Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

On Jun 6, 8:58*pm, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

Read the boxes, buy, and then return to store if the claims are not
met,

On 6/6/2011 10:00 PM, hr(bob) wrote:
On Jun 6, 8:58 pm, wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.
Read the boxes, buy, and then return to store if the claims are not
met,
Thanks. I've already done that. Now I am asking others to spare myself a
lot of wasted time, gasoline, and frustration. Perhaps there are others
who know the answer...........

hr(bob) wrote:

Read the boxes, buy, and then return to store if the claims are not
met,

That's helpful, not.

On 6/6/11 7:58 PM, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces
full intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to
find an indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to
attain full brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or
true. General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as
"instant on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm
up period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

GE is supposed to be working on a hybrid CFL that would initially turn
on a halogen bulb, then switch to the CFL after it warms up. It does
not appear to be available yet.See their press release he
http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Re...2011-2bf3.aspx

(Thanks to Wikipedia for info)

On 6/6/2011 10:28 PM, Reed wrote:
On 6/6/11 7:58 PM, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces
full intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to
find an indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to
attain full brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or
true. General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as
"instant on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm
up period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

GE is supposed to be working on a hybrid CFL that would initially turn
on a halogen bulb, then switch to the CFL after it warms up. It does
not appear to be available yet.See their press release he
http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Re...2011-2bf3.aspx


(Thanks to Wikipedia for info)

Thanks Reed !! What a SUPERB reply !!!

I did some further research based on your outstanding tip, and sure
enough, the new GE hybrid bulbs are just now showing up in the retail
stores with precisely what I am looking for.

Here is one of several other articles describing the roll-out of the
new, very clever product:

http://pressroom.geconsumerproducts....id-199673.aspx

Thank you VERY MUCH!

On 6/6/2011 10:57 PM, Smarty wrote:
On 6/6/2011 10:28 PM, Reed wrote:
On 6/6/11 7:58 PM, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces
full intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to
find an indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to
attain full brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or
true. General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as
"instant on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm
up period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

GE is supposed to be working on a hybrid CFL that would initially
turn on a halogen bulb, then switch to the CFL after it warms up. It
does not appear to be available yet.See their press release he
http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Re...2011-2bf3.aspx


(Thanks to Wikipedia for info)

Thanks Reed !! What a SUPERB reply !!!

I did some further research based on your outstanding tip, and sure
enough, the new GE hybrid bulbs are just now showing up in the retail
stores with precisely what I am looking for.

Here is one of several other articles describing the roll-out of the
new, very clever product:

http://pressroom.geconsumerproducts....id-199673.aspx


Thank you VERY MUCH!




Actual photos:
http://www.genewscenter.com/Resource...bulbs-e90.aspx

In article , Smarty wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)

On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:54:22 -0700, Malcom "Mal" Reynolds wrote:

In article , Smarty wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)

LED's are very directional. They will not be substitutes for incandescent
or CFL's in any but a few specialized and directional situations.

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. Why pick this one?

FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.

On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:58:20 -0400, Smarty wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I don't use a light meter, but it seems to me the last batch from Home
Depot do that. And they were down to 48 or 60 or 80 cents a piece
iirc for 60 and 100 watts. This was 5 months ago and 40 and 75 watt
equivalents were still expensive for some reason.

They are called Ecosmart soft white, in bubble packs of 4, with green
and white paper inside.

And not only tthat, they're smaller than they used to be and fit in
the 4?" globes that some of my light fixtures have.


I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:22:41 -0700, mike wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. Why pick this one?

FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.

Very good idea but what do ou do when they are in a clam shell, the
bubbble pack that is welded shut?

On 6/6/2011 11:17 PM, DA wrote:
responding to
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...FL-637050-.htm
DA wrote:
Smarty wrote:


Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which
produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an

indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

If the voltage between the electrodes is high enough (600V+), a
fluorescent lamp will turn on instantly (or too quick to perceive
brightness change, anyway). The regular ballasts don't generate such high
voltage but I remember experimenting (20+ years ago) with diode/capacitor
- based voltage boosters that were able to light a fluorescent lamp
instantly. Neither ballast nor the started were needed.


The complaint is not how fast the lamps come on.

The issue is "period to attain full brightness". It takes a short time
to vaporize all the mercury.

Continuing the tradition of useless advice from the homeownershub.

--
bud--

Smarty wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

I use pretty much all CFLs around my house and with the exception of
some encapsulated decorative globe types in a light bar, none of them
show any notable warm up period after a few hours of use. There is
perhaps a 1/4 second start time from switch on, but they are at 80%+
brightness immediately.

I do find that most CFLs do require a few hours burn in time, presumably
to fully vaporize and distribute the tiny amount of mercury, before they
settle into the no/negligable warm up state.

