Outdoor CFL Floodlights

[johnarky]

I've been using these GE outdoor CFL floodlights for a little while now and I like them.
They're 26 watts and have their own reflector built in. Just curious what you guys thought about them.
I like them because it's easy to wipe the salt creep off the lens on the front (much easier then trying to clean of the CFL spiral bulbs).

You can buy them a bunch of different places but here's a link to check them out:
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/356370/GE-Compact-Fluorescent-Outdoor-Floodlight-26/?cm_mmc=Mercent-_-Google-_-Lighting-_-356370&mr:trackingCode=5553DB1A-EC81-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

[SantaMonica]

They are not as good as a spiral with a reflector...

http://www.radio-media.com/fish/CFLbulbs.jpg

[johnarky]

Thanks for the reply SM.
Why exactly is that? It seems like they would accomplish the same thing. The reason I like the floodlight is because it protects the bulb and the reflector from all the salt spray. Just wipe off the lens every week or so and it's like new. With the spiral bulbs/reflector I have to break them down to clean off all the dried salt every week.
BTW, not sure if it make a difference but the floodlights I'm using are marked "outdoor" and have a clear lens, it's not "fogged over" like the one in your pic.

[SantaMonica]

Big reflectors spread the light out evenly across the screen, and do not focus it on one spot. They are more work, but get better growth.

[johnarky]

Interesting. So the bigger the reflector the better? I know I've seen a few different reflectors with different diameters.
I imagine "bigger is better" only up to a certain extent though? e.g. if the reflector is spreading out light wider then the screen, that's probably not good.

[SantaMonica]

Bigger, up to the edge of the screen.