That snuck up on me - Bulbs

[VaderDSL]

I probably sound very ignorant but just watching the news this morning, apparently 100W clear and frosted bulbs are banned from 1st September due to EU regulation, stores can keep selling existing stock but they will no longer be able to order in new stock.

I've been talking to a few people about it and get mixed views of it. My dad and his partner fully replaced the bulbs in their house a year or so ago so they obviously say it's about time, but their house is nice and light with large windows.

My mum however lives in a terrace with small windows and she has said she needs the power of the 100W standard bulbs, however there are alternatives but they can be a bit expensive.

Have people here fully replaced their incandescent bulbs with energy saving bulbs? Are there people who feel we should be able to choose rather than be forced?

Personally, I'm all for increasing energy efficiency, I just wish they would take it further. I live in Manchester and I always see offices with lights on around the clock, street lights under bridges that never turn off.

 

[iraiguana]

Energy saving bulbs as long as you get the decent rapid start coiled ones will produce a very similar amount of light for less power.

Yes they cost more, but cost less to run and last longer.

Try it as you have no other choice really.

Street lights and offices use

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

Which works differently to a tiny wire with current running through it to produce light.

In my view its a good thing and should have been done years ago, should drive improvements further for low energy bulbs faster than ever before.

 

[AHarvey]

just annoys me that they are telling us what light bulbs we can have in our homes!

What next? We can only eat X bread because its healthier? it's just pathetic!

As for energy saving bulbs, everyone I have used takes far too long to light up properly meaning you have to stand there, leaving it on for longer to do what you wanted before turning it off again.

 

[Greebo]

The problem I have with this is that I have a lot of farm outbuidings which have 100W and 150W bulbs in. The energy saving ones are too big to fit in the light fittings so I am going to have to replace all the light fittings in the buildings to take them.

 

[SB118]

^^^ i had asimilar problem with some exterior lighting in my backyard. Some of the brands do a 22w coiled bulb which gives 100w (equiv) output but the shape of the bulb means it still fits in stuff like bulkhead lights, etc.

Doesn't get dark in my backyard

 

[Jonny69]

Have people here fully replaced their incandescent bulbs with energy saving bulbs? Are there people who feel we should be able to choose rather than be forced?

I am quite a closet environmentalist and in the most part I think that the energy savings with these across the bulb's lifetime far outweighs the increased cost and the added environmental impact of the substances used in the bulb.

However, there is a time and a place and they aren't perfect and, while I don't agree they should be compulsory it is the only way to get some people to use them. The other concern is that lighting makes up such a tiny proportion of our energy useage that overall it makes very little difference. The tank full of hot water in the airing cupboard has used more energy in one morning than all the lights in the house will have done in a week.

 

[Glaucus]

All my bulbs are energy saving apart from two wall uplighters, which are normall but 60watt.

I think banning them is a bit OTT what they should have done is pile loads of tax on them to make them more expensive than energy saving. That way if you wanted you could use them. The tax could have gone towards building renewable energy. Maybe even say in 10 years all normal bulbs will be banned. That way gives people plenty of time to change there lighting systems. I also hate bright lights and hardly ever use main lighting, lounge is up lighters and bedroom is lamp pointed upwards at the wall.

reduced energy or slower increasing energy usage is good not just from an environmental standpoint. But also from energy security stand point. We should be doing more to increase efficiency. But it should be voluntary for a fair while.

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

Hey guys I can actually fill you in with the truths on the ins and outs as I work on the lighting deparment at john lewis.

Unfortunately I'm at work on my break so check back later and I'll answer any questions and queries you have on the subject.

should be home around 7pm tonight

 

[Jonny69]

I think banning them is a bit OTT what they should have done is pile loads of tax on them to make them more expensive than energy saving. That way if you wanted you could use them. The tax could have gone towards building renewable energy. Maybe even say in 10 years all normal bulbs will be banned. That way gives people plenty of time to change there lighting systems. I also hate bright lights and hardly ever use main lighting lounge is up lighters and bedroom is lamp pointed upwards at the wall.

reduced energy or slower increasing energy usage is good not just from an environmental standpoint. But also from energy security stand point. We should be doing more to increase efficiency. But it should be voluntary for a fair while.

