Lighting future: sneak peek of prototype GE incandescent-shaped CFL

[VonDenHottentotten]

Good work on the all glass design, Thomas Edison would certainly be proud. ;)

So does the all glass cfl contain its mercury in the form of an amalgam or a mercury pellet?

Is it coated with silicone or something, to make it more resitant to shattering?

[poiiihy]

this bulb is for fixtures where you can't see the bulb.

[FordCrownVictoriaV8]

Would the outer plastic shell contain debris and mercury vapor in the event that the inner fluorescent tube catastrophically fails?

[twocvbloke]

I bought one of these earlier this year when I first found them on sale here in the UK, and while the idea is somewhat sound, it's a really awful bulb, it takes ages to warm up to full brightness (but then, that's a trait with any GE CFL), it gets very hot, and it's longer than a standard GLS bulb so didn't fit my outdoor light as I had intended it to...

So, right idea, wrong lighting company, Sylvania, Osram, Philips, they'd do a better job than GE would...

[mtanyc]

There are many different styles and colors for CFL bulbs. There have dimmable and non-dimmable and different wattages. Truth is they you will see your electric bill drop by 60% if you replace every bulb in your house but yes they are bad for the environment because they contain mercury. Be sure to recycle them when they die you can bring to home depot and drop off there.

[noreaga12326]

fuck CFLs and anybody who promotes them. they look like shit

CFL = CRAPPY FLOURECENT LIGHTING

[poiiihy]

@noreaga12326 cfls are cool. too bad they have mercury. but they come in the most variety.

[noreaga12326]

@poiiihy i respect your opinion but despite of all the colors it comes in.. to me, theres nothing better than the old skool incandescent bulb. the problem that i really have is government choosing for people what bulbs we can use. I'm not sure what country you live in but here in the US, government is way too deep in other ppls business. sure, cfls come in different colors but i think that me (the consumer) outa make the choice if i wana use them or not. thanks for the post

[poiiihy]

@noreaga12326 I live in USA.

[GELightingFuture]

Thank you for your comments. While we appreciate your input, we just wanted to clarify a few points concerning CFLs:

1) To reduce the chance of interference due to infrared light being misintrepreted as electronic signals, avoid placing compact fluorescent bulbs near these kinds of electronic devices.

2) CFL's use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard bulbs.

Other info can be found on our website.

Thanks, Megan from GE

[MrGerbilBrain]

Do not use CFLs. Never. Ever! They produce a lot of bad light, they also make a TON of RF interference and power line interference! They use more energy to produce, then they save during thier lifetime!!! Also, at their end of life, there is a 40% chance of it going BANG, or creating smoke, which is NOT a proper "end of life" , the smoke IS TOXIC and they cause house fires every once in a while too! POINT IS, USE LEDS

[TheNuclearWatermelon]

They should paint the outer glass light orange to give the same warm lighting you get with incandescent bulb, not the factory-style white blue you normally get with CFLs

[powermaks]

@TheNuclearWatermelon if you pay close attention, you will see some better name brands come with a 2400K soft white (pale yellow) and 6000K (OEM white) also, look out for the "full spectrum" CFL's

[redneckfl1]

I bought a few of these the other day for a buck a piece. Guess I got a deal, because others are paying $6 a bulb. They are great bulbs, as I have old lamps that clamp on the bulb themselves. I also have incandescent shaped cfls from other companies like Satco & Maxlite, but they have the bulky white plastic base. These GE ones are shaped exactly like a incandescent with everything behind the glass.

[den2003]

Well i have just bought one of these "GE Energy Smart" bulbs and I have to say it's the best CFL i have ever owned. They look like the one he's holding except the glass is frosted, making it look better by hiding the electronics and scattering the light. I tell you, when lit the spiral becomes indistinct behind the translucent glass, becoming a blob of light, just like a regular light bulb. Finally, the light produced itself is VERY natural looking, not "florescenty" at all.

