In ,
ransley wrote:

On Nov 29, 5:22*pm, (Don Klipstein) wrote:
In article , Dave Garland
wrote:

Doc wrote:
Just got a 4-pack of the Walmart "Great Value" version of these energy-
saver style fluorescent 23w bulbs which they claim are equivalent to a
100w incandescent bulb. Not even close. It's about like a 40w bulb.

Are the name brand bulbs of this type any better?

Well, they should be brighter than a 40W incandescent. *Check the lumens
rating, that gives you a number to compare. *A typical 100W incandescent
is around 1600-1700 lumens. *Walmart doesn't seem to give the lumen
ratings on theirs but a Sylvania CF23EL is indeed rated for 1600 lumens.

It may take it a few minutes to reach full brightness.

But it seems like all the companies cheat on the "equivalent to" rating,
if they say "equivalent to 100W" I figure it should be a bit brighter
than a 60W.

* My experience is that non-dollar-store CFLs marketed as equivalent to
100W significantly outperform 75W "standard" 750 hour incandescents rated
1190-1210 lumens.

*- Don Klipstein )- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The Popular Mechanics test and maybe CR tested and published Lumen
output.

I would not take lumen claims on the package as gospel truth. I have
had some fall significantly short, notably many Lights of America and
MaxLite models that I tested, and in my experience every dollar store unit
of a "dollar store brand" whose package made a claim of light output in
lumens.

Ones of "Big 3" brands (Philips, GE and Sylvania) and ones with the
Energy Star logo are more likely to be truthful with claims of light
output in lumens. I have also found N:Vision (a brand pushed by Home
Depot) to be truthful with light output claims in lumens. My experience
is similarly good with the brand available in CVS stores. I would expect
the brand pushed by Lowes to be similarly good in meeting claims of light
output in lumens.

- Don Klipstein )