are CFL bulbs a dead technology?

[ExtraSlow]

Easy poll this morning. CFL's were an exciting step from incandescent lights for home use, but have they been completely passed by LED lights now? Vote.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Yes. I think they were DOA in the vast majority of Canada since the heat from incandescent bulbs wasn't really wasted energy in the first place. Replacing those with something that: has mercury, doesn't work in low temperatures, gives poor light (it's one fucking job), requires warming up, has poor longevity unless left on and allegedly has an extremely energy intense and environmentally damaging manufacturing process was never the answer.

Now that LED's can finally be diffused so they don't look like a laser beam, they seem pretty good. Still pretty frustrating to have one be defective when they aren't $0.39...

But hey - the only opinion that matters on environmental things is the opinions of an ordained Swedish teenager.

[blitz]

Yes, those weird curly bulbs were sent directly from Satan to fuck with our eyes and poison our landfills.

[firebane]

God I can't stand the light output of CFL bulbs and and house that had them that I rented were immediately removed and replaced.

The light output and startup on them was just annoying.

When I buy a house I'll be switching all incandescent out with LED and all home controlled.

[Swank]

How's everyone's experience been with LED bulbs for longevity? I've been slowly replacing all our CFLs over the past couple of years and have 2 LED bulbs now that start turning on and off on their own after they've been on for ~20-30 mins. I'm gonna see if Sylvania will replace them under warranty, they were good about it for CFLs that failed prematurely.

[ExtraSlow]

have had cheap LED's "burn out" a few times. I don't think I have warranty on bulbs that was $0.75/ea however.

[Cagare]

The only LED bulbs I have had issue with are the Cree bulbs. and I had warrantied them 4 times now. They don't even question me, just send me a new bulb, and a package to send back the old one.

I have a set of LED bulbs in my basement bathroom that flicker. I am not sure if it is a switch problem or bulb circuitry problem with the voltage step down.

[Xtrema]

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How's everyone's experience been with LED bulbs for longevity? I've been slowly replacing all our CFLs over the past couple of years and have 2 LED bulbs now that start turning on and off on their own after they've been on for ~20-30 mins. I'm gonna see if Sylvania will replace them under warranty, they were good about it for CFLs that failed prematurely.

Early gen, I have lost 2 and got warranty. But they were $20 a pop back in the days, so it's worth the paper work.

The cheap ones during the NDP giveaway, I have lost 2 as well. Don't really care, just reach for spares.

[jwslam]

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Early gen, I have lost 2 and got warranty. But they were $20 a pop back in the days, so it's worth the paper work.

The cheap ones during the NDP giveaway, I have lost 2 as well. Don't really care, just reach for spares.

Do you have issues colour matching when mixing brands?

[bjstare]

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The only LED bulbs I have had issue with are the Cree bulbs. and I had warrantied them 4 times now. They don't even question me, just send me a new bulb, and a package to send back the old one.

I have a set of LED bulbs in my basement bathroom that flicker. I am not sure if it is a switch problem or bulb circuitry problem with the voltage step down.

The ballast is probably going/gone on them. This would fall under the "bulb circuitry" category I suppose.

[ExtraSlow]

Current Poll results: 98% say YES, CFL bulbs are a dead technology.

[Cagare]

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The ballast is probably going/gone on them. This would fall under the "bulb circuitry" category I suppose.

Is it classified as a ballast within them? I have heard them defined as voltage step down and that they are not exactly ballasts like in CFL bulbs.

[gmc72]

I just went through my house this weekend and replaced all the CFL bulbs with new LED's. Makes a world of difference. I just got the cheap Ecosmart ones from Home Depot. 60W, nice white light. Everything is much brighter now!!

[Asian_defender]

Unfortunately I still have GU24 track lights in my house. I'd have to replace 5 sets of track lights to get rid of them so I'm stuck for now