[Chrisoldinho]

I'm looking to replenish my entire house with energy saving light bulbs and would like to know where the best place to order them from is.

I need to check tonight what fitment they use as I haven't replaced any in our house yet since moving in but i'm keen to save money in the long term.

One thing I definately want is those smaller ones though because I don't like the big ones that stick out of the light shade.

Anywhere reputable and cheap to get say a pack of 20 of them?

[loz]

Originally Posted by Chrisoldinho

I'm looking to replenish my entire house with energy saving light bulbs and would like to know where the best place to order them from is.

I need to check tonight what fitment they use as I haven't replaced any in our house yet since moving in but i'm keen to save money in the long term.

One thing I definately want is those smaller ones though because I don't like the big ones that stick out of the light shade.

Anywhere reputable and cheap to get say a pack of 20 of them?

TLC are always a good bet.
Here's an index of all the different types of energy saving bulbs
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...dex/index.html

[johntheexpat]

I would suggest having just a couple at first, to make sure you are OK with the quality of light they give off. If one thing has been made very clear in this Forum it's that some people really can't live with energy efficient lights, and oh boy do they let us know!

[zmoosa1]

Originally Posted by johntheexpat

I would suggest having just a couple at first, to make sure you are OK with the quality of light they give off. If one thing has been made very clear in this Forum it's that some people really can't live with energy efficient lights, and oh boy do they let us know!

Agree entirely. We only use the enery efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where the we're under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

[Phil57]

Originally Posted by zmoosa1

Agree entirely. We only use the enery efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where the we're under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

............in English, please!!

[robh2002]

Originally Posted by zmoosa1

Agree entirely. We only use the enery efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where the we're under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

...can't help with a translation of the above, but I would recommend you buy Philips bulbs (John Lewis - often has great prices on these). I have been through many bulbs manufacturers (Ikea, Morrisons, GE ones from B&Q) and without doubt the Philips ones are the best I have seen.They come on instantly and achieve good brightness to start. GE ones seem to have a short delay and seem very dim to start with.

I have tried a Philips halogen replacement, but I wasn't particularly impressed with that - and went for Luxeon LED based GU10s instead.

Hope that's of some help...

[loz]

Also, remember that most energy saving bulbs do not dim. You need to buy special dimmable bulbs.

[andykn]

Originally Posted by loz

Also, remember that most energy saving bulbs do not dim. You need to buy special dimmable bulbs.

And they don't dim as well as incandescent bulbs. The ones I have only go to about half intensity with my standard dimmer switch. I believe that more modern dimmer switchaes have an internal adjustment that may give a better range.

[Bruce_]

I have yet to see a "replacement" CFL that works well enough to be called dimmable. There are some that claim to be dimmable, but the performance is terrible.

If you need dimmable, then don't use replacement lamps. Not let anyway. Perhaps in another year or two, there might be something.

With these replacement lamps, they don't need to be dimmed as the light output is so poor anyway. For most of them.

And be careful with them. The mercury issue still scares the hell out of people. Just don't ever break one inside your house (I must ring and ask my insurance company one day, and see what they will cover if that ever happened)

[Bruce_]

Just been to Homebase. They are selling Philips 11W Genie CFL for 49p each. All the other varieties of lamps were several quid, so presumably 49p is a loss-leader. Seems to be very good value.

As expected, the light output of the 11W isn't great. Supposed to be 60W-replacement, but I'm sure they're not even as good as a 40W. But it's good enough for general use.

[Blu Ray]

Originally Posted by zmoosa1

Agree entirely. We only use the enery efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where the we're under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

I reckon:

Agree entirely. We only use the energy efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where we're not under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

Wasn't too difficult.

[ad47uk]

Originally Posted by Blu Ray

I reckon:

Agree entirely. We only use the energy efficient bulbs in the hallway, bathroom and bedrooms where we're not under the light for too long! Living room, kitchen/ diner are all standard bulbs.

Wasn't too difficult.

I have a low energy Day light bulb in the living room. It was a bit expensive compared to other bulbs, but it is a good bulb and if it last for ten years then it is worth the money.

Low energy in other rooms I am not sure about, It is not worth having a daylight bulb in any other room and at a Tenner a shot I certainly will not buy another.

I did at one time replaced every single light in the house with low energy bulbs, but after 6 months took them all out again.

Low energy bulbs are fine in places where they are left on for a while as long as you can cope with the light. But on stairs, in halls and also in the bathrom I think they are a waste of time due to the warm up time.

