Source for low wattage "Daylight" CFL bulbs

[aesmith]

Hi,

Most of our light fittings use normal BC bulbs, and have been fitted with a variety of CFLs in most cases, ranging from 5W to 15 or 20W. On one of the recently changed fittings I fitted a "Daylight" lamp, and now all the warm white ones look dingy and yellow in my eyes. It also seems a lot brighter than other 11W lamps. Looking at this lamp it's branded TCP and

So I'd like to change our utility type areas over to daylight colour temp where possible.

Any suggestions for the best value supplier, particularly for the lower wattages? It seems that many only have Daylight versions of the higher powers. I also I have discovered that some of the CFL lamps sold are pretty crap, hence looking for supplier or brand recommendations as well as googling.

Thanks, Tony S

 

[footprints]

My wifes hobby lamp is a Daylight brand link to bulbs here.

https://uk.daylightcompany.com/category/bulbs-tubes/

I do wonder though if using these type of bulbs all the time might be harmful to your eyes. They might have more UV than a "normal" bulb be interested if anyone knows anything on this score.

 

[Gutterball]

Have you considered LED's http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs.html

 

[Steve]

I don't think daylight lamps are harmful to your health. The reason they aren't very popular is because they are very harsh for domestic use. Many shops now use them, particularly convenience stores run by non-British people. They are also very popular on the continent everywhere in shops.

The main use for daylight lamps in the home is those daft "SAD" lights which cost a fortune but are effectively just a daylight fluorescent lamp - no fancy tech! Don't believe the hype. LEDs won't give the same colour rendering as fluorescents - the technology isn't quite there yet. The only LED lamps that are any good at the moment are warm and cool white - and even then you are dependant on the brand.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks for the comments/suggestions. We have LED in the kitchen, originally replacing power hungry GU10s, at first I wasn't as keen on the colder light but now I prefer it. The kitchen is currently 5600K LEDs and bathroom is 4000K fluorescent, and I want something similar in the adjacent hallway and some other utility areas. Living rooms and bedrooms suit the warmer light.

Not sure about the UV, don't you have to have special quartz glass to even transmit it?

On another note and from my schoolboy physics, isn't a colder higher frequency light more efficient in a fluorescent lamp, since the actual discharge produces UV, then the fluorescent coating drops the frequency down to visible light - with the difference going as heat.

Tony S

 

[ericmark]

LEDs won't give the same colour rendering as fluorescents - the technology isn't quite there yet. The only LED lamps that are any good at the moment are warm and cool white - and even then you are dependant on the brand.

I was surprised with hobby of photography colour is very important. Take a CD and angle it to the light and it will show with florescent bands of colour but with LED a smooth transition between colours and it is very evident that the LED is leagues ahead of florescent in colour rendering.

Clearly there is a difference make to make but in general LED wins hands down over florescent.

 

[SimonH2]

I've recently purchased one of these specifically to go in an Anglepoise for reading (I'm of an age where the right light is more important). Very impressed with it, so I've just ordered a 25W one for another light.

But I note your comment about not doing low powers, these only go down to 11W if you pick an ES version.

I would also consider dimmable LEDs. With a Varilight dimmer they do seem quite impressive - though I was disappointed that they don't actually dim down to that low a level !