Large CFL's Information

[badinf]

I have had several inquries about the large CFL's I used in my shop. Finally got some time to take some additional photos.

The ones I used are made by EiKO, they are 85 watt, medium. They cost about $23 each and come 10 to a case, I have purchased 3 cases. I have had no issues with them at all. Mine were purchased from Kriz Davis Electric in Wichita Ks. If I read the box right it has a color temperature of 4100 degrees and 5500 lumins.

I used 22 of them in my 40 x 60 with 4 switches for zone lighting if you will. I like them because they screw into a standard issue ceramic light fixture and they are bright. They are instant on but when it is below 25 degrees it takes them a few minutes to warm up to full brightness.

I know these may not be for everyone but wanted to share the information from my experience.

 

[Davey4000]

I'm putting 33 105W @ 6500K in my 40x60. The bulbs are backordered and I won't get them until the first week in Feb. After reading your post I'm wondering if I'll need to wear shades in my shop. I'm glad to hear you are having good results with the large CFL's and I look forward to getting mine installed.

 

[SgtRauksauff]

I've been looking around for uber-big CFL's for a machine shed. Currently, there were six 300W bulbs in the building, I'm planning on replacing them with some CFL's. So far, it looks like the 105W (~420W equivalent) will be the ones I use.

1000bulbs.com seems to be another source for them. Haven't checked any local places, though.

--sarge

 

[csp]

They work even better with shades that direct the light downward. I've seen them on another forum where the owner was using 68watt bulbs. Unfortunately he doesn't seem to want to share where he got the shades from.

I'm really happy with the dozen 28 watters I'm using in my 24x36 garage. It's like daylight in there. They replaced four 8' T12 flourescents.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Here's how GJ member Veno did the lighting in his steel building with porcelain sockets and reflectors and 105W CFL's

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658

Charles

 

[SgtRauksauff]

I've seen some reflectors the other day at Wal-mart, for a few bucks.

ah, here's the part, a Bayco 10.5" brood light: I thought I saw the reflectors separately, but I can't be sure.

Wal-Mart Link

You also might want to check out a farm supply store, as I remember using them in our chicken houses and a few other places. or, I hear tell that a pie pan and a hole-saw works wonders as well...

I imagine just something white behind the base, for whatever diameter you want, will do quite a bit to reflect light downwards as well. I was thinking of just getting a few melamine or plastic bathroom panels, cutting them in half, and using a 4'x4' section around each light in the machine shed.

--sarge

 

[Damen]

I am putting these in my rental garage this weekend, but I thought I'd share a quick "duh" moment.

I ordered (8) 105W CFL's from 1000bulbs.com (great company, btw), and got the $2 porcelain fixtures from Lowes in which to mount them. When the bulbs arrived, the screw style base was too big! I was mortified!

Turns out that there is a base size called E39, or, Mogul style, that is a larger fitting. A traditional screw-type fitting is E26, or, Medium fitting. As embarassing as it may be, I didn't even know "E39/Mogul" existed. 1000bulbs.com treated me very nicely and is exchanging them for no restocking fee.

I just thought I'd add this here in case anybody else didn't know. Make sure you are ordering E26 Medium base bulbs for standard light fixtures!

 

[Notch1988]

I am putting these in my rental garage this weekend, but I thought I'd share a quick "duh" moment.

I ordered (8) 105W CFL's from 1000bulbs.com (great company, btw), and got the $2 porcelain fixtures from Lowes in which to mount them. When the bulbs arrived, the screw style base was too big! I was mortified!

Turns out that there is a base size called E39, or, Mogul style, that is a larger fitting. A traditional screw-type fitting is E26, or, Medium fitting. As embarassing as it may be, I didn't even know "E39/Mogul" existed. 1000bulbs.com treated me very nicely and is exchanging them for no restocking fee.

I just thought I'd add this here in case anybody else didn't know. Make sure you are ordering E26 Medium base bulbs for standard light fixtures!