[egn83b]

I just like taking those CFL's apart for the electronics and using the bulb for experiments but as for light there okay but I love the look of my skin and I hate the son's of bitches but they save money can't beat that now the government is ripping off everyone with schemes of domination.

[FireElemental456]

Useless and overpriced invention.

To all nature freaks enviromentalist/commies that want to save the earth: Take this technology turn it sideways and shove it straight up your candy ass, If you smelllll-la-la-la what i am cooking.

[martinaee]

WTF what is up with the pussies here complaining about technology that actually helps reduce overall energy use for the world? "it's about my right to waste and be a consuming pig".... boo hoo assholes. And yeah... I never heard anyone complaining about putting mercury thermometers in their mouths with enough mercury to kill them easily. I think you would have to lick the insides of a ton of these bulbs to be really harmed. And in terms of light temp.-- for good cfl bulbs there is no difference.

[ECondit]

I have been looking for these at several stores and online. I want to order some but can't find them. These would be great for lights that you can see, like the ones in a fan/light fixture. Who wants to see that crummy spiral thingie? I am still waiting to find these, but the artical says ACE hardware, will look tomorrow.

[husvaagn]

in 1820 a man named fredrick osloft one day he was working in his lab until a ghost came by and killed him the next morning fredrick was nowhere to be seen 100 years later two boys went in the lab as a dare the boys where never seen again where aparently murdered now that u have read this comment tonight when u go to sleep the two boys and fredrick will come and murder you but you can stop this by posting this comment on 5 other videos by midnigh ihate this things srry :P

[thejunkman]

These CFL's are the shittiest bulbs ever, the dimmable ones are not really dimable and they start flashing if dimmed too far. Plus the light is so crappy your skin looks like you have jaundice. God damn government mandating this shitty technology.

[dmana3172]

It's not about using CFL bulbs to save energy and the environment. It's about having the Federal Government to regulates how much energy we can use, and how much water we can flush. This is all bunch of liberalism.

[dmana3172]

It's not about using CFL bulbs to save energy and the environment. it's about having the federal government to regulates how much energy we can use, and how much water we can flush.

[jecwhiz]

whole thing inside glass......probably safer and less risk of fire hazard due to failed ballast getting hot!

[benbethel]

In AZ they're $0.94 each at a number of retailers... they are dimmable too. Re: the mercury, just one older home thermometer has 240,000 times as much mercury as one of these bulbs! These newer bulbs are safer from breakage because they have a package around them. People should be more worried about the chemicals in the packaging of everything they eat or: just 1 whiff of the inside of a laser toner cartridge package when opening it is much more dangerous than the mercury in this bulb.

[aquamammal]

Hey dude, thanks.

Pretty informative.

[thejunkman]

Yeah $.94 for the junk bulbs the "decent" CFL's don't qualify for the rebates or are outragously priced. I have already horeded a pretty decent stash of the good incandescent bulbs. One can only hope that the market will push out these CFL's.

[dpdiddy]

when are they gonna get the color temp right w/CFLs so i can actually use them in places other than a closet and a garage...

dont get me wrong, im all about green, but the aesthetics arent there yet.

[thejunkman]

"Green" is just a marketing term.

[Drexxle]

at least this is all glass and metal, and with the amount of them made and thrown out, thats a hell of a let of landfill. Plastic based lightbulbs are not what we want to fill our landfills with.

[twylightsky2007]

and mercury. If you break a CFL take due care not to get cut or come incontact with the mercury of those bulbs. even a small amount is highly toxic. I'd rather use proper old incandescents. If you want to be more green buy a damn higher wattage bulb. It won't light as bright but it will last MUCH longer. As in contractor bulbs. They sell us crap on store shelves.

[Drexxle]

Couldnt agree more, id rather go back to old school, you can crush one of them up into the size of a marble, and its metal and glass so can dissipate into soil a hell of a lot quicker and isnt toxic to the environment. I dont understand the metality of these sorts of inventions. you using less power doesnt mean power plants create less either.

[inguatu]

yeah but is this now safer from breakage and the whole containment process like with the normal CFLs?