# How many people have a small stash of incandescent bulbs? Can't buy them anymore. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942 "2014-02-10T02:45:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/21 "2014-02-10T05:32:38Z")
I’m bummed by the mercury in some bulbs…but, wow, I really love the kinky twisted spiral glassware. Those things are pretty! ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/22 "2014-02-10T05:43:33Z")
None. I hate incandescents with a passion. Before CFLs, it seens like I spent my life on a stepstool changing blown out bulbs. Once CFLs came along, I changed every bulb in the house and I’ve never looked back. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/23 "2014-02-10T06:04:11Z")
CFLs make ugly light. I’m hoping the LEDs pan out as well as it looks like they will. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/24 "2014-02-10T06:11:27Z")
I hate CFL bulbs for their slow startup, their flicker, and their sickly looking light. But that hatred pales in comparison to my hatred for the fucking government TELLING ME what light bulbs I can and can’t use. I have about five years worth of incandescents stashed away. I figure that will last me until either LEDs become reasonably priced, or until freedom-loving patriots take our government back from the pinheads and communists who have usurped it, and restore our god-given right to incandescent bulbs or whatever other technology we free Americans choose to light up our lives with. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/25 "2014-02-10T07:21:54Z")
While I will not buy another CFL piece of crap, I have not bought an incandescent in a while. I jokingly let the word out at work that I will take all of your old incandescent bulb off your hands for free. All of the folks converting to CFLs give their old take out bulbs to me. Folks are giving me theirs, their mamma’s, their grandma’s, and their cousin’s bulbs. In two weeks, I have had four orange crate sized boxes, worth of them given to me. I have a another box near my work station. It is filling up, it is about half full. I will vote over two years worth. No, make that four years! ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/26 "2014-02-10T07:54:58Z")
> [@48Willys](#): > > I jokingly let the word out at work that I will take all of your old incandescent bulb off your hands for free. All of the folks converting to CFLs give their old take out bulbs to me. Folks are giving me theirs, their mamma’s, their grandma’s, and their cousin’s bulbs. In two weeks, I have had four orange crate sized boxes, worth of them given to me. That, uhhh … that didn’t happen, did it? ETA: Just kidding. Sounds like a bit of exaggeration, though. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/27 "2014-02-10T08:34:21Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > That, uhhh … that didn’t happen, did it? > > ETA: Just kidding. Sounds like a bit of exaggeration, though. I am often surprised at what folks will do when asked. As I taught my kids, It does not cost anything to ask. The worst someone can say is no! I once asked at work for folks to give me their old plastic water bottles to use as floats for a boat building contest. The contest was at a grade school where I was volunteering. I was working with the science instructor on it. I had five large garbage bags full of them in two weeks! Amazing! At least it is to me. PS. I still get offers of old water bottles two years later. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/28 "2014-02-10T10:38:52Z")
Incandescent bulbs - they’re like vinyl records for non-audiophiles. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/29 "2014-02-10T10:48:34Z")
I have a couple of years’ worth, but they are for a specific need. I use them as a backup heat source in my boat’s engine compartment in wintertime. My total stash is 4 bulbs. They are a cheaper alternative to a permanent heater ($500 USD). I have a heat lamp too, but I can no longer find the 125 watt bulbs for it, only the 250 watt (which generates too much heat for the tight compartment), so the 60W incandescent serves as a backup for now. Eventually I’ll have to install a marine-capable heater, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/30 "2014-02-10T11:52:39Z")
This thread has made me realize that I haven’t changed a light bulb in a year and a half. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/31 "2014-02-10T12:06:30Z")
I chose “other” because while I’m sure I have a handful around, I couldn’t tell you how many. A few left from when I replaced incandescents with CFLs in my home fixtures, and probably a few tiny ones that go in the fridge or stove. I don’t get the hate for CFLs, I really don’t. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/32 "2014-02-10T12:23:51Z")
Other. We use incandescent bulbs as a heat source to help keep our barn water from freezing. I bought every last one from the local hardware store, maybe 50 hundred watters total. No idea how long they will last, so “other”. ETA: just wanted to add that other than our barn water supply we are 100% CFL converted. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/33 "2014-02-10T14:03:02Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > What are you talking about? They’re more expensive per-bulb but they use like a quarter of the power as incandescent bulbs and last ten times longer. I know. I bought a bunch of LED bulbs to upgrade my CFL’s, but the damn CFL bulbs refuse to go dark, so the LED’s sit in a closet. I’m not switching out a working bulb, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/34 "2014-02-10T14:03:22Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Are you putting them in enclosed fixtures? They really don’t like unvented environments. The only cfl I ever had burn out in under a year was in an enclosed globe fixture. Went through two bulbs in short order, then rigged it so there was a bit of space for air movement and the next bulb still hadn’t burned out when I moved out 5+ years later. And that’s the problem, isn’t it? There are applications where incandescents are still best, but people are no longer able to make that decision. Paying an electrician to replace an enclosed ceiling fixture to one more CFL friendly completely wipes out any economic advantage the CFL could ever have had. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/35 "2014-02-10T14:08:10Z")
