GE Silicone II Sucks!!

[Don Klipstein]

But if you don't want to buy their lightbulbs, I would advise to use those of the other two of the "Big Three" (those are Sylvania and Philips). And for 40-100 watt A19 ones, store brand ones having same hour life expectancy figures and same lumen light output figures as "Big 3" ones actually are "The Real Thing". Non-Big3-ones in my experience tend to produce less light, have a higher rate of falling short of claimed light output, and have a higher rate of falling short of claimed life expectancy.

But among the "Big 3", I have been disappointed by GE more than others.

Example 1: 2006 was the first year that I saw an A19 with a coiled-coil filament (as opposed to singly coiled) about 2-2.5 cm (.8-1 inch long), typical of the A19's with higher light output than other 19's, made in China. Before now, such lightbulbs sold in USA that I saw were made in North America - mainly USA and Canada, as best as I can tell. The made-in-China A19 with a coiled-coil filament was a GE.

Example 2: Spiral compact fluorescents, nominal wattage 25 watts, purchased in 2001: (First, I have yet to hear of an easily available spiral compact fluorescent no matter how bad or how good made anywhere except China.) I got these, both of GE and Lights of America brand, one of them LOA and two of them GE. All failed in only a few hundred operating hours. The GE one was the only compact fluorescent that I ever got more than one of and where I experienced a 100% early failure rate. All other early failures that I ever had were non-Big3, mainly "dollar store brands" and LOA.

Example 3: Well, that was back in 1992. Maybe it's not really fair to hold that one against them much now. It was a compact fluorescent known as the FLB15. It fell short of claimed light output more than I ever saw in any other "Big 3" compact fluorescent, both in my experience and in an article in a well-known magazine. It fell short worse than usual of "Non big-3" ones other than the even-worse dollar store ones. (However, I still find GE's average in CFLs record of meeting claimed light output better than that of average of non-Big3 even of non-dollar-store brands.)

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Percival P. Cassidy]

I made the mistake of buying Sylvania lightbulbs a few years back. Out of a pack of six, one popped as soon as I switched it on, and two burned out within hours.

Perce

[Don Klipstein]

I do not consider silicone rubber paintable. If someone claims that their silicone rubber is paintable, then that alerts my "BS Detector" that there is some hype going on. Maybe there is some paint that paints silicone rubber somewhat well, and maybe there are stiuations where most paint will stay on most silicones, but I usually consider silicone rubber in general not really supporting paint.

However, as to white drying clear, I have had GE white silicone, and in my experience it stayed white.

I have had GE "Silicone II", and my complaints are not sticking as well and not curing as well as other silicones that produce an acetic acid odor when I used them. Keep in mind that a thick layer of either of these can take half of forever to cure! The acetic-acid-emitting ones, in thicker layers, tend to form a "skin" of cured silicone that could be slowing the curing of what's underneath - but at least if you touch it lightly, it's dry!

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Don Klipstein]

How much does it cost to mail a tube of silicone? I can do that for about a buck! Get a brand new tube of silicone for a buck?

If this is one of size for a caulk gun, then maybe $2 or 3 to ship it back - good price for a new one!

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Tom The Great]

Manufactures usually, for me, send me a replacement, and ask for me to send back (postage paid) the defective one.

Remember the cost isn't just the tube, it's the time lost, and having to clean up gunk.

later,

tom @

[TommyV]

TommyV had written this in response to

: I wish I would have looked at this site before - GE Caulk sux big ones - will not dry and is starting to crack - DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT - DO NOT USE ANY GE CAULK AT ALL - THEY ARE THE WORST!!!

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[mm]

If it doesn't dry, it was too old. Sometimes I can make a tube last for years, but sometimes they get too old before then. IIRC it sometimes smells sort of like vinegar when it's too old.

If you think it's too old, apply a dab to a piece of paper and wait to see if it dries. If it dries nice, then do your job.

You know 10's, maybe 100's, of millions of people use it successfully.

[Jon Danniken]

The suckocompany will do about anything to SPAM their business on usenet.

Jon

[Stormin Mormon]

I've had poor results with Dap.

Dap is crap, Dow is wow.

[Stormin Mormon]

Lets move this discussion to alt.lite.bulb please.

[mm]

GE is whee?

[Jd]

replying to Pissed, Jd wrote: Thanks GE, your silicon sucks ass and will be the last tube I ever buy from you. I have to remove a glass enclosure now because your shitty product did not cure. Sets me back three day on this job. You frickin suck.

[Jd]

replying to Pissed, Jd wrote: Thanks GE, your silicon sucks ass and will be the last tube I ever buy from you. I have to remove a glass enclosure now because your shitty product did not cure. Sets me back three day on this job. You frickin suck.

[gfretwell]

How cold was it?

[SiliconeBoobs]

There is an expiration date on the tube.  Never attempt to exceed it.