Lighting-Gallery.net
Lamps => Modern => Topic started by: dp on November 15, 2007, 04:23:01 PM
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I have some CFLs in my collection, ie Philips Genie 11w, which when power is applied, gives off light immediately. Is this what is known as a cold start for the CFL lamp which causes more damage to the electrodes?
I also recently bought a new CFL from Asdas, a 20w GE BC Spiral CFL, this does the same thing when turned on. Pictures to come soon when I get my good digital camera back.
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I have some CFLs in my collection, ie Philips Genie 11w, which when power is applied, gives off light immediately. Is this what is known as a cold start for the CFL lamp which causes more damage to the electrodes?
I also recently bought a new CFL from Asdas, a 20w GE BC Spiral CFL, this does the same thing when turned on. Pictures to come soon when I get my good digital camera back.
I actually found instant start CFL lasted longer than the slower start ones, the oldest Sprials I have are instant start!
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I have some CFLs in my collection, ie Philips Genie 11w, which when power is applied, gives off light immediately. Is this what is known as a cold start for the CFL lamp which causes more damage to the electrodes?
I also recently bought a new CFL from Asdas, a 20w GE BC Spiral CFL, this does the same thing when turned on. Pictures to come soon when I get my good digital camera back.
I actually found instant start CFL lasted longer than the slower start ones, the oldest Sprials I have are instant start!
Yes each starting methods have their advantage - I like it how it starts up straight away, and doesn't take a second or two as it is indeed instant.
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It depends on how the CFL is used. The instant start ones do well in places where the light will be on for a while, like a porch light that runs all night. The programmed start ones do well in places like a bathroom where the lights are switched on and off a lot.
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It depends on how the CFL is used. The instant start ones do well in places where the light will be on for a while, like a porch light that runs all night. The programmed start ones do well in places like a bathroom where the lights are switched on and off a lot.
uh Jeremiah, don't you remember how I explained and showed you my stuff, I tried those Sylvania "rapid start" CFL and other "rapid start CFL" (plus other deaf people I talked to told me about this too) on my alarm clock flasher and it kills them in a week, but since then, I started using instant start ones, and they still flash on me after 6 years! The programmed start don't do well since it takes too long to start them and is too late....
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Hey Jace, yes I do remember that, I did fail to mention the rapid start ones, those do indeed wear out faster than the instant start ones because the electrodes are kept in a cold cathode state too long as evidenced by the endglow being purple around the electrodes.
Yes, instant start is best in a deaf flasher because program start takes too long in that application and sometimes the lamp never lights up.
My previous post was referring to general use for a CFL, not a special case like a deaf flasher. For general, 1 being best 3 worst, 1. Programmed 2. Instant 3. Rapid. In a deaf flasher the instant start is the best choice.
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I have some CFLs in my collection, ie Philips Genie 11w, which when power is applied, gives off light immediately. Is this what is known as a cold start for the CFL lamp which causes more damage to the electrodes?
I also recently bought a new CFL from Asdas, a 20w GE BC Spiral CFL, this does the same thing when turned on. Pictures to come soon when I get my good digital camera back.
I know this is kind of an old topic, but one of my CFLs (now dead) went from instant start to rapid start ??? I honestly don't know what happened there! does anyone else
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I have had this happen too. It is probably due to the electrodes depleting to the point that they cannot instant-start anymore, so they do a rapid-start behaviour of lighting up dim with purple and brightening quickly.
As for instant-start, it seems that a lot of lamps made today use this starting method as it is more acceptable to the general lighting users who switch from incandescent and are too impatient to wait 2 seconds when switching on lights!
Of the lamps I have, all of the 11, 9 and 8 watt ones do instant or rapid start. But I do have some higher powered ones which are programmed start including a 20w GE spiral and (my favourite) a 12w Osram pear shaped lamp.
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rapid start is my favorite; they look cool when they come on. sadly, sylvania started using instant start ballasts in their cfls. the only way you can get a rapid start is if you use the light bulb base up. (which i do all the time!)
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sylvania makes "instant - on" CFls , supposedly new technolgy but they work the same as regular- still have to warm up. http://ecom.mysylvania.com/sylvaniab2c/b2c/z_login.do this is a link to what the new instant on bulbs look like
(http://ecom.mysylvania.com/sylvaniab2c/b2c/z_login.do)
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rapid start is my favorite; they look cool when they come on. sadly, sylvania started using instant start ballasts in their cfls. the only way you can get a rapid start is if you use the light bulb base up. (which i do all the time!)
Be careful, Dave the Silverliner told me most of the CFL fires has seemed to happen with the CFL that has been installed base up!
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most of the lighting in my house is open recessed lighting. about 2 years ago, i went all cfl. it cut my bill about $70 - $120 dollars. they all seem to work ok ; different fixtures require differt cfls. here is a list of what i use.
Recessed Open Lighting- 13 watt Ge or N:Vision Spirals 2700K
Eyeball Recessed Open - 14 Watt N:Vision Enclosed Flood Spiral
Enclosed Recessed - 13 watt Ge or N:Vision Spirals also 2700K
Vent Fan Lights- 23 Watt Sylvania Sprials 3000K
Table Lamps - 23 Watt Sylvania, Ge or N:vision Spirals 2700K or 3000K (Depending on what looks best)
Misc- What works best!! ;D
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I have a very old Commercial Electric 9 watt spiral bulb which no longer instant starts, it flickers for about five seconds before starting. It used to be in my hallway and ran for about 3 years all day and all night (and now it is in my closet). I keep thinking that it is going to die soon but it has been doing this now for a couple months and just keeps on lighting up! And the ends are heavily blackened, but the darn thing just will not die!
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@brian you want it to die? :o
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Take pics or a video when it does die! I love watching CFLs die! ;D
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evil!!!
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I've always been fascinated as to what may cause a fluorescent lamp to instant start vs. rapid start. I've seen instant start CFL's start with a flicker or in steps like a rapid start on certain occasions, such as when put in base up instead of base down, or just randomly on certain days.
I've also seen linear, magnetic-ballasted fluorescent rapid start & preheat ballast occasionally instant-start a lamp.
All I can guess is that environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) and voltage (slightly high or low line voltage at a particular time, or at what point in the AC cycle the switch is turned on) may effect starting behavior.
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i noticed sylvania has programmed/rapid start ballast in all of their cfls. also they make instant start ones too. i always buy slyvania or GE.