Most of the CFLs I use are basic 60W equiv models, with some larger
100W+ equives in a few applications. Also, unlike what some people
claim, I have very few failures of CFLs and when they do fail it's
usually after a number of years of daily use.

On 6/6/2011 11:54 PM, Malcom "Mal" Reynolds wrote:
In , wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.
I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)
Thanks Mal,

The lighting is intended for a dark hallway and staircase being used by
elderly people with limited eyesight.

The warm up time of so-called "instant" CFLs I have tried is several
minutes, leaving the areas with insufficient light until the warm-up
period elapses.

The bulbs I will be using are indeed expensive at $5.99 to $9.99 MSRP
based on wattage. Perhaps LEDs would be better, if they can put out
similar light output (approx 750 lumens), cost about the same, and last
a lot longer.

Thanks for the suggestion and I will certainly check it out. The last
time I looked, the LED bulbs were way more expensive, but it has been
quite a while since I compared prices.

On Jun 7, 12:11*pm, Smarty wrote:
On 6/6/2011 11:54 PM, Malcom "Mal" Reynolds wrote:



In , *wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.
I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)

Thanks Mal,

The lighting is intended for a dark hallway and staircase being used by
elderly people with limited eyesight.

The warm up time of so-called "instant" CFLs I have tried is several
minutes, leaving the areas with insufficient light until the warm-up
period elapses.

The bulbs I will be using are indeed expensive at $5.99 to $9.99 MSRP
based on wattage. Perhaps LEDs would be better, if they can put out
similar light output (approx 750 lumens), cost about the same, and last
a lot longer.

Thanks for the suggestion and I will certainly check it out. The last
time I looked, the LED bulbs were way more expensive, but it has been
quite a while since I compared prices.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The thing that could solve this headache for all of us is for the
industry
to just get together and come up with some consistent metrics that
they would all use. One of the most important would be the time
to reach say 80% of full output. Otherwise, as you've noted, instant
on can mean anything. I've had the same problems. Some do
come on very fast, while others can take a long time.

And then there is the problem that for some applications CFL
light is just unacceptable due to the quality of the light. I
would not be surprised to see the laws changed when folks
realize big govt is once again ramming crap down everyone's
throats.

LED's are very directional. They will not
be substitutes for incandescent or CFL's
in any but a few specialized and
directional situations.

I have an LED bulb in a floor lamp and it spreads the light just like an
incandescent bulb.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

On Jun 6, 9:58*pm, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.

On Jun 7, 1:56*am, Michael Dobony wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:54:22 -0700, Malcom "Mal" Reynolds wrote:
In article , Smarty wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)

LED's are very directional. They will not be substitutes for incandescent
or CFL's in any but a few specialized and directional situations.

Most situations are directional.

Greg

On Jun 7, 12:11*pm, Smarty wrote:
On 6/6/2011 11:54 PM, Malcom "Mal" Reynolds wrote:



In , *wrote:

Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.
I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)

Thanks Mal,

The lighting is intended for a dark hallway and staircase being used by
elderly people with limited eyesight.

The warm up time of so-called "instant" CFLs I have tried is several
minutes, leaving the areas with insufficient light until the warm-up
period elapses.

The bulbs I will be using are indeed expensive at $5.99 to $9.99 MSRP
based on wattage. Perhaps LEDs would be better, if they can put out
similar light output (approx 750 lumens), cost about the same, and last
a lot longer.

Thanks for the suggestion and I will certainly check it out. The last
time I looked, the LED bulbs were way more expensive, but it has been
quite a while since I compared prices.

I leave some CFLsI just leave on all the time. I used to leave a
hallway light on all the time. It didn't have anything to do with wait
time, it was about having to turn it off.

I installed two ceiling lamps from THD and to my horror found it came
with bayonet base, which cost more when replacing. This bathroom lamps
need replaced, one come on red and takes forever to illuminate.

Greg

In article , Smarty wrote:

I've read the rest of the thread and notice the hybrid GE bulb recommended
to
you. I'm just guessing that it's going to be pretty expensive so, why do
you
need such a quick "warm up"? FWIW I recently bought some 40 watt
equivalent LEDs
at Lowe's that accomplish everything you want, will last longer and give a
nicer
light than the CFL's I have. They were on sale for about $10 but they are
available now (and don't have any mercury in them)
LED's are very directional. They will not be substitutes for incandescent
or CFL's in any but a few specialized and directional situations.
This could definitely become an issue. I need to research this further.
Thanks for this important comment.

In a hallway, it just won't matter

On 6/7/2011 1:29 PM, wrote:
On Jun 6, 9:58 pm, wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.
As I posted earlier in this thread, my question arises from my attempt
to provide bright hallway and staircase access for elderly people with
diminished eyesight. The original 100 watt incandescent bulbs are only
switched on briefly, and CFLs take too long to get adequately bright.

