The last phase of the federal government's ban on incandescent light bulbs went into effect yesterday, January 1st.

This added 40w and 60w to the already banned 75w and 100w bulbs. The new "government approved bulbs" cost more but are "hoped" to save us money over time. (Sounds kinda like some other government projections that "ain't" turned out as planned.)

Drip, drip, drip... there goes another choice that we don't have to make about how we live our lives. I'm sure glad that the folks that were elected into congress know so much more about my lighting needs than I do.

what can i use for a reading light? i see the garden centres still sell 1000 watt metal halide, high pressure sodium gives me a headache though

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the rules? there are no rules

What sort of nanny state leftist would SIGN such a law?

Typical .gov. They got behind the absolute WORST technology to replace the incandescent bulb.

Typical wife. She signed up for every "free light bulbs" thing to come along. I have two crates of CFLs out in the shed. SOME of them actually put out good quality light but they are the minority.

I have an LED over my reloading bench. Great quality light, plenty of it, and it uses 9 Watts! I paid >$20 for it but that was a few years ago.


LED lamps are the future.

Is the Canadian government pulling the same kind of bull excrement? Maybe Capones relatives will be sneaking bulbs over the border. Speak Easys for light bulbs?

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

if you go to the hardware store right now they have plenty in stock even 75 & 100 in my area... I have enough on hand to wait for the price of LED bulbs to come down in price...I bought a couple CFL's and don't like them at all...the only constant thing in life is change...we either accept or fight it...I can live with light bulb changes, but will fight anythings that tries to take my gun rights away

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carpe diem
one day at a time

While we mostly used the new bulbs - the lightswitch in our washer/dryer room is motion activated and so far the ONLY bulbs that work right in it are the old "normal" ones.
I guess I need to go buy several of them to have on hand for as long as they last.

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For God and Country

I have a friend that's been hoarding lightbulbs for several years now.There are hundreds of them stacked in the furnace room.She's a rather strange girl...

You'll need to look this up cause I'm old & forgetful... but...

Some CFLs put out a nice white light but the MFG like to hang silly names on their bulbs. "Soft white" ain't necessarily white. "Daylight" is usually that awful yellowish garbage (which my wife LOVES...)

Bulbs have a color temperature number. "Cooler" to "warmer" and I can never remember which is which. We have some smart guys here. Maybe they would know.

The people who want your light bulbs are the same people who want your guns.

So sorry, but the greenies' pagan worship of Mother Earth is more important than your freedom (or your eyesight for that matter).

Now where is that tongue-in-cheek smiley....

My favorite part was when we got a notice from the power company informing us that due to the reduction in electricity use, they were experiencing lower revenue so they "had no choice" but to raise our rates!

Gotta love public utilities...

It's for teh chi'druhn! Why do you hate teh chi'druhn?

:tongueincheeksmiley:

Next thing you know whilst you are standing on a street corner a seedy character in a dirty trench coat will approach you and say, hey buddy, want to buy some black market incandescent light bulbs?

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Stay safe people!

$1/Watt on Ebay!

If I could get a CFL to actually last as long as they are supposed to then I would at least be pacified. But the reality is I've had to replace more than half of them at less than half the life they are supposed to last. I will give LED bulbs a try if they get to last at least a few bucks each and don't have a weird bluish hue to the light.

As long as we are complaining about regulations, I really love having to run the A/C longer with the new refrigerant just to get the house as cool as with the old stuff. I'm sure that's saving energy. Just like getting worse mileage and wearing out engines with ethanol. I also love all the recycling that is just taken to a different dump. And I can't wait to see how auto manufacturing is going to get the EPA's 54.4 mpg rating in 2025 when it's hard to get a Prius to do that on a regular.

This one really was Bush's fault.

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Common sense isn't so common.

I'm going to stash a case right next to my case of glass mercury fever thermometers. It's getting crazy around here.
Now having said that, they cost like hell but the LED bulbs are the only way to go.

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Back to back World War Champs.

I started changing to CFL in 97 or so. the first bulb changed was the 60w over the Kitchen sink then the front porch bulb. We had 4 teenagers and left night lights on all the time for them to see by. I started changing 3 bulbs every payday and after 3 months all the bulbs were changed over. The electric bill had a 25-30% drop. Now my KWof usage are still low but the bill is higher. On the fixture over the bath sink, I have 3 23w (100 =) bulbs of three different light colors, The mix is good enough that when I shave I don't look sick or dead (but still nothing to write home about). Now that we don't have cheep incandescent bulbs to compete with the CFL are going to climb in price. I have a small stash of 60w bulbs to put on the well pump in the winter to protect it from freezing. When those run out I'll have to find another way to heat the pump. Ivan

Yeah, if usage goes up they raise rates "due to demand"
If usage goes down they raise rates "due to low revenue"
It all boils down to they are GOING raise your rates, one way or another, and any excuse will do.

