Warning about Fieldbreeze clf light bulbs
skul...@live.com
skul...@live.com
Don Klipstein
>pictures of CFL that melted down and burned
>http://www.execulink.com/~impact/fieldbreeze.htm
Not that I actually viewed this, but...
My personal experience is that among CFLs "Fieldbreeze" is one of the
"dollar store brands" for "dollar store junkers" of CFLs.
My personal experience of all CFLs sold at "dollar stores" in USA for
USD/$ 1.99 or less, amounting to 20 "brands" and 69 "models" that I spent
significantly more than USD $69 on evaluating and in a few cases sent a
few units to a friend of mine at-best replicating/reinforcing my negative
opinion on "dollar store CFLs"...
http://members.misty.com/don/cfdollar.html
It appears to me that the immediately-above link tells the stories
(sometimes indirectly) "sufficiently well" of junker-clunker CFLs, based
on experience that I had (maybe a small bit indirectly from a fairly
close "online friend') and mostly said citably at least about 4 months
ago.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
albu...@mailinator.com
skullu...@live.com wrote:
> pictures of CFL that melted down and burned http://www.execulink.com/~impact/fieldbreeze.htm
Only my experience, but I have been using them for years, both dollar
store and other and only had one brand burn out early. None of the
others have quit and I cycle them on and off quite often. When
Possible, I have purchased name brands like GE or Sylvania that were
on sale for less than $2. CFL bulbs are made differently. They don't
require the gas seal at the base and can be pulled apart without much
effort. I believe they should design a better locking system on
certain models.
Don Klipstein
albu...@mailinator.com wrote:
I have had a beef with every dollar store CFL I ever tried, including
Fieldbreeze.
I have tried 69 "models" of 20 "brands", so I speak from actual personal
experience. Most I purchased to see if they continue to be "stool
specimens" - and I find that they continue to be lousy rotten stool
specimens.
Every single one that made a claim of light output fell short,
occaisonally by so much as by a factor of 3. Most do not state light
output in lumens, and the few that did all fell short. Non-dollar-store
general purpose CFLs state light output in lumens.
In my experience, nearly all CFLs other than dollar store ones have a
phosphor formulation usually claimed to achieve a color rendering index of
82. Few dollar store CFLs have this; the spectrum indicates to me usually
mid-upper 70's CRI but occaisionally in the 50's.
Most have an icy cold bluish white color, including some coming in
packages saying "soft warm white light". Most of warmer color have low
color rendering index that appears to me to be in the 50's (spectrum like
that of "old tech warm white").
The only CFL I ever had where the ballast housing produced an excessive
amount of heat was a Fieldbreeze, which I consider to be a "dollar store
brand".
In my experience, most dollar store CFLs have integral electronic
ballasts and lack "FCC ID". Other 120V integral-electronic-ballast CFLs
have "FCC ID".
In my experience, most dollar store CFLs have integral ballasts and lack
of statement of UL listing. Other 120V CFLs with integral ballasts state
UL listing.
The only CFL that ever filled my room with smoke was a Telstar - which
I consider to be another "dollar store brand". And a "burning" orange
glow persisted in the ballast housing part of the CFL until I shut off the
power to it.
I have had a few dollar store CFLs flicker or have a swirling/"snaking"
appearance. I never had a non-dollar-store one do that.
I have seen only dollar store ones coming apart easily.
I have seen only dollar store ones coming in packages having copyright
claims, where the copyright claims do not state who or what entity is
claiming copyright.
I have only seen dollar store ones in packages not mentioning a brand,
manufacturer or importer.
I have yet to see a dollar store one with the Energy Star logo.
And certainly I have checked out a lot more non-dollar-store CFLs than
have checked out dollar store ones.
================================================================
I have had many Lights of America and some Maxlite units produce less
light than others and incandescents of same claimed light output. I have
also had Lights of America ones having more than their fair share of early
failures (although I only bought one since 2002).
However, I would take even L.O.A. over a dollar store junker anyday.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)