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

They work superbly well.

The two part hybrid design automatically turns on both the CFL and
halogen filament to provide full intensity output upon start-up. As the
CFL warms up, the halogen bulb is extinguished, and within maybe a
minute or so the lamp is 100% CFL.

There is a small color shift as the color temperature shifts from warmer
(approx 2500 degrees Kelvin) to a cooler, bluer CFL temperature as the
halogen lamp is replaced by the CFL output. The effect is not something
you would normally see unless you are looking for it.

The 75 watt equivalent version of the bulb consumes 20 watts, produces
over 1200 lumens output, is warrantied for 5 years for free replacement,
and is estimated to last for 7.3 years in average service. They are sold
at Lowes for $13 for two bulbs.

This is an ideal solution for me, saving a lot of watts, maintaining
true "instant on", and having (supposedly) a long, warrantied life
expectancy.

The nearest LED equivalent at Lowes was being offered on "clearance" for
$29 for 1 bulb. Much longer predicted life but considerably lower
lumens, 840 to be exact.

I am extremely impressed with this new, dual hybrid design from a
lighting performance point of view. Time will tell if their MTBF /
failure / life expectancy prediction holds.

I personally trust that GE will stand behind their warranty and are
unlikely to be exaggerating their claims. On the other hand, I have
several examples of "instant on" CFLs from Sylvania, Phillips, etc.
which are not in any way delivering anywhere near full output until
literally a minute or two after they are switched on. This GE is in a
class by itself.

Thanks again to all who responded. As always, the knowledge and talent
on this forum is incredible and very much appreciated.

In article s.com,
DA wrote:

OK, by now I have your critique of my advice. But where's YOUR advice?

My advice is for someone who hasn't been killfiled on the dumbass site
you mistake for usenet, to straighten you out.

In article , Smarty wrote:

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

Thanks for the props, but I was the one who suggested the LED's. Sounds like you
got your solution and at a reasonable price. FWIW, I still prefer the light from
the LED's over that of the CFL's and I'm sure they will live longer than I do

On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:40:05 -0700, mike wrote:

mm wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:22:41 -0700, mike wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.
Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. Why pick this one?

FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.

Very good idea but what do ou do when they are in a clam shell, the
bubbble pack that is welded shut?

Start with the 12-packs and others that aren't in a clamshell.
If you can't find any of those, ask the guy at the back checkstand
if they're rapid start and if you can return any that aren't.
Buy 'em, test 'em, return them to the same guy immediately.
Find the outlet first ;-)

I see that you have worked this out. Okay. I'll do it.

On Jun 7, 1:54*am, mm wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:22:41 -0700, mike wrote:
Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. *Why pick this one?

FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. *I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.

Very good idea but what do ou do when they are in a clam shell, the
bubbble pack that is welded shut?

==
Probably rips it off with his teeth. If I worked in a store where
customers wanted to "try out" light bulbs before buying them I would
call security and have them escorted out. Never heard of such an idiot
thing before.
==

On Jun 6, 8:58*pm, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

It depends on what you call instant:

We have some Wally World quick starts above our bath vanity and they
come "on" pretty much at the flip of the switch. However, they are
very dim when they come on and take about one minute to come up to
full speed. This is OK with us because full bright isn't what we want
at 6:00am.

Other places, like our bedroom closet, have normal Wallyworld bulbs
that have about a 1 second lull, then come on near full brilliance.

My suggestion is sample a few and then buy more of the ones that meet
your needs.

RonB wrote:
On Jun 6, 8:58 pm, Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

It depends on what you call instant:

We have some Wally World quick starts above our bath vanity and they
come "on" pretty much at the flip of the switch. However, they are
very dim when they come on and take about one minute to come up to
full speed. This is OK with us because full bright isn't what we want
at 6:00am.

Other places, like our bedroom closet, have normal Wallyworld bulbs
that have about a 1 second lull, then come on near full brilliance.

A second is not very long in the grand scheme of things, but our brains
are accustomed to "instant on", so we jump to the conclusion that something
is busted long before the second elapses.
Doesn't take many times to become accustomed to "lower expectations".

I have a couple of fixtures with two lamps. I use one fast one and
use the other hole to use up the slow ones.

My suggestion is sample a few and then buy more of the ones that meet
your needs.

Roy wrote:
On Jun 7, 1:54 am, mm wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:22:41 -0700, mike wrote:
Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.
I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.
Thanks for any advice.
Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. Why pick this one?
FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.
Very good idea but what do ou do when they are in a clam shell, the
bubbble pack that is welded shut?

==
Probably rips it off with his teeth. If I worked in a store where
customers wanted to "try out" light bulbs before buying them I would
call security and have them escorted out. Never heard of such an idiot
thing before.
==
Sounds like you'd be a great "customer service trainer". I think I've
been in some of your stores.

