Simple survey. Please tell me the HIGHEST price you would be willing to pay for a standard energy saving light bulb. You can use these prices for guidance if you want: $0.25 $0.50 $0.75 $1.00 $1.25 $1.50 $1.75 $2.00 $2.25 …
Tag Archive: bulb
Pointers for Choosing Wisely in the New Lighting … – Energy Circle
CFL energy efficient light bulb Remember the Olden Days, when the world was in black and white, and there were only a handful of light bulb types in the store? Those were also the days of extremely inefficient lighting… that …
Halogen Bulbs
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Hate Energy Saving Light Bulbs? Heres A Bright Idea..
When it was announced in January last year that the European Union was banning incandescent light bulbs – the ones we’ve traditionally been used to – a lot of people in Britain were hopping mad (please note I resisted the temptation to say ‘incandescent with rage’). They didn’t like those new fangled compact fluorescent (CFL) energy saving light bulbs, not least because it was someone in Brussels trying to shove them down our throats, screw them in place and light up our mouths with them! (Not literally of course). But for one thing, they come in funny shapes that stick out of the top of lamp shades, and they don’t shine as brightly as proper light bulbs, and they have to warm up before they get to full brightness – surely that’s a step in the wrong direction!
All this fuss led to a light bulb buying frenzy, with people stocking up on traditional light bulbs, and the Daily Mail newspaper even giving away 25,000 incandescent light bulbs to its readers! But despite all this commotion, energy saving light bulbs were here to stay, so thank goodness someone took up the challenge to make them better! Witnessing the outrage felt by the people of Britain at being force fed oddly shaped bulbs (not literally), the nice people at Ledon had a bright idea, a light bulb moment you might say (groan). And so they set out to replace the CFL energy saving light bulbs with something better, which is why they created… fanfare moment… the LED light bulb.
Not only are Ledon LED bulbs shaped like, well, like light bulbs, they whack out their full brightness the instant they are switched on – so at least we are back to where we started! But then there’s a whole bunch of other reasons to think LED bulbs are the bees knees. They are far more efficient than long life incandescent bulbs, at least 85 per cent more in fact. You can expect an average lifespan of 25,000 hours for LED light bulbs. That means that with typical usage your LED light bulb could have a lifespan of 25 years! It would last nearly three years without ever turning it off, if you are so inclined, although switching it on and off does nothing to shorten the lifespan of this amazing bulb. They also use five times less energy than the old bulbs!
LED light bulbs are also much more efficient than those CFL energy saving light bulbs everyone hates. While a CFL bulb might last 8-15 times longer than an incandescent bulb, its lifespan will be significantly shortened if it is switched on and off regularly. In comparison, an LED bulb can be switched on and off as often as you like, and it will still last 20 times as long as a traditional bulb. CFL bulbs contain mercury, which is bad for us and makes disposal more difficult, but LED light bulbs contain nothing but goodness and light, errr, probably. OK, the science part isn’t important, but they certainly don’t have anything nasty in them, and you won’t have to worry about disposal anyway because they will probably last longer than you do. Light quality is as good as traditional incandescent bulbs, and there are no health issues associated with LED bulbs, unlike CFLs which have been known to cause adverse affects on people with epilepsy, migraine sufferers, people with lupus and even autism. So the basic message is this – the only bright thing to do is get LED light bulbs in your home.
Shining the light on energy saving light bulbs – the top 10 questions
Following on from Energy Saving Week, which took place from 19 – 25 October, we thought that it was about time someone tackled those myths about lighting – so here are our top 10 questions about energy saving light bulbs and those dirty incandescent ones.
1. Aren’t energy saving bulbs much dimmer than traditional ones?
Whilst Energy Saving light bulbs once had a reputation for being dim this is now outdated. Most modern varieties – produced by household brands – are just as bright as traditional bulbs and give an equally ‘warm’ light.
2. Aren’t energy saving light bulbs full of mercury and other toxins?
A standard energy saving light bulb contains 3 to 4 milligrams of mercury- whilst a standard thermometer contains at least 100 times more mercury! Indeed, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs states that the amount of mercury in lamps is less than the mercury that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere by coal-fire power generation to produce the energy used by an incandescent lamp.
3. Why has my local supermarket stopped selling traditional light bulbs?
From 1st September 2009, retailers in the UK were no longer allowed to buy traditional 100MW tungsten bulbs from their suppliers- they can however, still sell them until their supplies run out. Other wattage of bulbs will be phased out in a similar manner by 2012. Whilst many retailers chose to stockpile their traditional light bulbs, it is possible that some of the smaller retailers near you will run out of stocks quicker as they’ll have more limited storage in their shop.
