Randy_
Member
Does anyone know if you can use those little screw-in fluorescent bulbs in ceiling fans. I know the fan vibration can be a problem for normal incandescent bulbs; but have never seen any discussion of the fluorescent types. Thanks.
Compact Fluorescent Lights
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curlymaplefan
Member
Yes
they make compact flours just for fans..... do not put the twist type in..only ones that are rated...Feit make some not sure of the product number
they make compact flours just for fans..... do not put the twist type in..only ones that are rated...Feit make some not sure of the product number
leehljp
Member Liaison
Randy,
I have been using them here in Japan for 3 years and a few of the bulbs were USA versions bought at Costco. I started using them in my USA home in MS in June. Some people claim that that vibration is a problem. To me the vibration causes (caused) more of a problem with filament bulbs as IMHO the fans tended to vibrate the hot filaments. My MS house would blow a bulb a month per fan/light. Name brand, expensive or cheap bulbs, didn't matter. In a discussion on a woodworking forum on the subject of regularly blown filament bulbs started by me back in early June - a few said that my problem was probably voltage. But it was not. The problem turned out to be the brand(s) of filament bulbs - for me. I change many of the bulbs out to fluorescent bulbs.
One huge advantage of the fluorescent bulbs has been the decrease of heat generated as well as electricity used, reducing the cooling needed in the summer. My electricity bill in Japan was reduced the equivalent of $75 a month in the summer. My daughter, who lives in my USA house says that this past summer's electric bill is less now since we went to fluorescent bulbs. - by about $30 a month. That was with one person's electricity usage this year versus for the same period the previous year.
About half the bulbs used in my MS home are now in ceiling fan lights. Same here in Japan also.
Watch out for one thing - what color light do you want? The original and the more cheaper fluorescent bulbs are the ones that emit a warm slightly yellowish- reddish color. I hate those. I get the cool white or daylight bulbs and they usually cost more. Some people don't like those as it tends to be too "blue-ish". In Japan, we have a third version readily available - between the two. That is what I use here.
At HD and Lowes, they probably will have only two colors but a specialty lighting store might have all three. One thing that I noticed here is that we have bulbs that are about $7.00 and those that are about $10.00 US equivalent. The $7.00 ones come on slower in winter - light up immediately but seem to be only about 50% in brightness and then get to 100% in about 60 seconds. The $10.00 ones do it a lot faster.
IN my Japanese home, I have 20 installed, 16 in fan/lights and have replaced 3 in 3 years. In my USA home, I have 16 installed, 8 in fan lights for 4 months now and none replaced instead of the average of one GE filament bulb per month per fan/light . It was not a voltage problem, as mentioned above in the first paragraph. It turned out that it was probably the GE bulbs.
For the reading on the GE bulbs (and others) read this link: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=30425&highlight=fluorescent+bulbs. I think the fluorescent bulb usage is on page 2. There is a post by Slik Geek about 2/3rds down on page 1 about GE bulbs.
Just my opinions and experience. But no problems since using fluorescent bulbs.
I have been using them here in Japan for 3 years and a few of the bulbs were USA versions bought at Costco. I started using them in my USA home in MS in June. Some people claim that that vibration is a problem. To me the vibration causes (caused) more of a problem with filament bulbs as IMHO the fans tended to vibrate the hot filaments. My MS house would blow a bulb a month per fan/light. Name brand, expensive or cheap bulbs, didn't matter. In a discussion on a woodworking forum on the subject of regularly blown filament bulbs started by me back in early June - a few said that my problem was probably voltage. But it was not. The problem turned out to be the brand(s) of filament bulbs - for me. I change many of the bulbs out to fluorescent bulbs.
One huge advantage of the fluorescent bulbs has been the decrease of heat generated as well as electricity used, reducing the cooling needed in the summer. My electricity bill in Japan was reduced the equivalent of $75 a month in the summer. My daughter, who lives in my USA house says that this past summer's electric bill is less now since we went to fluorescent bulbs. - by about $30 a month. That was with one person's electricity usage this year versus for the same period the previous year.
About half the bulbs used in my MS home are now in ceiling fan lights. Same here in Japan also.
Watch out for one thing - what color light do you want? The original and the more cheaper fluorescent bulbs are the ones that emit a warm slightly yellowish- reddish color. I hate those. I get the cool white or daylight bulbs and they usually cost more. Some people don't like those as it tends to be too "blue-ish". In Japan, we have a third version readily available - between the two. That is what I use here.
At HD and Lowes, they probably will have only two colors but a specialty lighting store might have all three. One thing that I noticed here is that we have bulbs that are about $7.00 and those that are about $10.00 US equivalent. The $7.00 ones come on slower in winter - light up immediately but seem to be only about 50% in brightness and then get to 100% in about 60 seconds. The $10.00 ones do it a lot faster.
IN my Japanese home, I have 20 installed, 16 in fan/lights and have replaced 3 in 3 years. In my USA home, I have 16 installed, 8 in fan lights for 4 months now and none replaced instead of the average of one GE filament bulb per month per fan/light . It was not a voltage problem, as mentioned above in the first paragraph. It turned out that it was probably the GE bulbs.
For the reading on the GE bulbs (and others) read this link: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=30425&highlight=fluorescent+bulbs. I think the fluorescent bulb usage is on page 2. There is a post by Slik Geek about 2/3rds down on page 1 about GE bulbs.
Just my opinions and experience. But no problems since using fluorescent bulbs.
Firefyter-emt
Member
If it helps, I have been running a standard CF bulb installed in the metal lamp at my lathe. The lamp is bolted to the stand and does vibrate way more than a fan would. I really like it for this use. I tend to get that lamp right up to the blank when I am turning. The other day I did 4 blanks of acrylic and I had to vac the lamp out due to all the acrylic stuck into the bulb. It dawned on me then how cool they were, no melted plastic stuck to the bulb. I originaly put it in because the metal lamp head go so hot I would burn myself if I went to move the bulb.
Fred
Member
Less heat, less problems all the way around. No more burned up recpeticles to replace. I would replace the two filiment bulbs that were rated for use in a vibration environment like the garage door openers at least twice a month, often more. I then put 100 watt fluorscent bulbs in and have not had a problem in about two years now. I have slowly replaced regular lamps through out my home with the better fluorescent bulbs and things are definitely doing very well. Just gto with the name brands as they are much better in the long run and worth the extra bit they command.
I might say that polishing things under fluorscent light is a pain in the tush as they tend to enhance every little scratch that exists. Did you ever try to 'spit shine' a pair of dress shoes under fluorscents... one word ... DON'T! [
]
I might say that polishing things under fluorscent light is a pain in the tush as they tend to enhance every little scratch that exists. Did you ever try to 'spit shine' a pair of dress shoes under fluorscents... one word ... DON'T! [
]Glass Scratcher
Member
I don't believe that it is physical vibration that is the problem with fans and CF bulbs but the cycling of the AC current as it runs through the fan tends to change the actual current cycle, and that will make the bulb appear to pulse and will shorten it's life span.
toolcrazy
Member
I've been using standard CF bulbs, the same bulbs, since I installed the fan 3 years ago. Not a one has burned out.
Monty
Group Buy Coordinator
Been using them in my ceiling fans in the shop for the past few years with no problems,
Randy_
Member
I looked at the Feit web site and did not find any information on a CF bulb made specifically for ceiling fan fixtures. An email to them returned the information that CF bulbs were OK for use in ceiling fan fixtures and they did indicate that there were any limitations or restrictions other than not using them with dimmers.
I guess it is off to the store to buy some more CF bulbs.
Thanks for all of the comments.
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