If you want cheap bulbs, you're probably watching for sales that happen
on "bulk packages". Anything over two bulbs often comes in an easily
openable
cardboard container.

YOU should never do anything YOU find unreasonable.

On Jun 7, 8:10*pm, Smarty wrote:
On 6/7/2011 1:29 PM, wrote: On Jun 6, 9:58 pm, *wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.

As I posted earlier in this thread, my question arises from my attempt
to provide bright hallway and staircase access for elderly people with
diminished eyesight. The original 100 watt incandescent bulbs are only
switched on briefly, and CFLs take too long to get adequately bright.

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

They work superbly well.

The two part hybrid design automatically turns on both the CFL and
halogen filament to provide full intensity output upon start-up. As the
CFL warms up, the halogen bulb is extinguished, and within maybe a
minute or so the lamp is 100% CFL.

There is a small color shift as the color temperature shifts from warmer
(approx 2500 degrees Kelvin) to a cooler, bluer CFL temperature as the
halogen lamp is replaced by the CFL output. The effect is not something
you would normally see unless you are looking for it.

The 75 watt equivalent version of the bulb consumes 20 watts, produces
over 1200 lumens output, is warrantied for 5 years for free replacement,
and is estimated to last for 7.3 years in average service. They are sold
at Lowes for $13 for two bulbs.

This is an ideal solution for me, saving a lot of watts, maintaining
true "instant on", and having (supposedly) a long, warrantied life
expectancy.

The nearest LED equivalent at Lowes was being offered on "clearance" for
$29 for 1 bulb. Much longer predicted life but considerably lower
lumens, 840 to be exact.

I am extremely impressed with this new, dual hybrid design from a
lighting performance point of view. Time will tell if their MTBF /
failure / life expectancy prediction holds.

I personally trust that GE will stand behind their warranty and are
unlikely to be exaggerating their claims. On the other hand, I have
several examples of "instant on" CFLs from Sylvania, Phillips, etc.
which are not in any way delivering anywhere near full output until
literally a minute or two after they are switched on. This GE is in a
class by itself.

Thanks again to all who responded. As always, the knowledge and talent
on this forum is incredible and very much appreciated.

But the savings in electricity they talk about are when the bulbs are
on for a long time. If, as you imply, the bulbs are only on for a
short time, you are essentially just using the halogen portion of the
bulb, which is nowhere as efficient as the CFL portion of the bulb.
So, your savings are much much less than stated if the bulbs are only
on for short intervals....

"Smarty" wrote in message
...
On 6/7/2011 1:29 PM, wrote:
On Jun 6, 9:58 pm, wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.
As I posted earlier in this thread, my question arises from my attempt
to provide bright hallway and staircase access for elderly people with
diminished eyesight. The original 100 watt incandescent bulbs are only
switched on briefly, and CFLs take too long to get adequately bright.

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

They work superbly well.

The two part hybrid design automatically turns on both the CFL and
halogen filament to provide full intensity output upon start-up. As the
CFL warms up, the halogen bulb is extinguished, and within maybe a
minute or so the lamp is 100% CFL.

There is a small color shift as the color temperature shifts from warmer
(approx 2500 degrees Kelvin) to a cooler, bluer CFL temperature as the
halogen lamp is replaced by the CFL output. The effect is not something
you would normally see unless you are looking for it.

The 75 watt equivalent version of the bulb consumes 20 watts, produces
over 1200 lumens output, is warrantied for 5 years for free replacement,
and is estimated to last for 7.3 years in average service. They are sold
at Lowes for $13 for two bulbs.

This is an ideal solution for me, saving a lot of watts, maintaining
true "instant on", and having (supposedly) a long, warrantied life
expectancy.

The nearest LED equivalent at Lowes was being offered on "clearance" for
$29 for 1 bulb. Much longer predicted life but considerably lower
lumens, 840 to be exact.

I am extremely impressed with this new, dual hybrid design from a
lighting performance point of view. Time will tell if their MTBF /
failure / life expectancy prediction holds.

I personally trust that GE will stand behind their warranty and are
unlikely to be exaggerating their claims. On the other hand, I have
several examples of "instant on" CFLs from Sylvania, Phillips, etc.
which are not in any way delivering anywhere near full output until
literally a minute or two after they are switched on. This GE is in a
class by itself.

Thanks again to all who responded. As always, the knowledge and talent
on this forum is incredible and very much appreciated.

That's great news. I am about to order one from Amazon to see how they
interact with my X-10 home automation system. CFL bulbs have been a serious
problem for X-10 users because their electronic profile is so different from
tungsten incandescent bulbs, the kind X-10 was designed around. Of course,
Amazon's price is double that of Lowe's, but it might be weeks before I got
up that way and I wanted to see how X-10 controller modules reacted to the
lightbulb.