Thanks Learn something new everyday.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Turns out that there is a base size called E39, or, Mogul style, that is a larger fitting. A traditional screw-type fitting is E26, or, Medium fitting

Medium base, or Edison base.

I have an old floor lamp that uses a three way Mogul base bulb. Yes, I can still get them, but the amount of electricity they use (300 watt on bright) is way too much. I finally put in a mogul to medium adapter and a rather large CFL (don't recall the wattage, about 65 to 85 if I recall. It works with the three way switch, just goes "click, click" to get it turned on, and "click, click" to get it turned off.

Charles

 

[Goobzilla]

I'm putting 33 105W @ 6500K in my 40x60. The bulbs are backordered and I won't get them until the first week in Feb. After reading your post I'm wondering if I'll need to wear shades in my shop. I'm glad to hear you are having good results with the large CFL's and I look forward to getting mine installed.

That's a lot, I have 10 105W in my 40x64. The most I would consider adding would maybe be 6 more. But I'm only 40 and my eyes are still pretty good

 

[MattT]

Medium base, or Edison base.

The medium, AKA regular, ES is just the most common Edison size. The Mogul is Edison screw too.

 

[Thruxton]

I looked at these for my barn and the higher wattage bulbs had a warning on them that they should not be mounted vertically, base up - obviously a temperature consideration on the circuit contained in the base- anyone have problem with shorter than normal bulb life with the large CFL's?

 

[Jeff]

Gotta love the CFL's. I don't need reflectors yet, but I will be installing some under cabinet LED's that I got a deal on.

 

[May Pop]

I like them in my outside porch and garage lights because you can use a much brighter lamp than an incandescent lamp and still be cheaper.
Ron

 

[SgtRauksauff]

I looked at these for my barn and the higher wattage bulbs had a warning on them that they should not be mounted vertically, base up - obviously a temperature consideration on the circuit contained in the base- anyone have problem with shorter than normal bulb life with the large CFL's?

That's interesting. how do they want them mounted if not vertically? do they have to be horizontal, or is a 30° angle good enough (the upper chord of the rafters)? Or, is this just some voodoo we've got to figure out by testing?

--sarge

 

[MattT]

I looked at these for my barn and the higher wattage bulbs had a warning on them that they should not be mounted vertically, base up - obviously a temperature consideration on the circuit contained in the base- anyone have problem with shorter than normal bulb life with the large CFL's?

That's interesting. how do they want them mounted if not vertically? do they have to be horizontal, or is a 30° angle good enough (the upper chord of the rafters)? Or, is this just some voodoo we've got to figure out by testing?

Back in the day CFL rated life was based on a base down burn because of heat cooking the electronics in enclosed fixtures. Probably just a disclaimer to stop folks bitching if they run 'em base up enclosed and the lamps only last a 1,000 hours.

 

[jvitez]

...They are instant on but when it is below 25 degrees it takes them a few minutes to warm up to full brightness.....

That's why I'm not using them for my garage. I've got my walls insulated but the ceiling is still wide open. It's -30C this morning outside and -18C inside the garage. For brief on/off cycles you still can't beat incandescents. I'm using clear 100w bulbs for the main area and 300w bulbs for my shop area for now. Yup it uses more kwh, but when I finish my garage I'll have T8 fixtures, which I realize will also take a few minutes for warm up when cold.

Large CFL's are an excellent, cost effective way of lighting a garage, as long as you leave them on for several hours at a time. Their life is shortened with rapid on/off cycles, more so than T8's.

 

[Davey4000]

Originally Posted by Thruxton
I looked at these for my barn and the higher wattage bulbs had a warning on them that they should not be mounted vertically, base up - obviously a temperature consideration on the circuit contained in the base- anyone have problem with shorter than normal bulb life with the large CFL's?"

My package says not to mount them enclosed, base up.