Reply #120: Are the vanity lights fully enclosed? [View All]

If so, then CFLs probably aren't appropriate for those
light fixtures (and the CFL packaging says that).

Alternatively, were all three failures from the same pack
of lamps? Maybe that brand is just junk? Did you take
them back to the store and get your money back?

I ask because my experience with CFLs is diametrically
opposite from yours: I've replace ordinary incandescent
(and some halogen) lamps with CFLs and have had far
fewer failures than I had with the incandescents. Among
the (literally dozens of) CFLs that are installed at out house,
we had two "infancy" failures of a particular model of CFL,
we've worn four out in "nightlight" service (24x7 operation)
and all the rest are still chugging along. This even includes
two CFLs in our garage door opener where the vibration
used to kill incandescent lamps quickly.

CFLs, when properly applied, seem to be very reliable and
quite long-lived.

Tesha