R63 bulbs - are they being phased out?

Becles

Are R63 halogen bulbs being phased out now?

My local small Tesco has stopped stocking them, and I tried a Tesco Extra and a huge Sainsburys but both were out of stock. I was in a large Asda today and they only had two boxes on the shelf so I bought both just in case!

baldelectrician

R63 are normally incandescent standard lamps (mushroom shaped)

All incandescent lamps are being phased out

You can buy compact flourescant lamps that fit these fittings (although they may stick out a bit)

Be aware that some asda ones aren't the correct size (they are slightly shorter in the stem)

Myser

Standard incandescent bulbs are being replaced by Halogen bulbs in the same form factor:

http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/product/2710/r63-42w-halogen-energy-saver-ese27/

They have a halogen lamp inside the bulb. Not the same as compact fluorescent (CFL) lamps.

A 42W halogen bulb gives the equivalent to a 60W incandescent. The halogen bulb should last longer although a little more costly than a standard incandescent. I suppose you'll make the money back with the energy efficiency and longer life!

ormus

A r63 42W halogen bulb gives the equivalent to a 60W incandescent. The halogen bulb should last twice as long although a little more costly than a standard incandescent.
toolstation have them at 1.78p each

sillygoose

ormus wrote: »

A r63 42W halogen bulb gives the equivalent to a 60W incandescent. The halogen bulb should last twice as long although a little more costly than a standard incandescent.
toolstation have them at 1.78p each

I use quite a few of these. I suppose they escape being banned as they are dubbed 'low energy' which is debatable but they are a big improvement.

The big advantage of course is they are fully dimmable where as the CFL low energy ones are not. I don't always want all my spots on full blast in my bedroom

(no thank you very much last Labour ban-it, ban-it, ban-it government :mad:)

ed110220

sillygoose wrote: »

I use quite a few of these. I suppose they escape being banned as they are dubbed 'low energy' which is debatable but they are a big improvement.

The big advantage of course is they are fully dimmable where as the CFL low energy ones are not. I don't always want all my spots on full blast in my bedroom

(no thank you very much last Labour ban-it, ban-it, ban-it government :mad:)

The least energy efficient lamps were phased out first, so these would not have been amongst those as although they are not especially energy efficient, they are not amongst the worst.

The CFL type are much more efficient and the LED replacements even more efficient again - Philips make a 7W LED R63 equivalent.

ic

What annoys me when shopping for lights, is that the older lamps are sold on their wattage, whereas newer lamps might be listed as being equivalent to an older style, or they list the lumens, or they just don't provide a comparison. My security lighting is all due replacement, and I'd like to go to LED - but is a twin spot 3W "superbright" LED going to cut it compared to the old 500W lamp I had?

Thanks Ormus on the tip-off on bulbs at Toolstation - I hadn't realised they did them and so cheap, I think I'll have to replace the remaining bulbs I have with better ones, at those prices it'll be worth it.

ormus

ive started to use toolstation more and more.
they seem even cheaper than screwfix. on almost everything.

Myser

As someone on here mentioned, the owner of Screwfix sold the chain to the Kingfisher group (that owns B&Q etc.) and started up Toolstation.

The prices are indeed cheaper and the products seem to be better quality.

ormus

i doubt that. they must buy the same/most stuff from the same chinese suppliers.

Becles

Thanks all. I didn't realise R63 was an incandescent bulb. I thought incandescent was just the "normal" light bulbs

I did notice the Asda ones are slightly shorter, which made it a bit fiddly to screw in.

I'm so confused by lightbulbs these days I'll have to investigate energy efficient replacements as we have R63's in the kitchen and both bathrooms, and R50's in my office/utility room.