I recently replaced the regular light bulbs in my kitchen with Energy Saving fluorescent bulbs. I had two regular light bulbs before (100 watts) and the light output was just fine. I replaced them with two General Electric Spiral, Soft White 100, 100 watts each. The light output is nowhere near the same. Now I am told that what counts is lumens not watts. I bought what I thought was the equivalent to what I had before and I did not see any other fluorescent bulb with greater wattage than what I bought. I like the idea of saving electricity, and I also like the fact that these new fluorescent bulbs can last for years. But is there an equivalent out there to what I had before? I can live with the new ones, but believe me the light is nowhere near the same. Can someone enlighten me? Thank you.  Pat

I recently replaced the regular light bulbs in my kitchen with Energy Saving fluorescent bulbs. I had two regular light bulbs before (100 watts) and the light output was just fine. I replaced them with two General Electric Spiral, Soft White 100, 100 watts each. The light output is nowhere near the same. Now I am told that what counts is lumens not watts. I bought what I thought was the equivalent to what I had before and I did not see any other fluorescent bulb with greater wattage than what I bought. I like the idea of saving electricity, and I also like the fact that these new fluorescent bulbs can last for years. But is there an equivalent out there to what I had before? I can live with the new ones, but believe me the light is nowhere near the same. Can someone enlighten me? Thank you.  Pat Wattage is a measure of the amount of power (electricity) a light bulb (or any electrical applience) uses.  Lumens is a measure of how much light a lighbulb will produce.  With CFLs it gets confusing because we associate wattage with light output. If you look carfully at the package your CFLs came in you will find that they probably use only 15 watts.  The 100 watt equivelent rating was to help consumers choose the correct bulb to replace a simular incandesent.   As for brightness.  You are probably comparing the brightness of the new bulbs when you first turn them on.  But the brightness of  CFLs will vary depending on temperature and run time.  In other words, your CFLs will initially be a bit dimmer than normal when you first turn them on.  Give them about five minutes and they will come up to full brightness.  This effect is exagerated in a cold room.

I like the idea of saving electricity, and I also like the fact that these new fluorescent bulbs can last for years. But is there an equivalent out there to what I had before? I can live with the new ones, but believe me the light is nowhere near the same. Can someone enlighten me? Thank you.  Pat Unfortunately, no matter what they say on the box, I find that compact fluorescents do not give off the same level of brightness as an incandescent bulb - even after warming up.  I've compared them side by side, with the same rating , and it's not the same.  I don't know if it's that they give off less light, or because it's more diffused, or because of the shape of the bulb, or something else - but I find myself straining when I try to use CF bulbs for reading or in other places where I want bright lights.   They're great for places where the amount of light isn't crucial (outdoor lights, bathroom, kitchen, closets, etc.) but I gave up on using them in my main living areas (living room and bedroom).  It was just too uncomfortable for reading - and I like bright light over the entire room, not just focused on one spot. Karen

   Actually, watts are a measure of the electricity consumed and also a measure of the light produced (although not all of it may be visible). Nope.  Wattage gives the rate at which power is consumed (well, energy is neither created or destroyed but let's not get into that).  It is not a measure of light produced.  You could use it fairly accurately to compare light output of similar _style_ lights, eg a 75 watt incandescent is probably brighter than a 60 watt incandescent.  But it's not actually measuring the light output, only the rate at which power is used. Ben

brighter than a 60 watt incandescent.  But it's not actually measuring the light output, only the rate at which power is used. like a cooktop heating element can use a lot of wattage, but not produce a lot of lumens... just glowing red. right?

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.frugal-living Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 01:26:14 -0400 Unfortunately, no matter what they say on the box, I find that compact fluorescents do not give off the same level of brightness as an incandescent bulb - even after warming up.  I've compared them side by side, with the same rating , and it's not the same.  I don't know if it's that they give off less light, or because it's more diffused, or because of the shape of the bulb, or something else - but I find myself straining when I try to use CF bulbs for reading or in other places where I want bright lights.   They're great for places where the amount of light isn't crucial (outdoor lights, bathroom, kitchen, closets, etc.) but I gave up on using them in my main living areas (living room and bedroom).  It was just too uncomfortable for reading - and I like bright light over the entire room, not just focused on one spot. Karen Also consider the inverse square rule: The amount of light reaching a surface, is inversly proportional to the distance, between light source and the surface. Lights in a high ceiling need to be either  more in brightness or more in quantrity. Antoeth trick I use in a bedroom ceiling fixturem that takes two lamps, is to rotate the decorative glass square, 90 degrees, caveat lector Halcitron                     misc.survivalism Check your six and know when to duck. NRA Member since 2002 The Law of the Land, is the weapon in your hand. Smith & Wesson starts where the Bill of Rights stop.