Replies

1. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Jul 31, 2011 05:28am | #1

   John,
   In general, look for a CFL with an Energy Star label. If the cool white bulbs leave you feeling blah, try a "warm" bulb with a reddish hue. (The cool white bulbs are closer to sunlight, but many homeowners have gotten used to the reddish glow of incandescent bulbs, and prefer the reddish coloration these bulbs provide.)

   The LEDs are getting better, so you might want to try one, especially for recessed can lighting. I recently bought a $40 LED downlight at Home Depot -- the EcoSmart PAR 30 lamp. The label claims 725 lumens for 15 watts -- in other words, 48.3 lumens per watt. That's almost as efficient as a CFL, and I like the light quality.

2. 
   bigrig | Jul 31, 2011 07:14pm | #2

   The best advice I can give for CFLs is to buy GOOD quality lamps. Every time a co-worker complains that their CFLs do not last very long I ask what brand they buy. It is always the cheapest cost (and quality) lamps! If installing a fluorescent fixture I would advise buying a major-brand manufacturer fixture with electronic ballasts (and a recognized ballast manufacturer as well). Of course you will pay a premium for the quality.

   You can get candelabra-based CFLs for fans. In fact I have a few in my dining room chandelier now.

   I agree with Martin regarding LEDs, they have come a long way in the last five years. Although if you have the money I would go for the latest-generation LED fixture package instead of a LED lamp in an old-school incandescent fixture. The new fixtures are rated for delivered lumens instead of the lamps "promised" (sometimes very optimistically) lumen output.

3. 
   user-659915 | Jul 31, 2011 08:43pm | #3

   If you want to upgrade the energy performance of your lighting a good rule of thumb is to use CFLs for non-directional lighting (floor and table lamps and many ceiling fixtures) and LEDs for directional fixtures (spot, track and recessed cans). Of course use good quality lamps and in both cases make informed choices about color rendering. With can fixtures in a cathedral ceiling or the ceiling to a vented attic pay very careful attention to air sealing - or better yet avoid them altogether.

   My impression is that xenon bulbs offer few advantages over halogens in domestic use, but their blue cast and higher cost gives owners of xenon-equipped headlamps extra status in the world of prestige autos.

   Low-voltage systems carry the extra parasitic load of the transformer so I'd guess they are slightly less efficient than line voltage, however if they give the opportunity to use smaller more precise lighting setups then you might come out ahead with less wattage overall.