I'm hoping these will eliminate the terrible problem of CFL's turning
themselves back on because of how they work with the slight current trickle
used in X-10 circuits to sense local control of the switch. I've got my
fingers crossed. It could be the miracle bulb for both of us!

--
Bobby G.

On Wed, 8 Jun 2011 16:32:51 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

On Jun 8, 10:37*am, Roy wrote:
On Jun 7, 1:54*am, mm wrote:



On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:22:41 -0700, mike wrote:
Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.

I know that claims are made, but wonder if they are exaggerated or true.
General Electric, for example, actually labels their bulbs as "instant
on" but they are not 'instant'.

I also realize that colder temperatures prolong the ionization / warm up
period, but my application is for indoor use at normal 70 degree F
temperature.

Thanks for any advice.

Would be interesting to know your application that requires such a lamp.
LIfe has lots of other things to be annoyed with. *Why pick this one?

FWIW, I've seen significant differences in startup time for the SAME brand
of lamp from different batches. *I'd guess the OEM's just buy from
the current low-price leader.
When I buy CFLs, I take along a socket and plug them into the
outlet by the back door at home depot.

Very good idea but what do ou do when they are in a clam shell, the
bubbble pack that is welded shut?

I *have* seen up to 8 CFLs in a clam shell. I don't think I've seen
any but maybe expensive ones in anything easy to open.

==
Probably rips it off with his teeth. If I worked in a store where
customers wanted to "try out" light bulbs before buying them I would
call security and have them escorted out. Never heard of such an idiot
thing before.
==

Seeing the number of CFL's I've returned over the years - mostly
"dimmable" ones that weren't but also within the last week a 3-way one
whose second setting was noticeably dimmer and of a drastically higher
color temp than the first - I'm thinking that trying before you buy is
not a bad idea.

I know a lot of those carbon filament bulbs I bought from Mr. Edison
didn't work as well as he said they would. Every time I went to
complain, they told me he was "napping". We all know what that means.


Haven't done it yet, but may start. For now, I'm
sticking with Sylvania and GE only until I find another brand that I
find works reliably. Sadly, as with many consumer goods, the vast
majority of CFLs on the market save for the very very plain single
wattage spirals seem to be unmitigated garbage.

Let me guess, you are a CSR for Home Despot?

nate

On 6/8/2011 10:34 PM, Robert Green wrote:
wrote in message
...
On 6/7/2011 1:29 PM, wrote:
On Jun 6, 9:58 pm, wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.
As I posted earlier in this thread, my question arises from my attempt
to provide bright hallway and staircase access for elderly people with
diminished eyesight. The original 100 watt incandescent bulbs are only
switched on briefly, and CFLs take too long to get adequately bright.

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

They work superbly well.

The two part hybrid design automatically turns on both the CFL and
halogen filament to provide full intensity output upon start-up. As the
CFL warms up, the halogen bulb is extinguished, and within maybe a
minute or so the lamp is 100% CFL.

There is a small color shift as the color temperature shifts from warmer
(approx 2500 degrees Kelvin) to a cooler, bluer CFL temperature as the
halogen lamp is replaced by the CFL output. The effect is not something
you would normally see unless you are looking for it.

The 75 watt equivalent version of the bulb consumes 20 watts, produces
over 1200 lumens output, is warrantied for 5 years for free replacement,
and is estimated to last for 7.3 years in average service. They are sold
at Lowes for $13 for two bulbs.

This is an ideal solution for me, saving a lot of watts, maintaining
true "instant on", and having (supposedly) a long, warrantied life
expectancy.

The nearest LED equivalent at Lowes was being offered on "clearance" for
$29 for 1 bulb. Much longer predicted life but considerably lower
lumens, 840 to be exact.

I am extremely impressed with this new, dual hybrid design from a
lighting performance point of view. Time will tell if their MTBF /
failure / life expectancy prediction holds.

I personally trust that GE will stand behind their warranty and are
unlikely to be exaggerating their claims. On the other hand, I have
several examples of "instant on" CFLs from Sylvania, Phillips, etc.
which are not in any way delivering anywhere near full output until
literally a minute or two after they are switched on. This GE is in a
class by itself.

Thanks again to all who responded. As always, the knowledge and talent
on this forum is incredible and very much appreciated.

That's great news. I am about to order one from Amazon to see how they
interact with my X-10 home automation system. CFL bulbs have been a serious
problem for X-10 users because their electronic profile is so different from
tungsten incandescent bulbs, the kind X-10 was designed around. Of course,
Amazon's price is double that of Lowe's, but it might be weeks before I got
up that way and I wanted to see how X-10 controller modules reacted to the
lightbulb.

