Customer Reviews

4 Pack DIMMABLE Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs! 23w = 100w ULAmerica Model: SDS23P UL Listed 1600Lumens 8000 Hrs Life Energy Star

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I've read a number of reviews on dimmable CFBs and went ahead and just got the 4 pack of the ULAmerica bulbs to try out. I've put them in two recessed lighting cans hooked to two different dimmer switches and one of my 3 way lamps for testing. The short version is they are somewhat whiter than I had hoped, but not terribly so - compared with the 100 watt Sylvania can lights in there it's about as bright but somewhat whiter, not as soft. It comes on quickly as opposed to other CFBs I have around the house that take several seconds to "warm up" and get to full brightness.

You _can_ hear it buzz, however, which is a deal breaker for me. At full power it's fine but once you kick down to a lower level it buzzes in all fixtures I tried it in - not terribly loud and much quieter than others, but I can hear it when I'm in a quiet room (which I often am) - if the TV were on or pretty much anything else making noise you'd never notice it but for me it didn't cut it. Also, at very low power it starts to "flicker" slightly - which you should probably expect with fluorescent. This only happens on the "full slide" dimmers I have, not in the 3 way - you have to get it pretty low before it's a problem.

So long story short, depending on how far away the light is from your ear and the "noise floor" in the room, these may work. For high ceilings in recessed lights it'd be fine - but for close lights where you might be reading or working, you'll probably hear them humming when not at full power.

As the previous reviewer states, I was also pleasantly surprised. I have 3 dimmable switches in my house. 2 of these are multi-bulb fixtures so there is high electricity consumption which I need to reduce. First I decided I would buy "non-dimmable" fluorescent bulbs and just run them at the highest dimmer settings. However, there was a buzz both at the switch and at the bulb on all my dimmers. So lesson learnt, I decided to buy these dimmable ones, and sure enough, at the max setting, there is no buzzing noise at all either at the bulb or the dimmer so it is good enough for what I need.

I've had them for 2 weeks now and here is the summary: Yes, the dimming functionality also works. However, you need to run the bulbs for about 5 minutes before the dimming works well without obvious flickering. In one of my dimmers (multi-bulb fixture), I get a slight buzz at the light no matter how long the lights have been on. However, you won't notice the noise unless you actually go near the bulbs and pay attention. Note, at max settings there is no flickering or buzzing anytime. So overall these are good enough for what I need and I look forward to the electricity savings!

Revised Review:
I will give these 2 stars. After 1 year of usage the bulbs started overheating and burning out. I'm going to wait for LED lights and bypass the CFL phenomenon.

I was suspicious about this product, since the seller was not amazon and there were no reviews available. I wanted to change the lights in my apartment to be "green compliant". I mean, to save energy and maybe some money in the long term. It was not possible to get dimmable fluorescent light bulbs in the main stores like: homedepot, menards, jewel...
I have had them for 2-3 months now and no regrets. They shine as a sun. They are better than the no dimmable light bulbs that I bought at the store. And yes, they are dimmable and they work.
The only thing could be the delivery, that takes a time. Although the seller will send you an email confirming the purchase and shipping date, I was not able to track the product. However It arrived. Order them but expect them to arrive 1 -2 weeks after (in the worst scenario). I should not be an issue if you are not in a hurry.
You won't be disappointed.
And, of course, you will contribute to save our planet.

I bought a four pack of these bulbs because I wanted a kitchen light that I could dim because it currently uses 3 60 watt conventional bulbs.
I read the reviews and these looked pretty good. The only thing they didn't tell you was that they cannot be used in an enclosed fixture. The only place that limitation is mentioned is in small type on the bulb base.

Of course I didn't see that until the bulbs burned out. They only lasted about a week. I don't know of any dimmable fluorescent bulb that can be used in an enclose fixture. There should have been a better warning on the package and in the specifications. i am very displeased.

ULA CFL DIMMABLE LIGHTS HAVE AN UNACEPTABLE FAILURE RATE IN RECESSED FIXTURES WHICH ARE NOT INCLOSED. SO FAR OUT OF 100 BULBS I HAVE HAD A FAILURE RATE IN EXCESS OF 12% IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH.

I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ASKED ME TO MAIL HIM THE BULBS SO THAT THEY COULD DETERMINE THE REASONS FOR THEIR FAILURE. HE PROMISED TO SEND ME OUT ADDITIONAL BULBS TO COMPENSATE ME FOR ADDITIONAL FAILURES AND FOR THE COST OF SHIPPING. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HIM AFTER REPEATED INQUIRIES.

IF YOU HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THESE LIGHTS THE ULA LIGHTING PERSON I SPOKE WITH WAS:

ASHOK
2448 BALME DR.
SAN JOSE, CA 95122

CELL PHONE - (408)569-3127
EMAIL - ASHOK@ULIGHTING-USA.COM

I have CFL through my home and my camp and I have since they came on the market. This is the only brand I have ever had fail to date -- some are 8 to 10 years old and still working. These bulbs have lasted less than 1 year. But even worse long before they fail, they start getting VERY dim.

I use them in an open fixture and the base with the transformer and electronics shows signs of overheating -- NOT a good situation. I am now concerned that they may overheat even in an open light fixture. This does raise safety concerns.

The dimming is very poor on these too. I do have other dimmables that work fine, but since the dimming is so poor on these I do not use them in anything other than full brightness.

I purchased ~3 dozen of these bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs in various fixtures around my house. Many with a dimmer many without. I replaced every bulb in my bathroom vanity light. Within 4 months they are all dead (don't light or light very dimly). Note these are lights that get used 2-3 hours a day tops. I have also had 4-5 others go in other light fixtures such as hall lights (which again get used very infrequently). Out of the 3 dozen I purchased 4 months ago only about 6 of them work still.

Not a good buy. Stick to incandescent bulbs for now. Now I have to wait for "hazmat" day at the dump to dispose of them.

I have recently bought this brand of bulb and two others. These ULA bulbs are probably the best for dimming smoothly over a wide range from bright to dim, although they still won't go as low as incandescents. Unfortunately, I can't use them in most rooms because of the noise they create. It is audible even at full power, and gets louder as the bulbs are dimmed. If you have a room where there is background noise all the time, these will be okay, but my house isn't like that.

The other brands? GE was much quieter, but had a very limited dimming range. Sylvania was the best compromise for me - much quieter than ULA and much better dimming than GE.

Bought these for an open dining room light with four bulbs (I had purchased 8 bulbs to place extras in other fixtures)
Within a couple weeks all 4 bulbs failed, so I put the extras in there.
Now a couple months later, 2 of the 4 have failed.
Since I really want to go with CFL, will try another manufacturer, but do not recommend these

These bulbs do work with dimmer switches, however, they don't work very long. Over half of my bulbs have failed...some within days, and some within a few months. This brand is sold on Amazon and ebay at extremely low prices, but if you factor in the cost of replacement, you're not saving all that much. You are better off with a name brand from a company like GE who will promptly replace your bulb if it fails.