Re: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – A Tale From Dust to Dust

Ben:

You have an interesting article here, but I'd love to see how CFL lamps compare with dimmers. CFLs can't be dimmed, often have poor colour rendering, and the ambient temperature affects the lifespan and lumen light output greatly of CFLs. Dimmers on the other hand seem to save energy without compromises.
Dimmers probably cost a little more to manufacture than a basic toggle switch, so only the difference in energy between the two would need to be considered.
Dimmers will extend the incandescent bulb life anywhere from 2 to 20+ times in length, depending on the amount dimmed. From personal experience, I have not had to replace a single incandescent bulb in over 4 years, and I use the dimmer every day. I figure I have the lights dimmed to 70% of max output on average.
Dimmers save energy at a nearly linear rate. i.e. dimming 50% saves 40% energy.
With a dimmer, I can adjust the light level to match the task I am doing, so I always have the convenience, safety and ambiance. Lutron Electronics seems to be a leader in dimmers and I wonder how they measure up to the CFL? I love saving energy, but at the same time, Lutron makes some fantastic products that really tempt me!