If people want to use them by all means use them, but I don't think they save a lot of money in energy costs.

[nvingo]

I was going to start a similar query in a new thread, but it seems appropriate to add it here.

My son has a bedside lamp which when purchased had an energy-saver bulb fitted.
I have searched the shelves at Tesco, Asda, B&Q, QD and Woolworths (to start) and online at Screwfix and Ebay, with only Ebay yielding any chance of supplying a replacement bulb. Now I could try my local independant electrical supplier, but am wary of their prices.

The thing is, I was under the impression that new-build houses, to gain energy-efficiency certification, had to have light fitments that couldn't accept conventional filament bulbs, ie. to not be bayonet (BC) or screw (SC) bulb holders.
That leaves the 2pin and 4pin plastic plugin holders for flourescent-only bulbs, which is the type in my son's lamp - the removed bulb was a "Philips 10w 4p".
So where does the occupant of new-build energy-certified properties go to replace damaged, failed or alternative brightness bulbs, without replacing the bulb holder and compromising certification ? (I cannot change the lamp bulbholder, it is part of the lamp base.)

[Bruce_]

I saw some when I was at Homebase last week. image links to the web page

they had 4 pin lamps too, which I think is what you need.

You should be able to get them from any electrical wholesaler. 4 pin is usually for dimmable fittings.

you can get them online. just google for "10W 4 pin fluorescent lamp"

http://www.thelightbulbshop.co.uk/Sh...rescent-Lamps/

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by Bruce_

I saw some when I was at Homebase last week. image links to the web page

they had 4 pin lamps too, which I think is what you need.

Thanks, there are Homebase in my two neighbouring towns, will take a visit (when car working).

Oh, on your other link, it is equivalent to the Osram D/E, is that the 4-pin type you saw in Homebase (not shown on their website, hence the image of the 2-pin type) ?

[ad47uk]

They now building houses with ways of forcing people to use these pesky bulbs? Glad I live in a old house with normal bulb holders. Maybe I better get a few bulb holders in storage just in case this stupid country get some idea to ban the things, just like they ant to do with normal bulbs.


Nanny state again

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by ad47uk

They now building houses with ways of forcing people to use these pesky bulbs?

Well I have that impression from somewhere but cannot remember whether it was verified.
In the case of the lamp I have, it is to do with heat/safety as the lampshade is too small to safely house a filament bulb.

[Epicurus]

I'm using some energy savers but I am also not a big fan of the light they produce, so I'm stockpiling standard bulbs before they stop making them!

[IAN P]

Originally Posted by Epicurus

I'm using some energy savers but I am also not a big fan of the light they produce, so I'm stockpiling standard bulbs before they stop making them!

They're supposed to be dim for a few minutes,then they're as bright as normal bulbs.

A 60W energy bulb is just as bright as a normal 100w when it's had time to warm up.

[ad47uk]

Originally Posted by nvingo

Well I have that impression from somewhere but cannot remember whether it was verified.
In the case of the lamp I have, it is to do with heat/safety as the lampshade is too small to safely house a filament bulb.

i know someone who had a look at a new house last year and every room had some sort of energy saving light in, mainly the ones that look like a grill element. His wife said if they had the house they would have to go. they did not buy it in the end, instead they have got a lovely old black and white cottage.

It won't surprise me if some silly law comes out to say that certainl sockets have to be fitted.

[ad47uk]

Originally Posted by Epicurus

I'm using some energy savers but I am also not a big fan of the light they produce, so I'm stockpiling standard bulbs before they stop making them!

Same here, I have now got around 30x100watt bulbs and 50x60watt bulbs.
I will buy another 4 boxes of 100watt bulbs, they have 6 in a box, that should then be enough to last until I am not on this earth, I will keep buying a box of 6 60 watts every months until the stupid rules come in that will stop me buying them.

Next year I think that is coming in.

[JagoPlasma]

Originally Posted by ad47uk

They now building houses with ways of forcing people to use these pesky bulbs? Glad I live in a old house with normal bulb holders. Maybe I better get a few bulb holders in storage just in case this stupid country get some idea to ban the things, just like they ant to do with normal bulbs.


