Re: Re: Dimmable CFLs and UK government ban

[Chris Hunter <cjhunter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I must have lost the thread, or something ... I have vague
recollections of having noted, while at the show, the memory feature,
but I forget which particular stand / equipment it was on !   A clue
would be welcome !!

Chris



On 24 Mar 2007, at 18:17, rb_ziggy wrote:

> I've just come back from the Housebuilding & Renovating Show /
> Smarthome.  These units were on display and I had quite a long talk
> with the gent who, I think is the MD and developer.
>
> These are really much much better than anything I've seen before.  The
> 20w dimmable unit is brighter and whiter (well no surprise on the
> second point) than a 100w bulb - its too bright to look at undimmed.
>
> Dimming seems to work very well down to very low levels and they have
> intelligence built into one version in that you can set the level and
> it remembers next time its switched on.
>
> I noticed a slight lag when turned on initially.  Otherwise good.
>
> As said below, only in bayonet and screw at the launch but they aim to
> do a GU10 in 6 months.  But... I don't think it will a straight switch
> into existing fittings.  I think he was saying it would be a complete
> unit that would fit into a ceiling hole etc and would be fully sealed
> (new building regs perhaps???)
>
> For me - definitely something to watch out for.  Nice to see an
> innovative, quality product.
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>>
>> These look v interesting but they only seem to come in bayonet or
>> screw
>> fitting (e22, B27) rather than GU10 or similar.  This makes sense
as
>>
> they
>
>> look closer in dimensions to a standard bulb but much too long to
>> fit in
>> many downlighters.
>>
>>
>>
>> My current plan is to have "main lights" on a switch
using CFLs of
>>
> one sort
>
>> and then "aux lights" on a dimmer.  I'd like these to be
low-energy
>>
> but as
>
>> someone mentioned it doesn't look like CFL is the right technology
>>
> and maybe
>
>> superbright LEDs are, but not yet.
>>
>>
>>
>>> So can we get back to the point of slagging off CFLs now ...
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Both CFLs and LEDs need to be developed if they are to replace
>> GU10 type
>> fittings.  I cannot see them introducing a ban until there is a
GU10
>>
> type
>
>> replacement.  Given the variation in dimming technologies for CFLs
I
>>
> hope
>
>> that low-energy GU10 replacements will work with standard trailing
>> edge
>> dimmers.and two wires . but to be on the safe side I'll probably
>> install
>> 3-core + earth cable.
>>
>>
>>
>> FWIW there seems to be a ban in Australia coming up, anyone know
>>
> what C-bus
>
>> are doing in this area?  As it is their home market they should be
>>
> ahead of
>
>> the europeans.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> One of the things that has put me off CFLs is that early on it
was
>>> recommended not to switch them on and off frequently since
this
>>> drastically reduced their life. But none of the greenie sites
ever
>>> seem to mention this, so it's not clear to me whether this
problem
>>> has  been fixed or merely swept under the carpet on the basis
>>> that it's
>>> better to leave 25% of the energy consumption on all the time
than
>>> light it 25% less.
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> It would be good to have an answer to that one . sounds like a
>>
> problem for
>
>> Which? Or similar to look into.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jon
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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