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cfl gremlins

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  • 02-12-2010 1:38am
    #1
    d o'c
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭


    I went to turn off the porch inner light last night, but turned off the cfl hall light last night by mistake, (two gang switch)

    I quickly switched it back ,but the cfl would not turn back on.

    I retried switching on the hall light several hours later, no joy.. I assumed the bulb had blown ( less than 100hrs old)

    I left the bulb as it was,and the light switched on again this evening, was on for a few hours, switched it off, won't come back on...
    this bulb is on a two-way cct.


    Another house...., my new build ,... cfl blew,in the room i'm working a circular saw,while I'm running the saw.
    I thought it weird the bulb blowing at that instant. ( don't know if it's related,to saw??) , there is a second cfl at the other end of this room, running off the same one way switch,this bulb is ok.

    I replaced the blown bulb, goes for about 10 mins, then bulb blows. lights mcb trips each time bulbs blew,
    I changed the entire celing rose in case there was a fault with it.
    The cfl fitted at present has been fine so far ...
    what's going on, are these cfl's prone to gremlins, or just not as reliable as the makers claim??...


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    #2
    Stoner
    Registered Users Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    what brand are the lamps you bought? I could buy (and did) three number CFL for £1 in Belfast they worked fine but when things end up being that cheap you are bound to get ones with questionable PFC ratings and poor quality.

    I know for a fact that CFLs don't like switching, but your situation sounds by no means strenuous for a CFL lamp. Along with operation hours CFL come with a finite amount of switching operations, I think a megaman has 3000 switches, so they are not good for PIR applications, but once again your situation is fairly standard, could it be a questionable batch of lamps?.


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    #3
    d o'c
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭d o'c


    Yes, no real mad switching going on, turn them on in the evening time, left on until bedtime

    they're morrisons, 20w,
    I got packs of 2 for €3.

    i got around a dozen for my new build , for working lights during these long evenings, they’re ok once they warm up.

    The house I’m in at the moment I’m replacing the incandescents one by one as they blow.

    the hall light has been on a few evenings since,but switch it off, it will not come on until the next day ??
    A 4th bulb in the new build has a delayed start I’ve noticed compared to the others,but works ok otherwise.

    I guess a got a few bad ones


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    #4
    indie armada
    Registered Users Posts: 834 ✭✭✭indie armada


    cheap cfls are a waste of money. if your not prepaired to spend a few quid on decent ones then stick to the incandesant. a decent branded type will set you back a few quid per one unit as opposed to a 3 pack.
    i would imagine the reason your lights wont come on for a long time after you switch them off is because of a little capacitor or the ignitor in the in-built gear in the base of the lamp. ive seen cases in other lamps where the ignitor wont strike untill the cap is fully discharged, which takes a while.


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