Genealogy Forum UK

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:45 am**

Thanks for the tip Sue, will make sure I buy Osram or Phillips, won't be me taking the energy saving ones to the recycling centre, I will probably expire before the bulbs do. :lol:

Linell.

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:03 am**

asda got the energy saving bulbs in for 10p and 40p

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:13 am**

I am an electronics engineer and lifetime geek so I tend to read a few technical articles.

But I have discussed the pros and cons so many times about these bublbs that some of the figures stick in my head.

I would have to google to find a comparison for 100w or 15w globes though.

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:15 am**

there more humming and arring than enough about them mark but there are withdrawing the tungsten filiment ones so you got no option

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:46 am**

linell wrote:Thanks for the tip Sue, will make sure I buy Osram or Phillips, won't be me taking the energy saving ones to the recycling centre, I will probably expire before the bulbs do. Linell.

I can't say for sure that all the cheap ones are rubish, but we bourght some of the cheap halogen ones to replace our incandescent ones, and they didn't last more than about 10% of the time the manufactureres claim, and they made a very annoying high frequency noise too! Then one of the respected test magazines tested various makes, and they didn't rate the cheap ones at all! We've had the osram ones since last year with no problems!

Megaman are also supposed to be good. I know here a lot of eletrical shops have a small suitcase full of the different types of energy saving bulbs that you can borrow, so you can try them and see which is best for you, before you buy. The manufatureres try to play down the importance of colour, but it's so important especially in kitchens and dining rooms!

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:22 pm**

MarkCDodd wrote:There has always been a vaiation in light output for a given wattage of incandescent as well!

The material and thickness of the element determine the lumens (that is the measure of brightness) produced.

But if you go by the average of the hundreds tested by the Australian government then the most common incandescent light bulb used, the 60W, produces an average of 720lm.

To get the same from a CFL (Compact Flourescent Lamp), after hundreds were tested, you only need between 11-12 watts!

That is a huge difference in power to get the average output.

Some manfucaturers put the lumens output on thier packaging.

This may become compulsory in Australia.

CFL also come in different shades to mimic different light sources.

If you want to have the same sort of lighting as the "pearl" incandescent the you get "Warm White".

Most offices will use "Cool White" which is what tube flourescents produce.

The "Daylight" shade is designed to mimic noon sunlight.

You have much more choice than we do, maybe if we had that choice, and quality, we'd be more prepared to change, but the talk you hear from the Brits is accurate, the new lights we get are nothing like as good as yours seem to be. Either that or your old incandescants weren't as good as ours. :grin:

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:45 pm**

Does anyone else think, like me, that you need a degree in electronics when you go to buy light bulbs these days? What a choice! I walked out of B&Q last weeek, I just couldn't find what I wanted, despite there being aisles full of them!

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:02 pm**

Try buying a toothbrush :shock:

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:15 pm**

MarkCDodd wrote:Try buying a toothbrush

Is that difficult?

Posted: **Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:54 pm**

snoopysue wrote:
MarkCDodd wrote:Try buying a toothbrush

Is that difficult?

Tis if you have a family of five all with different likes and dislikes! And just when you find a brand and type that suits then they change the style :shock: