Author Topic: New GE Reveal CFLs  (Read 8821 times)
Lumalux
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New GE Reveal CFLs « on: June 13, 2009, 09:29:23 AM » Author: Lumalux
I was at Target last night and they had GE Reveal CFLs on one of the endcaps.  They are spirals in 40, 60, 75 and 100 watt equivalents.  I was excited to try these so I bought one of the 60 watt (13w) sizes for 5.99.

The color is awesome!  The light quality is damn near indistinguishable from an incandescent Reveal.  It is SO much better than the 2700k version.  The 13w size is rated at 800 lumens but it looks dimmer to me.  However, the quality of the light is so much better that I think fewer lumens are necessary to achieve the desired light level ("seeability").

The light quality is almost like a cool white deluxe -- it makes colors "pop".

GE has a real winner with this product.

Until now, I have been turned off by CFLs for residential use but this bulb has changed the game.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #1 on: June 13, 2009, 02:16:14 PM » Author: bluelights
Can you take a photo of the spectrum (through something like the simple CD spectroscope)? I would like to see how it's different from "standard" CFL's

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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #2 on: June 13, 2009, 05:28:29 PM » Author: Silverliner
They sound like GE's version of the 3500K CFL. Sylvania has been selling a 3500K "daylight" CFL for a while. Havent tried one, but I've heard some people like it. Funny thing, I just checked out Target's bulb aisle and I didn't see any of them, I've looked at the aisle ends too. Maybe in a few days.

By the way Alex, in other news expect more energy saving halogens on the horizon. The Philips Halogena Energy Savers may be expensive, but on amazon.com Philips now has a lower cost version called the EcoVantage. Pretty cheap, only $2.50 for a 2 pack in some cases. I have some and they have a nice whiter light than standard incandescents. Sylvania will also sell a similar lamp this fall.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #3 on: June 13, 2009, 06:30:43 PM » Author: swpidgeon
They also sound similar to Sylvania's "Living Spaces" line of CFLs which were released this year.  I tried a couple and was similarly impressed - they are in my bedside lamps now and I can hardly tell the difference from incandescent.  I bought them at Shaw's in Boston, but they should be available at all the SuperValu stores such as Albertson's.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #4 on: June 13, 2009, 07:06:36 PM » Author: icefoglights
I have Sylvania Daylight Extra CFLs in my bedroom back home.  Been in use since 2007.  I like the higher color temp without the lumen loss of the 5000k+ CFLs.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #5 on: June 15, 2009, 11:00:32 AM » Author: lightman64
I wonder if they have them in Georgia. Hopefully so, because I am a big fan of GE Reveals.
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New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #6 on: June 15, 2009, 01:45:29 PM » Author: Lumalux
Dave:

The GE Reveals are not 3500K lamps.  They are definitely 2700-3000K but without the orangy, overly pink look that most CFLs have.  They appear to be 3000K lamps with a CRI higher than 82.  I'd say closer to 90.  The first thing that came to mind was the GE Cinema lamp which is 3200K with very high CRI.  Perhaps the Reveals use a similar phosphor.

The one Sylvania 3500 CFL I have is awful.  The light is similar to standard cool white bulb.  I've also been disappointed with the light quality of other Sylvania 3000K lamps.  The GEs seemed to have better quality light.

I put a 13w Reveal CFL in my banker's lamp at work that has a white frosted shade.  The light quality is somewhere between a standard incandescent and a Reveal incandescent.

The Reveals are WAY better than any other CFL if you are looking for a warm color incandescent retrofit.  If you like cooler color temps (3500K or higher), you probably won't be impressed.

BTW, I never could find any of the Sylvania Living Spaces bulbs here in Virginia but I suspect the GEs are similar.  These are a huge improvement over conventional CFLs and should tip public favor towards CFLs if they are advertised a lot.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2009, 01:52:53 PM by Lumalux » Logged
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #7 on: June 17, 2009, 05:29:08 PM » Author: Silverliner
As you can see here, I finally found one, the Target in an adjacent city got a few. The results are in my comment on that pic, the color spectrum is really interesting! Yes I used a spectroscope.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #8 on: June 18, 2009, 01:36:51 PM » Author: Lumalux
Thanks for the spectral analysis, Dave.

The color of these lamps is so superior to conventional CFLs I hope that GE expands this brand to the tubular fluorescents.  I think it would do well if marketed properly.
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Sylvania Living Spaces CFLs « Reply #9 on: June 30, 2009, 07:57:07 AM » Author: Lumalux
I finally found a Farm Fresh with these lamps and bought a two-pack yesterday.

I see no difference between these lamps and the regular Sylvania (or other brand) standard CFLs.

On the plus side, the Sylvania small diameter spiral design is super compact.  I bought the 13 watt size and they are about the size of an A-15 incandescent.  And they are rated for a very long 12,000 hours.

I was hoping for a huge improvement in light quality like the GE Reveals but I'm disappointed.  I'm glad I only bought one package.

So far, the Reveals get my vote for the best CFLs available.
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #10 on: July 01, 2009, 05:09:47 PM » Author: Silverliner
I got a 2 pack of the Living Spaces CFLs about 6 months ago. You're right they're not all they're cracked up to be. The living room in my place is painted in a warm color. I tried one of these, and it changed the color of the paint. Looked very different from what they look under incandescents. Terrible in such applications!
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #11 on: May 17, 2010, 07:00:19 PM » Author: RCM442
Got one of these today! I must say, very nice! I'm just as impressed with these as I am the Philips natural light!
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #12 on: May 21, 2010, 10:46:57 PM » Author: Lumalux
The light produced by the Reveal CFLs (as with incandescent Reveals) seems to vary by context:

My office at work is illuminated by 3500K 85 CRI lamps overhead, and the Reveal looks creamy white -- nearly identical to a standard soft white incandescent.

In a table lamp with no other light source in the room, the lamp appears more like an incandescent Reveal or other neodymium lamp (colors "pop") or even a cool white deluxe (which I love).
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Re: New GE Reveal CFLs « Reply #13 on: May 21, 2010, 10:48:53 PM » Author: Luminaire
The sleeve on my F32T8 Reveal says 2600 kevlin, 60 CRI
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