Twenty Dollars For A Light Bulb?

(An Article for a Newspaper Home Improvement Section)

John LaTourrette

Many of you probably did not realize that you could spend twenty dollars for a light bulb, and most of you are wondering why you would. The answer will surprise you: to save money. Before you decide that I have completely lost my mind, hear me out. The light bulb that I am referring to is a compact fluorescent light bulb, commonly called a CF. This is a self‑contained fluorescent light that fits into standard 120‑volt light fixtures. When compared with incandescent bulbs, CFs use only 25 to 30 percent of the energy and will last up to ten times longer. Even though they cost more, from eight to twenty‑five dollars each, the CFs you install in your home will not only pay for themselves but save you a substantial amount of money as well.

To understand how these lights can save money we need to look at the way they work. CFs consist of glass tubes whose inner walls are coated with a material that fluoresces when an electrical current is applied. Incandescent lights contain a filament that is heated by an electric current to the point that it glows; but the majority of energy put into the bulb produces heat, not light. The CF is more efficient at turning electrical energy into light than the incandescent bulb, and electricity costs money. Locally, Public Service charges around 6.1 cents per kilowatt‑ hour. Table I shows a comparison of three compact fluorescent bulbs with incandescent bulbs of similar light output, all made by the Philips Lighting Company. The life of the CFs is 10,000 hours, so this is the time period we will use.

The two columns in Table 1 that are important are Light Output and Money Saved. Light output is a measure of the light a bulb produces; note that power is the rate a bulb consumes electricity, and has nothing to do with how bright it is. When comparing bulbs you need to look at the light output, not the power. For example, the 25‑watt CF produces 1750 lumens of light while the 100‑watt incandescent produces 1675, so the light output of the two bulbs is equivalent. By replacing the 100‑watt incandescent bulb with the 25‑watt CF we achieve a net savings of $37.15 over the life of the CF. This savings comes from the difference in the electricity cost over the 10,000‑hour period. Therefore, we not only saved enough from the cost of electricity to pay for the CF bulb, we saved an additional $37.15 on our utility bill. For just one bulb!

Table 1: Comparison of Specific Lights over a 10,000-Hour Period

Type	Power (Watts)	Light Output (Lumens)	Life (Hours)	Price¹ (Dollars)	Electricity Cost² (Dollars)	Total Cost³ (Dollars)	Money Saved (Dollars)
CF	25	1750	10,000	12.98	15.24	28.22	37.15
Incandescent	100	1675	950	0.42	60.95	65.37
CF	20	1200	10,000	12.98	12.19	25.17	23.70
Incandescent	75	1180	950	0.30	45.71	48.87
CF	15	900	10,000	12.98	9.14	22.12	17.45
Incandescent	60	860	1,000	0.30	36.57	39.57

1. Price for individual bulbs at Home Depot.

2. Calculated as Power x 10,000 hours x Electricity Rate x (1 kW + 1000 W).

3. Includes the cost of incandescent bulbs needed for 10,000 hours (Price x 10,000 hours + Life).

This savings, unfortunately, does not occur right away. It occurs by reducing your utility bill over the 10,000‑hour life of the CF, which for most bulbs will stretch to between two and five years. This will reduce your utility bill around $0.55 to $1.69 per month, depending on how long the bulb is on each day. While this doesn’t seem like much, the savings are there, and they are real. For the 25‑watt CF, the savings in electricity will pay for the bulb in 2837 hours, from eight to twenty‑four months for most users.

I realize this almost sounds too good to good to be true. You probably have alarm bells going off, as well as some bad memories of fluorescent lights creeping up from your subconscious. Those are the lights that produce that awful bluish/white light, and they flicker and hum. Oh, and the compact variety, they blink and flicker when you turn them on, and they hum too. Not any more: these problems have been corrected with the new CFs. The majority of CFs on the market now produce a light color around 2700 Kelvin, equivalent to cool white incandescent bulbs. The new electronic ballasts eliminate the flicker when the light is turned on, and the hum is gone.

So CFs have overcome some problems and they save a bunch of money, but are they convenient? The bulbs are available with power ranging from 7 to 28 watts, suitable for replacing 25 to 100 watt incandescent bulbs. The packaging for most CFs indicates the equivalent incandescent bulb; but remember this is not the best way to compare bulbs; you should look at the light output. CFs come in many styles, such as standard bulbs, decorative globes, floodlights, specialty lamps, and in a circular design for use in table lamps. Dimming and three‑way switchable models are now available. Also, CFs generate only 25 percent of the heat as incandescent bulbs, and can be used to increase the light output in fixtures listing a maximum bulb wattage.

Because CFs require less power they reduce demand from your utility company. With the population growth in Colorado, conserving energy may allow Public Service to continue to supply electricity without building additional power plants. Public Service generates 80 percent of its electricity from coal‑fired power plants and 11.3 percent from natural gas plants. Both types of plants emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which produce acid rain, so reducing demand also reduces these emissions. In addition, both coal and natural gas are non‑renewable resources.