If you really want to see how far some "true believers" will go in an attempt to prop up their pipe dreams... just read the "benefits" and Q&A's from the Seattle.gov "Lights" site.

"Seven ways to get the most from your CFL"... Talk about trying to turn a negative into a benefit.

Seattle City Light Residential Conservation | Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Only a problem if broken... No worries! I've never heard of a light bulb getting broken. Now everyone get to drive some place to dispose of their burn out light bulbs. That's green.

Anyway, I'm glad that I learned about the risky business of eating a shrimp cocktail.

Yes, the mercury-filled fluorescent bulbs are much better for the environment.

It was signed into law in 2007 by George W. Bush.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Yeah, and I'm sure a lot of people think we're strange for doing the same thing with ammo.

Banned in the US. If they can get sheetrock here from China I should be able to get light bulbs from somewhere, just hope they aren't broken.

They are still allowed to produce or import "rough duty" incandescent bulbs.

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Certified AR-15 / SIG Armorer.

WM in my area stocked up on them. They are 4 for about $2.25. Im going back tomorrow to stock up on them.PS, I wonder what former politicos are going to rake in millions on this deal? PSS, I already know who one is.

No doubt ;-D

I'm not happy either about them going away. I've switched over to CFLs for many things, but still prefer a good incandescent for reading and many other applications.

Although not a 100% replacement, there are halogen bulbs available with a regular Mazda-type screw base and a globe that gives them the same shape as a conventional incandescent. They have many of the advantages of conventional incandescents, including the lack of a "warm-up" time and a similar color temperature and spectrum. They are slightly more efficient than incandescents(a 53W bulb is as bright as a 60W incandescent), and can also be dimmed. Provided that they are used within their design parameters, they have a significantly longer life than conventional incandescents.

The downside is that they are similar in cost to CFLs.

It's for the children.

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Sure you did

When incandescent lights are outlawed. Only outlaws will own incandescent lights.

Then outlaws shall we be!

When in the colder climates, it is readily apparent the 100 watt bulb is the most efficient heat transfer devise ever invented. The light it provides is a good bonus.

I feel bad for the Easy Bake Oven folks. Try cooking a brownie with a CFL. The government just killed their product.

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Certified AR-15 / SIG Armorer.

Now I'm going to have to read my newly mandated Obama Care health Plan in the dark?

Seems we're getting mighty used to having the government make decisions for us.

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Dave

I called our county and asked where and how should we dispose of CFLs. They said they had no such accommodations.

There is a loophole in the law that the bulb manufactures found.

The law prohibits the manufacture of general service bulbs, but

not the rough service bulbs. They give off the same light, and

are the same color. The only difference is that there are more

supports on the filament. They are also a little more expensive.

There will still be plenty of bulbs around.

Stu

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NRA Benefactor/Cert Instructor

Yup. I had to lay in a supply of them as I use a couple 100Watt bulbs in my pump room on a thermostat to keep things from freezing if it gets too cold in there. Two lamps so there as a backup, and the light warms up more surfaces than if I just used heat-tape on the pipes. This keeps the pump and pressure tank a bit warmer. And yes I do have an electric space heater in there as well, set at a lower temperature, as it REALLY uses electric power when it kicks in! The lights have been cycling ON and OFF this last week with the sub-zero temperatures outside.

As for CFL lamps, just wait a bit. In addition to the mercury and disposal problems, they also present a UV hazard, potentially increasing your skin cancer and cataract risks.

Most tube florescent lighting is high/far enough away so the risk of high exposure levels is minimal even if there are UV "leaks" from internal cracks or imperfections in the inner tube coatings. The CFLs on the other hand, are often used in lamps and task lighting that are very close to you, and have an even greater risk of having bad coatings because of the tightly bent tubing used. Oops! Maybe the Government will try to "spin it" by saying that UV is good for your tan. Yeah! It's a "feature."

I'm betting that some of the people pushing the CFLs have FINALLY realized the fact that there are several problems with them, and rather than admit the mistake or delay the incandescent lamp ban, have been quietly pushing the LED lamp industry. Once prices come down on the LED replacement lamps, want to take bets on how long it takes before the curly bulbs disappear from the shelves? I only give them about 10-years.

I've been switching out my reading lights lately with LED 60W equivalent bulbs as I've been able to afford them, at about $10 - $12 per bulb. They also have the advantage that some of them will work with my old dimmer switches. There is a good chance that at least some of them will also work in motion detector lights where the CFLs may have problems.

