KEY POINTS:
Traditional lightbulbs are on their way out as the Government aims to cut lighting energy use by 20 per cent. James Ihaka asks Richard Ponting, chief executive of Lighting Council NZ, how the new energy-efficient globes will work
What's the lifespan of a compact fluorescent light (CFL) compared with an ordinary lightbulb?
Your ordinary household lamp will last about 1000 hours, a high efficiency (bulb) 2000 hours and a CFL about 8000 to 10,000 hours.
Do CFLs fit current light fittings?
Yes. But obviously you have to use common sense with the physical size of them relative to the lamp.
Is it true that chandeliers won't sparkle with CFLs or high efficiency lamps?
High-efficiency lamps will allow them to sparkle because it's a very small light source.
They are becoming available as part of this exercise - it's one of the industry's responses to this drive for energy efficiency but once LED (light emitting diode) lamps are developed they will be put on the market.
There's a complaint that CFLs take too long to fire up - no good when you are going to the toilet or looking in a dark cupboard - are there any alternatives?
We suggest that you use a high efficiency GLS (incandescent) if it is going to be on for only a short period of time and you want instant good light.
Is the mercury in CFLs dangerous?
No. A current generation CFL has probably got less than five milligrams or about the size of the end of a ballpoint pen.
By comparison, a typical thermometer has between 500 and 3000mg of mercury.
The type of mercury in those lamps is in a semi-solid state. It's quite soft and it doesn't exist as a vapour after the lamp is broken or when the lamp is cold.
You can't inhale it.
It only vapourises about a minute after the lamp has been switched off.
How do you dispose of CFLs properly?
Put them in your hazardous waste collection which councils will be running. If you break one, wrap it up in paper.
In the longer term, when the use of CFLs climbs around 2012, we will have collection times.
They [CFLs and fluorescent lighting tubes] are bagged, potted and shipped off to Australia - there's a mercury handling plant in Victoria.
Will a CFL last longer in an area that's prone to power surges and spikes?
Provided the spike isn't too high. It doesn't like really big spikes any more than a computer does.
Can you use dimmer switches with CFLs or not
You can buy CFLs that are specifically designed to be run on a dimmer.
There isn't a New Zealand standard for CFL lamps that would discriminate against them.
Can the light from CFLs cause migraines and eyesight problems or any other illnesses?
The technology has been around for 60 to 70 years and we haven't killed too many people under fluorescent lighting in that time, neither have we given them skin cancer. We might have given one or two people headaches but CFLs don't flicker.
Putting energy-saving lightbulbs into old style fittings could create dark spots and less effective lighting; some people could respond to this by installing higher wattage bulbs. Is this the answer?
You can put as much light in a fitting as possible but if the reflector's not working for you it's not going to give you a satisfactory result. It defocuses the downlight. It makes sense not to put a straight tube in a small downlight.
