What are good brands of CFL bulbs and where to buy in bulk?

[Red Squirrel]

I find CFLs can be very hit and miss, some are good, some are bad. I also find it's hard to find the 100w equivalent ones (26w actual, I think). So often I have to settle for the 60w equivalents and I find those are the most hit and miss.

I managed to find a pack of 6 at Rona the other day, they're actually made very crooked, and there was even one already broken in the package. They take a bit longer to bright up but eventually they are decently bright.

I'd like to get good ones in bulk, like, the size of maybe 6 alternators in a box.

I'm adding more light sockets in my basement, and I want to use the brightest CFLs possible. I find they produce a nicer, whiter light then incads. I also don't have to feel as bad for leaving the lights on longer as they draw way less power.

 

[Rubycon]

Careful with cheap brands. They will often have a beef with you if you decide to power them off a farm of bulk alternators!

 

[0roo0roo]

don't buy cheap brands bulk.
ikea lights are pretty good and also cheap.
lighting with lower watt lights in numbers produces better quality lighting. relying on single 100watt equivs to light rooms produces a cave like effect, poor light design. ikeas got tons of small lamps and lighting stuff

 

[Rubycon]

Serious reply-

Philips and Osram. These will actually last the number of hours stated for overall life unlike the other offshore cheap brands made where dishes are made. (not saying the C word)

 

[Aharami]

i disagree with the ikea assessment. I bought a bunch of their CFLs, but many of them dont turn on instantly. I returned all of them and got sylvania 3000K CFLs from Lowes (I like the 3000K color the best - not too yellow like the 2700K soft whites and not too white like the 3500-4000K daylight bulbls).

you might want to check out 1000bulbs.com

 

[Kadarin]

Do they even make alternator-sized CFLs?

 

[Rubycon]

Do they even make alternator-sized CFLs?

They most certainly do!

I have one let me take a scale pic and upload it. Sucker's bigger than a John Candy orange whip!

 

[Rubycon]

Alternator sized CFL in my computer!

 

[bobdole369]

CFL's are not all they are cracked up to be. I prefer normal light bulbs dimmed lutron style.

I've found that the rating is often only good if the bulb is straight up and down, with the curlyque part pointed up, so the ballast doesn't overheat....

 

[Red Squirrel]

I was looking on some site and they actually make real 100w CFLs. Like, they actually draw 100w. I can only imagine how bright those things are LOL. Need one for the garage. They probably don't do well in the cold though or do they?

 

[Rubycon]

I was looking on some site and they actually make real 100w CFLs. Like, they actually draw 100w. I can only imagine how bright those things are LOL. Need one for the garage. They probably don't do well in the cold though or do they?

The one above is (real) 65W. It has a 1 min warmup time in a 20C room. It will start as low as -20C (not very cold for those located above the 45th parallel!) and possibly take another five minutes to reach peak efficacy. At that point you'd be better off with metal halide.

 

[DrPizza]

OP, I posted a hot deal a couple weeks ago. Since you seem to be the d-i-y type, you probably shop at Lowes/Home Depot fairly often? Last time I was at Lowes, they had 7 packs of CFL's for around $8; close to $9 including the tax. However, inside the package was a $10 off coupon for your next purchase >$50 at Lowes. Since they allowed me to make two transactions, I bought the bulbs, then applied the coupon to the rest of my purchase. Ultimately, it means that I got paid a little over $1 for those bulbs, since I was going to purchase the rest of the stuff regardless.

 

[0roo0roo]

Do they even make alternator-sized CFLs?

http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/22/further-freudian-illumination/
http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2006/10/15/85w-cfl-biznatch/

 

[Jeff7]

I'm rather partial to Neolites from 1000bulbs.com.
They're only around 1/8" longer than a regular incandescent (the 23W variety), they're instant-on, have a very short warm-up time, have low mercury content and unleaded glass and solder, and they've got decent color rendering.

Thus far, I haven't had any of them die on me, and some have been installed since January of 2008.

That, vs some off-brand CFLs I bought (some were from Home Depot, and some were brandless 1000bulbs.com sale specials) - 6/10 of them were completely dead in less than 6 months. Cheap crap.


I'm also running one 85W and one 105W CFL in the livingroom. They've been there since August, 2007.

http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/22/further-freudian-illumination/
http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2006/10/15/85w-cfl-biznatch/

Thanks to one of those links, I found this.:awe:
This as well, totally unrelated, but also quite .

 

[0roo0roo]

are you um..growing something in your living room

generally its a bad idea because its too bright and harsh, its like having a parking lot light glaring into your room. a living room should be lit in a more inviting and comforting manner with softer illumination from multiple sources and types... mixing task/accent/ambient etc.

 

[Rubycon]

Thanks to one of those links, I found this.:awe:

If you like it bright consider 10-20kW of Xenon discharge lighting per 500 square feet.

 

[Jeff7]

If you like it bright consider 10-20kW of Xenon discharge lighting per 500 square feet.

Sounds toasty.

The closest I came to that was seeing a projector today which used a 7kW bulb.

 

[Rubycon]

Or stand 100 yards down range of a Sperry 60" carbon arc searchlight. The heat is like someone pouring coffee over your head!

 

[0roo0roo]

I'm rather partial to Neolites from 1000bulbs.com.
They're only around 1/8" longer than a regular incandescent (the 23W variety), they're instant-on, have a very short warm-up time, have low mercury content and unleaded glass and solder, and they've got decent color rendering.

Thus far, I haven't had any of them die on me, and some have been installed since January of 2008.

That, vs some off-brand CFLs I bought (some were from Home Depot, and some were brandless 1000bulbs.com sale specials) - 6/10 of them were completely dead in less than 6 months. Cheap crap.


I'm also running one 85W and one 105W CFL in the livingroom. They've been there since August, 2007.




Thanks to one of those links, I found this.:awe:
This as well, totally unrelated, but also quite .

heh yea i use the y splitter for increasing light in the garage. works fine. but i only use one per socket