4. How much would I save by using energy saving light bulbs? Aren’t they more expensive to begin with?
Again, they used to be, but nowadays you’ll find them competitively priced with the traditional bulbs. In fact, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that not only will they last longer, but you save around £2.50 a year per bulb in energy bills – so you’ll save around a total of £65 in energy and replacement costs over the lifetime of each bulb.
5. Is this banning the sale of traditional bulbs (yet another) thing that the EU is forcing on us?
Whilst there is an EU-wide directive covering the sale of traditional bulbs, the UK also has its own voluntary agreement with major retailers which actually goes further – stopping the sale of traditional bulbs a year earlier than the rest of the EU. The UK has also, uniquely in Europe, committed itself to cuts in carbon emissions outside any international treaty. Restricting the sales of traditional bulbs is regarded as being the “low hanging fruit” of the fight against climate change as it’s an easy, cost-positive way of cutting carbon quickly.
6. Don’t energy saving light bulbs need time to warm up?
Again, this is something that energy savings bulbs have got a bad reputation for but now, it’s undeserved. A modern energy saving bulb will only take one or two seconds to reach full brilliance, which is barely noticeable in your day-to-day life.
7. Can you recycle energy saving bulbs?
Yes you can! Under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, anywhere that sells energy saving light bulbs has to provide information on where they can be recycled. Many of the larger retailers will even take them away for you.
8. Aren’t energy saving light bulbs a danger to your health? I’ve heard they can cause migraines?
Some people have concerns that energy saving bulbs pose a risk to human health. Some of the most common concerns are:
Migraines: Many migraine support groups have raised this issue as a concern, the Department of Health is funding research into the matter.
Epilepsy: Many people fear than energy saving bulbs can cause epilepsy. However, Epilepsy Action says: “Epilepsy Action is not aware of any evidence that low energy light bulbs can directly trigger epileptic seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy”
Skin concerns: The Health Protection Agency state that open (single envelope) CFLs should not be used where people are closer than 30 cm to 1 ft to the bare light bulb for over 1 hour a day. At these distances CFLs might emit Ultra Violet (UV) light at a level less than equivalent to being outside on a sunny summer’s day. As of September 2009 as a result of EU legislation, all energy saving light bulbs emit a safe amount of UV light so pose no cancer risk.
9. I have lots of dimmer switches in my home – can I use energy saving light bulbs? What about Bayonet and Cap fittings –I’m not sure I like those weird-looking ones?
Traditionally, energy saving light bulbs have not been available for dimmer switch lights and were exclusively available in the “weird” design. However, as a result of recent innovations, energy saving dimmer switch lights are starting to become more widely available. Why not search for them online?
Likewise, energy saving bulbs are now available in both Cap and bayonet fittings in a range of designs –including “lookalikes” which are exactly like traditional designs. The Energy Saving trust has a comprehensive guide to the different energy saving light bulbs on their website.
10. Is it more energy-efficient to keep energy saving lights on all the time, or should I turn them on and off as needed?
Turning a light on uses about the same amount of energy as keeping one on for two minutes –so it’ll be more efficient to turn them off as you leave the room if you know you’re not coming back for a short while.
So that’s it! The phasing out of incandescent light bulbs is a really positive step for you and the environment. With the economy going through such a tough time, who wants to spend their hard-earned cash on something as boring as keeping the lights on! Now you know all the facts, get some energy saving light bulbs for your home and treat yourself with the money you’ve saved.
Climate change, energy saving light bulbs and the Daily Mail
The modern florescent lamp was first conceived by Peter Cooper Hewitt in the late 1890s and they were initially used for large industrial buildings and photographic studios.
This technology was later applied in the first commercially practical compact florescent light bulb (CFL) designed by George Inman and the General Electric Company. Although this development was designed over 70 years ago it was the forerunner to the modern CFL invented by Ed Hammer and General Electric in response to the 1973 oil crisis. Although a successful design, the invention wasn’t manufactured due to the expensive costs of production and the potential investment needed. The design was subsequently leaked and copied by other leading manufacturers leading to a gradual increase in usage and continued improvements.
Due to the rising cost of electricity in both the UK and the US many households and business, keen to reduce costs, have switched there lighting to CFL bulbs as they are on average 10 times more efficient. CFLs also help to reduce carbon emissions leading to a planned phase-out by the EU ensuring incandescent bulbs are no longer available by 2011. Despite the potential cost saving gained there remain staunch critics to CFL energy saving bulbs in the popular press. Much of this criticism involves popular myths associated with ‘energy savers’ that have long since been ironed out by manufacturers.