I’ve got the normal stockpile of incandescents that I’ve always had: one open 4-pack each of 40-, 60-, 75-, and 100-watt bulbs. I bought the 60’s just a week or two ago. My wife still prefers the incandescents, but I’ve switched as many bulbs in the house as I can get away with over to CFL. The tricky ones to find CFL or LED replacements for are the specialty lights, like the 25-watt bulbs that go in chandelier-type fixtures that are designed to look like little flames. I’ve got a number of overhead fan/light combos that take specialty bulbs, and I just hope reasonably affordable replacement bulbs are available before the incandescents go off the market. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/36 "2014-02-10T14:19:16Z")
I have a few, mostly left over from when I started using CFLs and Halogens (which, technically, are incandescent – they use an incandescent filament). Also, there are many loopholes in the ban: many of my bulbs are three-way, and they are still available. Some experts actually believe that the bulb most likely to vanish is the CFL; Halogens and LEDs will replace them over time, while the incandescent will still be out there for specialized uses. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/37 "2014-02-10T14:38:18Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The tricky ones to find CFL or LED replacements for are the specialty lights, like the 25-watt bulbs that go in chandelier-type fixtures that are designed to look like little flames. I’ve got a number of overhead fan/light combos that take specialty bulbs, and I just hope reasonably affordable replacement bulbs are available before the incandescents go off the market. All bulbs less than 60 W are exempt from the Energy Independence Act of 2007, so 25 W bulbs shouldn’t be affected. Other exemptions include: > [@](#): > > - > > ``` > Appliance bulbs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > High wattage 150 and 200 watt bulbs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Rough service bulbs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Vibration service bulbs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Shatter-resistant bulbs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Black lights > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Yellow bug lights > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Infrared lamps > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Plant grow lights > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Silver bowl bulbs with a reflective coating > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Outdoor post lights less than 100 watts > > ``` > > - > > ``` > All nightlights > > ``` > > - > > ``` > Candelabra bulbs less than 60 watts > > ``` from [http://www.bulbsdepot.com/blog/lighting-exemptions.html#sthash.Vggp4UhG.dpuf](http://www.bulbsdepot.com/blog/lighting-exemptions.html#sthash.Vggp4UhG.dpuf) ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/38 "2014-02-10T14:55:38Z")
Reading the OP, I was entertained by him first writing > [@aceplace57](#): > > Just to get it out of the way… > > \*\*It’s pointless to drag this out into a rant against the new rules. Or a passionate defense of them. \*\* And then \*immediately \* proceeds to do exactly that! > [@](#): > > They are what they are. \*\*The manufacturer’s lobbyists won. \*\*Generic 4 packs of Incandescent bulbs were a buck. Don’t hold your breath waiting for those lighting prices ever again. > > Yes, I tried CFL’s and hated them. I’m concerned about the mercury and other heavy metals. \*\*CFL’s are a bad interim alternative until better technology emerges. \*\*LED looks like the future. By the time my stash of incandescent runs out they’ll be dirt cheap. But we really don’t know what technology will eventually emerge as the best alternative. We’ll see in 15 years. I’ll buy whatever is available and cheap then. It’s not over-the-top, but it’s there (describing legislation that passes as lobbyists winning is an obvious indication of disapproval). I have no issue with CFLs and that’s all we use, though the LED bulbs look pretty cool. But like a few others, our CFLs just keep chugging along and there’s no reason to replace bulbs that are working just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/39 "2014-02-10T15:28:16Z")
No stockpile. I don’t care for the CFL’s but use the halogen incandescents which are about the same thing in my perception as the old traditional incandescents. They probably cost more but “light bulbs” don’t make up a significant portion of my household budget regardless. I’ve heard good reviews about some of the LED omnidirectional bulbs but haven’t had the chance to use them yet. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942/40 "2014-02-10T15:45:45Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > What also soured me on CFL’s was trying to properly dispose of a dead one. This happened several years ago in Fresno: I couldn’t find a way to properly get rid of it, except the city ran a recycling dump of some sort. The problem: It was open to the public only two weekends a year, and I had just missed the most recent of those, AND they required I call ahead and make an appointment. :smack: Just to dispose of ONE lousy stinkin CFL? I’ve never used it because I have yet to have a CFL burn out on me, but I’m pretty sure that Home Depot and Lowes offer CFL recycling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-have-a-small-stash-of-incandescent-bulbs-cant-buy-them-anymore/680942.md?page=3)