Bulbs - Old Style

[singlepentode69]

I went to buy some bulbs from are local our local wilkinson I coyly not find the old style ones so I asked one of there assistants they told me that the government has made them illegal to use and sell anymore ?? So I am obviousley breaking the law using them in the shed and house .I managed to buy the old style proper bulbs at pound land .
Robin

[Yorkie]

I went to buy some bulbs from are local our local wilkinson I coyly not find the old style ones so I asked one of there assistants they told me that the government has made them illegal to use and sell anymore ?? So I am obviousley breaking the law using them in the shed and house .I managed to buy the old style proper bulbs at pound land .
Robin

They're not illegal to use Robin - though there is a ban on selling them, but looking in Poundland, you wouldn't think so - they seem to have them openly on sale in abundance, and no doubt there are more supplies on a slow boat from China as I write! Don't know how this sits with Trading Standards? In practice, the "ban" is a tad fictitious because as we know, the bulbs are still available on the market, just marketed as "rough-service" or "shock-resistant" bulbs and maybe those are what Poundland sell?

Personally, I abhor those ghastly CFLs or whatever they call them. They take ages to come up to full brightness and are hopeless in places such as on landing, in toilets etc, where you only want the light on for a few minutes. Nor can most of them be used with dimmer switches, though in fairness, there are better versions of low energy lamps arriving on the market, and prices are falling.

This issue has been bouncing around for some years now and the official stance is:

European Union:

The initial Europe wide ban only applies to general-purpose, non-directional incandescent bulbs, so doesn’t affect any bulbs with reflective surfaces (e.g. spotlights and halogen down lighters) or special purpose bulbs including those used in devices such as household appliances, traffic lights, and infra-red lamps. The sale of the most inefficient bulbs will be phased out. The first types to go were non-clear (frosted) bulbs, which were off the market since September 2009. Also from September 2009 clear bulbs over 100W were more efficient types. This limit was moved down to lower wattages, and the efficiency levels raised by the end of 2012.
Also, the EU has given the target of 2016 to phase out halogen bulbs, and any bulb available for purchase after the 2016 date must have at least a 'B' energy rating.

United Kingdom:

The UK government announced in 2007 that incandescent bulbs would be phased out by 2011. The UK followed the EU-wide ban on 60w incandescent bulbs that came into effect on 1 September 2011; 40w and lower ratings will be phased out in 2012. In the UK a program is run by the Energy Saving Trust to identify lighting products that meet energy conservation and performance guidelines; the intent of the program is to reduce consumer concerns due to variable quality of products.

This article might be of interest:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/20...ent-europe

As far as I'm concerned, hurricanes in Brussels cause slight drizzle in Hull, and I'll continue to stock up with incandescents from Poundland as long as I'm able.

If they really want to conserve electricity, they should ban the sale of Christmas lights

[Robert Darwent]

...they should ban the sale of Christmas lights

Bah! Humbug!

(Sorry David, couldn't resist)

[Mark R]

...they should ban the sale of Christmas lights

Bah! Humbug!

(Sorry David, couldn't resist)

Welcome back Robert

cheers Mark

[pwdrive]

Or just ban the sale of christmas.

I agree them new bulbs are a pain, still if our electricty infrastructure is bulging at the seams I guess we have no choice so far as the powers that be are concerned, some of them bulbs radiate like the clappers as well.

Lawrence.

[Robert Darwent]

Welcome back Robert

Thanks Mark, been busy 'beavering' away on my latest 'round Ekco' project.

[Yorkie]

...they should ban the sale of Christmas lights

Bah! Humbug!

(Sorry David, couldn't resist)

There you go then - couldn't have worked better if I'd poked you with a cattle prod wired to the national grid

Great to see you on the forum Robert

As to Christmas Lights, the lights in Cottingham were switched on last night. I'm sure you could see the village from the moon, if not Mars! Many years ago the traders in the village raised a fund to put infrastructure in place and every year since, they and villagers stump up for the cost of the lights, the erection and removal of them, and the electricity. Quite a sight to behold.

[singlepentode69]

I will continue buying up stocks of these bulbs as I prefer a light to come on straight away not to wait for them to energise by which time you turn them off. And I need a good supply of 100w bulbs for my lamp limiter . The should have a tax on people with too many Christmas lights over there house .
Robin

[Joe]

Incandescent lamps 'waste' power as heat. The thing is it's NOT wasted as they represent so many less Watts that need to come out of your radiators &c. OK, it is wasted in summer but you don't tend to have the lights on much then any way.

This topic can get a bit heated too so let's make sure we don't get political.

- Joe

[pwdrive]

As to Christmas Lights, the lights in Cottingham were switched on last night. I'm sure you could see the village from the moon, if not Mars! Many years ago the traders in the village raised a fund to put infrastructure in place and every year since, they and villagers stump up for the cost of the lights, the erection and removal of them, and the electricity. Quite a sight to behold.

Damn light pollution..

Lawrence.