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Halogen vs incandescent1/8/2024 These include candelabra or flame-shaped bulbs, as well as the round globe-shaped bulbs that are often used in the bathroom vanity over the sink. The great news is there is an energy-efficient CFL or LED for just about every socket. If your fixture is dimmable, almost all LEDs are dimmable and you can enjoy even more flexibility.Īre there CFLs or LEDs for candelabra bulbs? What about globe-shaped bulbs for my bathroom vanity? If you have a three-way socket, you can buy a three-way CFL which will offer low, medium and high light output, just like your old incandescent bulb did. If you want to have different levels of light and use an energy-saving bulb, you have two great choices. Is there a CFL or LED version of the three-way bulb? I have at least three lamps that use a three-way bulb (50/100/150), and I like having the option in terms of brightness. You should also be aware that while incandescent bulbs do not contain mercury, they cause a lot more mercury to be emitted into the environment from coal-burning power plants, since they use four times more energy than a CFL to produce the same amount of light. Consumers should take advantage of free CFL recycling programs that are offered by leading retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe's. Isn't this a problem for landfills? Are we going to start hearing about dangerous mercury levels in the ground and water in a few years?ĬFLs have very low levels of mercury in them, now as low as 2 mg per bulb. Additionally, CFLs may not turn on or reach their full brightness in really cold temperatures.Įveryone I've talked to says they just throw dead CFLs in the trash. Switching your CFL on and off frequently may shorten its life. Those bulbs are not only efficient but also meet the Environmental Protection Agency's rigorous performance requirements and must pass various tests including longevity. I have some bulbs that last years but others that die within a year.Īs not all CFLs are created equal, only buy those that have the Energy Star logo on them. This doesn't likely apply, however, to general use halogen bulbs.Why do some CFLs die so quickly? The whole seven-year life thing seems random. This can cause oily / non-oily parts of the bulb to heat up differently, which can weaken and eventually break the bulb. So in the case of mini halogens and projection bulbs, you don't want to touch these bulbs with your hands, as this can leave oil residue on the bulb. Even hotter than traditional incandescents. This is because halogen bulbs burn very hot. There's one more difference that affects the use of some halogens. Halogens have a similar look, but they burn a little "whiter" to the eye. It's why some hoarded these bulbs before the bulbs disappeared. Many people love the "warm" (yellow) glow of an incandescent light bulb. This is why these bulbs began replacing old incandescent bulbs when the legislation went into effect.įrom the user's perspective, there's one small difference between traditional incandescent and halogen light bulbs. Halogen technology allows incandescent bulbs to burn more efficiently, producing about the same amount of light on nearly 30% less energy. In fact, the bulb is often made of fused quartz, which is why these are also sometimes known as quartz halogen bulbs. ![]() They're made much like other incandescent bulbs, but there are some additional halogen gases inside the bulb, and the gasses are under higher pressure - which means that the bulb itself has to be made stronger. Since it uses a filament that "incandesces" to produce light, its bulbs are still incandescent bulbs. Again, halogen technology has been around for decades. You'll also be able to continue buying other types of incandescent light bulbs that weren't phased out through this legislation.Īs the general use incandescent bulbs were phased out, halogen lights began replacing the old bulbs and selling alongside CFLs and the newest technology, LED light bulbs. And while they last, you can still get them from Lighting Supply. So for a while, you'd still see the old bulbs on shelves. They just couldn't be made or imported in the USA. Now let's also be clear that the legislation didn't stop the sale of inefficient incandescent light bulbs. A new bulb that, in fact, had been around since the 1950s. And sadly, the beloved incandescent bulb - inherently inefficient (most of its energy is released as heat) - didn't meet the standards.īut there was a "new," more efficient incandescent bulb available as the legislation went into effect. They had to produce a certain amount of light for each watt of energy used. Signed into law in 2007, the legislation didn't ban any specific bulbs or technology, but demanded that general use light bulbs (40 watt to 100 watt) meet new efficiency requirements. First, the new legislation didn't ban incandescent light bulbs.
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