I'm hoping these will eliminate the terrible problem of CFL's turning
themselves back on because of how they work with the slight current trickle
used in X-10 circuits to sense local control of the switch. I've got my
fingers crossed. It could be the miracle bulb for both of us!

--
Bobby G.


I modified lamp modules in 2 different ways to make them silent
appliance modules. They both work with CFLs with no problems. One
of the mods uses a solid state relay and doesn't retain the X10
local on feature, which is ok with me. This mod will switch up to 5
amps. Here's a link http://mysite.verizon.net/res1fl57/id11.html
The other mod is a little more complicated as you have to add a deal
roach (upside down IC), etc. It does retain the local on, but in my
case, I disconnected that lead because I know the small current
which it squirts into the lamp would probably cause CFLs or even LED
Christmas lights some problems. Here's a link
http://idobartana.com/hakb/silent_local.htm I think just removing
the 330K resistor removes the local sense current. But both work
very well.

On 6/8/2011 10:34 PM, Robert Green wrote:
wrote in message
...
On 6/7/2011 1:29 PM, wrote:
On Jun 6, 9:58 pm, wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on? I am trying to find an
indoor bulb which will not require any warm up period to attain full
brightness.
So what kind of cockamaime, contrived logic is behind this
requirement?

The reason I ask is to not necessarily be hurtful, but to see if
perhaps there is some other solution to your problem. People come in
this newsgroup on a regular basis asking for some piece of Rube
Goldberg unconventional uninvented technology to solve a problem that
a different piece of common technology would solve with a lot less
hassle.
As I posted earlier in this thread, my question arises from my attempt
to provide bright hallway and staircase access for elderly people with
diminished eyesight. The original 100 watt incandescent bulbs are only
switched on briefly, and CFLs take too long to get adequately bright.

As it turns out, the recommendation from "Mal" was 100% correct. I went
to Lowes today, found the recently introduced General Electric "hybrid
technology" bulbs he described, and took some home for testing.

They work superbly well.

The two part hybrid design automatically turns on both the CFL and
halogen filament to provide full intensity output upon start-up. As the
CFL warms up, the halogen bulb is extinguished, and within maybe a
minute or so the lamp is 100% CFL.

There is a small color shift as the color temperature shifts from warmer
(approx 2500 degrees Kelvin) to a cooler, bluer CFL temperature as the
halogen lamp is replaced by the CFL output. The effect is not something
you would normally see unless you are looking for it.

The 75 watt equivalent version of the bulb consumes 20 watts, produces
over 1200 lumens output, is warrantied for 5 years for free replacement,
and is estimated to last for 7.3 years in average service. They are sold
at Lowes for $13 for two bulbs.

This is an ideal solution for me, saving a lot of watts, maintaining
true "instant on", and having (supposedly) a long, warrantied life
expectancy.

The nearest LED equivalent at Lowes was being offered on "clearance" for
$29 for 1 bulb. Much longer predicted life but considerably lower
lumens, 840 to be exact.

I am extremely impressed with this new, dual hybrid design from a
lighting performance point of view. Time will tell if their MTBF /
failure / life expectancy prediction holds.

I personally trust that GE will stand behind their warranty and are
unlikely to be exaggerating their claims. On the other hand, I have
several examples of "instant on" CFLs from Sylvania, Phillips, etc.
which are not in any way delivering anywhere near full output until
literally a minute or two after they are switched on. This GE is in a
class by itself.

Thanks again to all who responded. As always, the knowledge and talent
on this forum is incredible and very much appreciated.
That's great news. I am about to order one from Amazon to see how they
interact with my X-10 home automation system. CFL bulbs have been a serious
problem for X-10 users because their electronic profile is so different from
tungsten incandescent bulbs, the kind X-10 was designed around. Of course,
Amazon's price is double that of Lowe's, but it might be weeks before I got
up that way and I wanted to see how X-10 controller modules reacted to the
lightbulb.

I'm hoping these will eliminate the terrible problem of CFL's turning
themselves back on because of how they work with the slight current trickle
used in X-10 circuits to sense local control of the switch. I've got my
fingers crossed. It could be the miracle bulb for both of us!

--
Bobby G.


Bobby,

I had a very elaborate X-10 set-up in my home, with many devices being
controlled by remote switches, and most of the lighting controlled by
both the dimmable and non-dimmable wall switches. I had a couple dozen
devices in total, and a bridge to ensure that both of my 110 volt feeds
were coupled to pass the comparatively weak control signals from some
home branch circuits to another. The system worked pretty reliably for
many years.

Once I switched to CFLs as well as standard fluorescent tubes, my X-10
system became totally unreliable with all sorts of false triggers.
Putting a scope on my AC line made it instantly obvious that the EMI
created by these lighting devices was much stronger than the X-10
signals. Furthermore, the X-10 code length was too short to ensure no
false triggering, given the noise environment.

