General Chat

Maggie, you jest of course!!

More seriously though, we are not alone in facing another potential problem. Our lounge and dining room have matching fittings that take small bayonet cap bulbs. We also followed the manufacturer's advice and fitted dimmer switches in line with saving energy. Looks like we will be faced with scrapping 2 lovely, and hideeously expensive light fittings as it seems small bayonet cap energy saving bulbs that will actually fit will not be available. So much for carbon footprint credentials.

All of this current debacle is down to the whims of a bunch of cardboard Hitlers in Brussels. Our MEP's should unite to take action on our behalf.

Steve, for goodness sake - don't get that lather on the bathroom floor!!
You won't be able to see it in the dim light shed by the energy saving light bulb and may slip!

That's a thought, if we are forced to buy these poxy bulbs that will probably save as much power as one MP uses in unecessary air flights, and we get injured through lack of light - can we sue those who forced us to use them?

I have energy saving bulbs in my newish build flat, they though have an unusal four pin fitting, they do though work more like standard bulbs and give out a decent amount of light. Developer said they basically had to fit so many by law, but why not do the whole lot and secondly any benfits lost by the place having a ridculous number of GU10's which unless you get the energy saving verision of them are less eco-friendly than an old style light bulb.

I am shocked the government can dicatate these things, I think its wrong to force people to buy a product they don't get on with. The older energy saving light bulbs were pretty dull, but I grew up with them as my dad figured out the savings that could be made over a decade ago. I am glad they have got better but there still not to same.

In the light fittings that the developer left as normal byonett fittings I put in some Osram 70w = 100w Halogen energy saving bulbs, not as eco-friendly as some other types avalible but they are pretty bright immediatley, and as you save 30% on energy I guess they meet the governments regulations, I actually put them in and realised they might be a bit too bright, but if you don't get on with the normal energy saving ones they might be worth a try, espically as they don't seem to need a warm up time (welll they go from very bright to very, very bright considering they are the equivlent to 100w). Also they are not too pricey and I got them from sainsburys as they had no filiment bulbs left and the light shades I have dicated I need bulb shaped light bulbs. So basically I am using energy saving bulbs but not going the whole hogg, espically as I don't get on with normal energy saving ones for reading/using the computer. Might be worth a try for anyone who doesn't get on with the standard energy saving bulbs.

I suppose when health & safety get on board.
People will have to wear a bunny suit, cover shoes & a face mask. when changing a light bulb!!!?

Stevie "standing on soap box" getting in a lather.

*shoves soap box onto thread for Steve* lol!!

I didn't know about the mercury!!... And blinking heck... my hubby makes me go out of the room when he is vacuuming.... and I was banished to the conservatory when he went up the loft earlier today..... he'll be demented if he knows we should be evacuating a room for a while when a long life (Hah!!) bulb blows, lol. I can just see him removing them all, lol!!

Love

Daff xxxx

Whatever happened to consumer power? Supply & demand?

If we the consumer want 100W bulbs, surely its in manufactures interst to make them. Tesco & the likes have always been going on supplying to needs of the consumer.

Or is this another edict of the nanny state? Who think they always know best.

Steve (looking for a soap box)

The cut-off date for manufacture is September, but lots of people have been buying them recently so some shelves are bare. I use one in the bathroom in our annexe - it's on the ground floor with small windows, north-facing, and I can't abide dim light in bathrooms!

I am not happy about this and hope I can stock up as I need the brightness in some areas of my house, and also don't like the energy saving ones, the look is awful and the light they give out is not sufficient to see well.
There are some you can use with dimmer switches but they are more expensive.

I wonder how much this latest dim idea will cost the government in nhs costs to look after all the people who fall because they cannot see well enough on the stairs etc.

Lizx

So much for choice!!!
I too hate the energy saving bulbs - apart from the mercury, being unable to dispose of them and the awful light they give off - I heard on Radio 4 yesterday that they can also cause migraines - I have very few fittings where they will fit, as I have 'enclosed' lighs ie with a glass bowl or similar to cover the bulb - which will make energy savers even more dull!!

What I can't understand is, if my (old) lampshade says 40 watt maximum, is that what I have to use with the energy savers? If so, my bathroom will be a death trap!

I suppose if they can't be used with dimmer switches, the same applies to 'touch' lamps.

I think the government should be sent a dictionary with the words DEMOCRACY and DICTATORSHIP highlighted, so they can remind themselves which one they claim to be and which one they are behaving like!

Stephen has made a very good point. We have a steadily growing heap of dead energy saving bulbs, they don't seem to last all that much longer, that we cannot legally put in the black wheelie. Asked our Environmental Services how to dispose of them, they didn't know.

There was a bit on Breakfast TV that if an energy saving bulb is broken the room must be evacuated for at least 15 minutes!!

Our house is full of the things, except where we have dimmer switches. Am just off to buy myself a safety suit.

the energy saving bulbs also contain mercury.....Not exactly environmentaly friendly!!

I did see somewhere about energy saving lights for dimmer switches and they were about £15 would you believe.

I have an energy saving bulb in the wall light above my chair but also have to have another lamp on beside me to read - can't help thinking that doubling up isn't saving energy!!

Of course people with poor sight need brighter light for health and safety reasons.

Anybody know if they are intending to phase out spot light bulbs??

I MAY be wrong here, but I believe that if the dimmer is set to full blast then these lo energy lamps will work , however they may NOT dim but go out completely?

Bob

Treehunter, you may be right... my dimmer lights/switches have been in for just under two years now, so things may well have changed!!

Love

Daff xxxx

I did hear on the tv one morning that there going to do one. That was this time last year. So maybe they not going to do it.

Pain as my daughter has dimmers in each room. so will have to put normal ones back

I did hear that they stopping the old bulbs.

but as you say people who have sight people like my mum did, new ones not going to be any good.

MIL needs a good (100watt) light in the loo because she has only sight in one eye and poor sight in the other due to a car accident.

A low energy would be no use either because she in in and out of there frequently in the mornings due to her water tablet and wouldn't remember to leave the light on because of her memory loss after a couple of strokes.

I have been frantically trying, without much success, to get some 100w bulbs as I use them in my rather dark hallway. The rest of my home I have lamps 40 or 60 which are soft toned. I detest these energy savers, think the light is cold and depressing and I do wish folks would stop sending me them, willy nilly, because I am OLD!! lol I need a more cheerful brighter light becvause I am OLD!

pssst ...anyone got any 100w to sell?

lol BC XX

I'm not sure Treehunter, but I think I remember reading somewhere that the energy saving bulbs don't work in dimmer lights.... stuck in my mind as we had just put them up in lounge and bedroom, lol!

I use 60 watt or 40 watt almost everywhere, with that combination I can get the brightness/cosiness I need... where I need a stronger light I have a craft lamp thingy, which is pretty good, and I scatter a couple of lamps with clear 60's in them. I have energy savers in hall, landing, loo, and ceiling lights of the other three bedrooms.

They are not very good for reading, no matter how high the wattage, are they?

Love

Daff xxxx

trying to get a energy bulb to go in light so can use a dimmer, any one know where can get one please.

I dont use big light have lumps on as more relaxing and looks warmer.

only have 60w

I have one in my bedroom. Room is north facing & 100w gives me the required light. Don't like halogen bulbs - hard on the eyes.
I know Tescos & I think M &S will be phasing out sales of 100w bulbs this month.
So I'll be stocking up on Friday shop.

Steve