Very dim bulbs for wall lights?

Doozergirl

I have four very pretty wall lights in my living room but I never use them as we don't have a dimmer switch just yet and they are far too bright. With two bulbs in each fitting, they are very bright indeed! They take screw in, candle style bulbs.

I'm wondering, does anyone know where I can get very dim, just for atmosphere
bulbs at a reasonable price? I think I've seen flickering ones in the past somewhere, almost like candle flames, but I'm not really sure.

Does anyone know what I'm looking for (lol!) because I'm not entirely sure!

debbie42

Flickering candle like this?
http://www.gbbulbs.co.uk/acatalog/Flicker_Flame_candle.html

That could annoy the hell out of me!

I'd have thought a low wattage bulb might be preferable, but it's a personal taste thing. Have you tried a 25W bulb, for effect?

edit: you can also get pygmy light bulbs in 15W, depending on your fitting types. Like oven/fridge lamps. Something else to consider?

lagi

Have wall lights in my front room, originally i would turn off the main light and put one of them on in the evening and it was just as bright as the main one.

I too have gone for the low voltage lighting, nice and dim now.

SplanK

is it not possible to fit a dimmer switch instead of a normal switch - that way you have full control over how much light to put out

Doozergirl

debbie42 wrote: »

Flickering candle like this?
http://www.gbbulbs.co.uk/acatalog/Flicker_Flame_candle.html

That could annoy the hell out of me!

I'd have thought a low wattage bulb might be preferable, but it's a personal taste thing. Have you tried a 25W bulb, for effect?

edit: you can also get pygmy light bulbs in 15W, depending on your fitting types. Like oven/fridge lamps. Something else to consider?

Ah, they do exist! I like the light I get from our lamps so really don't need anything in addition to what we have, except that it seems ridiculous that I've spent money on the wall lights and never use them!

How dim is 25w? I think I've got 40w in them now and they're way, way too bright. What is a pygmy bulb? My lightbulbs of of the larger, screw variety!

Doozergirl

SplanK wrote: »

is it not possible to fit a dimmer switch instead of a normal switch - that way you have full control over how much light to put out

We could but I'm thinking it will cost more to have dimmers installed for the sake of always having them on low all the time anyway.

Doozergirl

lagi wrote: »

Have wall lights in my front room, originally i would turn off the main light and put one of them on in the evening and it was just as bright as the main one.

I too have gone for the low voltage lighting, nice and dim now.

How low voltage exactly

lagi

Just had a look, they are 7W supalite ones. If i remember correctly i bought 2 lots as they were quite cheap at the time. They are candle shaped and the first ones were too bright. These are much better.

I would have fitted a dimmer probably, but these are wired direct with pull cords on each light, so have no choice at the moment. But its handy to be able to switch each one independantly.

just looked that up for you, 7w = 25w

kittykat500

In dear old Lidl I bought a dimmer switch that you can plug in to a socket and then plug the appliance into it to make any light a dimmed light - doesn't work so great with halogen of course! Like this:

http://price-less.co.uk/priceless/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=116

I use it when my children want a night light, so I'm not kept awake!

dougk_2

You can buy 3w energy saving candle bulbs. They are therefore equiv. to around 15 to 20w I think and are pretty dim.

I have seen 5w ones in the supermarkets , but 3w are available from say ebay eg
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3W-SBS-Candle-Energy-Saving-Lamp_W0QQitemZ300249998990QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Light_Bulbs?hash=item300249998990&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

They tend to be a bit bigger than traditional bulbs so you might want to get one to try first - maybe get a 5w one from asda/morrisons

(there are also two sizes aof scre in threads - these are the smaller ones)

debbie42

The pygmy lights are the tiny ones that fit in a fridge or oven. They have the thicker screw thread. Maplins did have two for a pound a few weeks back.