I've been using fluorescent bulbs in fan fixtures without any problems for years. Unlike regular bulbs with fragile filaments they aren't affected by vibrations.

As for the bulbs themselves, they come in a wide range of styles and shapes. Some of them very closely resemble ordinary bulbs in size, shape and light colour. I have some Philips bulbs which are an almost exact match to the 60w soft white bulbs I replaced them with.

Not all stores here are stocking the higher quality fluorescent bulbs or the more unusual shapes however, which has given people the impression the range of bulbs is very limited. I'm wondering if the reason why you haven't found anything is just a lack of availability? I ended up mail ordering several of mine.

Thanks. I assumed the flourescent ones were even more fragile than the incandescent ones. I'll have to try some flourescent ones in the fan & see how it works. As for the large globe light, I'll just keep looking to see if I can find something suitable.

what about the new LED bulbs that are out now, would they fit and do the job?

those CF units have mercury in them from what i have heard. and sooner or later blown units are going to end up in land fill.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

There is mercury in Compact Fluorescent bulbs, but only in minute amounts. And the power those bulbs save more than makes up for tiny amounts of mercury used in them. LEDs aren't exactly the greenest things to manufacture, either.

Fluorescent bulbs can be recycled and the mercury captured and reused. It's mandatory here in Europe now, although I'm sure many bulbs still find their way in to the regular waste stream. You would have to check your local area to see what disposal options are available.

However, even if we do dispose of them in the regular waste and the mercury ends up in to the environment, it is still better for the environment than having used ordinary bulbs. Burning coal releases mercury, thus the energy guzzling old fashioned bulbs contribute far more mercury to the environment than a comparative fluorescent. This is true even when you take in to account both the mercury from the energy it consumes and the small amount of mercury in the bulb itself.

Ideally, if you're concerned about mercury in the environment, you should use fluorescent lighting and dispose of the bulbs properly.

The new fluorescent bulbs are available in the globe shape too. We replaced our bathroom globes a couple of months ago.
Got them at Walmart.
Pam

woothrush, please note, unless your CFs are on for at least 15 minutes at a time, you're losing ground. They're not really suitable for bathrooms.

Hmm, laceyvail, obviously you do not have a teenaged son, lol!

;)
Dee

Dee, funny! Yes, I did once--he's now a husband and father. But even if you do (or a teenage daughter) most of the time that light goes on and off repeatedly, for less than 15 minutes.

Laceyvail - lol - you don't know my husband! He takes a book.
But you can actually see the globes get brighter and brighter and it's only a few minutes.

Laceyvail, although I was teasing, I forgot to add a thank-you for that bit of information. I didn't realize these bulbs were better for longer-term use.

Funny though, now that I think of it, that darn bathroom may be the one place I *should* put a CF bulb. I don't know how many times I come home from work in the afternoon and find that bathroom light on - in other words, it's been on all day! I don't know why the kids and my DH have such a hard time turning off lights, that one in particular.

Of course, they never own up to it. It always one of my other two kids - I-Don't-Know and Not-Me. Those two seem to be my bad kids, while my two teenagers (not to mention my DH) are angels!

:)
Dee