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Member since 6/11/10
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Posted on: 2/14/15 9:05 PM ET
I've been replacing all the bulbs in my house with the energy-efficient CFL bulbs. There is one I am not sure about, though. It is the light bulb in the fan/vent hood over my range top (electrical coil burners).

For some reason, I just wondered if the heat and steam from cooking (boiling pots of pasta, whistling steam tea kettle, etc.) would have any effect on a CFL bulb differently than a regular bulb...causing it to crack/burst?

I know these bulbs don't heat up as much as the regular light bulbs did, and they have mercury in them, so I also didn't know if perhaps they were more sensitive to heat/steam...
  
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Posted on: 2/14/15 9:54 PM ET
When we remodeled our kitchen, we were advised to keep the fluorescent light over the sink (instead of buying a halogen fixture) because of the steam from the sink.

Why not look at LED bulbs? No Mercury so you don't have to take it to a special depository when it burns out. Costco has some that are affordable and quite nice.
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Member since 12/10/11
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Posted on: 2/14/15 10:36 PM ET
In reply to ShantiSeamstressing
I second the LED suggestion. They give off a lot of light and no mercury. I'm replacing all our CFL with these over time
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Posted on: 2/15/15 12:01 PM ET
Thank you both! LED is a good idea! Would it handle big boiling pots of pasta or soup or whistling tea kettles, though?

(Maybe my concern sounds naive or ignorant; it's just that I'm so accustomed to the traditional style light bulb, and don't know enough about these newer styles. Maybe they are just as fine with heat/steam as the older style.)

  
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Posted on: 2/15/15 2:42 PM ET
In reply to ShantiSeamstressing
Quote:
Would it handle big boiling pots of pasta or soup or whistling tea kettles, though?


Seems like it would. At some point the CFLs will be phased out and LED will be our only choice. As I'm replacing CFL bulbs in lamps with LEDs, the light is much much better. I never liked CFLs because they seem dim, take a while to come to full "wattage"/light output, and there is that nasty mercury issue and knowing the entire nation will not recycle the properly and that mercury will end up in ground water supplies.

There is a trick to figuring out the "lumens" rating of LEDs and translating it to what we had in the old incandescent bulbs. It takes a bit of patience but worth it.
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iPad's auto-correct is my enema.
  
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Posted on: 2/15/15 3:22 PM ET
In reply to Doris W. in TN
Quote: Doris W. in TN
At some point the CFLs will be phased out and LED will be our only choice.

Oh, I didn't know this. Is that primarily due to the mercury issue, or something else?
  
Member since 4/27/08
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Posted on: 2/15/15 4:04 PM ET
I replaced my sewing machine bulb with an LED and I am pretty happy about it. There are also tons of cars that have LED bulbs in the lights, which deal with a lot of heat coming from the motor. I don't see why they wouldn't be fine over the range!
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SM: Pfaff Performance 5.2; Brother LS2125-i; 1929 Singer 99k; 1956 Singer 15-125; Singer SewHandy
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Sewed my veil, and Doggo's bowtie and ring bag.
  
Member since 2/17/07
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Posted on: 2/15/15 4:17 PM ET
In reply to ShantiSeamstressing
All the LED bulbs I've looked at lately have said they are suitable for installation in damp locations. I am not sure just what the criteria is for "damp" but I'd bet they will work fine in your warm, humid, damp exhaust fan. I'd also bet that if they were to fail because of the conditions, it would be the type of failure that would cause it to not light up, not the sort of failure that would cause damage to the surroundings.

I've been buying LED bulbs for my new place up North, because electricity is so dang expensive up there. I want to reduce that bill as much as possible. Just spent about $60 on 12 new LED bulbs yesterday.
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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
Member since 6/5/10
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Posted on: 2/15/15 4:18 PM ET
CFL stands for compact florescent light. Same thing as the big florescent light tubes but compact. I have 2 florescent fixtures in my kitchen for a total of 4 four foot bulbs. These bulbs do fine with the heat, steam etc.

The rest of my house, I converted years ago to the CFL bulbs (the twisty looking bulbs). My power bill is definitely lower than it was. I live in an old house that use to burn out bulbs constantly. The CFL bulbs seem to last forever in comparison. In the years (6 to 8 yrs or more appox) since I have converted, I have replaced a total of 3 of the twisty bulbs and 4 of the four ft tubes (besides my kitchen, those tubes are also in my sewing room and my walk in closet)

I now want to convert my entire house over to the LED bulbs (they save more energy and provide a better light)....but am patiently waiting for the price to come down on those. If you have the chance and the money to do new conversions, I would recommend the LED. If budget is a factor, go with the CFL and plan on LED when the price drops further.
  
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Posted on: 2/15/15 5:11 PM ET
In reply to ShantiSeamstressing
Quote: ShantiSeamstressing
[quote] At some point the CFLs will be phased out and LED will be our only choice.

Quote: ShantiSeamstressing
Oh, I didn't know this. Is that primarily due to the mercury issue, or something else?
[/quote]
I doubt it's about the mercury and more about the fact that very few people like CFLs.
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iPad's auto-correct is my enema.
  
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