It's a good idea, because while I know and understand why energy savers are better in a room that's little used where you walk in and walk straight back out, like the porch or a cupboard where you just flick the light on and off again, a normal bulb is simply more practical.

 

[SoSolid]

just annoys me that they are telling us what light bulbs we can have in our homes!

What next? We can only eat X bread because its healthier? it's just pathetic!

As for energy saving bulbs, everyone I have used takes far too long to light up properly meaning you have to stand there, leaving it on for longer to do what you wanted before turning it off again.

People need telling what to do as the majority will not make the correct decision without a friendly shove in the right direction.

 

[Flukester]

the whole energy saving bulb thing is a scam IMO

forces people to buy bulbs that make a lot more profit for the manufacturers... though they are long life, they often still blow.

I bet the carbon footprint of the manu process is a lot more also...

Bet they also use mercury in the tubes ? (bad)


The whole 'green' thing atm is a scam to make money from the gullable, can of worms... opened


the future of lighting is in solid state devices like LEDs, not in the current replacements you see in tesco etc... but forcing down peoples necks is not the way to inroduce technology, you instead wait for it to perform better and cost less (which atm it does neither) then it by default makes inferior techs obsolete

if anyone here thinks they are saving the planet by using energy saving bulbs, I think you are strangely deluding yourself

 

[jas72]

The problem I have with this is that I have a lot of farm outbuidings which have 100W and 150W bulbs in. The energy saving ones are too big to fit in the light fittings so I am going to have to replace all the light fittings in the buildings to take them.

Over a long period.

I'd be surprised if NONE of the 100s of different types of low wattage lights work for you.

But I agree that it shouldn't be forced apon people. Next they'll be limiting how high you can turn up your heating and automatically switching it off in the summer.

 

[pingwing]

just annoys me that they are telling us what light bulbs we can have in our homes!

What next? We can only eat X bread because its healthier? it's just pathetic!

As for energy saving bulbs, everyone I have used takes far too long to light up properly meaning you have to stand there, leaving it on for longer to do what you wanted before turning it off again.

By that logic asbestos should still be put into everyones homes and lead based fuel should be the only fuel we use..... (insert the really big rolley eyes to get the point across)

These old light bulbs should have been banned years ago! I hate that i lived in a house last year with fittings that only took weird shaped, old style bulbs that didnt last at all (and cost loads of money to use).

 

[AHarvey]

By that logic asbestos should still be put into everyones homes and lead based fuel should be the only fuel we use..... (insert the really big rolley eyes to get the point across)

These old light bulbs should have been banned years ago! I hate that i lived in a house last year with fittings that only took weird shaped, old style bulbs that didnt last at all (and cost loads of money to use).

NO personal attacks

You are comparing a 100w light bulb to two things that cause major healthy issues, I think it is your logic that is flawed!

And I find the fact that you actually hated living in a house just because of the light fittings rather humourous.

 

[Rich1988]

energy savers really dont take 'that' long to come on, a second or two tops and then a couple more seconds to get to full brightness its not earth shattering really I understand that it will be annoying but its one of the easier steps the government can take to be seen to be green.

 

[PhillyDee]

I have had full energy saving bulbs in every room bar one for a long time now (Bedroom has a dimmer switch, so cant use one in there). I dont notice cheaper electricity bills, but then, its such a small amount. I do notice that Ive never had one blow at all since I put them in, instead of 6-8 months which I used to get out of the old incandescent bulbs.
One major plus point is when you get up in the middle of the night and tuen on your light. Instead of LIGHT (Bright and hurts your eyes!) the energy saving bulbs take a second of 2 to get to full brightness. Its like a soft start and is much better for you as it doesnt hurt.

