wrote in message
ups.com...
wrote:
"...plus it only has so many starts in it
from the day it is built. They only save on longer duty cycles."
I understand that your concern is that a CFL will die too soon if you
keep turning it on and off too often. But note that the vast majority
of them come with a 5-7 year warranty. So if it breaks before 5 years,
take it back to the store, get your money back, and buy a new one.
Incandescant light bulbs are also affected by how many times they are
turned off and on. They will last for a substantially longer time if
left on continuously than if they are switched on and off for short
periods.
No. Think about flashing sign lamps, for example. Lamp life is similar to
non-flashing lamps. Only when incandescent lamps are near their normal
end-of-life does turning them on and off make a difference. That difference
is minor according to the research reports and amounts to only a few hours;
but it explains why lamps so often fail when turned on.
From the standpoint of cost, however, it's always better to turn a lamp off
if you don't need the light since the cost of energy to operate any lamp
designed for general lighting service is typically 80-90 percent of the cost
of providing light.
TKM