More free bloody light bulbs

[BobSBobS]

Steve wrote

Then fit them with PL sockets instead. Building regs say you must fit at least one fitting that can only take energy saving lamps.

PL sockets mean the ballast is in the fitting, and all you need to buy is the lamps (tubes). This makes the lamps cheaper, and they are becoming more common everywhere now.

You are of course correct but this is one part of the building regs I am happy to ignore, it was not part of the original intent of the regs. I have yet to find a PL socket + lamp which is as small as a traditional bulb.

Make the energy saving bulbs as efficient and equivalent sizes to existing bulbs and I will use them. Until them filament bulbs even if I have to import them from China and sell them on ebay once the EU directive is put full into place.

 

[vokera80e]

our local radio was talking about the low energy bulbs and according to government guide lines, come this september manufactors will be phasing the ordanary bulb out .... so the moral of this story is,if your a fan of the ordanary bulb...GET STOCKED UP...

 

[Steve]

our local radio was talking about the low energy bulbs and according to government guide lines, come this september manufactors will be phasing the ordanary bulb out .... so the moral of this story is,if your a fan of the ordanary bulb...GET STOCKED UP...

Yes, we know . . .

 

[BOB D.O.L.E]

Well once the energy firms have got us all using these energy saving bulbs, they put the price of the electric up so they get even more profits the only winner here are the suppliers has usual.
Same has a condensing boiler you think your saving but your not they just put up the price of gas.

 

[ACIDTECHNO]

Spare a thought for the poor postie (me) who has to deliver the bliddy things!

 

[tim west]

Spare a thought for the poor postie (me) who has to deliver the bliddy things!

Are you on Light duty then?

 

[BobSBobS]

are you saying you think it takes 7.86 hrs on capital outlay or running costs or both!!!

Sorry about the delay replying I have moved jobs and do not have access to the report any longer, I was hoping to bore everyone with a link to it.

However essentially:-
The light output of each type was measured and the MTBF figure from the manufacturers used (not the same as the typical life given the box)

Over a year (extended testing was not possible) we measured current drawn and light output. so throughout the test equivalent light output was used. lights were switched on and off at an increasing rate until the switch rate was too fast for the low energy bulbs to respond. We also took into account the environmental cost of manufacturing and proper disposal of the bulbs taking into account the recycling possibilities and cost recovery.

In summary we found for an average user who used the lights very intermittently low energy bulbs were more costly, where low energy bulbs came into their own was when they were continuously in use. However this was no different from the conclusion BT came to when they changed from filament bulbs and time switches to fluorescent on all the time in telephone boxes.

 

[squowse]

Steve wrote


Make the energy saving bulbs as efficient and equivalent sizes to existing bulbs and I will use them. Until them filament bulbs even if I have to import them from China and sell them on ebay once the EU directive is put full into place.

all my energy efficient bulbs are the same size as normal bulbs, albeit a slightly different shape. I find them as bright as the bulbs they are said to replicate ie 6x more wattage filament bulbs.
do they consume more energy when switched on and off rapidly? that's not how i use them though. how many people switch the lights on and off as they move around the house?

 

[BobSBobS]

squowse

Yes they are actually designed to stay on. Lots of times they are turned on and off. Toilets, bathrooms, garage, sheds, security lights, hallway, bedside lamps to give a few examples. Also I quite like to have lights that are dimmable.

Low energy bulbs will never be made as small of some of the smaller filament bulbs.

I am not against low energy bulbs I have two in my living room, expensive specialist ones that give a natural light spectrum. All I am asking is to be able to choose.

I don't believe using them will save the world and the government and the EU (whoever they are) tamper too much. (Bit of scaremongering just wait until the Government decide that they can not be disposed of with normal waste because of what the contain and we have to take them to the nearest recycling plant and get a receipt, the nearest one will always be just to far to go)

 

[nickso]

how many people switch the lights on and off as they move around the house?

i do. whats the point in leaving a light on in an unused room?

 

[squowse]

how many people switch the lights on and off as they move around the house?

i do. whats the point in leaving a light on in an unused room?

saving electricity apparently!

seriously, life's too short - for example you often have things in your hands, cos that is usually the reason you are going to another room. i bet you would find most of the public do the same.

 

[nickso]

lifes too short to not waste electricity?

obviously if i physically couldnt switch off a light then i wouldnt. i might go back and switch it off if im not expecting to go back into that room though.

 

[ACIDTECHNO]

Spare a thought for the poor postie (me) who has to deliver the bliddy things!

Are you on Light duty then?

Groan . . .heard them all...after all, they've been giving the damn things away for a year now.

 

[squowse]

lifes too short to not waste electricity?

but you are wasting electricity if you don't use the most energy efficient appliances, including light bulbs.

also fact - bulbs do get left on when they're not needed. it just happens for a variety of reasons.

 

[Steve]

We have a Wilko 18 watt CFL at the top of the stairs, its switched on and off about 8 times an evening. Been there about 5 years now. Still bright, but has a dark grey mark at the end of the tubes, as is normal.

In the bathroom, we have 3 x CFL GU10s, which have about a 4 minute warm up. As these are left on all night but often turned on and off a few times on an evening, I considered connecting them to a photocell outside.

At work we have fittings on PIRs, all 4x18 watt fixtures, of which there are 14 in the warehouse, 4 in the canteen and 2 in the office, all on PIRs and no adverse effects to the switching.