One major reason they offer the version with a pin-type socket is because that's what is required to satisfy California's recent Title 24 standards. Screw-it types do seem to be more common and cheaper, at least in my area, but I wonder whether that will be true for the long run since the screw-in types have to include a ballast.

Most florescents are not dimmable. Dimming them requires a special dimmable ballast (which would be a built-in part of the bulb in the case of a screw-in cfl) and, for the moment at least, a special dimmer as well. The necessary hardware is considerably more expensive than non-dimmable stuff. I know they're developing fluorescent ballasts that can be dimmed with standard dimmers, but I don't think they've made it to market yet.

Something else to consider is that, in the case of fixtures with pin-type bulbs and built-in ballasts, the ballast will probably work with only one particular bulb size/wattage. You can't go swapping out a 26w pin-type for a 13 watt the way you would replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 100w bulb if you didn't have enough light. If you're not sure of the appropriate wattage, screw-in bulbs that carry their ballast with them might be a safer choice.

Jon,
Thanks - that is sort of what I thought, that the screw bases would allow more flexibility for the imediate future. In the long run, I may have to change out the fixtures, but for now my state (Florida) does not have the strict requirements California does.

I don't like dimmers - I either want lights on full or if I want less light in an area I plan on alternate light sources. But DH loves dimmers and drives me crazy by leaving lights just bright enough to be annoying and not dim enough to be romantic. So putting fluorescents in the overhead lights will prevent him from annoying me! ;-)

I'm thinking of using rope lights above molding near the ceilings as a way of providing overall dim lighting - much simpler than playing with silly dimmer switches and expensive CFBs.

Thanks!
Anne

One advantage of retrofit CFs is that there are several of them that DO work with ordinary cheap triac dimmers. One warning, though : when you dim CFs they don't produce warmer colored light like incandescents; many of them actually produce a sort of greyish light. They also dim only part way, and then they go out.

To avoid using dimmers, just install lights that you can switch in "banks."

The dedicated compact fluorescent lamps (2-pin and 4-pin) are not that expensive. It's just that Chinese-made retrofit CFs are (IMO) currently being dumped on the market at artificially low prices. Many of these don't meet their specifications, and have short lifespans - false economy.

OTOH, I find that the dedicated CF lamps last a very long time. If you go this route you will probably want to get a fixture with an electronic ballast.

I've had mine for a long time and they have magnetic ballasts. These are less efficient, and the lamps - preheat design - flicker like old-fashioned fluorescents when they are started. AFAIK (someone correct me if I'm wrong about this) the 2-pin lamps are always used with magnetic ballasts.

BTW, I've seen a few 2-pin PL lamps (Sylvania?) that have electronic starters in their bases. I've never tried them, as I've had so few failures in mine so far, but it sounds like a significant improvement.

Note that most fixtures that take dedicated CFs have a limited number of lamps they can accept. You can't just put any wattage in there. Check the manufacturer's lit for more information.

I've never done the calculations, but I've read that incandescent rope lights are woefully inefficent in terms of lumens per watt. OTOH, if you don't mind the color, yellow LED rope lights should be quite efficient. Even white LEDs are apt to be more efficient than dim incandescents, but you may not like the cold color of the light.

David,
We just had our meeting with the lighting specialist - we're going with regular type fixtures for most places, but ones that we can put CFBs in. I don't think she specified CFBs for the bulbs to be supplied with the fixtures, but I think I will request that to be changed before we actually put in the order. I think they tend to provide better quality lamps with their fixtures, so the originals should last a long time.

I am not going to put in the rope lights immediately. To save money on building, we're not putting in crown molding to hold the rope lights. I will spec the outlets and switched for some sort of lighting near the ceilings in some rooms. Later, we'll add the moldings and install the rope lights or something equivalent - maybe just cheap Christmas lights, LOL! One thing with LEDs, they do come in various colors and they can be the very low light I'd like for night lights - just enough so I don't run into furniture or trip over the cat.

I posted a message asking for help with our "wall washer" recessed lights for our formal room. I'd love help with that.

Thanks!
Anne

Almost our entire house is fitted with dimmable, screw-in CFLs -- and we have common triarc dimming switches. The new bulbs work fine with them.