With headlines such as ‘Environmentally friendly light bulbs ‘can cause skin cancer’’ (2008) and ‘Revolt! Robbed of their right to buy traditional light bulbs’ (2009) the Daily Mail is leading the campaign against Energy Saving bulbs. Such reports have been slammed by the government and the Lighting Association as irresponsible ‘scare stories’ to sell newspapers and last year the Energy Saving Trust set out to convert the public by introducing the ‘Pepsi Challenge’. This survey, to study people’s reactions to energy saving bulbs, allowed people to enter two different rooms, one lit by energy savers and the other by traditional light bulbs. The study found that half the people could not tell the difference and additionally 2 out of 3 people preferred the energy saving ones.
Concerns over the mercury content of energy saving bulbs have also been one of the papers ‘buzz topics’. Realistically however most modern CFLs use amalgam, a mercury substitute that is completely safe to handle, transport and store and poses no direct risk to humans or the environment. Other bulbs use recycled mercury and their price included a recycling charge making them far more environmentally friendly than incandescent bulbs.
With climate change a continual threat to our way of life, is it irresponsible for the Daily Mail to wage war against energy saving products? The paper reported almost continually throughout the beginning of the recession on ‘money saving tips. There promotion earlier this year to distribute a free 100w bulb to every reader has been criticised by some environmental groups as ‘climate suicide’.
The paper tends to use outdated views of CFLs to convince its readership that they are being policed into buying something they don’t want. However, is it not true that in many aspects of our advanced capitalist society? Indeed wasn’t the UK’s newspaper media guilty of ‘barging out’ the smaller niche newspapers in order to create a greater market share (and limited consumer choice).
As paper news becomes ever more obsolete, newspapers need bigger gimmicks and more shocking headlines to shift units, this results in more questionable facts and more outlandish claims. I encourage anyone to seek a balanced view in the topic, and I am confident that reducing energy cost and carbon emissions is a good thing. I encourage you to take a look at Greenhouse Organisation should you require energy saving light bulbs.
Light Up Your Life With Energy Saving Light Bulbs
A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), more commonly referred to as an energy saving light bulb (ESB) is a type of fluorescent lamp. The energy saving light bulb has been created to substitute for the standard incandescent lamp that many people still use. They fit into exactly the same standard light fixtures as incandescent light bulbs so you needn’t have to spend on new fittings to accommodate them.
Energy saving bulbs emit the same amount of visible light but use less power to do so, plus they have a longer rated life. While the purchase price is typically a more than that of an equivalent incandescent lamp, the extended lifetime and lower energy use will more than compensate for the higher initial cost. For example making the change in your home can save approximately twenty pounds in electricity costs over the course of a year. The average rated life of a these bulbs is up to 15 times more than that of an incandescent bulbs with a rated lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually expected to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.
For a given light output, energy saving bulbs use 20-33 percent of the power of equivalent incandescent lamps. Around 10% of UK household carbon emissions come from light bulbs so the environmental benefit of these bulbs could be enormously significant.
Energy saving bulbs are produced for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) input. DC energy saving bulbs are often used in recreational vehicles as well as in households. Interestingly, they can also be operated using solar powered street lights, using solar panels located on the top or sides of a pole and luminaries that are specially wired to use the lamps. This makes them an even more eco-friendly feature.
Although incandescent bulbs reach full brightness a fraction of a second after being switched on energy saving bulbs manufactured after 2009 also turn on within a second, but they do still take time to warm up to full brightness. Some energy saving bulbs are marketed as “instant on” and have no noticeable warm-up time scale, but others can take up to 60 seconds to reach full brightness or longer in very low temperatures.
It is important that we all play a part in trying to reduce our own carbon emissions. Every little bit we do, even if it’s as simple as changing a light bulb contributes towards slowing down global warming and protecting our future.
Basic Energy Saving Light Bulb Facts
Energy saving bulbs have come a long way since they were first invented. Although they saved energy, they were often dull, flickered, or generally did not give off what would be deemed good lighting. A funny dull glow made it obvious that you were using an energy saving bulb which at that time was also extremely expensive. These light bulbs have now gone down considerably in price and are actually the best alternative to filament bulbs.
Before, lots of people were put off purchasing energy saving light bulbs purely because of the cost of them. Also as there were a little understood entity, people were also not convinced of exactly how much energy was actually being saved, or if the bulbs really would last longer than a standard filament light bulb. It has now been proven that energy saving light bulbs do save energy, and will last around 8 times longer than a typical bulb. This means that whichever way you look at it from, you are indeed not just saving electric energy, but also saving your money.
