Based on the yearly consumption of one ordinary 60-watt bulb, do you want to buy flourescent screw-in types?

Question

A leading question, but a valid argument. Making a good educated guess
of how much the older filament type uses if left on all year(assuming in theory that it will not blow, or has 8760 hours of life).




........

>
>
> Is it really worth it? Or you just wanna
> tell people, "hey, I just bought a bulb
> that should last 6 years and it only
> cost me 13.99.



.

Answer 1

You can easily get payback on the cost of a CFL within a year if you replace lights that you use most regularly. Assuming a 60W bulb that burns for four hours a day, it will consume 87.6 kWh and cost you about $8.76(*) each year. The comparable (in lumens of light output) 15W CFL will consume 21.9 kWh and cost $2.19 to operate. That's $6.57 of energy savings per bulb in the first year.

Given that almost any hardware store will sell you a two-pack of 15W CFLs for $10 (Home Depot sells 12 bulbs for $18 -> $1.50 each), you're already at least $1.57 ahead per bulb after a year. That's not even counting the cost of the ordinary bulb which only lasts 720 hours and will require replacing twice a year (the CFL only requires replacement every 4 years at 4 hours/day of use).

* 10 cents/kWh incl. tax; CA is slightly higher at the base rate and CA rates go as high as 35 cents/kWh depending on how much you use.

ps, the amount of mercury in a CFL is less than the extra amount coming out of the power plant's smokestacks (into our atmosphere) due to the use of an incandescent bulb! Reduce mercury poising by buying CFLs and, of course, when they stop working, dispose of them properly (stores that take batteries and other "household hazardous waste" often take CFLs).

pps, many improvements have been made to improve fluorescent lighting: flicker has been greatly reduced and various hues (of color) are available. You can also put the bulbs inside of various fixtures which can diffuse and transform the light ... that said, some people still don't like fluorescent light.

Answer 2

i say particular that's secure. I also have a minimum of 10 such bulbs in my domicile. as long as that 2d quantity does not exceed the 60 watts it is going to be effective. you're precise abut the output no longer being the comparable. (brightness) I even have lots of the one hundred fluorescent bulbs that basically have an output of roughly 20 to 23 watts. the wattage is extra of a means that the twine modern shouldn't exceed. greater wattage (incandescent) can and has melted those wires. i communicate from adventure. 26 watts must be effective. after plugging interior the unit and turning it on, all you could desire to do is experience the twine the place that's plugged in for warmth. i'm particular that's o.ok. good success to ya

Answer 3

There is no denying that fluorescent bulbs are more energy efficient. However, I have learned from experience that they also tend to give some people headaches. In addition, the buzzing sound that many of them emit becomes an irritant as well.
One other point. While in the military, I was on an ICBM launch crew. Being locked below ground for days on end tends to mess up your biological clock after a while when you never see the sun or night. One of the tricks we learned to help us stay in sync with the passage of days was to switch from florescent lights in the day to incandescent lights at night. The incandescent lights were softer and gave the illusion of being indoors at nighttime. As such, I have come to prefer incandescent lights.

Answer 4

A few months of use is usually enough to pay for the compact fluorescent bulb with energy savings.

Answer 5

with incandesent bulbs you will never face the risk of mercury poisioning though. When my incandesent bulb burns out, I just toss it into the trash...where can you toss a burnt floresent bulb and not worry about the mercury it has inside of it leaching into the ground at some dump?

Answer 6

I have lookrd at those and find i don't like the color temerature of the flor type. to me they are harsher while the filiment type have mor orange in them and hence are watmer to sight...plus if you catch an industrial sale, they cost about 5 cents each