct but these will fail faster if not left on or off for long periods of time.
I then said them the wording on the package is incorrect. He said no, its not. if you buy one turn it on and leave it on never turning it off it will last 7 years, maybe longer.
He sent me a free coupon for 4 if my choice compact fluorescent lights only and between 60 and 100 watt equivalent. this was in early 2016. all but one light has failed.
one was in our back porch and was left on 24-7 it was the second one to fail, it only lasted 6 months and 3 days.

I have been hearing all the hype about switching from Fluorescent to LED lights.
so i bought one it was supposed to be 100 watt equivalent, but it was no more than 40 watt equivalent it failed 1 month and 3 weeks after we bought it. the manufacture Cree said it had to have been defected from the factory or damaged during shipping to the store.
so they send me 2 to replace the one, they even shipped it overnight.

The replacements were a heck of a lot brighter but they both failed around 8 months, they both failed, one day from each other. they started by flickering like if there was a short or the electricity was having issues it does do that some times. but they were the only lights in the whole house doing that.

I called Cree back they apologized they said they can't keep sending me replacements. they said the LED household lightning technology is in its early stages with improvements every few months. they said it would be best to go back to Fluorescent until the LED technology improves. the person i was talking to said they don't use LED lights in their home because they do not last, they use a combination of Fluorescent and Incandescent lightning.
they also said they really don't save that much electricity maybe $2.00 per year but the cost of the light its self takes that savings away.

I do have a twisty fluorescent light that I have had since April 2005. It still works, Its a GE brand light. The package says it is guaranteed to last for 10 years, if it doesn't they will refund the full amount and give you a free replacement.

I used this same light 24-7 during the Kittycast From Kittyville broadcast.

From 20-April-2010 to 08-March-2011

Its a 2.5 watt, 25 watt equivalent natural day light, Compact Florescent twisty light

Here is a picture of it while its switched on, I took this picture about 5 minutes ago.

FYI: a 25 watt equivalent LED light uses 8.5 watts. A 25 watt Compact Fluorescent twisty light only uses 2.5 watts.

So the Compact Fluorescent's are better, plus the price of Fluorescent lights have came down a lot.

The last one I bought was a twin pack of 13 watt = 100 watt equivalent was only $3.67 at Walmart. 5 years ago, the same twin pack was selling at Walmart for $13.67.

Also LED lights have a pulsating effect. If you don't directly look at one -like in your side vision- they appear to be flashing like a strobe light. This type of flashing is known to cause seizures in people who have never had a seizure. It also causes people who have a history of seizures to have them more often. There are newer LED lights that don't have this strobe effect, but for one 60 watt equivalent LED light bulb is going to cost you on average $29.00

and they only have half the life of a regular LED light bulb on average 2 years.

Why they cost so much more? Because they have electronic filters and regulators to stop the flashing effect. 

PS: I use this twisty light as a bed light. I use it to read before I go to sleep, its usually on for an hour.

I bought it as a security light, it was on 24-7 for around 4 years, it was outside uncovered in the weather.

This is the longest lasting light I have ever owned my whole life.