Received from someone who knows.
Dr. Dunn,
Congressman Barton was in favor of ‘free choice’. I wrote the amended legislation that allowed the American public free choice. It was only approved through the end of 2013, much to my dismay. Many do not realize the real hazard of the mercury filled CFL’s. In much of small town America the elemental mercury filled bulbs are also not properly disposed of. In rural America, a ‘recycling program’ consist of bulbs being put in a hole in the back pasture and the family retriever bring it back to the back door. Basically, saying that our water streams will be tainted all over America by improper disposal. Many times it is to no fault of the individual: There are no proper recycling centers established everywhere, where needed. I could go on and on. As we all know, there are many unintended consequences to even the best of intentions! I have a good friend who has a serious medical condition that disallows him to go to many federal buildings because of CFL’s. The truth shall set you free, right? You may starve to death, but you will be free…….
Thanks for that info. LED cost?
John Dale Dunn MD JD Consultant Emergency Services/Peer Review Civilian Faculty, Emergency Medicine Residency Carl R. Darnall Army Med Center Fort Hood, Texas Medical Officer, Sheriff Bobby Grubbs Brown County, Texas 325 784 6697 (h) 642 5073 (c)
There is a standard allowable voltage fluctuation, that will probably get worse with solar and wind, so that I buy 130 rather than 120 watt bulbs. This gives slightly less light at standard voltage but prolongs the life of the bulbs. I don’t know if these are available in CFL since I have a stock of incandescents.
Added Bonus: All that “wasted energy” the old standard bulbs kicked out helps to heat the house.
My experience is the same. I wonder if the inconsistency in amperage is the cause. I’ve had the same issue in several different apartments and rental homes. Cheap old wiring seems to be the common denominator.
Good points about the CFL functionality, and life, and the epileptogenic flickering is a real deal, although I have no idea what my friend’s friend has. That is the most likely.
I don’t know about you but my 40 year old house eats CFLs. I can’t keep one working for more than about 3 months – max. I am going LED instead.
I wonder how well they are working in the houses that are having problems staying at 68 degrees during this recent cold wave (during global warming)? Outside they will be dark. Fluorescents do not maintain their brightness well during cold conditions, whereas “standard” cheap bulbs will keep on shining. I guess that is a way to save energy–stay in the dark.
I had someone in the local fire departmant tell me that they had a special code for fires started by fluorescent bulbs.
Some CFLs do have a barely perceptible flicker that can set off epileptic seizures, especially if they’ve been put into a circuit with a dimmer or motion sensor (which many federal buildings have installed to “save energy”). Though, I imagine the world is full of bigger problems if your one of the few that are affected. Still, it has a ring of “friend of a friend” to it.
That being said, CFLs are an inferior product. The “equivalent wattage” on the package is ridiculous and the operational hours are highly inflated. The life expectancy listed is until they lose half their brightness. In my experience, they’re too dim to read by after a month. I’ve had two spontaneously start smoking from the ballast. According to Snopes they don’t present a fire hazard, but the base was plenty hot and burning electronics aren’t exactly fun to breath. The best/worst part, the amount of energy and resources necessary to build, ship, and use them makes them far worse for the environment they’re intended to save. What else is new?
I would like to hear more about the “serious medical condition that disallows him to go to many federal buildings because of CFL’s”. This is not a problem in State buildings or private residences with CFLs?
Sorry, just being skeptical…
That damn railroad ain’t cumin through my land. That stupid light bulb, neither