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GE 78958 Energy Smart 13W CFL Orange Bulb — main product image
GE

GE 78958 Energy Smart 13W CFL Orange Bulb

★★★★★4.5 (148 reviews)
13W

A 13-watt CFL that burns orange — built for party lighting, seasonal displays, and decorative fixtures where colored ambiance is the entire point.

$9.99*
✓ In Stock on Amazon.com
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The GE 78958 Energy Smart 13-Watt Orange CFL is a specialty decorative bulb designed for applications where you want a defined colored light rather than neutral illumination. At 740 lumens and 2700K with an orange phosphor coating, it produces a warm, distinctly orange glow suited to Halloween setups, themed events, seasonal window displays, and decorative accent fixtures. It slots into any standard medium-base socket and draws 13 watts in place of the 60-watt incandescent it's designed to replace — a meaningful efficiency gain when you're running multiple color bulbs through a long event or season.

The T3 spiral tube sits inside a standard bulb envelope and operates at 120 volts. Rated for 8,000 hours, this bulb will outlast many seasons of decorative use before needing replacement. The trade-offs that come with CFL technology apply here: a brief warm-up period before the color reaches full saturation, incompatibility with dimmer switches, and the need for proper mercury-safe disposal at end of life. Keep it in an open or semi-open fixture for best heat management and longest lifespan. Within those parameters, it's a practical, long-running option for anyone who needs colored light in a standard socket without the heat and short life of a colored incandescent.

Key Features

13-Watt Light Source that replaces a 60-Watt bulb

Provides cost savings, extra long life, light output, and color rendering

With this CFL you'll get dramatic energy cost savings up to 77 percent

Perfect for residential or commercial use

FLE13HT3 / 2ORANGE

Specifications

Model
78958 / FLE13HT3/2ORANGE
Wattage
13 Watts
Incandescent Equivalent
60 Watts
Light Color
Orange
Light Output
740 Lumens
Color Temperature
2700 Kelvin
Bulb Shape
T3 Spiral
Rated Life
8,000 Hours
Voltage
120 Volts
Dimmable
No
Brand
GE

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • 13 watts replacing 60 watts represents genuine energy savings — approximately 77% less power draw for the same fixture slot.
  • 8,000-hour rated life means far fewer bulb replacements compared to incandescent alternatives in the same decorative application.
  • T3 spiral form factor fits standard medium-base sockets without adapters.
  • Orange color output is consistent and stable once the bulb reaches operating temperature — appropriate for themed or seasonal lighting setups.
  • Rated for both residential and commercial use, giving it flexibility across different venue or event applications.

👎 Cons

  • CFL bulbs require a warm-up period before reaching full light output — the orange color may appear muted for the first minute after switch-on.
  • Not dimmable — cannot be used on dimmer switches, limiting fixture compatibility in rooms with dimmer controls.
  • The orange phosphor coating means this bulb is single-purpose: it is a decorative color bulb only and cannot serve as a general-purpose room light.
  • CFL bulbs contain mercury and require proper disposal through designated recycling programs — not suitable for standard household trash.
  • Performance degrades in cold environments, which can extend warm-up time and reduce output in unheated spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

The GE 78958 is described as orange, distinct from amber or warm white. At 2700K it sits in a warm range, but the orange phosphor coating produces a distinctly colored output rather than a neutral warm white — it is intended as a decorative color bulb, not a standard warm-tone replacement.
CFL bulbs generally perform poorly in fully enclosed fixtures due to heat buildup that degrades the ballast. Check the fixture's label for enclosed-fixture compatibility — if not rated, use an open or semi-open fixture for full rated life.
The lumen output is 740 lumens. A standard 60-watt incandescent produces approximately 800 lumens of white light. Because this bulb emits colored orange light rather than full-spectrum white, the perceived illumination in a space will be lower than an equivalent white CFL of the same wattage.
GE rates the 78958 at 8,000 hours. At 3 hours of daily use, that's roughly 7 years of life — significantly longer than the incandescent bulb it replaces.
No. Standard CFL bulbs are not dimmable unless specifically rated as such. The GE 78958 is not listed as a dimmable CFL and should not be used on dimmer switches, which can damage the ballast and shorten lamp life.

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