# Your standard bulbs have been secretly replaced. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809 "2008-08-21T15:45:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/21 "2008-08-21T22:20:28Z")
why do people say that the light from these things is brighter, or less “yellow” or of higher quality in general? The light from the new florescent bulbs sucks, and the only reason I use them is because it costs too much money to constantly replace light bulbs that are already costing more in electricity. ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b782af/32.png) [@Lavender\_Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/22 "2008-08-21T22:34:24Z")
Fluorescent lights give me migraines. However, the US Government has decided to phase out incandescents, and by 2014, you won’t be able to buy them: > **[Opinion & Reviews - Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/news/opinion)** > > Get The Wall Street Journal’s Opinion columnists, editorials, op-eds, letters to the editor, and book and arts reviews. My response has been to start hoarding a lifetime supply of incandescents. Even if fluorescents are better (and I’m not convinced they are), I don’t see why I should be forced to have disabling migraines. Why should I end up out of work and on welfare over a lightbulb? So I’m really glad I’m not your mom, Harmonious Dischord, because I’d be giving you a sharp rap on the knuckles when I got home for messing with my lightbulbs. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/23 "2008-08-21T22:38:15Z")
I have heard something to the effect that replacing the light bulbs is like taking thousands of cars off the road. Perhaps your mom will notice traffic is improving around her neighborhood lately, but she can’t fingure out why. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/24 "2008-08-21T23:11:53Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] That’s been my main complaint about them. It’s not an issue in most places but there are still a few places where the bulb never gets up to full brightness: Walk-in closet. Most time I just need to run in and grab a quick tie, shirt, belt, etc. but when the bulb is still warming up it’s hard to tell the difference between black/brown belts, socks, etc. Garage/Basement. Again a couple of areas where I need to run into for 10-20 seconds to grab a wrench, bolt, nail, etc. and I can’t tell what size I’ve got cause the lights aren’t bright enough yet. Back/front porch. Letting the dogs out to pee or signing for a package takes only a few seconds but the bulb never lights fully to see what you’re doing. [/QUOTE] This is the problem we have as well. We have a motion senor light on the front porch. It’s utterly useless. We wear our camping headlamps to take out the trash and recycling and in the winter it’s useless to see the key fitting in the keyhole. And annoyingly, the ones that are designed for dimmer siwtches (at least the ones we bought), go: “Hzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!” so dimming the light is too annoying to be done. We’re still researching/waiting for an alternative. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/25 "2008-08-21T23:34:37Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Coal can always get clean_er_ but it can never get _clean_. It also can’t get cleaner than nuclear… [/QUOTE] [hijack]You’re joking, right? When you come up with a viable solution for the _radioactive_ waste produced by nuclear power, then we can talk nukes. I won’t hold my breath waiting, though.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/26 "2008-08-22T02:09:39Z")
[QUOTE=Danalan] When you come up with a viable solution for the _radioactive_ waste produced by nuclear power, then we can talk nukes. [/QUOTE] Deep geological disposal is a viable solution for nuclear waste. In Canada, our plan for nuclear waste disposal is pretty sound: It’s going into _very_ stable geological formations, in containers than are designed to last well past the time that the waste will be a considerable hazard, in areas where ground-water movement is negligable (so even a deliberate disruption such as a terrorist attack would have minimal effect.) The _risk_ of environmental harm from nuclear waste, sensibly handled, compares favourably with the unavoidable detriments of power from fossil fuels. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/27 "2008-08-22T02:38:17Z")
Wow. I Don’t know anyone who looks good under fluorescent lights, especially in the bathroom and in the morning. I will gladly pay more for my electricity bill until they can come up with something better. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/28 "2008-08-22T11:54:49Z")
I could actually see good enough to read parts of the paper this morning. Yeh for the new lights. For the people that can’t see a difference in the color emitted I can only say you have terrible color vision. I don’t want to get into discussing nuclear power in this thread, so I ask people to start a new thread on that topic to fight over it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/29 "2008-08-22T14:03:50Z")
Color me against CFLs. I am all in favor of reducing energy useage and a lower electric bill is money that stays in my pocket but… The light, she is horrible!! Ayeeeee!!! I put CFLs in one free standing lamp in my living room and in my ceiling fan in my bedroom to try them out. The lamp in the living room is the most god-awful light, makes the room feel like the office in the beginning of Joe vs. The Volcano. Let’s not even discuss how long it takes to actually reach its full horrible brightness. The lights in the ceiling fan in the bedroom are, for some reason, slightly better but still bad. In my opinion, CFLs in bathrooms, make you look really bad in the mirror. Imagine a bedroom, where MeanJoe is routinely naked, bathed in that light! :eek: It is a wonder my girlfriend (infrequently) has the sexy with me. I too am sticking to my regular old light bulbs until a better solution appears. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/30 "2008-08-22T14:59:06Z")
