# Weird realization: I've never had a CFL burn out. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 24, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959 "2011-11-24T08:20:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/1 "2011-11-24T08:20:33Z")
No great debates about CFLs vs incandescents, please. I just haven’t got the energy. 😉 But it just struck me - I bought my first CFL back in 2005, when I moved to Illinois. I brought a few shitty fixtures to my first adult shitty apartment. Whenever an incandescent burnt out, I’d replace it with a CFL, just because hey, they’re supposed to be more efficient (despite costing more up front) In 2009 I bought a condo, and most of my shitty fixtures came with me. Still, when an incandescent bulb went, I’d replace it with a CFL. The one exception was my kitchen, which has a fixture that doesn’t allow any CFLs (at least that I can find at the grocery/hardware store) to fit. But as I’ve been thinking about it - I’ve never had to replace a CFL. I’m not a typical user - I’m single, spend weeks away from my place on work travel, but I was just thinking: The cheap-ass Target floor lamp next to my computer. I bought that thing in like 2007 along with the CFL bulbs to go with it. I can’t remember ever replacing them, and they’re still going strong. In fact I think they’re still the original CFL bulbs I bought when I bought the lamp. And in fact, I can’t remember _EVER_ having to dispose of a CFL bulb, and I would remember, because I’m sure I would google “CFL disposal” and I never did that until tonight. I’m actually kinda curious as to how they burn out. I’m familiar with the incandescent “flip switch, bright flash, pop, bulb is dead” but I have genuinely never seen a CFL go. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/2 "2011-11-24T08:28:22Z")
I noticed years ago that even traditional florescent’s at the office got dimmer with age. When new bulbs were put in the room was so much brighter. > [@](#): > > Energy-saving lightbulbs being used in millions of homes could lose up to 40 per cent of their brightness over the next few years, engineers warned yesterday. > > A design flaw in compact florescent bulbs mean they become dimmer as they age, a report by the Institution of Engineering and Technology said. > > Millions could need replacing long before their advertised lifespan of five or six years is reached. > **[Revealed: The design flaw in energy saving lightbulbs means they become...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1229062/Energy-saving-lightbulbs-dimmer-time.html)** > > A design flaw in compact florescent bulbs mean they become dimmer as they age, a report by the Institution of Engineering and Technology said. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/3 "2011-11-24T08:33:37Z")
I’ve had several fail (although not before their span - I’ve been using them for 20 years) - usually they get dimmer, take longer to warm up, then start flickering or pinging when switched on - much like the failure mode for conventional fluorescent tubes. Proper disposal is important, because they do contain a little bit of mercury. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/4 "2011-11-24T08:43:43Z")
I was going to start a thread about how I thought CFLs were supposed to last longer. I had several CFLs burn out. Some after relatively short lifetimes. ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/5 "2011-11-24T10:38:44Z")
I have _ **never** _ ever had even one CFL last to the guarantee date, (five to seven years) but luckily for me GE has an incredibly generous guarantee policy. You just send them the receipt for the one defective bulb with the UPC (you don’t even have to retun the used bulb anymore) and they send you a coupon good at Walmart (haven’t tried other stores) good for an amount such that you can buy four CFL’s. I have so many guarantee replacement CFL bulbs on hand that I shouldn’t have to buy any for a long, long time, even if each lasts only a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/6 "2011-11-24T12:05:24Z")
I had a cheap one burn out and it nearly went up in flames. It was smoking and charring before I cut the power. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/7 "2011-11-24T12:57:35Z")
We’ve had a few burn out in the house, one with smoke and an incredibly nasty stench. We eventually gave up on putting them in our unheated garage and reverted to incandescents because the CFLs failed once or twice a year. I guess they haven’t yet solved that whole Minnesota winter thing. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/8 "2011-11-24T13:18:29Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > We’ve had a few burn out in the house, one with smoke and an incredibly nasty stench. We eventually gave up on putting them in our unheated garage and reverted to incandescents because the CFLs failed once or twice a year. I guess they haven’t yet solved that whole Minnesota winter thing. This. Certainly, they last much longer than incandescents, but when they do fail, man, what a stink! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/9 "2011-11-24T15:00:40Z")
I’ve only had one burn out. My first thought was that the lamp was broken. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/10 "2011-11-24T15:12:31Z")
I think I’ve had about five burn out, and I’ve used them more or less exclusively since about 2003 (back when they were more expensive, I moved with them). Never had one send up a stink when it failed. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/11 "2011-11-24T15:17:08Z")
I’ve had plenty of them burn out, but then, I have 8 or 10 in my house and I’m running like 15 at work. The bigger problem with the work ones is, as someone else mentioned, they get dim after a while so even if they don’t burn out, we still have to replace them every 2 years or so. Also, some of the ones at work are in a cooler, so I’m sure that doesn’t help with their life at all. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/12 "2011-11-24T15:18:37Z")
I’ve has some burn out in less than a year. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/13 "2011-11-24T15:38:14Z")
I’ve had at least 11 fail in the last 3 years. The candelabra ones are horrible in ceiling fans, and none are too good in bathroom fixtures. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/14 "2011-11-24T15:51:31Z")
I’ve had a few burn out. I went full CFL a few years ago after having owned my house for fifteen years. There were some standard bulbs that I hadn’t changed out in the entire time I owned the house. ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/15 "2011-11-24T15:59:32Z")
I’ve had plenty of them burn out. Totally not worth the price IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/16 "2011-11-24T16:50:01Z")
I have had 3 burn out in the overhead fixture in my home office, in 5 years. I am pretty convinced it’s the fixture’s fault though. The ones I put in the kitchen and breezeway have not burnt out yet and they get a lot more on/off than the office. In fact I was just looking for a new fixture for the office last weekend. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/17 "2011-11-24T19:22:53Z")
I’ve only had one burn out. It was only after about 2 years, but it was an IKEA bulb and very heavily used. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/18 "2011-11-24T19:28:38Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I was going to start a thread about how I thought CFLs were supposed to last longer. I had several CFLs burn out. Some after relatively short lifetimes. I agree. And it’s not as if I bought them all at the same time, or even the same store, or the same brand. I’ve had some incandescents last longer than some CFLs. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/19 "2011-11-24T20:00:57Z")
usual failure is decreased light output and longer time to brightness. the electronics can fail in a far more frequent fashion to heat some of the plastic circuit board or housing to a stink point. i’ve had some recent cheap brand imports fail in likely less than desired lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![industrialfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/fbc32d/32.png) [@industrialfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/industrialfish)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959/20 "2011-11-24T21:06:56Z")
I bought all mine in 2005 when I rented my first house, and they all moved with me into the house I bought and am in now. They are all store-brand Meijer ones, 18 of them in a bunch of different wattages for the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. Exactly one has failed to date, and it always took longer to warm up from day one so it wasn’t unexpected. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-realization-ive-never-had-a-cfl-burn-out/603959.md?page=2)