CFL trouble with vanity socket

[Dragster Racer]

I will start by saying that pretty much my entire house is cfl's..I would say about 60 of them. I have had decent luck with them.
But in our bathroom vanity, I have two adjacent lights that I am having trouble with them. Incondescent works fine. Screw in CFL and it may flicker once while screwing in, and then nothing. I tried bending the middle tab conducter out a bit, and that worked on one, but the other is no dice. What could be causing my trouble?

 

[rodm1]

Are these on illuminated switches? How many watt are the CFL's?

Well I think I mis read your post. Your CFL's don't work at all when installed? I had some that where out of spec and wouldn't screw in far enough but I'm thinking you CFL's are bad. Try known good ones in those fixtures.

 

[Dragster Racer]

13W, just regular switches.
I may try some other bulbs. I have tried new ones from the same package with the same result. I am thinking as well it has something to do with the screw in. But of course the fixtures are China stuff and could be out of spec as well. (Not that US stuff can't be out of spec....but I couldn't blame the Chinese for my troubles then.)

 

[wssix99]

Do the CFL bulbs work correctly when you screw them in to sockets in other light fixtures?

 

[hdossett]

I have had cfl's go bad when screwing them in with power to the socket!

I now make sure the switch is off!

H

 

[Tom McDermott]

Sometimes the center contact on the socket gets oxidized due to excessive heat when previously used with an incandescent bulb. Even if you bend the contact, it doesn't make good contact due to the oxide film on the center tab. The film usually has a dark color rather than the more normal brass color.

Look closely at that center tab in the socket (with power off of course). I've had good luck just replacing the socket with a new one.

-- Tom

 

[Highbeam]

I have had cfl's go bad when screwing them in with power to the socket!

I now make sure the switch is off!

H

This. Don't power up the fixture until the bulb is installed. Then burn in the bulb by leaving it on for awhile.

The CFL is more sensitive to neutral and ground connections. If all else fails, verify that the connections are good.

 

[Dragster Racer]

I shall check them in other fixtures, as I have not. I left that out of my scientific method. I don't see any oxidation on the tab, and all that has ever been hin this fixture is cfl's. I did intall the bulbs with the power on though, and I wonder if that messed up the electronics in the bulb. We will find out.
Thank you guys. I will report back.

 

[Dragster Racer]

Couple bad bulbs. I got a new pack, and vola. Working.

 

[mrjaw14]

how's the light they give off? We have 6-8 60w incan bulbs that give a nice bright bathroom. That's a lot of power, I was wanting to get CCFL's but didn't know if the light would be suitable for vanity use. Do you like them?

 

[Dragster Racer]

Sorry for the slow reply. The color is fine as long as you don't get the daylight type. Most offer a soft white version, and frankly I can't tell the difference between that and incondescent. As long as it is above 50 in the room, they come on almost intantainously. If we have the fireplace on all day, it gets cold in that bathroom, and they don't come up to full brightness for 30 seconds. I would say we probably have about 65 cfl's in the house. I am never shocked at our electric bills. Can't be hurting anyhow. It's kind of a package deal. You save some in lighting. Then the higher eff appiances etc. It adds up.