Energy Saving GU10 lightbulbs

[rox0r]

Point well made and taken. Indeed, the better quality bulbs are not so readily available over the counter, retail or trade. Larger DIY stores like B&Q now stock the 'Luxeon' type bulbs but afaik only in 'white'. It's exactly this that puts people off LED bulbs thinking that they only come in harsh white.

[AGTDenton]

I had to replace all my energy saving bulbs with normal ones again. The energy saving ones I've had, have a green tint to the light and just gave people headache's. They dont give a natural light at all. I'm testing 1 halogen at the moment which is miles better than the energy saving ones.

Bulbs are expensive in B&Q and even supermarkets, they are cheaper online even after the P&P.

[Zak33]

I'm all for saving money... I love it

But when a bulb takes that long to work I get bored/angry/lost in the dark

I'm sticking with normal 35W beasts for as long as I can.

Ditto in other light fittings.

I save so much money elsewhere and energy simultaneously that I only use energy saving bulbs in places that

A) stay on a long time
B) I don't need instant light

example... energy saving bulb into my bedroom... went in to get a jumper from the wardrobe (heating was down to save heat/money/energy)... blummin bulb took so long to warm up I couldn't see into my own wardrobe for 30 seconds


result: bulb replaced with normal 60w job that switched on in a split second, flooded the room with light and off again once I'd gone downstairs.

I'm getting old... I know I am.. but I need to SEE when I switch a bulb on... I need to see NOW please .. not in 40 seconds

[TooNice]

^ I like my room bright (60W incandescent won't do). Well, maybe it's not so much a case of like, but since I study a lot in it, it needs to be or I would want to sleep / ruin my eyes. The reason I like those energy savers is because those 28-33W are BRIGHT - more than 100 incandescent.

Frankly, they are bright enough quickly. The instant I switch on the switch, it's far brighter than 35W incandescent (I won't be tripping on any cable). In less than 5 seconds it's brighter than 60W bulb. Within 10 seconds (maybe less), you don't want to be looking at it.

40 seconds sound an awful long time. I remember my FIRST energy saving bulb (bought around 15 years ago) taking that long to light up. But none of the cheapies I've been picking up on Ebay in the last few years took that long. Downside is that they last long, but not nearly as much as claimed.

[Tumble]

Zak hit the nail on the head there though - lights that are on for a long time like a porch light perhaps. CFLs and standard fluorescents use about as much energy to start up as they do over the next half hour of usage, so you're only really saving money if the light's been on for more than 30 minutes.

[Butuz]

It's a shame the LED type are sooooo expensive as I'd like to replace the 50w (x12) I have with 5w LED but at something stupid like £20 per bulb I'll be dead by the time they pay for themelves let alone make a profit.

I'd love to be eco-green but can't afford it!



Butuz

[mmh]

Zak hit the nail on the head there though - lights that are on for a long time like a porch light perhaps. CFLs and standard fluorescents use about as much energy to start up as they do over the next half hour of usage, so you're only really saving money if the light's been on for more than 30 minutes.

MYTH... BUSTED...

http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/m...NAFJT87HQ72U9S

a fluorescent bulb which takes the longest amount of time to startup uses more energy at startup, but ONLY equivalent to 23 seconds of energy of it being on continuous.