I started replacing my Ins w/Fs about 5-7 years ago...I only have two Ins left...they are 130V-116W in the front porch fixtures...they've both been there for over 3 years on a daily timer (1830-2300 EVERY DAY)...
As for the Fs, I've watched my electric bill drop, as the changeover was being made, until it stabilized at $40.00-$50.00/month less than what I was paying the previous year. Our current electric rate is $0.09127/kWh...
Here's a tip when you start swapping out your Ins for Fs...take a "Sharpie" and write the date on the Fs transformer or on the tube surface itself.
There are "quick start" fixtures that you can buy...and they come up to 95% full-brightness right away...I'm using those in the basement and by the front door entry-way, and in the bathroom...usually where safety/clarity is needed immediately. Otherwise, in the bedrooms and computer room - the regular Fs work just fine.
I'm looking into seeing if the "200W" Fs will work in the garage, but up north the issue might be that it's too cold to come on in un-heated areas.
The best thing to do is check two things...
FIRST: Check the voltage, either at the socket, or at the electric panel, of your house. Most areas, you should have 120V (± 3%) at the panel/socket. If not, get ahold of your local electrical utility and ask them to check it out. The
BEST way to do this is write a letter (or 'e' them). That way, you'll have a record of your request and as anyone knows, companies DON'T LIKE HAVING PROOF THAT THEY'VE IGNORED A REGULATION WHEN IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO THIER ATTENTION....just don't let them know that
until you've been ignored...otherwise, they'll treat you like a smart@55, and you don't want that.
SECOND: Don't be afraid to experiment when you try out different styles of fixtures. Remember, you're trying something new. What works great for one person or in a particular circumstance won't, neccessarily, work great, or at all, for you. Then again, you may have great luck and everyone else may be bombing out. It all depends on where you "source" your lamps from and
how they were handled/delivered at your place of purchase. One item to keep in mind is that, just like Ins, Fs DO have filaments (small ones, on each end of the tube) and they are just a "fragile" just like the filaments in Ins, particularly when you're turning them off. Remember, don't jar them too much. When was the last time (let alone the first) that you saw an F used in lighting for an automobile? Never? There's one reason.
BTW, in the article, there was a mention of "mercury dust" - First, mercury can't acheive a "dust" state...what should have been said, instead, was "phosphor dust" - and what makes the phosphor dust dangerous is its impregnation with mercury itself. Again, the phosphor dust contains traces of mercury, along with the normal amount of mercury that would be seen in the tube itself. Anyway you look at it, just be careful when buying, transporting and installing your bulbs.
Good luck.