 

[clv101]

About time too! I've only used compact fluorescents for about a decade now. They are awesome. The most important thing to realise though is not to belive the hype. 20W does not equal 100W as they say it does, I always use a 4:1 ratio rather than 5:1. My main rooms have 125W 'daylight' compact fluorescents and they are great.

 

[DominicStar]

I have had full energy saving bulbs in every room bar one for a long time now (Bedroom has a dimmer switch, so cant use one in there).

Energy savers for dimmer switches are widely available online, albeit at extravagant prices but economies of scale should now kick in with the ban.

About time too! I've only used compact fluorescents for about a decade now. They are awesome. The most important thing to realise though is not to belive the hype. 20W does not equal 100W as they say it does, I always use a 4:1 ratio rather than 5:1. My main rooms have 125W 'daylight' compact fluorescents and they are great.

I also have to buy pretty bright ones as I have 10 feet high ceilings, but they work just as well as the old 100w conventional bulbs I had

 

[Greebo]

Over a long period.

I'd be surprised if NONE of the 100s of different types of low wattage lights work for you.

But I agree that it shouldn't be forced apon people. Next they'll be limiting how high you can turn up your heating and automatically switching it off in the summer.

Well unless I find a very specialised supplier, so far all the 100W and 150W low energy light bulbs I have bought (delibratly buying the smallest tubes I can) do not fit the light fittings. Well not exactly true. They fit but you then can't shut the glass cover.

The problem is to generate the same light as a 100W buld, the low enargy bulbs have to be bigger. There is no way round that problem unless a new type of low energy buld comes out.

So once my stock has run out I will have to buy replacement light fittings. That I resent.

The other problem as stated by somebody else is that these lights are only on sometimes for a few minutes and a low energy bulb hasn't even got close to getting to full strength in that time. In fact, the outside door light I replaced with a normal bulb again for this reason as in the one minute it was needed to unlock and open the door, it was a waste of space.

Don't get me wrong, every light in the house is low energy as I replaced the old bulbs as they blew but low energy bulbs are not without faults and not suitable for every use and hence alternatives, even energy inefficient ones, should be allowed.

Another thing I noticed as an early adaptor when bulbs were £4-£5 was they quite often didn't last as long as ordinary bulbs so any energy saving was wiped out by the bulb cost. They seem to have improved recently and the last ones I bought have yet to blow. Whether they will last the stated time is still open to debate.

I agree that an environment tax on normal bulbs would have been the way to go.

 

[Greebo]

energy savers really dont take 'that' long to come on, a second or two tops and then a couple more seconds to get to full brightness its not earth shattering really I understand that it will be annoying but its one of the easier steps the government can take to be seen to be green.

Not true. It depends whose bulb you buy. Which did a test of about 30 of them from different manufacturers a few months back. The worst performing bulbs took up to half an hour to get to full brightness.

Okay, once you have bought one of them, you'll never buy another again but unless more sites do reviews, it's pot luck when you buy your expensive low energy bulb. Another fault is that some manufacturers bulbs get dimmer and dimmer over time. Yet again, something where the information is not wildly available.

The problem is that some of the worst bulbs were the ones the newspapers and supermarkets gave away and that gives people a false perception that all low energy bulbs are just as useless. You would be amazed at the differences between bulbs. We never seem to have had that problem with ordinary bulbs and uniformity needs sorting before it's made complusory IMO.

To me leds are the way forward. Already you can get 3.4W led bulbs (40W equivalent) for £10 and it won't be long before they come down in both price and increase in wattage. If the current low energy bulbs use only 20-25% of the power of normal bulbs, imagine how much carbon will be saved with an LED bulb which uses only 8.5% of the power? The bonus is that the last much, much longer than low energy bulbs and have none of the warm up problems and are small.