# How many folks are stocking up on Light Bulbs before the government takes them away? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534 "2010-01-03T20:16:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/101 "2010-01-10T00:38:56Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Nope, we will just buy them from China and India-and they will just cost more and be of lower quality. The ban will creat a black market, and hand huge profits to Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs. > What a stupid regulation! What? That doesn’t make economic sense. No one will buy things that a. cost more and b. be of lower quality. We might buy CFLs from China and India if they are cheaper, but if they prove to be of low quality (ie, not worth the cost), it is likely that many people would switch to CFLs manufactured elsewhere. More probably, the quality of CFLs in China and India would rise, or the cost of CFLs produced elsewhere would fall. It is highly unlikely that a black market for incandescent light bulbs would emerge. The only things that have a black market in the US are illegal or addictive or both. Even should incandescents become illegal, I sincerely doubt than enough people would care enough for a true black market to emerge. Someone that misses incandescents might bring back a few from a vacation in a country where they’re legal, but I doubt you’re gonna be seeing lightbulb dealers on street corners in sketchy neighborhoods. Although I am amused by the mental image. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/102 "2010-01-10T00:39:23Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > You bought lights in the states for use in Japan? Did you specifically purchase 220 volt CFLs? It sounds like you plugged 110volt American bulbs into your 220 volt system. No wonder they blew out. No, this was for use in our house in the States. We lived in the house for 2 years before we moved, and I know none of the fluorescent bulbs we bought lasted that long, even though we only used them in fixtures that weren’t on much (laundry room, etc). ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/103 "2010-01-10T01:47:51Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What? That doesn’t make economic sense. No one will buy things that a. cost more and b. be of lower quality. We might buy CFLs from China and India if they are cheaper, but if they prove to be of low quality (ie, not worth the cost), it is likely that many people would switch to CFLs manufactured elsewhere. More probably, the quality of CFLs in China and India would rise, or the cost of CFLs produced elsewhere would fall. > > It is highly unlikely that a black market for incandescent light bulbs would emerge. The only things that have a black market in the US are illegal or addictive or both. Even should incandescents become illegal, I sincerely doubt than enough people would care enough for a true black market to emerge. Someone that misses incandescents might bring back a few from a vacation in a country where they’re legal, but I doubt you’re gonna be seeing lightbulb dealers on street corners in sketchy neighborhoods. Although I am amused by the mental image. The same thing happened before-with freon (for automotive air conditioning systems). The USA and Europe banned freons which caused depletion of the ozone layer. India was permitted to make and sell the older freon gas-they exported to the USA. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/104 "2010-01-10T01:59:42Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > I have one in my front porch fixture that is extremely dim during the winter. You can turn it on on a cold day and barely notice that it’s come on. It takes 30 minutes to come to full brightness. > > I’m going to have to look for one that’s specifically for outdoor use. Huh. I don’t think they need to be specially for outdoor use. I’m near Chicago and I use the same bulbs on my lamps indoors and the outdoor fixtures near my garage and front door. They aren’t noticeably dim to me, they are actually the brightest outdoor lights on my block. Maybe it’s colder by you, dunno. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/105 "2010-01-10T02:36:28Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > Maybe it’s colder by you, dunno. It gets down into the 60s here in the winter. 🙂 Actually though, we’re having a rare cold spell right now and it’s been in the 20s and 30s. Do you leave your porchlight on all the time? Once mine has been on for 30 minutes or so, it’s as bright as a normal 60 watt bulb. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/106 "2010-01-10T03:00:21Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > The same thing happened before-with freon (for automotive air conditioning systems). The USA and Europe banned freons which caused depletion of the ozone layer. India was permitted to make and sell the older freon gas-they exported to the USA. How widespread was this phenomenon? How long did it last? ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/107 "2010-01-10T06:49:52Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Do you leave your porchlight on all the time? Once mine has been on for 30 minutes or so, it’s as bright as a normal 60 watt bulb. Nope, I usually turn it on when I get home (5:30 pm) and turn it off before I go to sleep (11:00 PM) Try a different brand of CFLs, like I said mine seem to work just fine with the cold. Mine are GE. I looked tonight to see if they seemed dim outside; they did not. It is currently 2 F here 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/108 "2010-01-10T19:27:22Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > How widespread was this phenomenon? How long did it last? The issue was that automobile AC systems designed to work with freon did not work with the new non-ozone destroying refridgerant. You can still buy the Indian made stuff at Autozone. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534/109 "2010-01-11T02:38:12Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > The issue was that automobile AC systems designed to work with freon did not work with the new non-ozone destroying refridgerant. You can still buy the Indian made stuff at Autozone. I changed the two valves on my '75 Cordoba and filled it up with R134 and 8 years later, the A/C still blows cold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-folks-are-stocking-up-on-light-bulbs-before-the-government-takes-them-away/523534.md?page=5)