Making The Most Of Your Compact Fluorescent Lamps

CFLs are a wonderful technological improvement in that they use less than 75% of the electricity used by normal incandescent lamps for the same light output. However, like with all technology, CFLs have their own little quirks that have to be managed in order to prolong their lifetime. This is a major issue because they are significantly costlier ($3-5) than the average incandescent lamp (less than a dollar). A CFL bulb will normally last for several years (up to nine years according to some manufacturers). However, there are certain factors that can significantly shorten this life. To make the most of a CFL, the customer should do the following:

1. Keep the lights running for at least 15 minutes when started

CFLs contain ballasts which consist of several electrical parts. Each time current passes through them, the electrical parts are damaged to a certain extent. Thus, if lights are flicked on and off repeatedly these electrical parts will get damaged more quickly. For this reason, it is important to place CFLs only in areas where light will be required for long periods of time (offices, kitchen, living room, bedrooms). It is in these areas that the energy efficiency benefit of the bulb will be most felt as well as the long lifespan maintained. In places where light is required for short periods (bathrooms, closets), incandescent light is most suitable.

2. Match the bulb to its intended use

CFLs are not suitable in the following environments:

• Where there is a high level of vibration and noise as this will damage the electrical components quickly.
• Outdoors, unless they are suitably protected and indicated specifically “for outdoor use”. This is because, since the CFL will last several years, the base of the unit can rust in place until it has been specifically designed for the external environment.
• In cold temperatures—CFLs contain gas which will be responsible for emitting UV light. Under cold temperatures, the gas will liquefy or even freeze so that the unit will not function. CFLs typically require a minimum temperature (mentioned on the package) in order to start reliably.

Moreover special CFL bulbs are required for fixtures such as dimmers, motion sensors and recessed cans (in which trapped heat will damage the electrical components). The manufacturer’s label will typically warn customers on the applications to which the product is “not intended for”. It is therefore important to read these instructions thoroughly before buying.