I disconnected all of my X-10 stuff but have considered going to a newer
Zigby or other RF controlled local are net approach with supervised
switches capable of reporting their status back to the controller. I
have had terrible luck with any AC carrier line devices, including some
CCTV video cameras from Logitech and other devices which try to
piggy-back on the AC lines once I went to CFLs and flouresents.

The noise levels are just overwhelming for these sensitive carrier
devices like X-10. And the signaling was never designed to be robust
enough to cope with the noisy channel either. They would need to do
longer codes sent more redundantly to get anywhere near acceptable behavior.

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on?

I have some. They come on immediately, turn off, on, off, and then
finally stay on. They're first generation Philips CFLs with a
permanent 60 Hz ballast in the base and replacable fluorescent tube.
Heavy, too -- some floor lamps can't be trusted to stand up with one
installed.

As for modern CFLs, I don't know what brands or models are instant-on,
but I know they exist because some of them have circuit boards
designed for a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor), but the
thermistor is left out (Max-lite, both original large base and newer
small base models).

On 6/9/2011 5:48 PM, larry moe 'n curly wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on?
I have some. They come on immediately, turn off, on, off, and then
finally stay on. They're first generation Philips CFLs with a
permanent 60 Hz ballast in the base and replacable fluorescent tube.
Heavy, too -- some floor lamps can't be trusted to stand up with one
installed.

As for modern CFLs, I don't know what brands or models are instant-on,
but I know they exist because some of them have circuit boards
designed for a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor), but the
thermistor is left out (Max-lite, both original large base and newer
small base models).
I thank you for your reply and wonder if any of the modern CFLs which
use the circuit board you describe actually do come up to full
brightness very rapidly. If you have any specifics, please provide them
as I am glad to explore other options, mostly out of curiosity since I
have found the hybrid GE bulbs.

It seems that heating the filament and vaporizing some mercury cannot be
done instantly, despite claims to the contrary. GE's solution, using a
second halogen bulb temporarily, makes a whole lot of sense to me, and
illustrates the reality that a purely fluorescent lamp will take a
little time to warm up.

On Jun 9, 7:34*pm, Smarty wrote:
On 6/9/2011 5:48 PM, larry moe 'n curly wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on?
I have some. *They come on immediately, turn off, on, off, and then
finally stay on. * They're first generation Philips CFLs with a
permanent 60 Hz ballast in the base and replacable fluorescent tube.
Heavy, too -- some floor lamps can't be trusted to stand up with one
installed.

As for modern CFLs, I don't know what brands or models are instant-on,
but I know they exist because some of them have circuit boards
designed for a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor), but the
thermistor is left out (Max-lite, both original large base and newer
small base models).

I thank you for your reply and wonder if any of the modern CFLs which
use the circuit board you describe actually do come up to full
brightness very rapidly. If you have any specifics, please provide them
as I am glad to explore other options, mostly out of curiosity since I
have found the hybrid GE bulbs.

It seems that heating the filament and vaporizing some mercury cannot be
done instantly, despite claims to the contrary. GE's solution, using a
second halogen bulb temporarily, makes a whole lot of sense to me, and
illustrates the reality that a purely fluorescent lamp will take a
little time to warm up.

In the past I had a X 10 motion sensitive system on my pole light.
Nice idea worked terrible temperature and noisey line unstable.

I thought about some work arounds but decided it wasnt worth it.

Has anyone tried LED lamps on X 10?

they didnt exist when I last played with it.

X 10 was wonderful for my elderly grandma it controlled so much around
here

On Thu, 9 Jun 2011 17:00:47 -0700 (PDT), bob haller wrote:

On Jun 9, 7:34*pm, Smarty wrote:
On 6/9/2011 5:48 PM, larry moe 'n curly wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on?
I have some. *They come on immediately, turn off, on, off, and then
finally stay on. * They're first generation Philips CFLs with a
permanent 60 Hz ballast in the base and replacable fluorescent tube.
Heavy, too -- some floor lamps can't be trusted to stand up with one
installed.

As for modern CFLs, I don't know what brands or models are instant-on,
but I know they exist because some of them have circuit boards
designed for a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor), but the
thermistor is left out (Max-lite, both original large base and newer
small base models).

I thank you for your reply and wonder if any of the modern CFLs which
use the circuit board you describe actually do come up to full
brightness very rapidly. If you have any specifics, please provide them
as I am glad to explore other options, mostly out of curiosity since I
have found the hybrid GE bulbs.

It seems that heating the filament and vaporizing some mercury cannot be
done instantly, despite claims to the contrary. GE's solution, using a
second halogen bulb temporarily, makes a whole lot of sense to me, and
illustrates the reality that a purely fluorescent lamp will take a
little time to warm up.

