Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) Save Money - Now Overcome Their Shortcomings
by GreenBusinessOwner.com
Exchanging standard incandescent lightbulbs for compact fluorescent
lights (CFLs) is the standard energy-saving recommendation for all
homes and businesses today. It really does make good sense. A CFL will last on average 10 times longer than a standard incandescent filament bulb and will consume 75% less electricity. Even with the higher initial purchase price, CFLs rapidly pay for themselves. Given average US energy costs, a single bulb can save over $30 in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp and save 2000
times its own weight in greenhouse gases, according to Energy Star.
The common complaints about low light output during warm-up and
displeasing colors have all but been eliminated with the newest CFL
designs. Generally, a CFL will still have a short period of lower light
output when initially turned on, but the effect is much shorter than
found in bulbs manufactured only a short time ago. A few daylight
specialty bulbs using mercury amalgams in their gas formulations may
still need relatively long warmup times to reach full output, but most
standard bulbs do not have this problem. CFLs are now available in
color temperatures that should please most users in most applications.
In addition, the complaint that CFLs contain harmful mercury has also
been addressed. The amount of mercury used in the bulbs has been
greatly reduced and many national retailers now accept burned out CFLs
for recycling.
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Around our home and offices, we have gotten rid of every incandescent
light that is practical to exchange. We live in an area with the
highest energy costs in the nation, so we have had extra incentive to
make these changes, and actually made them some years ago. Over time,
we have been updating our older CFLs with newer, better performing
bulbs and it is easy to appreciate the improvements manufacturers have
made.
The
Downside of CFLs
Despite the significant improvements in CFL design, there are still a
couple of serious shortcomings that may make the lights unsuitable for
some uses:
CFLs create broadly
scattering soft light patterns. For some specific task lighting
situations where relatively intense direct light is needed, CFLs may
fall short.
- Intermittent
Usage Applications
In areas where a light may
be turned on and then immediately turned off repeatedly over the course
of a typical day, a CFL may be a poor choice. Rapidly cycling a CFL
bulb can greatly diminish longevity. For this reason, hallway lighting
or motion sensor lighting may not be the best application for a CFL.
- Poor Low
Temperature Performance
In cold temperature
situations, fluorescent lamps may take a long period to reach full light
output. For this reason, usage outdoors in areas that routinely see
very cold temperatures (sub-zero), a CFL may not be the best choice. It
should be noted however, that in most climates exterior CFL usage is
still perfectly possible. The low temperature performance problem is
really only noticeable in severe temperature situations.
An
Alternative
Outside our home and offices, we have three motion sensor light
fixtures which cover our parking area. CFL lamps have not been a viable
option for these fixtures for two reasons. First, blowing snow
conditions and a rambunctious Australian Shepherd named Jersey conspire
to make these lights activate dozens of times a day, a death sentence
for a CFL. Secondly, our ambient temperature in Alaska is far below the
recommended operating range of any commercially available CFLs. We
still use CFL lamps outdoors, but only in fixtures that are not needed
in path lighting situations where "instant on" performance is needed
and not in motion sensor light fixtures.
The solution? LED outdoor lamps. LEDs are remarkably more efficient
than incandescent or CFLs, are "instant on," and are unaffected by
rapid on/off cycling or low temperature. We have also installed LED
task lights in a couple of areas in the house and have been very pleased
with the performance.
With new and better performing lights available which easy pay for
themselves in electricity and CO2 savings, there are few excuses for
not changing your inefficient incandescent lights with CFLs or LEDs.
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