energy saving light bulbs

[delboybully]

I know this is a bit like distrubing a hornets nest but i need an answer

I find that energy saving bulbs are useless. They are not bright enough and take too long to warm up. I dont want to sit in dim light until they get to maximum brightness and even then they are not bright enough (the energy savers in my garden lights say they take 30min to get to 60% of maximum brightness). They are a complete waste of time in a hallway (by the time they getting even a little brighter i have reached the other end) and even worse in a toilet (I am a man and again by the time i have finished peeing and have left the room they are only just getting going), the alternative to this is to leave them on all the time. I have solved this problem by using low voltage spots in both rooms. I have moved away from pendants in all my downstairs rooms so i dont need to worry about not enough light there.

The problem i have is in my bedrooms. Is there a viable alternative to energy savers or will i have to look into putting 2 pendants in the bedrooms to get enough light

I know i am going to hear about the environment blah blah, and cost blah blah. I am prepared to pay the extra it costs to run normal bulbs or even 2 energy savers and i dont buy all this environment stuff (call me a heretic but thats what i believe).

I heard about a company in Germany that was selling incandescent bulbs as heaters and i went to order some but it appears the German government has stopped this to check the 'heaters' are safe. I cant see any of the european governments letting the bulbs being sold again.

I have put LED's in my kitchen under the cupboards, but they are way too expensive to buy to light my bedrooms with.

Anyone come to a solution to the dim lights from energy savers!

 

[AndyPRK]

As you say they are a waste of time in the toilet as they are rarely on long enough to save money and a pain if dim.

Some brands of energy savers start better/brigher than others, so I may be worth trying a different brand. Also you could try getting a brighter bulb. Therefore when they first start it might be actually bright enough to see something.

But the best solution is just to buy some proper bulbs (for where they aren't on for very long). I'm sure you can still get them somewhere.

 

[pjcomp]

Instead of the compact fluorescents you could look for the halogen incandescents - cost a lot but at least they work straight away and thy're bright. The "ordinary" incandescents can still be found but the retail business seems to have gone CFL-mad. Try an electrical wholesaler for the "old" style lamps.

The LED bulb-shaped lamps are a lot better now - I've seen them as good as incandescent but they still cost about £15 each (or should that be ouch).

PJ

 

[333rocky333]

You can still get normal shape bulbs, its only the tungsten filaments that were phased out, theres nearly always an equivalent halogen type to fit .

 

[Steve]

LEDs, as mentioned above, are a lot better now than they used to be. The lamps are a bit pricey, but they will last even longer than CFLs. IMO they are worth the investment. My mum splashed out £110 on 6 LED downlighters in her bathroom. It is very bright (and instant) and the total energy consumption is 18 watts.

 

[delboybully]

I have a small stockpile of normal incandescants bulbs, i was just thinking ahead to when i cant get them anymore

Halgoen incandescants is it when i run out.

Bloody energy savers

 

[DeadJoe]

I can't see the problem, to be honest. We have an energy saving bulb in our bathroom/toilet and it's plenty bright enough from the second it is switched on.

 

[RF Lighting]

I hate CFLs. They take forever to come on, they are never as bright as theyre supposed to be and worst of all, the light they produce is absoloutly horrible

The halogen energy saving lamps are just fine though. They come on straight away, they're nice and bright, and dimmable too, just like normal light bulbs.

 

[londonboy]

I hate CFLs. They take forever to come on, they are never as bright as theyre supposed to be and worst of all, the light they produce is absoloutly horrible

The halogen energy saving lamps are just fine though. They come on straight away, they're nice and bright, and dimmable too, just like normal light bulbs.

Do they give out more heat than standard bulbs? I thought about using these previously but had visions of seeing my light fittings dripping from the flex

 

[Chri5]

Put 6 x GU10 'style 6w LED's in the kitchen last week.

The light is better than it was, but the offset is the light colour, It is very white.

Anything near the lights such as a cornice fitting above the wall units is a light sodium yellow due to being too close to the lamp (18" or so for 1 unit).

I've kept the boxes and the receipt because at £22 each the things had better come within 50% of the claimed life expectancy

 

[mointainwalker]

@chri5

I've kept the boxes and the receipt because at £22 each the things had better come within 50% of the claimed life expectancy

But won't the wording be such that this is a guideline or estimate for a large sample rather than any one item thus making it impossible to claim ?

 

[ajrobb]

Rant:

I have never understood this law. OK, a naked tungsten filament bulb is somewhat less efficient than a naked quartz halogen bulb, but halogens must be shielded from my sight as they produce a concentrated light that is uncomfortable to look at. Thus, all savings tend to be lost because of diffuse lighting installations. Typically, I would need 200W of diffuse halogen lighting to replace a 100W tungsten pendant. As for reliability, I've tried two halogen pendant fittings, each built-in power supply lasted about 2 years. Halogen bulb life is also very poor (I know not to touch them).

I find energy-saving CFLs are useful if left on constantly but I need twice as many (power) as the makers claim. Tungsten bulbs work well for demand lighting and produce a comforting warm glow.

 

[RossR]

Quartz halogen aren't considered energy efficient by the law makers in europe.

A lot of retailers are pushing halogen as a solution for dimmable energy saving, but they aren't nearly efficient enough for Part L compliance.

 

[dbaplaya]

Philips 3w gu10 come recommended. Put 60 in around the house. Elec bill is very low now.

 

[Chri5]

Philips 3w gu10 come recommended. Put 60 in around the house. Elec bill is very low now.

And the quality of light is suitable for reading the small ads ??