Energy Saving Bulbs

[x Alex x]

dull subject i know lol.... but..

my mam insists on using them, to me they're dull compared to a normal 60w, even though most of the ones she has are 11/14watt which is supposed to be the same as a 60w bulb.

i've never seen any more powerful than 14watt which is meant to be the same as 60watt or whatever.

can you actually get more powerful bulbs (bigger than 14w) if so, where?

this has been doing my head in for a while, i'll actually go buy a few of these to change the crappy ones we have

cheers

 

[Stu DemonD]

can you actually get them? if so, where?

Get what? 60W energy saving bulbs? :chin: :bang:

 

[Focus Owner]

we have i think up to equivalence of 100
and i don't find em that dull

always nice to have proper bulbs tho as well seem to add to light effect

 

[claymore]

We're in the process of replacing all the bulbs in our house with energy savers. Though this is the case once they fail.

If there's a difference in brightness then it's usually due to them having the need to, "warm up."

Just check the guides to which ones replace which and you'll be fine.

 

[colin79666]

I have a mixture of bulbs about the house.
Sylvania mini lynx are expensive but great compared to supermarket cheap and cheerful. They start instantly and are decently bright. In some rooms I've gone with halogen bulbs which use more energy than CFL but are completely instant on and are just like old style bulbs but with some power savings (45W = old 60W).

 

[x Alex x]

sorry if my post was a tad unclear, meant to ask if you can get energy savers with a higher wattage than what my mothers using.. so 14w.

doubt she'd go for halegeon ones 'cos they wont be 'energy saving' bulbs :bang:

 

[karbineftw]

dull subject i know

Badoom doom tush? :devil:

 

[maddogmorg]

get the "daylight" energy saving bulbs. something like this Ecozone Biobulb, Energy-Saving Daylight Bulb, Bayonet Cap, 25W: Amazon.co.uk: Lighting

expensive to buy compared to standard bulbs, but the light is bright, and white! lol.

 

[Chas Uno]

Energy saving bulbs do seem to wear out and lose their intensity over time. Often this is given away by them taking longer to warm up and appearing duller than normal. Maybe try putting a new bulb in and seeing if there is a difference?

 

[x Alex x]

Badoom doom tush? :devil:

woot someone noticed lol

will take a look at the link now on amazon

tried newer ones from my gran as she gets sent them sometimes but doesn't like 'em

 

[jnoiles]

I hate these things. My girlfriends mother comes around and replaces our bulbs with them when I'm not there. In the morning they take minutes to get bright enough to see things. They're ****.

 

[Garree001]

I think they are far better than they used to be. Mine give out good light pretty much straight away. Depends what brand you have - go for the twisty Philips ones. I did this when my local Homebase had them on offer - 10p per bulb

No complaints from me. Yes they take a little while to get to full brightness if it's a cold room (maybe 20 seconds) but they do light up the room to about 80% brightness instantly.

And I think somewhere like Homebase/B&Q etc have a wide selection and I seem to recall finding one at about 18/21w once??

 

[sludgeguts]

You can buy a 20w tube which is equivalent to a 100w gls.
These days the tubes tend to be very quickstart, you notice a difference in brightness & speed to warm up as they age.

 

[MikeSalt]

The problem is that the government are pushing the wrong technology...

Compact Fluorescent Tube
Requires warm up time
Limited dimming options
Finite lifetime
Contains mercury
Not actually that compact

The government should be pushing for the latest and greatest LED emitters...

Cree XR-E Q3 neutral-white
Instant-on
Fully dimmable
Practically infinite lifetime (50,000 hours minimum - significant landfill reduction)
No mercury
Incredibly compact
Latest power-LEDs are more efficient than CFL

The problem is that the government emplys a bunch of idiots to advise on these matters. They all think that LEDs are dim, irritatingly blue-tinted bits of plastic, rather than the efficient, bright, nicely-tinted power LEDs that are at the cutting edge today.

 

[306maxi]

The problem is that the government are pushing the wrong technology...

Compact Fluorescent Tube
Requires warm up time
Limited dimming options
Finite lifetime
Contains mercury
Not actually that compact

The government should be pushing for the latest and greatest LED emitters...

Cree XR-E Q3 neutral-white
Instant-on
Fully dimmable
Practically infinite lifetime (50,000 hours minimum - significant landfill reduction)
No mercury
Incredibly compact
Latest power-LEDs are more efficient than CFL

The problem is that the government emplys a bunch of idiots to advise on these matters. They all think that LEDs are dim, irritatingly blue-tinted bits of plastic, rather than the efficient, bright, nicely-tinted power LEDs that are at the cutting edge today.

There still needs to be work done into LED lighting for the home. They're not quite ready for home use at a decent cost just yet.

 

[Mr Wild]

The ones the energy companies send out aren't meant to be particularly good luminosity wise. Do a bit of research to find a better brand, the bulbs have to warm up before they reach a decent level of brightness.

There are of course LEDs, fluorescents and halogens as alternatives.

 

[levemircento]

we have energy saver bulbs all through the house, I dont think they have a long life time, definately longer than the old bulbs but we have had quite a lot of failed ones in the last couple of years, either they dont work at all one day or they just put out a dim glow and never properly come on

if you want light on a specific thing then a spotllamp might be best, having white walls helps too

 

[sludgeguts]

Trouble with LEDs is that they don't 'throw' their light.
You get a very intense light around the LED which will translate to a glow around a room.
Great under wall units as a worktop is just within distance of even very bright LEDs, also great under floor units to mark outlines - also used in factories etc as an aid to emergency lighting where low voltage ropelights can guide the way (they flash in the direction of the nearest exit).
That said, the tech is improving all the time.