We have not noticed any "greying" at all at dimmed settings and we use it a lot in the kitchen during parties. They dimm effortlessly down to 20%. They are Greenlite brand and range in price from 8.95 for a 23w dimmable spiral to 11.95 for an R40 dimmable flood.

The ones we get are 2700k or 3000k (warm, incandescent-type light), but you can also get 5000k sunlight-natural type light. We don't care for it, except in task reading lamps.

Two things to keep in mind: because of the larger ballast/base, an R40 is going to stick out very slightly from a typical sealed, ceiling can -- we do not mind that. And a spiral will not look good in a bathroom fixture unless the sconce is quite deep/long -- for those areas we stayed with incandescent.

1000bulbs.com has the best prices.

Dallasbill,
Thanks - I'll save your message so I remember which bulbs you've had success with.

For the fixtures we'll use the most, we've chosen schoolhouse style lights so the shades will totally cover the bulbs. There will also be some that are enclosed flush mounts, same thing, the bulbs will not show at all.

I'm not sure on the can lights if we'll use fluorescent bulbs. Those will not get used all the time and since they will be our lighting for art, I know I will want daylight corrected lighting.

For the fixtures intended for general lighting in various rooms, warm light would be best - that would be a good place for the 2700k or 3000k bulbs.

Thank You!

Now if someone would take a look at the plans for using wall washers for our formal room. ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lighting plan for formal room

When I opened this thread, I was hoping to find a miracle cure so that our planned fluorescent cans could be dimmable. We're in CA, so in order for our kitchen remodel to comply with Title 24, we'll have 12 6" cans that will take bulbs with the pin-type sockets.

I'm totally fine with the color and amount of light that comes out of the 26 watt fluorescent can, but am SO disappointed that we really don't have a dimmable option at this point in time. We are going to have the lights wired in banks to give us some lighting options, but it's just not the same. I expect we'll be relying on being able to dim the two pendant lights over the island and the undercounter lights (both incandescent) to provide gentle lighting.

Alku05,
Dallasbill says he is having success with Greenlite dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs - but those are on backorder until after Christmas. Check out the link below for information about them.

Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Woodswell, unfortunately, those bulbs are a no-go in California. Screw-in fluorescent bulbs (that can be changed to incandescent) don't meet Title 24, which requires the pin-type sockets like those shown here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Title 24 compliant bulbs

What is the reason behind Title 24 -- it sounds so absurd?

See link below for another Greenlite source that I have used in past when I first researched the Greenlite brand. I see that 1000bulbs.com is now charging 2 bucks more per R40 dimmable than I paid when I ordered 6 weeks ago for 11.95. Imagine Energy has always had them for 13.95. And, they readily shipped out another bulb when one in a box of 6 arrived broken.

Note: at that link they say 3000k, but that's a typo -- they are 2700k, as per Greenlite's packaging.

Here is a link that might be useful: Imagine Energy

DMlove,
Good thing I am not in California! ;-)

But if you look back to my original message I was asking if I should get fixtures wired to only take the pin type fluorescents or get the regular fixtures that I can use incandescent or fluorescent with screw type bases. The line of lights I was looking at offered either type of fixture.

Since then, I have selected my lighting fixtures from a local supply house that my GC uses. The line they recommended does not give that choice or at least it was not offered by the lighting specialist since Florida has not passed anything like Title 24.

Anne

Dallasbill, it's not so absurd (difficult, yes, but absurd, no). It's meant to force people to save energy - fluorescent lighting, manual on/off sensors, dimmers, they all save energy. Since people don't do so voluntarily, we have a law. (Read all the threads about lighting on the kitchen and on this forum -- nobody is putting in fluorescent lighting voluntarily - LOL!)

Hey... we put in CFLs voluntarily! But then, we are not Texans.

Why don't you get AhNold out of his Hummer and tell him he signed a bad-ass, absurd law.

Oh, to be 17 again and in CA now... I wouldn't have to hunt hi and lo to find a cheap fixture to put my blacklight tube in -- I could do it in my PARENTS kitchen, when they were gone for the weekend! Party on, Garth!

And, I know you were being fascetious... ;-)