bulbs old and new

Norman_Castle

All my bulbs are low energy and I find them bright enough. Low energy bulbs made to look like old style bulbs, such as candle bulbs are quite dim due to the plastic covers.

spud17

I've found that the 'warn up' time varies according to the manufacturer,

As to

They are becomming expensive now that the energy company freebies and supermarket offers are drying up.

I'd suggest the opposite, they are now less expensive, when they first appeared they were (guess) £5 each?

I also don't use them where the light is only ever on for a short time.

I've also laid in a stock of 40w screw fitting ones for my electric garage door opener. There's posh!

Viper_7

They contain mercury and yes should be left well alone if broken for a good 15 minutes.
Gloves should be warn when handling the debris, and they should be put into a sealed bag. This must not be disacarded in grey bins but sent to your local waste/recycling centre.

Also don't use a vacuum to clear up the smaller debris - use a damp cloth instead and this should also be discarded.


As for them taking an age to warm up or are dim, spend more than 99p on them and you'll find they are instant. Many can also be used with Dimmer switches - just check the labeling.

It's only the cheap jobbies that are slow - but I have one of these in the bathroom - as I prefer not to have bright light first thing in the morning - the 1-2 min warm up is perfect!

They will save you a lot of money if you use them, and also much more environmentally friendly all around.

ShaunJUK

I think the warm up time helps my eyes adjust to the light when I wake up in the morning

HoofeHearted

These low energy bulbs are like fluorescent tubes. They have a special disposal point at the local dump because they contain nasty mecury. Also in September 2011, normal 60w bulbs will become illegal, so stock up now!!!

debitcardmayhem

T.F.S.B.I.G.W.S. wrote: »

I don't know if this is the right place for this question but I have heard that the green bulbs (which almost everyone uses these days) contain harmful gas and that, if one of these bulbs is dropped and breaks, people should leave the room. Sounds a bit over the top to me! Anyone know?

Unfortunately they are not the only things that can be dropped and you have to evacuate the room, on the other hand I now keep my comb in my back pocket with a piece of stiff paper wrapped on it, thus it acts as an early warning device in the event of me doing a silent/deadly one.

As an aside why when they take your temperature in the NHS they either use a probe in the ear hole, or if its an old fashioned mercury thermometer they stick it in the other hole, kills two room fulls at one go.

spenderdave

Long thread on this issue at http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/10/can-we-have-our-regular-old-light-bulbs-back-now/

Basically it is true that CFLs contain mercury and other nasties, but in reality the quantities are miniscule and the health hazards way over done.

The overall savings are not as great as the green lobby make out, once you have taken the manufacturing costs into account - CFLs contain quite complicated electronics and it must use a lot of energy to make them. And as the article points out the rated life is only if you leave them on all the time, and drops enormously if turned on and off. I use a few in places where lights are on all the time, but places like the little room I use normal tungsten lamps, and they never fail.. (the energy saving with a CFL would be insignificant when you only use it for a minute at a time).

It is interesting that to get people to use them they have to start selling them at 10p each, much less than the manufacturing cost.

Norman_Castle

the rated life is only if you leave them on all the time, and drops enormously if turned on and off. I use a few in places where lights are on all the time, but places like the little room I use normal tungsten lamps, and they never fail..

I've had an ikea low energy bulb in my bathroom for over five years, no problems with being switched on and off.

It is interesting that to get people to use them they have to start selling them at 10p each, much less than the manufacturing cost.

Most households have been given a box of free bulbs, as these have a long life there is a limited demand for replacements. The low price is subsedised to meet global emission targets.

Norman_Castle

They contain mercury and yes should be left well alone if broken for a good 15 minutes.
Gloves should be warn when handling the debris, and they should be put into a sealed bag. This must not be disacarded in grey bins but sent to your local waste/recycling centre.

Oh dear! I broke one recently while fitting it. After breaking it I left it close to my head for about an hour while messing with the light fitting. Since then it has sat in the hallway, unbagged, in the heading for the tip pile.

olias

You will therefore definately die...................of old age.

Olias