Glad you like it! 8A is January 1998 btw

Thanks for the date code - Jan 1998 that is when I was 1 and half years old I knew it be around that time. I guess the same CFLs that came in the gradient blue and green packaging are later made ones

I have 3 of these with 2 being in use. One of them is in use in the bathroom and it sees lots of switches every day and short runtime. Surprisingly, it has been going strong for a number of years despite being heavily used when installed. The blackening on the tube is visible through the outer glass! Strangely, a few months ago it went though a phase of turning off for a few seconds shortly after power-up, but it seems to have fixed itself lol

@Oliver: They are indeed built to last especially with how one is holding up with so much switch cycles and short run up time good that it managed to sort itself out

Yes the blue and green packaged ones were the later ones I initinally thought this date code was January 2008, but was informed that had this been the case they would have been in the newer green/blue packaging, so were the older ones instead

@Beta 5: I plan to get some of the Panasonic CFLS in the newer blue/green packaging - in fact the car boot sale season is upon us that the first one is this coming Sunday I believe in Thatcham, West Berkshire then afterwards will be the 2 gigantic ones in Reading