Awhile ago I mentioned that I was starting an experiment on different types of light bulbs. I think that there are three commercially available bulbs on the market.
- Incandescent
- CFL
- LED
I have purchased a bulb of each kind and am conducting an experiment with each of the three. As part of the experiment, I need to account for:
- Quality of light
- Cost of bulb
- Heat of bulb
- Cost of electricity
- Cost of replacement
I just finished my evaluation of the CFL and I must admit, it stands the test of the test.
I find the light to be nearly equal to the light given off by the incandescent. Which to me, in certain conditions, is a deal breaker. Further, the heat given off by the CFL is manageable. While I am unable to unscrew a traditional light bulb while burning, I was able to unscrew a CFL while burning.
So, the financials:
| Bulb | Cost per Bulb | Cost per KWH | Cost per hour | Lifespan | 50,000 Hour Cost |
| Incandescent | $1.00 | $0.1701 | $0.0070 | 2,000 | $375.00 |
| CFL | $1.00 | $0.1701 | $0.0017 | 10,000 | $88.00 |
Not even close. Over the course of 50,000 hours the savings is about 400% over the incandescent bulb., And if you demonstrate the savings in terms of 10,000 hours:
| Bulb | Cost per Bulb | Cost per KWH | Cost per hour | Lifespan | 50,000 Hour Cost | 10,000 Hour Cost |
| Incandescent | $1.00 | $0.1701 | $0.0070 | 2,000 | $375.00 | $75.00 |
| CFL | $1.00 | $0.1701 | $0.0017 | 10,000 | $88.00 | $17.60 |
Again, not even close. However, the difference in 10,000 hours vs, 50,000 hours is that 10,000 hours is very close to a year. Just be switching to a CFL bulb you can save about 60 bucks a year.
Per lamp.
Wow!
The light is a little bit more raw, but, if you are like me, you will have a shade over the bulb. And that shade blunts the glare of the CFL to the point that you can’t tell.
At this point, the CFL wins hands down!