surprised by quality of compact flourescent bulb

[esantoro]

Among my list of obsessions, lighting is one of them.

I was doing a bit of spring cleaning and came across a 23 watt/6500K full spectrum compact fluorescent daylight bulb that fits a regular incandescent socket.

I would say this bulb out performs a 100 watt incandescent for amount and quality of light.

Here are the specs:

Company: Sunlite Manufacturing (in Brooklyn, NY, though the bulb is made in China)

Model # SL23/65K

Cat. No. 05454

I've bought daylight/sunlight bulbs in the past. This is the only one that has impressed me.

ed

Edited May 16, 2009 by esantoro

[esantoro]

This would be nice to go with the bulb:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Magnetic-Tool-Lamp-Lig...bayphotohosting

[esantoro]

This would be nice to go with the bulb:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Magnetic-Tool-Lamp-Lig...bayphotohosting

These lamps are available from Harbor freight for $10. I've ordered three to outfit with the full spectrum compact fluorescent bulbs.

My earlier comparison is between 22-watt circline daylight bulbs and this spiral compact fluorescent. I've noticed that spiral cf puts out a whiter light than the daylight circline, which puts out a more yellowish light, though it is also supposed to be 6500k.

one hour of use of this 23 watt spiral cf bulb consumes .02 kwh. A regular 100 watt incandescent consumes .07 kwh in one hour. The spiral cf bulb consumes 71 percent less electricity than does the 100 incandescent.

I'd like to put one of these spiral cf bulbs in my Danray lamp but I need to find a bulb that does not stick out as much, as the lamp's safety grill will not fit.

ed

[Bree]

I am using one of these on my Toro 4000 LA-25

http://www.verilux.com/clamp-lamps/shoplight-shop-lamp

The full spectrum lamp on there is just terrific and I love it. They are cheap but they sure put out high quality light in quantity.

[esantoro]

The Verilux lamp is on my list, but the Harbor Freight magnetic lamp and spiral CF 6500k bulb I mention is a $17 alternative that I stumbled upon.

ed

I am using one of these on my Toro 4000 LA-25

http://www.verilux.com/clamp-lamps/shoplight-shop-lamp

The full spectrum lamp on there is just terrific and I love it. They are cheap but they sure put out high quality light in quantity.

[esantoro]

I'm thinking of getting a 40 watt/200 watt equivalent daylight fluorescent spiral bulb to go into the magnetic lamps that are arriving. One will go over my computer area. One will go over my stitching area. And one will go over my skiving/drill press area.

I like the results from the bulb I've already mentioned, but then I found this 40-watt bulb.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...K/thedourol-20/

I need to do some checking to make sure that this bulb is 6500k and not 6000k.

Is there any reason I should think twice about going beyond 100 or 150 watt equivalency with these daylight bulbs?

ed

[esantoro]

I did a bit more legwork on daylight bulbs.

The Sunlite bulb that started this thread is of the following rating:

lumens: 1300

Energy used:23 watts

Incandescent equivalent: 100 watts

Avg. hours: 10000

Avg. cost: $7

CRI: 82

Color temperature: 6500k

I've already stated that I like the results of this bulb.............................................Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, can I go better.

I found a more affordable bulb online that has slightly better specs:

Company: Megalight

Energy used: 23 watts

Incandescent equivalent: 100 watts

Avg. hours: 12000

Avg. cost: $5 (includes shipping) if you buy at least six at a time

CRI: 85

Color temperature: 6500k

Going by just the specs, this Megalight bulb should be even more of a full spectrum bulb, but I wonder how much these specs can be trusted and whether some bulbs may perform better at mimicking natural lighting than other bulbs for unexplainable reasons.

ed

Ordering Code 23W/6500K Spiral

Product Number S28023-6500

Energy Used 23 Watts

Volts 120

Bulb Shape Spiral

Base Medium (E26)

Diameter (in) 2.4

Length (in) 5.000

Average Rated Life (hr) 12,000

Light Output 1,450 Lumens

Finish Daylight White

CRI 85

Color Temperature (Kelvin) 6500K

Common Cross-References

GE: No Available Direct Offset

Osram Sylvania: No Available Direct Offset

Additional Information

ProductNotes:

[MADMAX22]

You do some interesting research Esantoro.

I also wonder how accurate the specs are. Companies love to massage specs to make there products look better or to fall in spec with minimum requirments.