Phasing Out 100w bulbs

[Helena]

Heard that by next year you will not be able to buy 100w bulbs. They will be replaced with the new energy efficient bulbs. I'm all for saving mother earth and using the new bulbs. Some concerns over using them because of the mercury but besides that..What do you all think of no more 100w bulbs available ?? Today the light bulb is gone..what tomorrow ??

[upnorthlady]

I don't like those curly bulbs. And if it's true that they have mercury in them, how is that "green"? I will miss 100 w bulbs, they illuminate well.

[kirkmcquest]

I think a lot of people who use 100 watt bulbs for warming brooder boxes and other things will be seriously put out. There are many things this administration hasn't considered before passing this ham fisted, one-size-fits-all, legislation.

[SFM in KY]

I need seriously bright light because of vision impairment. I've already been experimenting with fluorescents and actually have a 'shop light' with fluorescent bulbs in my office/ art studio.

[Just Little Me]

I had trouble finding a "true" 100 watt bulb last week. They have changed the round bulbs over to these new 97 watt kinds. I have a light fixture that will only take the round ones. It is a ceiling light and I need 100 watts in that room. *sigh*

[suitcase_sally]

Stock up now. Simple.

[HermitJohn]

Try finding 150 watt incandescents, they are already gone apparently for several years now. When I started having all trouble with the Chinese incandescents (and ALL incandescents are Chinese now) lasting less than a week, I was going to make a lamp with high watt bulb, using a dimmer switch to lower voltage. Bulb run on lower voltage will last longer. Well couldnt find 150 watt bulbs anymore. Too bad, a 150 watt bulb run at half voltage still should have provided good light.

I personally dont see point stocking up on inferior bulbs but whatever floats your boat. You are going to need a warehouse full of them considering how quickly they burn out. I am not thrilled with the CFs, but one (sold under Phillips brand name) in my bedside lamp is close to 4 years old now. Gets used multiple times per day, lot on/off cycles which is supposed to be bad for CFs. Havent had an incandescent last that long EVER in that kind of use. Lot on/off cycling bad for them too. Nor a halogen. Each to their own, but I am going to use what works for me, not bang my head against the wall worrying about what used to work great 20 years ago, but now is made so inferior that its not worth using.

As to mercury, if you are worried about the CFs mercury in environment, better write your congress critter and get every landfill and every closed "dump" from at least WWII on declared a hazardous cleanup site. Cause the tube fluorescents used in every buisiness, school, and factory for well over half century got thrown in regular trash. And they had several times the mercury of a CF.

And if you want really nice light, get a shop light and put couple four foot 40 watt daylight fluorescent tubes in it. That provides far more light in a room than any incandescent or cf. And its nicer light. Nothing like the old green flickering fluorescents of my youth. Its what I have upstairs. Put one downstairs too, but not enough ceiling height.

Oh and if you are determined to use incandescents until bitter end, why not just rig up a fixture where you can use multiple 40 watt appliance bulbs. They should be around forever. aRent they exempt from any ban? So instead of one 100 watt bulb, use three 40 watt bulbs, that will show those commie liberals. And make communist Chinese bulb manufacturers very very happy.

[suitcase_sally]

We had a 97 y.o.friend pass away about three years ago. For reasons unkown, one of the MANY things he collected was light bulbs. I have enough 100 watt bulbs to last me far into the future.

Ready for this? He collected shoe strings also. Opened up a drawer in the bedroom and it was packed with shoe strings.

They say a person will collect what was dear to them in their youth. There must have been a shoe string shortage when he was young.

[ronbre]

new black market product to buy now and sell later !!??

[olivehill]

My biggest issue with CFLs is that they don't perform like they are supposed to. I'd gladly pay more for a bulb that is going to last longer and use considerably less electricity but we've btdt and they don't. Not only do they burn out at roughly the same rate as incandescents around here I didn't notice a change in the electric usage either. It's $60 just for lightbulbs for ONE bathroom here in CFLs, $8 for Incandescents and that's buying the pretty clear ones. I'm thinking we're going to have a lot of poor families unable to replace their lightbulbs. And then what? O will pass yet another social welfare program. Because everyone deserves lightbulbs. So not only will I be paying 750% more for MY lightbulbs, I'll be paying 750% more for everyone else's lightbulbs too. *sigh*

And then you have the "proper" disposal issue. There is no where to dispose of them out here. I've got a basket of the stupid burned out things in the utility room just sitting there waiting as it is. Can't wait to see what kind of container I'll need to collect them in once I have to switch every bulb in the house over again. Anybody got a spare gravity wagon sitting around?

[Windy in Kansas]

Originally Posted by Helena

Heard that by next year you will not be able to buy 100w bulbs. They will be replaced with the new energy efficient bulbs. I'm all for saving mother earth and using the new bulbs. Some concerns over using them because of the mercury but besides that..What do you all think of no more 100w bulbs available ?? Today the light bulb is gone..what tomorrow ??

For clarity, it is 100 watt incandescent inefficient bulbs that are being phased out. I think most of us knew what you meant however.

By speaking of new bulbs and mercury I assume you as speaking of compact fluorescent bulbs.

However the new replacement bulbs now hitting the market are basically an incandescent bulb that has halogen in it which make it more energy efficient and meets the new government standards. Phillips is but one mfg. http://www.consumersearch.com/light-...-saver-70-watt

There are others and I saw them in the store last week.

The phase out is a part of the Energy Independence and Security act of 2007 so has been in the works quite awhile. It has been discussed on several forums in the past. 60 watters are next. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...nt-light-bulb/

I don't use 100 watt bulbs but have stocked up on 40 watt and 60 watt standard incandescent bulbs.