In the past I had a X 10 motion sensitive system on my pole light.
Nice idea worked terrible temperature and noisey line unstable.

Often the problem with X-10.

I thought about some work arounds but decided it wasnt worth it.

A common conclusion. ;-)

Has anyone tried LED lamps on X 10?

Good question! If there are any incandescent's on the string X-10 should work
fine, though the nonlinear load might mess up the signaling even more than
normal. With a pure LED load dimming might also be a problem.

they didnt exist when I last played with it.

X 10 was wonderful for my elderly grandma it controlled so much around
here

X-10 is terribly unreliable. Some had good luck with it and others not so
much. The technology is really poor. Too bad no one picked up the good idea
and made it really workable.

On 6/9/2011 8:12 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Thu, 9 Jun 2011 17:00:47 -0700 (PDT), bob wrote:

On Jun 9, 7:34 pm, wrote:
On 6/9/2011 5:48 PM, larry moe 'n curly wrote:

Smarty wrote:
Is there such a thing as a true "instant start" CFL which produces full
intensity brightness as soon as it is turned on?
I have some. They come on immediately, turn off, on, off, and then
finally stay on. They're first generation Philips CFLs with a
permanent 60 Hz ballast in the base and replacable fluorescent tube.
Heavy, too -- some floor lamps can't be trusted to stand up with one
installed.
As for modern CFLs, I don't know what brands or models are instant-on,
but I know they exist because some of them have circuit boards
designed for a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor), but the
thermistor is left out (Max-lite, both original large base and newer
small base models).
I thank you for your reply and wonder if any of the modern CFLs which
use the circuit board you describe actually do come up to full
brightness very rapidly. If you have any specifics, please provide them
as I am glad to explore other options, mostly out of curiosity since I
have found the hybrid GE bulbs.

It seems that heating the filament and vaporizing some mercury cannot be
done instantly, despite claims to the contrary. GE's solution, using a
second halogen bulb temporarily, makes a whole lot of sense to me, and
illustrates the reality that a purely fluorescent lamp will take a
little time to warm up.
In the past I had a X 10 motion sensitive system on my pole light.
Nice idea worked terrible temperature and noisey line unstable.
Often the problem with X-10.

I thought about some work arounds but decided it wasnt worth it.
A common conclusion. ;-)

Has anyone tried LED lamps on X 10?
Good question! If there are any incandescent's on the string X-10 should work
fine, though the nonlinear load might mess up the signaling even more than
normal. With a pure LED load dimming might also be a problem.

they didnt exist when I last played with it.

X 10 was wonderful for my elderly grandma it controlled so much around
here
X-10 is terribly unreliable. Some had good luck with it and others not so
much. The technology is really poor. Too bad no one picked up the good idea
and made it really workable.
You might take a look at Zigbee devices which can be mixed in a local
area network. This approach uses 802.25 IEEE standard compliant devices,
and in an entirely different league from X-10.

On 6/9/2011 5:07 PM, Smarty wrote:


I had a very elaborate X-10 set-up in my home, with many devices
being controlled by remote switches, and most of the lighting
controlled by both the dimmable and non-dimmable wall switches. I
had a couple dozen devices in total, and a bridge to ensure that
both of my 110 volt feeds were coupled to pass the comparatively
weak control signals from some home branch circuits to another. The
system worked pretty reliably for many years.

Once I switched to CFLs as well as standard fluorescent tubes, my
X-10 system became totally unreliable with all sorts of false
triggers. Putting a scope on my AC line made it instantly obvious
that the EMI created by these lighting devices was much stronger
than the X-10 signals. Furthermore, the X-10 code length was too
short to ensure no false triggering, given the noise environment.

I disconnected all of my X-10 stuff but have considered going to a
newer Zigby or other RF controlled local are net approach with
supervised switches capable of reporting their status back to the
controller. I have had terrible luck with any AC carrier line
devices, including some CCTV video cameras from Logitech and other
devices which try to piggy-back on the AC lines once I went to CFLs
and flouresents.

The noise levels are just overwhelming for these sensitive carrier
devices like X-10. And the signaling was never designed to be robust
enough to cope with the noisy channel either. They would need to do
longer codes sent more redundantly to get anywhere near acceptable
behavior.

You know, the funny thing is that I have had both good and bad with
x10. In my old house, in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, it
worked, but to a point. I couldn't have too many modules, or the
signals would get swamped. I tried using the X10 amplifier/phase
repeater and the results were disastrous. So I had to go with a
passive phase coupler. It would continuously send out random x10
commands which were apparently triggered off noise. But, for the
most part, if I "obeyed the rules" it worked. Here in the western
mountains of NC, I use that amplifier/phase coupler, and it works
perfectly. I am basically using 1 house code and all 16 channels.
I do have a motion detector on another house code. I do
occasionally see an anomaly, but they are few and far between.