The people who own that technology paid a lot of money to kill their competitors by buying congress votes

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

My home is full of those fluorescent, low wattage bulbs that turn out to be full of mercury. You about need a hazmat team to throw one away, I mean properly recycle, one of these bulbs. And they do actually use far less juice, if you look at your bill. But in the end the utilities just asked for and were granted rate increases that made any savings we might have seen evaporate away. Now the LED is here, ridiculously expensive today, dirt cheap in another decade. Personally I really don't care too much about what sort of light bulbs I can get, because I think the last of the really good bulbs went over the cliff when China stated making all our bulbs. More and more I find myself enjoying my center draft B&G oil lamp, and I think I may restore another one this winter. They light up a room like a 60 watt bulb and as an added bonus here in the northeast, they throw quite a bit of heat too. It is zero out there right now, and falling.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

I have been using the flourescent for a number of years---I hate changing bulbs.
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

Uncle Fester is certainly not amused.

Then there's a couple problems we'll ALL be facing. Many don't know that you can't put a CFL in just ANY socket. Some VERY common ones are those on dimmers , those on motion sensors, and those on garage door openers (older than 2-3 yrs). While not breaking the bank, these are NOT cheap things to replace, unless of course you have to hire it out which it seems to be the case for 99% of America under 50.

The second problem is that these cheaply made CFLs are very susceptible to "un-clean" power, surges, under/over voltages/... I've replaced CFLs more frequently than I've EVER changed incandescent bulbs.

Somewhere on that there interweb is a host of documents that more accurately describe the economic impact of CFLs from a cost and jobs perspective. It isn't pretty. I'm shocked that our Government would do such a stupid and damaging thing in the name of "green". Really shocked

My other rant is about a car called ZERO emissions when it uses the dirtiest form of energy transmitted over the most inefficient method, converted with a 10% loss to be supplied to a storage system that leaks, to travel 50 miles and then has a recycling footprint on the batteries larger than the problem it was trying to solve. Gasoline is still the most transportable and efficient means of energy storage we have.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!! How long will it be until the hoarder gouger flipper threads begin on good old light bulbs. You see, I stocked up to get me to the grave

Okay Folks, I am a former Product Safety Inspector of 32 years (retired) for a well-known laboratory (think about and yoU wilL know who) and have some knowledge about this subject. First of all, the amount of mercury is negligible. You would have to crack a half dozen open and snort the contents in order to experience any lasting effect. They are the same technology as the long tubes that have been around for 75 years.

The big problem is that every time you put one in a light fixture, you are negating any safety testing the fixture has undergone.

Incandescent light bulbs have always been rated by "wattage", which is power consumption. The CFLS use much less wattage in order to put out the same number of lumens, which is the actual measurement of light emitted. Whereas the light bulb uses resistance heat, the CFL uses a ballast that creates an impedance and the efficiency of ballasts vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. (Less efficient = more heat). Also that little plastic housing may be made from a variety of materials.

These light fixtures were tested with known wattages and shapes of incandescent bulbs. Resistance wire (filaments) for wattages are constant, and the same wire gauge, that is to say, a 60 watt Type "A" from every manufacturer creates the same amount of heat and the risk of fire from being too close to flammable objects can be determined thusly.

When a testing laboratory rates these light fixtures, the ratings are determined using the wattage and shape of the light bulb desired, and there is a label on the fixture stating: "WARNING RISK OF FIRE - USE (*) Watt Type (*) BULBS ONLY" and the (*) is filled with the tested type. IE: "75 watt type A"

Guess what? When you put in a CFL it is a fluorescent bulb, not an incandescent bulb and they are not tested for heat equivalence to the incandescent counterpart authorized on the label. For the most part, if the CFL is visible, like a table lamp open on top and bottom, there is plenty of air movement. In closed top fixtures, like glass pendant types or recessed ceiling types, I have experienced very hot failures where the plastic CFL housing was visibly brown, burnt and brittle.

Use them where you must, but keep a close eye on them.

blujax, many thanks for the information. It was enlightening (pun intended). I do understand better how they work now.

When bulbs are outlawed gangs will STILL get them 'on the street.'

And "decorater bulbs" Which are of course the same old incandescent bulbs. Only in odd shapes and costing 3-4 times as much.

They just keep limiting my freedom of choice, damn their eyes! First it was gas lights replaced by this new fangled electricity. Okay, electricity it is , at least don't limit my choice of bulbs that waste 75% of the energy as heat. And where are my eight track tapes? My VHS tapes? All my good porn was on them!

"Garage door openers; (older than 2 or 3 years)". My two are 20 years and 15 years: I have CFL bulbs in them and they work fine. I still don't like them, though.

Doode... Blu Ray. 65" LED display.

Sometimes progress really IS progress.

OK, I meant MOST and never considered antiques I don't know where you are in TX but I've never had one last more than 8-10 years down here!!!

BTW, mine have motion sensor lights built in and that may be the differentiator!

No, she's not strange...she plans ahead.

I have a lifetime supply of 60, 75, and 100 watt bulbs stored in my utility room. I started buying them three or four years ago, in anticipation of this date.

I have a lot of signed/autographed, limited-edition lithographs, and fluorescent light is very bad for them. Plus, I like the look of incandescent bulbs. Hence the hoarding...