Light Bulb Investigators: CFLs and Dimmer Switches

Is the lifespan of your Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulb a whole lot shorter than what's listed on the package? CUB investigates one possible explanation: dimmer switches. For more money-saving advice from the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois, visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

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[FixerDad43]

Contrary to those below, I've had great service from my CFL's of all brands. Loooong life span and all else, they live up to the promise. I have a few incandescents in spots where I need what they do and have changed far more of them while the original CFL's keep on running.

[CharlesKnNell]

This is good advice for saving energy, saving the planet, and saving money. FACT: Half of our electricity is generated by coal.

[Virginia Llorca]

No dimmer switches in house. I stopped using CFLs in my dining room which prob gets more use than any other light cuz they burn out so fast. One day I noticed an awful smell that seemed to be coming from a CFL in a basement ceiling socket. It was dimming weirdly. I turned it off & took it out. The base was charred. Cat knocked a lamp onto ceramic floor shattering bulb. House smelled for hours. I hoard luminescents now. Bulb shape halogen, Sylvania, $2.97 Menards. Nice white light.

[Anthony Gates]

I have yet to have a CFL last longer than a traditional bulb. And that's even one I have placed in a regular light socket. Which is really sad because I like the daylight type CFL's. How am I supposed to save any money if I'm constantly changing CFLs? They're not exactly as cheap as regular light bulbs!

[MonarchBirch]

The benefits of CFL are way overblown, and the shortcomings swept under the rug. They don't last longer than an ordinary bulb. I bought some Ecosmart self-ballast lamps (compact fluorescent light bulbs) last year and installed them in my outside garage light fixtures. This year they started to fail, tripping the circuit breaker and damaging the fixture. Underwriters Laboratories says it's a known problem at the product’s end of lamp life.

[MrJcarlson33]

The guy is right, I put it in a ceiling fan, but I did not use the dimmer switch, and it still burned out.