Brussels pulls plug on old light bulbs

[empip]

...Traditional light bulbs have only two years of life left after a Brussels summit declared yesterday that they will be phased out in the battle against climate change.
Energy efficient lights replace incandescent bulbs
The old-style incandescent filament bulbs will be replaced by more energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)...

Good thing... But I smell a rip coming on !!

My CFL's best light output I have found thus far Osram Dulux EL 20 Watt energy savers .. Not pretty but WTF !

Just checked
19 Watt
Volt.Amp 30.1
Power Factor 0.63

11 Watt
Volt.Amp 18.3
Power Factor 0.60

So, for example, I am paying for 19 Watts but using 30.1 VA .. When this type of lighting is the standard I guess the energy producer will require an increase in charges to compensate for the lower Power factor? New meters all around, or an averaged, to the advantage of whom? Tariff adjustment.

 

[bernardgreen]

I hope the policy is not a total ban as it will incur a number of problems

More important there are places where low energy lamps are totally un-suitable for prupose.

Security floodlighting for example where the slow warm up to full brightness is un-acceptable. This could result in the lights being left permanently on instead of turning on only when motion is detected.

To me this seems like another knee jerk reaction that will have more adverse results than benefits.

 

[JonB]

Another slight problem I have been told about by NTL is that the NTL remote controls can be affected by the bulbs.
JonB

 

[bernardgreen]

Another slight problem I have been told about by NTL is that the NTL remote controls can be affected by the bulbs.
JonB

Just a minor problem of non compliance with all the EMC ( interference ) requirements ignored when it suits one to ignore it.

 

[Richardp]

They'll probably discover later down the line that these new light bulbs, destroy great swath's of rainforest's in there manufacture or give off nasty gases that kill the brain cells of micro organisms.

 

[Steve]

bernard, I agree with what you're saying re. the security lighting. I think perhaps many people will change to sodium or mercury lighting on a photocell.

11w floodlights are an alternative, and as they use even less energy, they too can be left on constantly. I'm thinking of fitting a few of these myself (notified under part p of course lol)

 

[empip]

Oz iz there az iz Cuba...
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=38161&in_page_id=34

 

[Job_n_knock]

Everyone is talking about "light bulbs" being banned. "sighs" I wont go into the "an onion is a bulb" argument when talking about lamps but Floodlights are best when instantaneous at switch on...when you probably need them to be. So....is it possible that Halogen lamps could still be allowed, if so.... security lamps are saved after all

 

[rommy]

Best get shares in these manufacturing companies.

 

[bernardgreen]

So....is it possible that Halogen lamps could still be allowed, if so.... security lamps are saved after all

I doubt the policy setters will have time to consider that in this knee jerk reaction.

They blinkered to the aim and ignore all possible difficulties that will follow when the aim has been achieved.

The hand gun ban fro example. Before the ban all those with a fetish for guns were able to indulge in safe controlled activity under supervision in registered gun clubs. Their guns were under lock and key at a safe location in the care of a sensible approved person. When the gun clubs were closed down the fetish did not dsappear and those with the gun fetish are now active with illegal guns. Active without supervision and because they are criminals they are easy targets for blackmail and other pressures.

The design of the policy for control of incandescent will have the same lack of forethought.

 

[Richardp]

Best get shares in these manufacturing companies.

all the politicians probably brought them before the public were told

 

[empip]

Everyone is talking about "light bulbs" being banned. "sighs" I wont go into the "an onion is a bulb" argument when talking about lamps but Floodlights are best when instantaneous at switch on...when you probably need them to be. So....is it possible that Halogen lamps could still be allowed, if so.... security lamps are saved after all

Now now.. From the dictionary..

wont adj.
1. Accustomed or used: "The poor man is wont to complain that this is a cold world" Henry David Thoreau.
2. Likely: chaotic as holidays are wont to be.
n.
Customary practice; usage. See Synonyms at habit.

No mention of replacing 'will not' But I guess we all use the term.

Whereas...

bulb n.
1. Botany
a. A short, modified, underground stem surrounded by usually fleshy modified leaves that contain stored food for the shoot within: an onion bulb; a tulip bulb.
b. A similar underground stem or root, such as a corm, rhizome, or tuber.
c. A plant that grows from a bulb.
2. A rounded projection or part: the bulb of a syringe.
3. An incandescent lamp or its glass housing.
4. Anatomy A rounded dilation or expansion of a canal, vessel, or organ.

Closer to 'lamp' than 'wont' is to 'will not' ... But then won't is ok.

 

[Adam_151]

So, for example, I am paying for 19 Watts but using 30.1 VA .. When this type of lighting is the standard I guess the energy producer will require an increase in charges to compensate for the lower Power factor? New meters all around, or an averaged, to the advantage of whom? Tariff adjustment.

You are paying for 19Watts and using 19watts, you are not using 30.1 VA because some of that is power that only 'appears' to exist , they'll still charge you for it if you are an industrial customer though, they are billed using Va rather that watts because 19w at a lousy power factor is much more inefficent to transport than 19w at unity due to increased transmission loses, with a house it is currenly assumed that we don't have any large enough usage at lousy pf to justify metering in Va, however thats not to say it won't ever change.

I do wonder why they don't make those lamps (talking about 19w ones here, some principle for others, but numbers are different) with a microfarad or so of capactance or so across the input terminals that would knock the pf back towards unity and kill the 'my landing light cfl is flickering' issue dead, economics I assume

They'll probably discover later down the line that these new light bulbs, destroy great swath's of rainforest's in there manufacture or give off nasty gases that kill the brain cells of micro organisms

Some of the materials used in them are pretty un-green when they end up in the landfill...

 

[oilman]

I don't think you are paying for VA or Wh unless you have a new type meter. My understanding is the older mechanical meters register It, or just I, and the V is assumed.

 

[Adam_151]

I don't think you are paying for VA or Wh unless you have a new type meter. My understanding is the older mechanical meters register It, or just I, and the V is assumed.

If that was the case then you'd be paying by KVAh just with some extra gains or loses due to supply voltage variation...

No, a traditional domestic mechanical meter measures Kwh, it has both a voltage and a current coil (if it just measured current then there'd be no reason to take a neutal connection to it*) I presume the newer electronic models also measure Kwh as I don't beleive they meter any domestic supplies in anything but true power yet (however I'd not be suprised if they could due KVAh as well with only a software change, or even merely changing a setting)

*OOI, the reason the neutral connection is looped through the meter, is to make it harder to stop the meter by dropping the neutral