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Download a printable PDF of the CFL Purchasing Guide (1MB)
My Fixture Has A/An... |
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Dimmer | You’ll need a special dimmable CFL. Learn more. |
Three-way socket |
You’ll need a special three-way CFL. Learn more. |
Electronic control | Check with the manufacturer of your photocell, motion sensor, or timer. Learn more. |
What Color Would Work Best For My Use? |
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With CFLs you have options for your white light. Light color is measured on the Kelvin scale (K). As you see below, lower numbers mean the light appears yellowish and higher numbers mean the light is whiter or bluer. Learn more. | ||
Warm White, Standard color of incandescent bulbs. |
Cool White, Good for kitchens and work spaces. |
Natural Good for reading. |
2700K 3000K | 3500K 4100K | 5000K 6500K |
How Much Light Do I Want? |
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To determine which ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs will provide the same amount of light as your current incandescent light bulbs, consult the following chart (Learn more): | ||
Incandescent Bulbs (watts) |
Minimum Light Output (lumens) |
ENERGY STAR Qualified CFLs (watts) |
40 | 450 | 9 to 13 |
60 | 800 | 13 to 15 |
75 | 1,100 | 18 to 25 |
100 | 1,600 | 23 to 30 |
150 | 2,600 | 30 to 52 |
Qualified Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Excel | Text (CSV)
Choose a Light Interactive Guide | Text only version
CFLs and Mercury (72KB)