[RFI] CFL Bulbs that are OK!

[Diane and Edward Swynar]

Hi Guys,

How have you found CFLs to behave in outdoor applications...?

Here in The Great White North it's not uncommon to have sub-zero (Fahrenheit
scale) temperatures in the long, cold winter months. I have porch lamps &
driveway lamps whose only protection from the elements are decorative glass
enclosures.

Will these things fire-up when the thermometer dips, or will we be left
here---literally--in the cold & dark...?

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ


*******************************************

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Turner" <n2scj at msn.com>
To: <rfi at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 9:44 AM
Subject: Re: [RFI] CFL Bulbs that are OK!


> My CFL's in bathroom have a short lifespan.  Sometimes they fail
> spectacularly and go up in smoke.  This has been going on for 3-5 years.
> I've used multiple brands, but most likely I purchased at Lowes.  I
thought
> it was the high humidity.  Perhaps its all the on/off cycles that occur in
> the bathroom.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andy
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 9:33 AM
> To: rfi at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RFI] CFL Bulbs that are OK!
>
> > One of the worst things you can do to a CFL is counter to what we've
> > always been taught.  Turn them off every time you leave the room. Rapid
> > on/off cycles will dramatically reduce the life of a CFL.  Rule of thumb
> > has been, "don't turn them off unless you plan on being out of the room
> > for more than 5 minutes.".My preference is 10 minutes, but I have no
> > proof that there is any difference between 5 and 10 minutes.
>
> I grew up (well, since high school) being taught that fluorescents
> shouldn't be cycled on and off, that it actually uses more electricity
> than keeping them on longer, and it shortens their life.
>
> But I've been told that someone (Mythbusters?) ran tests that showed
> this is not true, at least for modern CFLs.
>
> And in recent years I've heard/read more than once that even CFLs are
> better being turned off whenever you leave the room, even if it's only
> for a few minutes.
>
> Now, considering the QC problems with CFLs, I think it's a pretty safe
> bet that this isn't universally true; that some brands may go up in
> smoke due to the stress.
>
> Anyway, I remain somewhat skeptical.
>
> Also, I understand that some instant-start fluorescents (both CFL and
> non-CFL with electronic ballast) put considerable stress on the lamp
> in order to reach full brightness immediately, which can cause them to
> go bad if cycled often.
>
> The first few CFLs in our home were in lamps that stayed on for hours
> at a time.  But we have since put some in places that are turned on
> and off frequently, and haven't seen early failures in those yet.
>
> Incandescents also go bad when turned on and off a lot.  They have
> that inrush current.  Has anyone seen that cool slow-motion film
> showing what happens to a filament in the first several milliseconds
> when turned on?  It's no wonder they go bad then.  And then there is
> the bulb that's been running in some fire station in California for
> more than 100 years, where they claim the long life is in part because
> it is never turned off.
>
> Andy
> _______________________________________________
> RFI mailing list
> RFI at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>
> _______________________________________________
> RFI mailing list
> RFI at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi