The Federal government has been pushing these for years because they use less electricity per lumen than do incandescent bulbs. And they do.
The bulbs are marketed as "33 watts same as 100" and "25 watts same as 100", for example. The "same as" seems to refer to the lumens produced.
However, we here know that "lumens" is not a very good measure of the of the utility of a light; PUR and Lux are much better.
Today I received a Milwaukee SM700 lux meter. To learn a little about it before I did any damage to anything, I set up an experiment to compare the utility of incandescent and screw-in fluorescents , as far as room lighting is concerned.
I tested three bulbs in a fixture over my kitchen table. The reflector is about 14 inches in diameter and probably not very efficient. The bulbs were mounted in a "point down" position. The lux meter was placed 35 inches beneath the bulb and moved to different locations under the reflector, and the readings noted.
These are the results:
GE 100 watt soft white incandescent: 440 - 450 lux
GE 60 watt soft white incandescent: 240 - 255 lux
Walmart ("GV" brand) 23 watt, "same as 100 watt" screw-in fluorescent: 245 - 260 lux. The bulb was new.
It is apparent that the spiral fluorescent bulbs do not produce nearly as much usable light as do 100 watt incandescent bulbs. They are the same as 60 watt incandescent lamps in that regard. Indeed, since the output of the fluorescents will degrade over time, the "same as 100" bulbs will actually not even be up to the level of 60 watt incandescents.
Walmart is a reputable company; the Federal Government is - well, what we make it, I guess. But as someone said, "Trust but verify."
Good luck!
Bill
The bulbs are marketed as "33 watts same as 100" and "25 watts same as 100", for example. The "same as" seems to refer to the lumens produced.
However, we here know that "lumens" is not a very good measure of the of the utility of a light; PUR and Lux are much better.
Today I received a Milwaukee SM700 lux meter. To learn a little about it before I did any damage to anything, I set up an experiment to compare the utility of incandescent and screw-in fluorescents , as far as room lighting is concerned.
I tested three bulbs in a fixture over my kitchen table. The reflector is about 14 inches in diameter and probably not very efficient. The bulbs were mounted in a "point down" position. The lux meter was placed 35 inches beneath the bulb and moved to different locations under the reflector, and the readings noted.
These are the results:
GE 100 watt soft white incandescent: 440 - 450 lux
GE 60 watt soft white incandescent: 240 - 255 lux
Walmart ("GV" brand) 23 watt, "same as 100 watt" screw-in fluorescent: 245 - 260 lux. The bulb was new.
It is apparent that the spiral fluorescent bulbs do not produce nearly as much usable light as do 100 watt incandescent bulbs. They are the same as 60 watt incandescent lamps in that regard. Indeed, since the output of the fluorescents will degrade over time, the "same as 100" bulbs will actually not even be up to the level of 60 watt incandescents.
Walmart is a reputable company; the Federal Government is - well, what we make it, I guess. But as someone said, "Trust but verify."
Good luck!
Bill