DIYbanter - View Single Post - Incandescent Bulb Ban -- Motion Detector Fixtures, Poto cell fixturesand other exotic applications

Don Klipstein

In , wrote:

1. Outdoor Motion Detector Fixtures.

A. I have six (6) of these in various locations around my house. Five
are for
pairs of the standard "flood light" type incandescent bulbs. They all
work fine with incandescent
bulbs. Not a single one will work at all when I replace the
incandescent bulbs with
outdoor fluorescent bulbs.

I don't understand why they wouldn't work unless it's just to cold for
the florescent's to start up.

Fluorescents suffer wear from starting (unless they are the less
efficient, less common cold cathode type).

Compact fluorescents often start dim and take time to warm up.

Compact fluorescents not rated for use with dimmers can malfunction when
used with electronic switching devices not rated for fluorescents.

I do not recommend CFLs for motion sensor lights. Thankfully, as Paul
Eldridge noted, reflector incandescents are not affected by the upcoming
ban.

- Don Klipstein )