Fluorescent and CFL bulbs

[jeff48356]

Now that we are well into 2023, I find it hard to believe that Home Depot and other big-box stores are still carrying CFL's and fluorescent tubes. You would think CFL's would have been banned for some time now. Even if not, I have no clue why HD would even waste shelf space for them. Are people still dumb enough to buy them nowadays despite having no advantages over LED bulbs? As for fluorescent tubes, they should be made available only to commercial contractors at supply houses. That means consumers would be forced to either use type A LED tubes if compatible with their fixtures, or rewire them to accept type B otherwise.

 

[zbang]

You don't like florescent lamps, we got that.

HD is in the business of selling things, if people are buying the stuff they might as well sell it as long they have stock and it's legal.
(I'm going to assume you're referring to edison-base CFLs) There are fixtures that use non-edison bases which aren't commonly available as LEDs. Should folks replace those fixtures?)

CFL's have no advantage over LEDs? Maybe they're cheaper than LEDs, and if you're on a small fixed income even a few cents can mean a lot.
Same goes for forcing a change, there are people who can't just replace everything. Or for places where it doesn't make much sense, like the occasional-use shed. The payback for changing out some locations is years, not months.

I've got a lot of floro's around my house and garage; as long as the fixtures work and I have lamps I'll use them. Unless you'd like to pay for the change-out .

 

[drcampbell]

CFLs do have at least one advantage: They take a little bit of time to come up to full brightness, giving your eyes a little bit of time to adapt instead of immediately dazzling your night vision.

Not that it's enough of an advantage for me to every buy them again. Mercury, broken glass, diminishing output over time ... no, thanks.

With all the often-ridiculous options available in LED bulbs, (Bluetooth remote control? Really?) I'm disappointed that this one hasn't been offered.

 

[James L]

CFLs do have at least one advantage: They take a little bit of time to come up to full brightness, giving your eyes a little bit of time to adapt instead of immediately dazzling your night vision.

That was my immediate thought.

The last house I lived in had some switched neutrals and LED lighting. So when the bathroom switch was turned off, that light became a night light.

Before that, I used to really miss the effect of a CFL taking 5-10 seconds to warm up. That's really nice at 3am

 

[drcampbell]

I installed a fan-light combination in my own bathroom, put a furnace filter in front of it, and put in a small cool-white CFL. It's really nice at 3:00 am, a close resemblance to natural moonlight. (and the fan motor will never quit running because it got gunked up with crud)

 

[James L]

I'm impressed

 

[drcampbell]

... As for fluorescent tubes, they should be made available only to commercial contractors at supply houses. That means consumers would be forced to either use ... LED tubes ...

If prohibiting consumer use can be justified, shouldn't commercial users likewise be prohibited from buying them? Constitutional equal protection of the laws, and all those silly little legal technicalities.

Or if you can't make the case for making them fully illegal, maybe you could deem them a hazardous material, limit sales to people with hazmat-training certification, and put a $100 deposit on each tube, to be returned only when an old tube is properly entombed at a certified hazmat-disposal facility.

I'm a little puzzled here. How is it that you think you can make the case for prohibiting them at all?

 

[LarryFine]

When my son was little, I wired a 2a 200v diode across the hall bathroom light switch.

Instead of on-off, it was on-dim. The glow was a great night light.

 

[hbiss]

I use ALOT of 8' industrial fixtures around my house. Basement, garage, shed, etc. A few months ago, I bought a case of F96T12 lamps when I saw the HD and my local hardware store no longer had them. As the ballasts die, I switch them to T8 lamps. They are a little easier to get still. Why don't I switch to LED? Because I would have to switch all in a group just because there is a problem with one fixture. Doesn't make $ense.

-Hal

 

[letgomywago]

I use ALOT of 8' industrial fixtures around my house. Basement, garage, shed, etc. A few months ago, I bought a case of F96T12 lamps when I saw the HD and my local hardware store no longer had them. As the ballasts die, I switch them to T8 lamps. They are a little easier to get still. Why don't I switch to LED? Because I would have to switch all in a group just because there is a problem with one fixture. Doesn't make $ense.

-Hal

Ballast bi pass bulbs when Ballast go and 30 years from now you'll be all led

 

[hbiss]

30 years from now you'll be all led.

By then that will be someone else's problem.

-Hal

 

[winnie]

CFLs do have at least one advantage: They take a little bit of time to come up to full brightness, giving your eyes a little bit of time to adapt instead of immediately dazzling your night vision.

That's why I have dimmer switches in the bathroom.

I'm surprised a LED that does this (and only this) isn't sold.

Does anyone here know if the various programmable 'smart bulbs' can be programmed to act in this fashion on a simple snap switch?

Jon