Besides modifying it, which I may consider because it's just that bad, in
>the mean time I need something that'll last. We've already tried the "ten
>gajillion hour" CFLs, which died in all of, you know it, three months. I'm
>guessing something high voltage (130V+?) and incandescent. Any
>recommendations?
Most CFL's die prematurely because they are placed in a luminaire designed for incandescants. I.e. with no cooling.
Incandescents can stand heat, CFL's respond very badly to (internal) heat levels > 100C - mostly the caps die prematurely.
Solution:
- Extra cooling holes (and now spiders, insects etc. crawl in)
- Use a PL lamp with external ballast.
- 2 incandescents in series (long life, poor efficiency - some soldering required?)