Nanny state again

sorry but i think your taking the **** a bit there mate.

its movements like that, that brings progress.

remember we used to live in a world where we didnt have 3 pin plug sockets, saftey valves etc

without making them compulsory they would of never got off the ground and lots of people would of died.

pity the government cant get off there arse and make other things compulsory like % of wind farms/renewable energy used per city..... then again i guess they would upset you then lose your vote.

i hate to say it as i really do hate the man now, but maybe Mr Brown is onto something by ignoring the general population if your oppinion matches theirs.


back on topic, yea energy saving bulbs arent as good as the old bulbs, and tbh i dont even notice if they are saving me money on my leccy bill. all i know is ive had the same bulbs for over 5 years now and ive not replaced one. (and in the previous 2 years all my old bulbs went and i replaced them with the new ones)

so now i havent got to worry about keeping spares as they only go when you need a **** and you are half asleep and dont know where your other bulbs are

[ad47uk]

Originally Posted by JagoPlasma

sorry but i think your taking the **** a bit there mate.

its movements like that, that brings progress.

It depends what you call progress.

remember we used to live in a world where we didnt have 3 pin plug sockets, saftey valves etc

without making them compulsory they would of never got off the ground and lots of people would of died.

Those are different, they save lives, forcing people into having low energy bulbs are not going to save lives, even if you do believe that our energy use is causing climate change. It is not the little people that are the problem, it is big companies that waste by keeping lights and monitors on for now reason at all.

pity the government cant get off there arse and make other things compulsory like % of wind farms/renewable energy used per city..... then again i guess they would upset you then lose your vote.

they never had my vote to start with, so they can't lose it.

back on topic, yea energy saving bulbs arent as good as the old bulbs, and tbh i dont even notice if they are saving me money on my leccy bill. all i know is ive had the same bulbs for over 5 years now and ive not replaced one. (and in the previous 2 years all my old bulbs went and i replaced them with the new ones)

so now i havent got to worry about keeping spares as they only go when you need a **** and you are half asleep and dont know where your other bulbs are

I have bulbs here that was here before I moved in and that was about 9 years ago, still working fine. the only bulbs that did blow was in the sitting room and I found out that was due to a faulty socket, which have now been replaced. that socket now houses the only low energy bulb I use. A daylight bulb. I have a silly strip light in the kitchen, which I would love to replace and something they call a 2d bulb in the bathroom, which will be replaced.

The one time when I did put low energy all around the house, I found that a bulb that is suppose to last for years lasted a couple of months.

after that I took them all out and went back to normal bulbs apart from the sitting room.

[Nic Rhodes]

I need some GU10 LED eplacements that are bright, the ones I have been testing are too low an output. Anyone have any recommendations? Luxeon? They need to replace 50w units.

[robh2002]

Tricky one. I use 3W Luxeons, but they do not have anywhere near the brightness of a 50W halogen...I'd say around 15-20W equivalent light output max. The sellers I used is kyman_ledtex.

I believe there are 5W versions out there on ebay, but I cannot see any at the moment. There are a few other 3W GU10 sellers saying that their light is equivalent to 40 or 50W - personally, I'm VERY sceptical.

I've gone from 5x50W halogen in the bathroom (with the halogens blowing all the time) to 4x3W Luxeons and 1x50W halogen and that, I find, is a very good compromise.

Hope that's of some help.

[klr10]

Personally hate the light these things produce, but after having been burgled twice I have 4 of them around the outside of the house connected to a dusk sensor. I've since seen them with built in dusk sensors... 8 watts each - perfect!

[robh2002]

...Perhaps I should have said, there are two versions (that I know of) one is cool white and the other is warm white - the later is pretty close to that of a halogen bulb...and certainly close enough for me! The cool white certainly has a hint of blue about it - fine for some applications I suppose.

[Nic Rhodes]

rob, do you think the Luxeons are the brightest?

What about these?:

http://www.litebulbs.co.uk/product/2...ight-bulb.aspx

or

http://www.lamps2udirect.com/pages/f...GU10-LED/67106

or


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GU10-3W-LED-LU...742.m153.l1262

[robh2002]

Nic,
As far as I can see the two 5W Luxeons will be the brightest. They should produce around 180 lumens but a 20W halogen might produce over 250 lumens, so they are certainly not a replacement for a 50W.

I did read somewhere that a 3W luxeon produces around 120 lumen (scales correctly with the 5W). Given the cost of the 5W, I'd go for the 3W and by two (£20) - save money and get more light.

I should say I have not yet tried a 5W. Despite the fact that they will eventually pay for themselves, but I still struggle with paying £25 for a bulb!

Rob

[paul1967]

Do people realise that they might cause migrane's and headace's through the flashing of the light bulb when in use.