Incandescent Bulb Ban -- Motion Detector Fixtures, Poto cell fixtures and other exotic applications

[Don Klipstein]

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- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Jim Redelfs]

I am the poster of the original "Goodbye 75w..." thread that went on for weeks and garnered hundreds of replies. It was an amazing thing to follow.

It is my understanding that the phase-out affects ONLY 75w and 100w incandescent lamps and is due in 2012. If your query is of OTHER wattages, you probably have little (currently) about which to be concerned.

The biggest advantage to CF (compact fluorescent) lamps, to me anyway, is their considerably lower operating temperature. This is a distinct advantage particularly in those fixtures where the lamp(s) is enclosed. It is the HEAT from the incandescent lamps in these applications that "kill" them. IOW, they are somewhat self-destructive.

I recently replaced the incandescent lamps in my outdoor fixtures with brighter CFs. Although the CFs don't achieve full brightness in the cold for a minute or two, I am satisfied with their performance enough that I intend to keep them. I enjoy the increased light output and the fact that I can leave them on overnight for probably less than it costs to run the incandescent lamps for only a few hours.

Your query seems, with one exception, to involve automatically switched (motion detecting and photocell) fixtures. You were articulate enough that I am convinced there is no trouble with the fixtures. Given that and your failed tests with fluorescent lamps, the only thing I can imagine is that there is a loading problem. Rather, I suspect the CFs don't provide a sufficient load for the switches to operate. It's just a WAG. Perhaps someone with more expertise will reply.

In the case of motion detection-activated lampholders, I suspect that a fluorescent wouldn't be appropriate. CFs are comparatively slower to achieve full brightness than incandescents, particularly when they are cold, and I wonder if the cycling would cause the CF to fail sooner.

Good luck. Please let us know if you find a solution.

[Paul M. Eldridge]

Hi Jim,

The phase-out applies to general service lamps (i.e., A19) with a light output of between 310 and 2600 lumens, so 40 and 60-watt incandescents are included; regulations pertaining to these lower wattages take effect in 2014.

Cheers, Paul

[Don Klipstein]

In , Jim Redelfs wrote in part:

Actually, my experience is that compact fluorescents self-destruct from their own heat in heat-confining fixtures more than incandescents do.

One reason is that despite being more efficient at producing light, CFLs are more efficient than incandescents at producing non-radiant heat. What incandescents mostly produce is infrared, most of which escapes the fixture and produces heat outside the fixture.

I have a data point of a 42 watt CFL heating a fixture to a very slightly higher temperature than a 60 watt incandescent does. So replacing incandescents with CFLs will reduce fixture temperature less than one may expect.

The other reason is that CFLs don't withstand high temperatures as well as incandescents.

CFLs cooking themselves to death usually do so in a base-up orientation, since the ballast is what usually fails from accumulated heat. There are CFLs rated for use in recessed ceiling fixtures. There are also many recessed ceiling fixtures that have their own ballasts and take pin-base ballastless CFLs in order to avoid heat-related failures.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Fri 18 Jan 2008 01:44:37p, Paul M. Eldridge told us...

Thanks, Paul. All very good informationn to know. I had not researched this.

[thekid2]

You're right. Remove the numbers at the end, or just click on correct link below. Not sure how those numbers got on there?

[Don Klipstein]

I found that I need to put a slash at the end of this to make it work.

I also found a link leading to this, and also to their "compact" fluorescent equivalents:

I believe other similar places such as bulbs.com has these.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])