cfl lights

[BobSpoons]

Apologies for taking this onto your subject but I thought opening up another thread would not be quite right as the subjects are similar but...

Low energy standard bayonet type bulbs seem to have a disclaimer on the pack that they are not for use in enclosed lights or externally. Why is this?
I would have thought that they could be used anywhere you would normally use a tungsten bulb providing they can actually fit.

Id really be grateful to know as we have an external light that has a glass enclosure around the bulb and I would love to swap the standard bulb for a low energy.

Thanks
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Lynda forum moderator

Alex, please don't hi jack posts, forum rule 20. I have split this post

 

[Steve]

Low energy standard bayonet type bulbs seem to have a disclaimer on the pack that they are not for use in enclosed lights or externally. Why is this?
I would have thought that they could be used anywhere you would normally use a tungsten bulb providing they can actually fit.

I assume it is because of condensation on the circuitry of the lamp - so using them externally might be a bad idea. Another reason is that when they are cold, they are very dim, and can take a few minutes to reach full brightness, so wintertime operation might be a problem.

And they are bigger than standard lamps - so using them in a tight enclosed lamp may be a bad idea too.

However, I have seen many outdoor lanterns with CFLs in them. They seem to do ok, as long as they aren't on a PIR (rapid switching shortens lamp life).

 

[BuckRogers]

Crafty - I misunderstand you I think. How does a PIR switch quicker/slower than anything else ?

 

[Steve]

Crafty - I misunderstand you I think. How does a PIR switch quicker/slower than anything else ?

it doesn't. The compact fluorescent lamp, however, does not like being switched on and off frequently, as can happen with a PIR switch. Also, when you do switch it on, it takes a good few minutes from cold to reach optimum brightness (by which time the PIR will have turned off), so they are better off on a timer rather than a PIR.

 

[Adam_151]

Also if the PIR is electronic and wasn't designed with loads other than resistive in mind, its possible that a CFL could cause issues, I suppose it could damage the PIR possibly (but probably quite unlikely), its also possible for it to cause it to 'stick' on, until you manually interupt the circuit, but more likely it'll allow the CFL to flicker when its actually off

 

[breezer]

for what its worth, i have replaced an old style bulkhead light light with a eye wink (thats what it looks like) external light that is operated by a pir at my mothers house. the lamp is a cfl but its fitting is ES

 

[RF Lighting]

for what its worth, i have replaced an old style bulkhead light light with a eye wink (thats what it looks like) external light that is operated by a pir at my mothers house. the lamp is a cfl but its fitting is ES

I have done exactly the same at home, and it has been absoloutly fine for about two years now, although as others have said it does take a while to get upto full brightness, especially in winter.

 

[JohnD]

I use them variously in enclosed lamps, externally, on timers, on Photocells and on PIRs and in various combinations of the above - no probs even though the instructions sometimes discourage it. Have done for more than ten years.

I expect it's in case one day there is an incompatibility and they will reject any complaint.