Energy saving light bulbs have also come a long way since the first, large and ugly bulbs, as well as them lighting up in much faster time than before. Now available in all kinds of fitting including small and large screw fitting, there are energy saving light bulbs available for all situations. We’re not just limited today to standard shape bulbs, there being energy saving light bulbs available for outdoor lighting, safety lighting and much more. Included in the range of energy saving bulbs now available in the market are insect repellent lighting, strip lights and garden safety lighting.
It might appear like a huge task to change all your light bulbs over in your house to those of the energy saving type, but you have to remember the electric and money you’ll save if you do. You could maybe start by changing bulbs on the ground level of your home, followed by the upstairs levels if you’ve, and after that the exterior. You do not need to change all your light bulbs at the same time, as they are interchangeable and use exactly the same fittings as your standard bulbs.
Change over to energy saving light bulbs today and you actually will start to notice the difference in your power bills. Energy saving bulbs will use less than a quarter of the electric of a normal light bulb and last eight times longer than average, so from these statistics you could really start to appreciate just how much you will save if you turn over to energy saving bulbs today. Start by changing bulbs when your old filament light bulbs break, this way you’ll not need to spend a good deal at once. But really, the best thing to do is change over to energy saving bulbs as quickly as possible, to start feeling the savings in your electricity bills. The difference will be astounding, particularly when we talk about outdoor lighting and safety lighting and also our standard lighting within your home.
If I acquire energy saving light bulbs how much will that assist environmental sustainability?
It is continually stated that incandescent light bulbs use excessive quantities of energy and cause harm to the environment. In addition the environmental supporters have now lobbied government to legislate for the light bulb ban. This is a phased activity to constrict the use of incandescent light bulbs and move to energy saving light bulbs . I will now supply information on precisely what is the impact on your carbon footprint by changing to energy saving light bulbs and compare this to carbon footprint amount for vehicle use and other electrical appliances.
What amount of C02 can you save by changing to energy saving light bulbs .
Electric light bulbs intrinsically do not create C02 , however, it is the carbon dioxide that is made during the electricity generation that is the concern. Now decisively if you are using windmills or hydro-electric power to make your electricity then C02 emissions will be very little. However, most electricity is generated from oil or gas powered generators which do create a considerable amount of C02. Lets look at the carbon footprint numbers. If a single conventional incandescent light bulb is used for 4 hours a day and this is swapped for an energy saving light bulb then this will save a breath taking 100kg in C02 emissions every single year.
Checking out the comparison with transportation and other ways to save C02.
This is all very factual but does 100kg of C02 released into the atmosphere really matter and are there not alternate actions, other than using energy saving light bulbs, that can be taken to achieve the same goal? I think the best way to look at answering these questions is to examine some comparative examples.
1. Consider that you take a sample family car the Ford Focus C-Max 1.8 (125PS). If you drive this for 330 mile less every year then this will make an equivalent saving to swapping one of your light bulbs for one or your energy saving light bulbs.
2. If you can amend your travel patterns to avoid 1000 miles of train travel, then this will save 100kg in C02 emissions. Energy Saving Light Bulbs can make a similar reduction simply through swapping just one.
3. If you fly from London to Glasgow on a full plane then this will create of 100kg in C02.
Checking out these comparisons then migrating to energy saving light bulbs does look like a no brainer.
So what does that all mean?
It is clear to see that swapping to energy saving light bulbs will make a big improvement to your carbon footprint but there are other aspects worth analyzing.
Dishwashers and washing machines do use around 3 kWhours of electricity each time they are used. As a comparator to a light bulb, if they were used twice weekly, this is largely similar to having 2 100 watt light bulbs switched on for 4 hours a day. As I am sure you can see that whilst these amounts are fairly high they are not excessive so simply make sure the appliances are full and do not use your tumbler dryer if the weather is good.
MR11 Light Bulbs
By Kimberly Quang
MR11 bulbs can be used in your low voltage lighting design. These lamps have a multifaceted reflector, which is basically a pressed glass reflector. The interior parts of these bulbs are reflective and are made up of facets and a reflective coating. The facets provide a source of optical control since they have the ability to gather the light to form a single concentrated light beam. Some MR11 lamps have a smooth interior without the facets, but are still categorized as MR bulbs. Residents should always find a quality retailer of MR11 bulbs before making their final purchase.
