Light Bulb Ban Creating Jobs...

[Mos Eisley]

I'm all for getting rid of incandescents. There are so many better options available with current technology. It's too bad these people are being laid off. There needs to be some incentive to get the new technology products to be made here instead of in China. There's no reason why these same workers can't make LED lights instead.

Does everyone feel sorry for all the buggy whip makers? They are obsolete. Time to move on.

That's not the same thing at all! We still need lights, whips are no longer in high demand outside your local BDSM club. Those "green" lights are a POS! They are by no means a better product, functionally or environmentally. They burn out faster, cost a lot more, don't provide consistent lumination, take more materials to build and dispose of, and have Mercury in them. Where's the good in all that?

 

[TheSanDiegoKid]

I changed all my incandescent bulbs over to cfls. I've yet to replace a single bulb. It's been 2 years. I have some small halogen spotlight bulbs in my kitchen that I replace about 1-3 a month at about $7 a pop.

 

[doctorjj]

That's not the same thing at all! We still need lights, whips are no longer in high demand outside your local BDSM club. Those "green" lights are a POS! They are by no means a better product, functionally or environmentally. They burn out faster, cost a lot more, don't provide consistent lumination, take more materials to build and dispose of, and have Mercury in them. Where's the good in all that?

Come back when you have arguments that are valid in the 21st century.

 

[Super Dave]

Billions of mercury laced CFs in the land fill. Right next to the billions of water bottles.

Awesome...

This is the ugly truth.

 

[doctorjj]

And how much does a dimmable LED bulb cost in comparison to an incandescent?

It's called economies of scale. Ramp up that LED production and the price will fall like a rock. It already has and will continue to do so. Even at the current prices, it's still a sound investment based on the savings your have in energy and replacement costs. Yeah, it's expensive to replace every bulb in your house with good LED's at the current price levels, but you're throwing away money every time you buy an incandescent as a replacement. Start by replacing your most frequently used lights and go from there.

 

[bettingpython]

It's called economies of scale. Ramp up that LED production and the price will fall like a rock. It already has and will continue to do so. Even at the current prices, it's still a sound investment based on the savings your have in energy and replacement costs. Yeah, it's expensive to replace every bulb in your house with good LED's at the current price levels, but you're throwing away money every time you buy an incandescent as a replacement. Start by replacing your most frequently used lights and go from there.

I keep hearing about these savings but I have lightbulbs in my living room that have been burning on the dimmer since I bought the house in 2006. So an $18 light bulb that is warrantied for 5 years, plus the hassle of changing my dimmer to one that is approved for use with the LED bulb or a 39 cent bulb that lasts just as long? You are kidding me right.

I don't like it when someone urinates down my back and tells me it's raining. Which is exactly what the eco terrosits are doing.

A friend of mine bought into the whole CFL bulb thing just before I moved out, he replaced all the bulbs in his house with those stupid things and was just recently complining that his $20 a pop 10 year bulbs were alread failing after 4 years, who keeps a lightbulb receipt so they can get their warranty replacement on a miracle bulb when it dies? Of course now he has to recycle them as well since just disposing of them would mean releasing mercury into the environmental stream.

 

[Mos Eisley]

Come back when you have arguments that are valid in the 21st century.

OK, you're only trying to irritate me with that statement. I based everything I said on my own personal experience with them. I don't appreciate your comment. If you can't discuss this without being a jerk, don't comment.

 

[doctorjj]

I keep hearing about these savings but I have lightbulbs in my living room that have been burning on the dimmer since I bought the house in 2006. So an $18 light bulb that is warrantied for 5 years, plus the hassle of changing my dimmer to one that is approved for use with the LED bulb or a 39 cent bulb that lasts just as long? You are kidding me right.

I don't like it when someone urinates down my back and tells me it's raining. Which is exactly what the eco terrosits are doing.

A friend of mine bought into the whole CFL bulb thing just before I moved out, he replaced all the bulbs in his house with those stupid things and was just recently complining that his $20 a pop 10 year bulbs were alread failing after 4 years, who keeps a lightbulb receipt so they can get their warranty replacement on a miracle bulb when it dies? Of course now he has to recycle them as well since just disposing of them would mean releasing mercury into the environmental stream.

If you replaced 10 of your track lights (65 watt) with CFL's (which LED's are more efficient AND last longer than CFL's), your yearly savings, from typical use would be $73. The bulbs would pay for themselves in the first year.

If the bulbs are failing prematurely, then they are using the wrong bulbs for the application, some are not meant for recessed lighting, or they are just using them more than they think. I've had incandescents, CFL's and LED's. I can tell you that incandescent bulbs do not last nearly as long. The manufacturers can't just put some bogus life rating on their bulbs. Of course you will have occasional premature failures but that will come with any technology.
Get the proper bulb for the proper application and a CFL will outlast the incandescent by about 5X. A proper LED will, under typical use, last 40+ years.
Dispose of your used bulbs properly, at a recycling center, and the concerns about mercury are non-existent. Most current dimmable LED and CFL bulbs don't need any particular dimmer.

 

[doctorjj]

OK, you're only trying to irritate me with that statement. I based everything I said on my own personal experience with them. I don't appreciate your comment. If you can't discuss this without being a jerk, don't comment.

I apologize if you felt those comments to be offensive. The point I was trying to make, was that basically all the arguments you put forth are no longer valid with the new technology, LED's in particular. Really, the ONLY valid criticism, at this point, is the initial cost.

 

[Mos Eisley]

I apologize if you felt those comments to be offensive. The point I was trying to make, was that basically all the arguments you put forth are no longer valid with the new technology, LED's in particular. Really, the ONLY valid criticism, at this point, is the initial cost.

S'alright. Just don't like being dismissed with a blanket comment like that. Much prefer this comment. Thank you.