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Compact fluorescent bulb product information

Often referred to as a CFL, compact fluorescent lamp, or a compact fluorescent tube, a compact fluorescent bulb is a type of fluorescent lamp. These lamps have been made to replace incandescent bulbs and can usually be purchased to fit into most lighting fixtures that were originally designed to fit incandescent bulbs. Many people know of the compact fluorescent bulb not by its true name or one of the most proper names for it, but as the energy saving bulbs. These bulbs are becoming more and more common all the time while people try to save money on their electricity through the use of these compact fluorescent bulb offerings.

Many people like the compact fluorescent bulb because it is able to give off the same amount of light as the typical incandescent bulbs. While it gives off the same amount of light, it also has a lifetime that is 30 times longer than the average incandescent. In addition, these lamps save over 2,000 times in its own weight in green house gases, which is a plus. The only drawback is that these bulbs are a lot more expensive to purchase, but when the consumer considers that they will save $30 over the lifetime of the bulb, so the bulb really does pay for itself over time.

The first compact fluorescent bulb was invented in the 1890's but this was never a bulb that was used mainstream or intended for the mainstream population. In 1973 the same idea was adopted again by a man named Ed Hammer who worked for General Electric. The design was in response to the 1973 oil crisis and while GE had to admit that the design was superior, they were not willing to put up the resources that would allow them to produce the compact fluorescent bulb. General Electric estimated that they would have had to spend about $25 million to build new factories so the idea was shelved. Much to the surprise of General Electric, the design was leaked and eventually other companies began to mass produce it.

The energy saving qualities of the compact fluorescent bulb have made it very appealing to a lot of consumers. Generally speaking, these bulbs use between one fifth and one third of the power that incandescent bulbs use. When you consider that household lighting accounts for 9% of all electrical use, if all households switched to compact fluorescent bulbs that could mean an overall savings in electrical use of 7%.

The cost of the compact fluorescent bulb is what stops a lot of consumers in their tracks. While they like the idea of saving they don't like the idea of having to spend three to ten times more on light bulbs than they did on incandescent light bulbs. While the cost up front is more for compact fluorescent bulbs their longer lifetime as well as their lower energy use will pay for these bulbs and then some. One study suggested that if a household spent just $90 on these bulbs that they would save enough energy alone to compensate for the higher purchase price. If you consider that the actual investment per fixture would only be about two dollars more than you would have spent otherwise, statistics say that you would be paid back for your investment in as little as one month. When you consider the energy savings and the much longer lifespan, the compact fluorescent bulb simply makes more sense than the traditional incandescent bulb.

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