Banned Bulbs - Alternative options

[Mark Grant]

Received this in an email today, looks a good idea to get around the banned bulbs problem.

The compact fluorescents do look crap in some fittings so this is a good idea to get some real filament light.

http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/BELL-G9-Adaptors

You buy an adapter that takes a halogen capsule lamp:
http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/G9-Adaptors

then a fancy screw on top to cover it up:
http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/Covers

Sort of a DIY decorative bulb :)

Apparently even 60 watt bulbs are phased out from September this year.

http://www.ryness.co.uk/topic/48-banned-light-bulbs.aspx
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[Reid Malenfant]

Neat idea ;) I have stocked up on 40W golf ball lamps for my Lava lamp :eyebrows: They'll be the next to go & i'm sure i read somewhere that they will..

You try running a Lava lamp on a CFL :D You just know it aint gonna work as they need heat :rolleyes:

[Mark Grant]

40W and 25W phased out 1st September 2012 :(

The future looks dull with yellowy CFL lights:(

[anthonyTD]

Hi mark,
sorry to hijack this thread,:) i would like to warn people about the new low energy bulb failings, the missus called me yesterday as she couldnt turn off an upstairs light, every time she tried the light would flicker and buzz! turns out it was the bulb!!! i changed it for a traditional filament bulb and all was well.
just a warning that when these bulbs fail they do so in strange ways due to the way they work and of course the extra electronics they carry in their base.
be safe, resist from leaving them on when your not at home to monitor them!
Anthony,TD...

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi mark,
sorry to hijack this thread,:) i would like to warn people about the new low energy bulb failings, the missus called me yesterday as she couldnt turn off an upstairs light, every time she tried the light would flicker and buzz! turns out it was the bulb!!! i changed it for a traditional filament bulb and all was well.
just a warning that when these bulbs fail they do so in strange ways due to the way they work and of course the extra electronics they carry in their base.
be safe, resist from leaving them on when your not at home to monitor them!
Anthony,TD...
Yes, good point Anthony :) I have seen a few failure modes, some noisy & quite spectacular (& possibly dangerous) & others that threaten to be while others can be innocuous..

Worst one was where the SMPS blew up & took part of the tube with it :eek: Mercury vapour in the atmosphere is no fun..

Besides which how many people actually take these things down to the local dump to be disposed of properly? To far for me to cycle that's for sure :rolleyes: What am i meant to do, hire a taxi :scratch: :D

[Alex_UK]

Yes, good point Barry :)

Who's Barry? ;)

I never even knew this was happening! :(

[Reid Malenfant]

:doh: Cheers for the heads up Alex :o

[Alex_UK]

:lol:

[Effem]

Last year I fitted as many CFL bulbs in the house as I could and at least 50% have gone kaput. So much for a working life of 10,000+ hours :ner:

Wouldn't be quite such a bitter pill to swallow if the old leccy bill went down a tad but I haven't noticed any real reduction.

Worst failure was a pair I put in the cooker hood; the first failed after 4 months and the second went just over a week later with a huge bang and sprayed glass shards all over the cooker.

I have a dimmer switch in the dining room so I paid a good wedge of money for a dimmable CFL bulb. From a cold switch on, it produces as much light as a candle, then immediately goes dimmer and then around 10 minutes to produce any viable light to see by. I hate the bloody thing :steam:

Somewhat loathe to fit any more of these bastid things, I found some neat little bulbs that have a halogen bulb INSIDE a "conventional" bulb shaped glass. Low-ish energy consumption, a nice bright white light and no waiting 20 minutes to warm up :)

[Tim]

Blimey, lots of things seem to go bang in Chez Effem's :scratch:

[Reid Malenfant]

Worst failure was a pair I put in the cooker hood; the first failed after 4 months and the second went just over a week later with a huge bang and sprayed glass shards all over the cooker.

I should imagine a cooker hood gets warmer than most of the air in a house, it's no surprise they didn't last long :( I have noticed that as long as the in built electronic ballast is by the side of the tube or below it with the tubes at the top it'll last much longer :) Or should i say the SMPS will so the tube works for much longer :eyebrows:

Thing is they are cheap as f**k so it's no surprise they last less time at an elevated ambient temperature :rolleyes:

[aquapiranha]

I don't see what the problem is with the new bulbs. I bought bloody loads of them from tesco at 8p and 10p each! I have replaced every bulb I can, they do not take the quoted 20 minutes to warm up and not one of them has failed! Plus, I would like to see anyone prove they adversely affect the sound of a hifi under 'blind' conditions! :lol:

[Alex_UK]

