
The amount of electricity consumed to supply the inrush current is equal to a few seconds or less of normal light operation. In any case, the relatively higher "inrush" current required lasts for half a cycle, or 1/120th of a second. The amount of energy varies between manufacturers and models-however, ENERGY STAR© rated bulbs are required to endure rapid cycling for five-minute intervals to ensure that they can hold up to frequent switching. It is a popularly held belief that CFLs use a lot of energy to get started and it is better not to turn them off for short periods. You can generally extend the life of a CFL bulb more by switching it on and off less frequently than if you simply use it less. The operating life of CFLs is more affected by the number of times they are switched on and off.


The more often they are switched on and off, the lower their operating life. All lightbulbs have a nominal or rated operating life, which is affected by how many times they are turned on and off. The type of lightbulb you use is important for several reasons. The cost effectiveness of when to turn off lights depends on the type of bulb and the cost of electricity.
