Really Cold Weather Rated Compact Fluorescents - Available Yet?

[jlocan]

Hi All,
I'm a long time forum troller and, today, a first time poster! Apologies if this has already been discussed in the forums. I've done a bit of my own research, but I'm wondering if any of you have any insight.

Is anyone aware of an industrial compact fluorescent (on par with a Crouse Hinds Champ VMV in terms of build quality) that is -22F to -40F rated? I'm well aware that CFs face significant cold weather challenges (lower lumen output, ballast start failure), but it seems that the technology may be coming around; though not necessarily to the above temp range.

Thanks in advance,
Justin

 

[LarryFine]

Justin, welcome to the forum!

As far as I know, nothing yet, and LED's may be your best bet.

 

[K8MHZ]

Well, it's about 10 degrees here and the CFL I have in my garage actually works. It's even on a motion sensor.

But.....just for good measure I also have one incandescent on that circuit (which may be why the CFL works on the motion sensor).

At times we get down to -15 or -20, just not since I put the CFL in the garage, which is detached and unheated, BTW, so I don't really know how cold it has to get before they fail.

 

[LarryFine]

I've seen CFL's get dim and turn pink when they get cold, even if they were already on and warmed up.

 

[dbuckley]

CFLs are full of electronics, and all electronics has a limited temperature range. Quoting the TI website (the first hit in google!)

Typically, the commercial temperature range is 0 degrees C to 70 degrees C. The industrial temperature range is -40 degrees C to 85 degrees C. The military temperature range is -55 degrees C to 125 degrees C. Some variations occur from time to time so please consult the product data sheet.

A lot of electronic stuff you buy is made with commercial range stuff, like Apple products for example, where you guarantee is voided if you use their kit in below freezing temperatures.

Trouble is, with a CFL, you don't know what quality semiconductors they use in there, and for many of the components, they are originated from sources that are less than stringent with their QA. (cheap product, made cheaply from cheap components in China)

So basically, unless you can find a documented temperature range on the particular brand and model of CFL, you're taking a bit of a punt.

 

[K8MHZ]

Strange....

Strange....

This thread got me looking at my CFLs closer.

As I mentioned, the one in the garage works very well in the cold. It was near 0 F here last night and it came on fine and with the same intensity as the incandescent it is next to.

Not so in the basement. There it gets about 50 degrees and the CFL there comes on at about 50 percent and takes three or four minutes to get close to full brightness.

Both CFLs came out of the same package.

The only difference is that the CFL in the garage shares an output with an incandescent.

Kind of makes you want to go 'hmm.....'

 

[LarryFine]

Kind of makes you want to go 'hmm.....'

Hmm.

Wow, you're right.