[Deacon Mike]

Originally Posted by kirkmcquest

I think a lot of people who use 100 watt bulbs for warming brooder boxes and other things will be seriously put out. There are many things this administration hasn't considered before passing this ham fisted, one-size-fits-all, legislation.

FYI, this "ham fisted, one-size-fits-all, legislation" was passed by the Bush administration in 2007.

[Txrider]

Originally Posted by Helena

Heard that by next year you will not be able to buy 100w bulbs. They will be replaced with the new energy efficient bulbs. I'm all for saving mother earth and using the new bulbs. Some concerns over using them because of the mercury but besides that..What do you all think of no more 100w bulbs available ?? Today the light bulb is gone..what tomorrow ??

Haven't bought any for over ten years now.. I won't miss em a bit.

[Bearfootfarm]

FYI, this "ham fisted, one-size-fits-all, legislation" was passed by the Bush administration in 2007.

Laws are passed by CONGRESS, and in 2007 BOTH the House and the Senate were controlled by the Democrats

[Deacon Mike]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Laws are passed by CONGRESS, and in 2007 BOTH the House and the Senate were controlled by the Democrats

Bills are passed by Congress, but don't become law unless signed by the President. Bush signed the bill on 12/19/2007. It wasn't passed with a veto proof majority in either the house or the Senate.

Brief summary of the law's impact on lighting here

[unregistered29228]

I've been stocking up on all wattages of incandescents, including the flame shaped one for the light fixture over our dining room table, and the big round ones for the bathroom vanity. Prices are only going to go up, even if some of these are still available in years to come.

HermitJohn, I just bought a 75/100/150 watt bulb for my touch lamp at Walmart a few weeks ago. I have the lamp in a room that doesn't have any ceiling lights, so I need bright light in the lamp.

I've got CFLs in several places in our home - mainly closets and the garage, and one small lamp I leave on at night for a nightlight. They take a while to get to full brightness and I haven't found that they save any money on the electric bill. They also don't last as long as advertised.

I heard that congress is thinking about repealing the incandescent ban. I say offer both incandescents and CFLs and let people choose what they want to use. This is the USA, land of freedom and choice.

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by olivehill

And then you have the "proper" disposal issue. There is no where to dispose of them out here. I've got a basket of the stupid burned out things in the utility room just sitting there waiting as it is. Can't wait to see what kind of container I'll need to collect them in once I have to switch every bulb in the house over again. Anybody got a spare gravity wagon sitting around?

So where do the buisinesses, factories, military, government offices, and schools dispose of their tube fluorescents that have TEN TIMES THE MERCURY? Do they have a hazmat team out to change every light bulb and properly dispose of the old ones???????? Wont even mention dry cell batteries that arent recycled..... And all the Chinese electronics that get taken to landfill every day. My guess is they provide an even bigger environmental hazard. So lots of things for you environmental types to worry about than CFs.

Big hint... they toss all these things in the regular garbage where they bust and release their mercurial contents..... I suspect there is garbage pickup available in your area if you dont currently have it. They will be happy to take them off your hands as long as you wrap them so they dont cut through the trash bag.

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by Mom_of_Four

HermitJohn, I just bought a 75/100/150 watt bulb for my touch lamp at Walmart a few weeks ago. I have the lamp in a room that doesn't have any ceiling lights, so I need bright light in the lamp.

But did you find any straight 150 watt bulbs for a regular bulb socket?

Originally Posted by Mom_of_Four

I've got CFLs in several places in our home - mainly closets and the garage, and one small lamp I leave on at night for a nightlight. They take a while to get to full brightness and I haven't found that they save any money on the electric bill. They also don't last as long as advertised.

I really doubt they make much huge difference in an individuals electric bill unless you are really wasteful and leave high wattage bulbs on for long periods. I think the idea is savings added up with everybody using them.

I cant speak to others experience with either incandescents or fluorescents. I can say currently availabe incandescents I bought and used were junk that burned out quickly (I tried ALL brands available locally, cheap and expensive) . Anything from burning out immediately to maybe lasting 3 months.

I tried a halogen bulb made to screw into standard fixture. It lasted a year. Also cost like $7.

The phillips CF as I said is close to lasting 4 years in a heavily used lamp (lot on/off cycling). It cost like $2. So in those four years IF I got real lucky and every incandescent I used lasted its full maximum life of 3 months, they would add up to being much more expensive, not to mention the great inconvenience of continual burnouts.

Originally Posted by Mom_of_Four

I heard that congress is thinking about repealing the incandescent ban. I say offer both incandescents and CFLs and let people choose what they want to use. This is the USA, land of freedom and choice.

I really could care less if they are banned or not. In my personal experience, incandescents no longer are worth buying for any purpose. And their share in market because of shoddy manufacture and resulting short life will die a natural death. I have other things to do than continually change burned out bulbs. Incandescent bulbs in my opinion only had the advantage of super cheap initial cost and the name brand incandescents didnt even have that. Same Chinese bulb with GE or Phillips label on package cost as much as CF.

But heck I am all for everybody having the freedom to waste their money however they chose. And maybe the Chinese incandescents you folks buy came from a factory with higher standards than the Chinese factory that produced the ones I bought.

[insocal]

Re the mercury in CFLs: it's my understanding that the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere by burning the amount of coal it takes to power an incandescent bulb during its lifetime is FAR greater than the tiny amount of mercury contined in a CFL.

IOW, fussing about mercury in CFL's because you are worried about it harming you or your own might be considered NIMBYism of the highest order by some. Mercury pollution is bad whether it is in your home or in someone else's environment. We should care about it regardless.

[AR Cattails]

I'm going to stock up on 100 watt bulbs then, because I can't see that well in lesser watt light bulbs. Thank goodness I'll have a year to work on that.