A single-ended quartz halogen filament capsule operates MR11 lamps. These bulbs are 11/8” (1.38”) in diameter and have a 2-pin base, along with low voltage capabilities. The size of the lamp is an important thing to consider before you start on your lighting design. Other lamps besides the MR11 come in different sizes. The 16 style for example is 16 eighths of an inch or 2 inches in diameter. The 8 version is 1 inch or 2.5 centimeters in length.
The 11-style bulb is perfect for your low voltage lighting theme. These bulbs typically use less than 120 volts, and most only need 12 volts to operate effectively. Some can even function at 6 volts, while others may require 24 volts depending upon your selection. Residents should always purchase a transformer with their MR11 bulb to reduce the line voltage for the lamp. Improvements in technology have brought about a different kind of 11style bulb that has an integrated transformer built into the device. Using a commercial style dimmer can dim these fixtures.
Residents should also take the beam spread into account when purchasing one of these fixtures. The beam spread is defined as the width of a light beam, represented in degrees. An MR lamp’s beam spread can be thought of as a cone. The beam spread shows the angular width of the cone. Homeowners may prefer a narrow, spot, or flood type of beam spread depending upon their needs. Some bulbs may have to have the lamp replaced to accommodate for the beam spread. If this is the case, RLLD has numerous lenses and louvers to accommodate your requirements. These devices spread the light out or shield the illumination around objects. Halogen lamps could be thought of as the beginning phase in the strides toward light bulb modernization.
Residents typically use MR11 lamps for landscape lighting, but these bulbs can be used within the home, as well. RLLD has excellent landscape wiring if you are thinking about illuminating your outdoor environment. We have special direct burial cables designed with UV and weather resistant materials for your convenience. We also have numerous other cable and wire devices that come in a variety of lengths, and will give the homeowner the long-lasting durability they deserve. Don’t forget to check out our cool color lenses for your MR11 lamps. These lenses come in red, blue, yellow, green, and golden amber. We also have special UV lenses to protect your cherished works of art. Dazzling, brilliant, and long lasting, RLLD’s product line will simply blow you away!
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Christmas Light Bulbs & Decorations
By Kimberly Quang
Few things can be more frustrating than Christmas lights. Bulbs short out, wires fray and tangle, plugs bend and break. And even once these problems are straightened out, mounting the bulbs into orderly rows can be a challenge all its own!
Don’t fret! If you are looking for hard-to-find replacement Christmas light bulbs or related accessories, from bulbs to mounting clips, timers and power strips, the full online selection of Christmas light accessory products can help you overcome all of the obstacles that might stand in the way of your holiday decorating visions.
Replacement Christmas Light Bulbs.
C7 and C9 light bulbs are the most commonly used light bulb for Christmas applications such as string or rope lighting. Ranging between 5 and 7 watts, these energy-efficient bulbs may be either transparent or double-dipped in special coatings that give them bright colors when lit. “Twinkle” Christmas bulbs and ceramic Christmas light bulbs are also available in C7 and C9 sizes.
If you are using heavy duty Christmas light string, we have a range of long life bulb options appropriate to this as well. The intermediate base, medium base and candelabra base bulbs from American lighting are built to last–rated at 8000 hours each!
Christmas Light Bulb Brackets & Mounting Clips.
As Christmas nears along with its accompanying decorating challenges, you might begin thinking about how you are going to display your string lights. Don’t give into the temptation to rely upon nails or other quick fixes to mount each Christmas light bulb on the string. Nails or tacks give you little control over the direction of the bulb, and can result in an unsightly mess.
There are a few different types of mounting clips for C7 & C9 Christmas light bulbs, which come in packs of 100. It is a good idea to look carefully at the different brackets available, and consider which would be the best option for your given application. C9 or C7 Christmas light bulbs can be mounted with two screws using a regular shingle tab, which also comes in horizontal or 90 degree varieties. A stake mounting bracket can be used to string lights along the perimeter of your yard or garden. A regular mini light clip is also available.
Other Christmas Light Bulb Replacement Products.
Other Christmas light bulb replacement products are also available. Should you lose or damage a C7 or C9 socket, a plug/adapter F-socket or M-plug, or even the electrical wire itself, there are always replacement products here. Essentially there is everything you need to build Christmas string lights from scratch!
If you have a faulty Christmas string light, and do not know what is causing the problem, our Mini Light tester can identify faults in the light bulbs and/or electrical wire. Other useful accessories include an outdoor timer with a photocell that automatically activates at dusk, an outdoor power stake with three outlets, blackout caps for empty C9 or C7 Christmas light bulb sockets, as well as an end cap for spliced ends. It is a good idea to look carefully at the different brackets available, and consider which would be the best option for your given application
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Energy Saving Light Bulbs General Information, Halogen Bulbs
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