Just today I had to deal with this very issue. I have an HT with dedicated circuits for audio, separate from lights. One of my 2" halogen can light bulbs burnt out. I went to look for a replacement and with no sales, they were $10@! No way was I going to spend $10/bulb long term to keep light in the room. (When I had bought initially, the bulbs were on super-sale and I didn't realize the long term cost)
I decided to switch the intensities of the can bulbs and the wall sconce bulbs. So, I got lower lumen can bulbs and seemingly innocuous 100w regular bulbs for the sconces.
They buzzed. The sconces had an audible buzz all round the room (after reading this thread I agree that it was filament vibration). I had to go to halogen bulbs in the sconces to get rid of it.
In my experience, lower watt bulbs (i.e. 40-60w) give less issues with hum in dimmer installs, and halogens have been golden. Halogens are much more expensive, but I've not heard them buzz.
I have a Lutron "Spacer" remote lighting system, which was not cheap, and halogens work perfectly.
Now for my rant:
As for the "green" bulbs, I feel they, in a word, suck. I spent plenty to buy dozens of them three years ago thinking I'd see big savings over the advertised "seven years" of life. Bought a bunch on "sale", which meant sending in rediculous amounts of rebates, just to get them down to a "reasonable" price of between $1-2/bulb. What a pile of B.S.! We (wife and I) have had several bulbs that need replacing annually! For a bulb that gives flat, deathly light and costs five to ten times more? Forget it.
We've concluded that the ripoff on these bulbs are the starting units. If the lights are left on continually they'll do fine, but if you have them on/of in cycles several times a day, forget it about long life. I figure I've spent a lot more and had more hassles with them than regular bulbs. I've started to buy regular bulbs again, because I'm sick and tired of the poor light, the cost and LACK of long life! It's a situation similar to the stripped down cars that were getting bogus EPA milage ratings, sometimes off by rediculous amounts.
And you want to see one of these "green" bulbs go black really quick? Put one in your garrage in the winter. Cuts their lifetime to about 8 months, AND when it's really cold they either produce only half the lumens or don't turn on at all! Can you tell I'm not thrilled with them?
I'd love to save the earth by using a light bulb, but at this point they've proven a rip off in my use.
If I had the common sense to try one or two, but NO, I had to buy dozens (because they're supposed to be so pefect, economical, long lasting, blah blah...)so that I'd have plenty for years. Stupid! Classic case of Caveat Emptor.
Man, I've been waiting years to say that! Felt good! Rarely do I rage about a product, but rarely have I been so disappointed in what's supposed to be a no brainer upgrade. YMMV
I decided to switch the intensities of the can bulbs and the wall sconce bulbs. So, I got lower lumen can bulbs and seemingly innocuous 100w regular bulbs for the sconces.
They buzzed. The sconces had an audible buzz all round the room (after reading this thread I agree that it was filament vibration). I had to go to halogen bulbs in the sconces to get rid of it.
In my experience, lower watt bulbs (i.e. 40-60w) give less issues with hum in dimmer installs, and halogens have been golden. Halogens are much more expensive, but I've not heard them buzz.
I have a Lutron "Spacer" remote lighting system, which was not cheap, and halogens work perfectly.
Now for my rant:
As for the "green" bulbs, I feel they, in a word, suck. I spent plenty to buy dozens of them three years ago thinking I'd see big savings over the advertised "seven years" of life. Bought a bunch on "sale", which meant sending in rediculous amounts of rebates, just to get them down to a "reasonable" price of between $1-2/bulb. What a pile of B.S.! We (wife and I) have had several bulbs that need replacing annually! For a bulb that gives flat, deathly light and costs five to ten times more? Forget it.
We've concluded that the ripoff on these bulbs are the starting units. If the lights are left on continually they'll do fine, but if you have them on/of in cycles several times a day, forget it about long life. I figure I've spent a lot more and had more hassles with them than regular bulbs. I've started to buy regular bulbs again, because I'm sick and tired of the poor light, the cost and LACK of long life! It's a situation similar to the stripped down cars that were getting bogus EPA milage ratings, sometimes off by rediculous amounts.
And you want to see one of these "green" bulbs go black really quick? Put one in your garrage in the winter. Cuts their lifetime to about 8 months, AND when it's really cold they either produce only half the lumens or don't turn on at all! Can you tell I'm not thrilled with them?
I'd love to save the earth by using a light bulb, but at this point they've proven a rip off in my use.
If I had the common sense to try one or two, but NO, I had to buy dozens (because they're supposed to be so pefect, economical, long lasting, blah blah...)so that I'd have plenty for years. Stupid! Classic case of Caveat Emptor.
Man, I've been waiting years to say that! Felt good! Rarely do I rage about a product, but rarely have I been so disappointed in what's supposed to be a no brainer upgrade. YMMV