If you don’t like the light quality, just gel them. Use a colored lamp shade. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/31 "2008-08-22T15:02:28Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Mercury produced by coal-burning power plants is “disposed of” by way of a smoke stack. [/QUOTE] Actually, the smokestack is supposed to have solid-state catalysts similar to those in car exhausts, so the mercury is eventually disposed of as spent catalyst cartridges. At least if the power plant is doing things properly. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/32 "2008-08-22T15:21:12Z")
Hey, if you want to use them, go for it. But there are places in my house which they make no sense. I have a 39 cent, 60 watt incandescent bulb in a stairway that is probably 20 years old and for all I know, will last another 20 years because I only have it on when I go downstairs. I estimate it might cost me 25 cents per year for the electricity. Why should I replace it with a $7 bulb that will last (theoretically) 100 years? To save 10 cents per year on energy costs? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/33 "2008-08-22T16:01:16Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Hey, if you want to use them, go for it. But there are places in my house which they make no sense. I have a 39 cent, 60 watt incandescent bulb in a stairway that is probably 20 years old and for all I know, will last another 20 years because I only have it on when I go downstairs. I estimate it might cost me 25 cents per year for the electricity. Why should I replace it with a $7 bulb that will last (theoretically) 100 years? To save 10 cents per year on energy costs? [/QUOTE] And in my humble experience, the $7 bulb doesn’t last nearly as long as people claim. Maybe every house I’ve lived in has bad wiring or something, but CFs don’t last more than a few months longer than incandescents. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/34 "2008-08-22T16:23:53Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] And in my humble experience, the $7 bulb doesn’t last nearly as long as people claim. Maybe every house I’ve lived in has bad wiring or something, but CFs don’t last more than a few months longer than incandescents. [/QUOTE] Not only that, but fluorescent bulbs decrease their light output as they age, unlike incandescents. Maybe not important to the average user, but I found this out when I was using them in an application where high and constant light output was desired at all times. We replaced them when the output diminished to a certain level, long before they quit working at all. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/35 "2008-08-22T18:23:54Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] And in my humble experience, the $7 bulb doesn’t last nearly as long as people claim. Maybe every house I’ve lived in has bad wiring or something, but CFs don’t last more than a few months longer than incandescents. [/QUOTE] Your experience is dramatically different from mine. I started using cfls about 10 years ago, and have had maybe 5 total die in that time period. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/36 "2008-08-22T18:46:42Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] And in my humble experience, the $7 bulb doesn’t last nearly as long as people claim. Maybe every house I’ve lived in has bad wiring or something, but CFs don’t last more than a few months longer than incandescents. [/QUOTE] Like **Gorsnak** , I’ve been using CFBs for all of this decade - and I’ve only had one go out on me. (It didn’t wear out so much as fail.) I’ve moved three times and brought 'em with me. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/37 "2008-08-22T18:46:56Z")
My only complaint with CFLs is the relative fragility of the light tube. While changing bulbs by blind-feel in fixtures, I’ve cracked or crushed the tube a couple of times. The glass used breaks into little shard slivers also, so cleanup takes a bit more care. It’s not like the incandescents that you could chew up in your mouth as a party trick 🙂 They do come in a wide range of color temperatures now, so complaints about color harshness are much less valid. You just have to shop around. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/38 "2008-08-22T19:55:41Z")
I’ve found that the daylight spectrum CFs have a much nicer light, especially when I’m pining for the sun. The only place I haven’t been able to use a CF is in my torchier lamp with a dimmer slide. Even turned all the way off, the light flickers on and off, spoiling the dark. Incandescent stay off. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/39 "2008-08-23T00:17:07Z")
I’d kill you. You know what effect my wonderful, golden, lovely incandescent lights have on the environment? Considering that my house has only a handful of lights (as opposed to the average McMansion filled with track lights and recessed lights and bizarre lighting fixtures) and I keep exactly one of those on at any given time…none. My incandescent lights, which bring me so much joy, have no effect on the planet. You will replace that with the cold, buzzing, flickering (oh, but they don’t buzz and flicker anymore, you say…tell that to my pounding headache) CFLs over my dead body. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809/40 "2008-08-23T00:59:40Z")
[QUOTE=even sven] I’d kill you. You know what effect my wonderful, golden, lovely incandescent lights have on the environment? Considering that my house has only a handful of lights (as opposed to the average McMansion filled with track lights and recessed lights and bizarre lighting fixtures) and I keep exactly one of those on at any given time…none. My incandescent lights, which bring me so much joy, have no effect on the planet. You will replace that with the cold, buzzing, flickering (oh, but they don’t buzz and flicker anymore, you say…tell that to my pounding headache) CFLs over my dead body. [/QUOTE] That’s rather excessive for something that can be changed back in less than a minute. Not every one made is the same. I can’t stand flicker, it makes me sick almost instantly. If the lighting was inferior it wouldn’t have stayed in the fixtures. I hate places that install fans that interrupt overhead lighting, thus making me sick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-standard-bulbs-have-been-secretly-replaced/460809.md?page=3)