The last thing I want to do is convince people to spend 15 to 20 dollars for a light bulb that does not suit them. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are not perfect for all your lighting needs. The bulbs have lengths from 4½ to 7 inches and the base is wider, so they may not fit in some light fixtures. The circular CFs work well in table lamps, but can be a tough fit with lamp harps and shades. All of the CFs weigh more than incandescent bulbs, and may make some table lamps unstable. These bulbs cannot be used with photocell timers, although clock timers are fine. Unlike incandescent bulbs, some CFs have a slight delay when turned on, and need a little time to warm up to full brightness. As the bulbs age, they may take longer to achieve full brightness; and as they near the end of their useful life their output may diminish. CF floodlights do not achieve the same projection distance as most incandescent lamps, so these are best suited for recessed down lights in ceilings less than 15 feet high. The electronic ballast in CFs may interfere with remote controls for TVs, VCRs, or stereos, and may also cause static in AM radios or cordless phones. However, I have used CFs for 12 years without experiencing any interference problems.

Are all compact fluorescent bulbs created equal? No, tests conducted by the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY show that CF bulbs from GE, Sylvania, and Philips met or exceeded their rated life of 10,000 hours, no matter how often they were switched on and off.¹ Bulbs from Lights of America consistently fell far short of their rated life. Consumer Reports was also critical of the bulbs from Lights of America, reporting that their light output did not measure up to the output stated on the package. They did recommend the bulbs from GE, Sylvania, and Philips.² As you might suspect, the CFs from Lights of America typically are priced less than the bulbs from the major manufacturers. The point here is that cheaper is not necessarily a bargain.

There are other differences as well. Most notably, not all CFs have 10,000‑hour life spans; some fall in the range between 6,000 and 9,000 hours. There is nothing wrong with this; just be aware of the difference when you buy. Bulbs made by Philips and GE have a color temperature of 2700 Kelvin, while the bulbs made by Sylvania are 3000 Kelvin, which is a little whiter and harsher than the cool white. Sylvania’s bulbs are instant start, meaning they turn on just as fast as incandescent bulbs, while the Philips and GE bulbs have a slight delay and take a short time to reach full brightness. The length of bulbs varies by manufacturer, which can be important when installing bulbs in existing fixtures. Those made by Philips are usually the shortest, while bulbs from Sylvania and GE are longer. For example, 20‑watt bulbs from these manufacturers have lengths of 5½, 6¼, and 6½ inches, respectively.

CFs have a minimum temperature below which they may not turn on. This temperature varies between and among brands. Most Philips and GE bulbs list a minimum start temperature of –10°F, but some are 32°F. Bulbs made by Sylvania list ‑22°F for the start temperature. I have Philips CFs in all of my outside fixtures that have performed without any problems in temperatures down to ‑25°F. Philips makes bulbs specifically for outdoor use; these are enclosed in a shatterproof cover that diffuses light and keeps bugs from accumulating around the fluorescent tubes.

Now you’re thinking you might give CFs a look, so where do you look? Many retailers do not carry CFs, and most stores tend to carry only one or two brands, with a limited selection. This makes comparison shopping a challenge. Table 2 lists some of the local retailers where CFs can be found. The column labeled “selection” is somewhat subjective; it indicates whether the store carries bulbs in a range of wattages and styles. “Price” is relative to those charged by the other stores. McGuckin Hardware carries a number of brands, but the selection of bulb types and wattages is limited. Your grocery store may carry CFs, but the selection tends to be very poor. A number of companies sell CFs through catalogs or online, but selections tend to be meager and prices are considerably higher. Many of these retailers do not list the manufacturers of the bulbs, and as we saw earlier, it is important who makes the bulbs.

Table 2: Listing of Retailers, Selections, and Prices

Manufacturer(s)	Retailer	Selection	Price
Philips, Sylvania, GE¹, LOM², Permalite	McGuckin Hardware	Good	Poor
Philips, LOM	Home Depot	Good	Good
GE, Feit Electric, LOM	Home Base	Good	Fair
Sylvania, LOM	Eagle	Fair	Good
Philips	Sears	Very Good	Poor
GE	Target	Fair	Fair

1. General Electric.

2. Lights of America.

Now you’re confused, right? Do you take out a second mortgage on your house and replace all of your light bulbs with CFs? You do not. These bulbs are not suited for all of the lighting situations in your home, so it is best if you make educated decisions about whether or not to purchase, which lights to replace, and which bulbs to buy. Spend a little time looking at your lighting needs and habits. Which lights are on all the time? Which are rarely used? Your best bet is to replace bulbs where lights are on for extended periods of time. Outdoor lights that are on all night are a good place to start; these lights are typically on for ten to fourteen hours per night. Remember to pay attention to the minimum start temperature when purchasing bulbs for outside use. Rooms in your home where you spend a lot of time, like kitchens, dens, or home offices are also good candidates, CFs are great for light fixtures that are difficult to reach, such as lights in stairwells, because you don’t have to change them as often. I use a CF in a post lamp that is in the middle of a very large evergreen bush and is quite difficult to change. Now I only have to change the bulb every 2½ years or so rather than 3 or 4 times a year.

Whether you are motivated by money, convenience, or environmental concerns, by making informed choices you will not even be aware that you have a different kind of light bulb in your home. Start slowly, maybe with just one or two bulbs, to make sure they fit and that the light output and color work for you. Be reasonable with your expectations; your utility bill fluctuates from month to month, so you may not even notice a decrease of one or two dollars. Just remember that the savings really are there. Finally, do not think about the price of the CF; think instead of the money you will save by using the bulb.

Mackison Prize, 2000

Instructor: Rolf Norgaard

Notes

1. All CF bulb data from National Lighting Product Information Program, Lighting Research Center, School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 5 June 2001 <http://www.lrc.rpi.edu>.

2. “Compact Fluorescents Come of Age,” Consumer Reports, Jan. 1999: 37.

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