CFL Primer
In theory, CFLs are a great thing. They last longer and use less energy than incandescents; it’s even possible to get them for free (MA residents visit Mass Save for a free energy audit that includes free replacement of incandescents with CFLs; click here to learn more about Mass Save). In practice, however, transitioning to CFLs can cause major headaches.
For example, you can’t just put any old CFL in a fixture with a dimmable switch. You need a special dimmable CFL and even then, the dimmable CFL may not work well with your fixture and/or your switch. And even if you find one that works, whose light quality you like and that does not buzz (a tall order), you may find that the bulbs need time to reach full capacity, that they won’t fully dim and/or that will not turn on if your dimmer switch is lowered.
Here are some tips to make your transition to energy efficient lighting go as smoothly as possible:
- Check out the Energy Star Guide to choosing CFLs to make sure you get the right light for your application.
- Make sure to buy Energy Star rated bulbs (believe it or not, there are some CFLs that do not have Energy Star rating).
- The lumen rating tells you how much light the bulb puts out. For general room lighting you want a bulb with roughly 900-1300. For reading you may want a bulb with a lumen rating in the 1700 range.
- The kelvin rating tells you the color of the light. For a warm color equivalent to the color of a conventional incandescent bulb, look for a 2700 kelvin CFL.
- CFL bulbs come in a variety of shapes and sizes beyond the spiral. There are bulbs for recessed lights, outdoor lights, chandeliers and decorative fixtures. A great online source for a variety of CFLs is Energy Federation Incorporated, or EFI.
- When replacing bulbs in a dimmable fixture, make sure to buy dimmable bulbs from a source (like EFI) that will take them back if they don’t work well with your fixture and/or dimmer switch.
2 Comments
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What about LEDs? I keep hearing they are the cat’s meow.
Comment by Jesse — January 28, 2010 @ 8:41 am
Hi Jesse,
I’m not sure that LEDs are the cat’s meow but they do have several benefits over CFLs. LEDs use a great deal less energy than CFLs: for example, the recessed LED lights I have in my house pull 12 watts of electricity compared to 20 watts for a CFL (and 65 for an incandescent). In addition, LEDs do not contain mercury, which is a major downside to CFLs.
On the other hand, LED technology and the product design have not advanced to the point where they can meet the needs of residential applications.
For example: there is no dimmer switch (or at least there wasn’t last year) that works with my recessed LED fixtures because they don’t pull at least 40 watts of power (which is what dimmers need to work). If you switch 4 or more recessed LEDs together (to make up the 40 watts) a dimmer will work, but not if you have less than that.
Rachel
Comment by Rachel White — January 29, 2010 @ 9:51 am