Re: Do good energy-saving bulbs exist?

["Jon Wilkins" <jonpdwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

It's blatent protifeering by the retailers if you ask me.  Any
co-incidence
they're doing it at a time when they despirately need *some* money coming
into their tills?

With horror I noticed yesterday that I only have 4 100w bulbs in my spares
stock.  For 3 rooms with dimmers.  I can see some enterprising soul located
outside UK & probably EU will soon be shipping crate loads of the
things to
the UK.

I'd complain to my MP except that http://www.writetothem.com/ shows he
rarely bothers to visit or vote or say anything or I guess do anything else
except take the space of someone else who might care.

Now I've got that out of my system a little, back to CFLs...

I had high hopes for the Govena FlexDigit DIMM (available at screwfix and
apparently also B&Q).  Only yesterday I was saying on the AH forum how
good
the light was.  However, only yesterday, 2hrs after fitting it, it went
"phut".  Stunk like something electrical on the PCB had died. 
I'm going to
take it back to Screwfix, who doubtless will laugh and say "we dont
give
replacement bulbs when they blow" despite the fact that I'll point out
the
packaging says "16000 h Lifetime*" (more on the * in a moment)
and it laste=
d
last than 2 h.  The *... well the small print on the box says
"assuming tha=
t
the bulb is used no longer than 2.7 h/day".

So... it seems that even the manufacturers don't believe CFLs should be
use=
d
in rooms that are lit for more than 2.7 h/ day.  This means, especially at
this time of year, that CFLs are not suitable for rooms such as:
- Kitchen
- Dining room (if you're having a 3 course meal)
- Living room / TV room

What's the beneficial point if you can only put CFLs in rooms that are used
very little?

As others have said, good idea, but holding on till LEDs are ready would
make more sense.  But of course the retailers want to cause a rush &
panic
buying of incandenscents *now* (plus probably on/off light switches to
replace dimmer switches); then "house loads" of CFLs before they
go out of
fashion when LEDs are ready.

More constructively, we recenlty bought some "compact"
incandescents.  I
think they were GE ... smaller glass envelope and supposedly more efficient
bulb  ... so I think it's 28 w as an equivalent to 40w etc,.  I've not seen
anything higher which is a shame because I'd have thought a, say, 80w as
equivalent output to a traditional 100w would be almost as much an
improvement for the environment as a nasty mercury filled CFL.  And being
smaller than their traditional cousins they need less glass, less volume
&
weight to transport.
But probably no improved margin for the retailer though.


2009/1/11 Peter and Jane <pandj.munnoch@xxxxxxx>

>   Hi Mal
> You ain't seen nothin' until you try a B+Q dimmable cfl.
> I have installed a Lutron scene setting lighting system in our new
build.
> Dining area light is an incandescent bulb. I dutifully replaced it
with t=
he
> B+Q offering (=A310 for 1 bulb!). As the Lutron ramped up the bulb
lurche=
d
> into a sort of knackered fluorescent mode with standing wave patterns
in =
the
> tube, and as further light was demanded, it flashed through a sickly
seri=
es
> of pale shimmering states until it arrived at a ghostly white pale
glow t=
hat
> took minutes to build.
> How am I saving the planet with this expensive mercury containing heap
of
> junk? This house is as environmentally conscious as I could afford
(heat
> pump, heat recovery ventilation, rainwater harvesting, high level of
> recycled newsprint insulation etc etc.) but these low energy lamps are
> ridiculous. I have lots of cfls and lots of leds (in both cases
because y=
ou
> need several to replace the light output of one proper lamp). It is
reall=
y
> not right to discontinue the old technology before the replacement
> technology is ready.
> I too would appreciate any leads to decent, cost effective low energy
> lamps, including dimmable leds and instant cfls that don't cost more
to b=
uy
> than they will ever save in energy consumption!
> Rgds
> Peter
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mal Lansell
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx <ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:40 AM
> Subject: [ukha_d] Do good energy-saving bulbs exist?
>
> A bulb blew yesterday, and after treking round the town I found that
> no-one is selling 100W bulbs anymore. I knew they were going to be
> banned, but I didn't think they would disappear this soon!
>
> I tried a Phillips energy-saving "equivalent", but it was so
dim as to
> be hardly worth switching on (maybe thats how they save energy). I
> don't understand why companies lie about how bright their lamps are -
> all it does is make everyone think the products are crap.
>
> Before I place an order online for a giant box of traditional bulbs,
> does anyone know of a brand of energy-saving bulb that do actually
live
> up to their brightness claims, and that produce a pleasant colour
light
> rather than some cold grey glow?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mal
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>=20=20
>


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