Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs delaying when turned on
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
United States
September 12, 2008 1:50am CST
I had gotten a few free from getting an audit from my electric company and those work GREAT!! but i bought some cheap ones to where i could do over half and all my main used rooms with them and the cheap ones delay when i flip the switch.. you flip it and it takes like 3-5 seconds then they come on.. the sockets are fine because they never had problems with the old bulbs and all of the cheap ones do this no matter where they are at..
is this normal? just another draw back of buying cheap than regular priced ones? i figure i didnt have money to blow and i needed to bring my electic bill and they are suppose to last longer so that the cheap ones should be ok.. i read some where that when they first made them they took awhile to warm up.. is that the delay?? and i would have thought it would have been fixed by now..
its bugging me but im putting up with it since i dont have the money to go replace them and i might as well use them since i already got them.. anyone else experiencing this?
3 people like this
5 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
12 Sep 08
I wonder why you are having that problem? Almost all the ones we have are the cheap ones. The only CFLs we have the heating up problem with is the 3-way bulbs in our larger lamps.
My Mom bought her house almost 2 years ago and it came with CFLs. They are the older ones that have sort of a yellow look to them and she has the heating up problem.
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
13 Sep 08
i got mine from aldis so i have no idea what the real brand would be.. these are white but its weird.. they light just as well as the other ones its just a delay.. drives me crazy since i think my electricity has gone out every time i flip the switch
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
13 Sep 08
The "regular" noes we have are GE brand. I think they may be the only company - other than the generics of course - making the bulbs.
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
18 Sep 08
i never really paid attention to what the other brands were
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
14 Sep 08
My old ones did have a delay, but I think with the newer technology they are working better. My new ones were not very costly but they work okay.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
18 Sep 08
maybe its just the brand (or lack there of) thats the reason then
@pickles12 (308)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
I absolutely love those little suckers lol. they save so much on light bulbs. They do have a delay but all florescent bulbs do. thats normal .. no idea why though.
but i have been using the same one for 3 years in my bedroom. they are incredible. They are soo much better then regular light bulbs. I never buy regular ones anymore because florescent ones work so much better for so much longer.
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
12 Sep 08
the ones i got from the electric company dont delay which is why i was wondering what was wrong.. so far i love them.. i was having to buy a box of like 12 bulbs a month since mine would blow so easy
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
16 Sep 08
Well, they all work like that no?
At least the ones that I buy from my local store works that way.
My wife totally despises them. In fact, she condemns them all!
So much so that I was forbidden to buy them for our home when we set up our own little nesting.
Heh heh heh... To me, if it works and it is cheap, I can tolerate it. The delay is only a few seconds. So, it should be bearable.
The bulbs lights up pretty bright once it is all warmed up and lit.
1 person likes this

@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
18 Sep 08
Well, maybe the elements used in the cheaper bulbs are different. That is why it takes a while for all the elements in the tube to light up.
Which could probably explain why there is a difference in price.
If you really must know, I am sure the electric company has done some survey in the market to actually offer their products.
So asking them the next time you go down to the electric company store would be helpful in seeking the information you want.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
6 Oct 08
ha ha ha ha ha... thanks for the best response my friend.
Appreciate it a lot.
I have been trying like crazy to bring my ratings back up. And this should help a little.
Managed to get it up to 95. The other day. And the next day it went back down to 93. I wonder who is the fella who gave me a negative review and what for? Sigh...
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
18 Sep 08
well the ones i got from the electric company have no delay at all.. just the ones i have bought.. i dont mind it i just wanted to figure out why to where if the bulbs might be crap or something
1 person likes this

@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
18 Sep 08
i wonder how i lucked out with the two i got from the electric company?? ah well