I would like to see anyone prove they adversely affect the sound of a hifi under 'blind' conditions! :lol:

Actually, Steve, you can buy the exact same 8p ones in a nice box with an extra bright blue LED and a twizzly knob - guaranteed to IMPROVE the sound of your hifi, and they're only £195 each! I'll be making them soon - shall I put you down for one? :lol:

[anthonyTD]

I don't see what the problem is with the new bulbs. I bought bloody loads of them from tesco at 8p and 10p each! I have replaced every bulb I can, they do not take the quoted 20 minutes to warm up and not one of them has failed! Plus, I would like to see anyone prove they adversely affect the sound of a hifi under 'blind' conditions! :lol:

We await the outcome.:eek::lol:
Seriously though, my advice is' keep a couple of regular 40, 60, watt bulbs at home, just incase, get them while you still can.
Anthony,TD...
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[Barry]

I don't see what the problem is with the new bulbs. I bought bloody loads of them from tesco at 8p and 10p each! I have replaced every bulb I can, they do not take the quoted 20 minutes to warm up and not one of them has failed! Plus, I would like to see anyone prove they adversely affect the sound of a hifi under 'blind' conditions! :lol:

I agree - and I too bought up loads from Tesco whilst they were Philips brand and made in Hungary or Germany. Now Tesco sell these items 'Made in China', and when it comes to the mains, I do not trust anything that's made in China.

Mind you, the Belkin PK40 mains conditioner is made in China, but designed in the US. No problems so far, but in my experience Chinese-built items are far from reliable.

Regarding the bulbs taking a long time to reach full brightness: 2 minutes is the longest time that one of the 100w (equivalent) bulbs takes. And as to the colour temperature - well that's down to the phosphor lining of the tube.

[anthonyTD]

As Mark has already sugested, heat seems to be one of the main reasons for their failings!
unfortunetly most house's use these bulbs in the worst position ever, facing downwards so all the heat is concentrated up over the base of the bulb where all the components of the SMPS [switch mode power supply] are!:(
Anthony.

[Barry]

As Mark has already sugested, heat seems to be one of the main reasons for their failings!
unfortunately most house's use these bulbs in the worst position ever, facing downwards so all the heat is concentrated up over the base of the bulb where all the components of the SMPS [switch mode power supply] are!:(
Anthony.

True, but the only bulb of mine that developed a problem (a very slight flicker), was a bulb used upright in a table lamp.

[Tim]

I replaced all mine over a year ago, all still going strong and I have 2 that have been going for over 5 years now, 1 of these is in the lounge and is on every single night I am in, that one sits upright :scratch:

[aquapiranha]

how long before RA or someone launches an adapter to go between bulb and holder claiming it reduces the 'noise' these bulbs add to the mains. You heard it here first!

[Barry]

how long before RA or someone launches an adapter to go between bulb and holder claiming it reduces the 'noise' these bulbs add to the mains. You heard it here first!

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa - I have one of these bulbs plugged into the distribution board that feeds my audio gear!

No wonder everything sounds better in the dark. :scratch:

[anthonyTD]

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa - I have one of these bulbs plugged into the distribution board that feeds my audio gear!

No wonder everything sounds better in the dark. :scratch:
:lolsign:

[Effem]

Blimey, lots of things seem to go bang in Chez Effem's :scratch:

I think the leccy in Cornwall must have a left hand thread or summat :D

[Techno Commander]

Those little flourescents are full of mercury vapour, just as dangerous as filament lamps.

Loads of traditional lamps available on ebay. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-X-OPAL-60W-LIGHT-BULBS-GLS-B22-BC-BAYONET-CAP-240V-/380096496028?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&hash=item587f84419c)

[Reid Malenfant]

Those little flourescents are full of mercury vapour, just as dangerous as filament lamps.
Actually they aren't, they are full of Krypton or Argon gas, it's the phosphors that are on the inside of the tube that contain the Mercury ;)

The tubes work because the gas gives off UV radiation (UVC to be precise) & this excites the phosphors which makes them produce light that you can see :)

[Jonboy]

low energy bulbs are ridiculously expensive in France and smoke alarms for some reason as well, a bit of trivia for you

[Techno Commander]

it's the phosphors that are on the inside of the tube that contain the Mercury :)

Close enough. :lol::lol:

[goraman]

CFL bulbs are ok I have been using them for years now but not as good as LED bulbs that don't contain Mercury in the base and they last for years and years but they are expensive.
So you guys laughed when I said I heard they where banning pressure cookers (ridicules)
and there banning light bulbs and this seems reasonable?
Next they will be banning disposable underwear.