What to do when compact fluorescents crack

[GaryC 7]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

Yeah, maybe by then I can get LED lights. They are better anyway. They use less electricity, are not dangerous and last longer. I want to just skip the CF lights.

At the moment they run about $35-75 per bulb. Might be affordable for an apartment, but it could get quite expensive for a house.

That will change in time. When you consider that they use almost no electricity and last for years it will soon be a viable alternative.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

How do you dispose LEDs?

[William33 110]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

Take them outside, crush them up so no one can tell what they were and put in your trash. If the enviromentalists want us to use them they should give us a way to get rid of them.

Better yet, throw them in the bag with chicken bones, coffee grounds and other organic materials.

Who is going to "audit" your garbage anyway?

[GaryC 7]

How do you dispose LEDs?

There isn't anything harmfull in an LED. Toss it just like anything else.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Cool.

[cmartyn 0]

I dunno anything about LEDS other than the white ones make everything look like #######. As for CFL's, I just put them in the garbage. ####, look out the back of anyplace that uses these by the boatload such as a Wal-Mart, the dumpster is full of em. I throw out perhaps one a year. I live between two superfund sites. One is full of Mercury when they made Hats here in the 1800's! The other is Asbestos when they made brake pads here in the 60's! I mean, what the hell.

I see people emtying the oil out of thir lawn tractors on the side of the road?? I guess that keeps the cost of getting your lawn mowed down. Dont do much for the fish though.

From now on, I will toll my CFL's into the bucket with my other hazzardous waste, sigh...

[PlatyPius 5]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

Yeah, maybe by then I can get LED lights. They are better anyway. They use less electricity, are not dangerous and last longer. I want to just skip the CF lights.

I agree with that. I'm waiting for LEDs to come down in price. They make CF bulbs look like energy hogs.

[GaryC 7]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

Yeah, maybe by then I can get LED lights. They are better anyway. They use less electricity, are not dangerous and last longer. I want to just skip the CF lights.

I agree with that. I'm waiting for LEDs to come down in price. They make CF bulbs look like energy hogs.

If you take into account the cost of replacement of regular bulbs and the extra energy used LED's are cost effective now. They just require a larger up front cost. See the chart at the bottom of this page.

http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx

[PlatyPius 5]

Light Emitting Diodes are, for the most part, safe. The substrates are "grown" in labs - most contain at least some amount of aluminum. Diodes in general have been in use for decades. A diode is basically a one-way switch for electricity. Current can flow one way, but not the other. Diodes are what make your car's alternator charge the battery with DC voltage rather than the AC voltage it actually generates. If you look at a wave pattern for AC current, you see basically a series of "hills" on top of a 0 line, and a corresponding set below the 0 line. The diode removes one of the "phases" and leaves only the "direct current". Ergo, Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC).

Not that any of you really care, but I've always been fascinated by such things. If there are any electrical engineers here and I've gotten any of that wrong, feel free to correct me.

Anyway, with certain substrates, the diode will glow while doing its job. By changing the elements of the diode, different colours can be produced; specifically the high output white, blue, and yellows needed for home lighting. It's all really cool.... to me, at least. lol

[cmartyn 0]

I gotta ask, does anybody have one of these? Get one, and see what you think. They look horible. The CFLs are bad enough. The one I have was relegated to the Garage Door opener since it chews through bulbs.

[GaryC 7]

Light Emitting Diodes are, for the most part, safe. The substrates are "grown" in labs - most contain at least some amount of aluminum. Diodes in general have been in use for decades. A diode is basically a one-way switch for electricity. Current can flow one way, but not the other. Diodes are what make your car's alternator charge the battery with DC voltage rather than the AC voltage it actually generates. If you look at a wave pattern for AC current, you see basically a series of "hills" on top of a 0 line, and a corresponding set below the 0 line. The diode removes one of the "phases" and leaves only the "direct current". Ergo, Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC).

Not that any of you really care, but I've always been fascinated by such things. If there are any electrical engineers here and I've gotten any of that wrong, feel free to correct me.

Anyway, with certain substrates, the diode will glow while doing its job. By changing the elements of the diode, different colours can be produced; specifically the high output white, blue, and yellows needed for home lighting. It's all really cool.... to me, at least. lol

I have a degree in industrial electronics. You got it right about how they work. I agree about how cool it all is.

[GaryC 7]

I gotta ask, does anybody have one of these? Get one, and see what you think. They look horible. The CFLs are bad enough. The one I have was relegated to the Garage Door opener since it chews through bulbs.

I have a flashlight at work that uses LED's. The batteries last forever! I have seen some LED's in industrial lighting settings. The light is a bit harsh but the ones used for residential use have filters that cover the LED. It gives them a much better look. They have a ways to go before they will be used widely. Right now they are more for accent lighting and specialty lighting. But give it time, they will improve.

[cmartyn 0]

I hope so, I got this POS 3 1/2 years ago it was 70 bucks. Damn thing won't burn out. I see others now. I guess I could take a chance on a few and if I don't like em, its back to home cheapo.

[Peikko 1,575]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

Take them outside, crush them up so no one can tell what they were and put in your trash. If the enviromentalists want us to use them they should give us a way to get rid of them.

Ah, the 'just deserts' mentality is at work again. And you want me to believe that nuclear waste will be safely and responsibly stored too?

[GaryC 7]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

Take them outside, crush them up so no one can tell what they were and put in your trash. If the enviromentalists want us to use them they should give us a way to get rid of them.

Ah, the 'just deserts' mentality is at work again. And you want me to believe that nuclear waste will be safely and responsibly stored too?

If you want to draw a parallel between a CFL and nuclear waste then feel free.