Energy Saving bulbs

[Henryv]

Warm greetings,
I am new to this section of the forum.
I decided to look at using energy saving bulbs.
I have 7 outside lights, which are expensive to run.
So I buy bulbs from Tesco.
I noticed on the box strange signs with lines through showing what you cannot do.
No wording.
One seems to be saying you can't use with a timer?
ditto with dimmer? switches?
Another has a bulb and a picture of the sun!?
Another a picture of the moon!? All with lines through.
Another with a bulb and 10,000H. With line through it?
Another thing about enclosed fixtures with a line through?

What can you use them for??
All my outside shades are enclosed.
I thought they were cooler in use than standard bulbs?
I have 100w halogens at the moment.

Why all the restrictions?

Henry.

 

[Steve]

Fluorescent lamps draw more current on startup. This can damage the delicate contacts on some electronic timers. Normal fluorescent lamps cannot be dimmed. Your bulb has a 10,000 hour life. Your bulb is a little longer than normal ones, so may not fit in enclosed housings. It is also not as tolerant of high temperatures (but does not create as high temperatures as your old lamps)

 

[big-all]

you are supposed to protect from extremes of cold/ heat mines work fine outside have done for several years

not to ne used with electronic timers mines work fine with a mechanical timer

you can get dimmer freindly l/e bulbs or was it l/e freindly dimmers cant remember

 

[Henryv]

Most grateful!!


Henry.

 

[st07]

Expanding on the timer question, why would an electronic timer differ in any way to a mechanical one? Surely they both activate the circuit by means of a relay? Why would the relay in an electronic timer be less able to switch inductive loads?

 

[AMEdinburgh]

We've had one of the night sensor low voltage lamps in an enclosed glass and metal fitting at the corner of our building and it has lasted about eight years so far, despite being subjected to some cold Edinburgh winters. Not in direct sunlight tho'

 

[JACKC]

mechanical timers don't use relays but sets of high current rated mechanical contacts. Electronic timers use relays that are not capable of high loads.

 

[Spark123]

Expanding on the timer question, why would an electronic timer differ in any way to a mechanical one? Surely they both activate the circuit by means of a relay? Why would the relay in an electronic timer be less able to switch inductive loads?

Think it is referring to the type of timer which is a direct replacement for a light switch which doesn't have a neutral and relies on the circuit through the lamp to drive the timer electronics.
If the timer has its own neutral supply or one of the convertors fitted then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[JohnD]

in my own house, I use CFLs on electronic timers and/or photocells, have been doing it for >10 years and I've only had one go wrong, and it might have been a different cause, I don't know. They are so cheap to run that I intend to keep doing it.

If one does fail early, I won't complain to the manufacturers. (I imagine they are just trying to protect themselves in case one does go wrong)

I also use then outside in frosty weather (in enclosed lanterns). It doesn't matter to me if they're slow to warm up when cold, because the lantern itself warms to a comfortable temperaure from the lamp after 10 mins or so. And the outside ones are on photocells so i'm not switching then on and off for short periods.