Energy Saving Light-Bulbs

[bluemoon]

Not just me then? There is a five bulb fitting in the sitting room, plus two lamps, all have the 75 watt equivalent and I still couldn't see to read last night. Is this new law another attempt to make us all watch T.V., because frankly that's all they're good for. I'm really disappointed as we try to be as green as possible and I really can't cope with the dratted things. Don't know how I'll manage when we have no alternative.

[coreopsis]

I used them in the kitchen-I paid about 7£ for 1 bulb-one of them popped after a month,the other one followed shortly.I'm not going to bother with them anymore.The light was fine though.

[burnie]

I find them excellent for the likes of hallways,bedrooms ,bathrooms etc and use a small led light stand to shine on my books when reading,they do save on your electric bill and I've had some for over 5 years now without being replaced,each to their own I guess.With regards to kids eyesight,did you not read a book or comic by torch light under the bed covers as a child?

[dexterdoglancashire]

They do seem to take some time to "warm up" even so, Im sure they ain't as bright as the old type - did I read in the papers that the old style are being phased out and soon you will only be able to buy the energy saving ones?

[NOG]

I swapped out all my light bulbs with low energy ones and saved a fortune (about 2Kwh).I will admit they take a bit of getting used to...they give out a diferant type of light..but I am happy that we changed.

[julesapple]

Flickering?

We have low energy light bulbs. Personally, I loathe them. In my workroom, they are banned. I've stockpiled standard 100w lightbulbs so that I can see to sew at night and on dark winter days. It might not be green, but my eyesight can't be replaced.

Is it just in my house, or does anyone else have a problem with these CFls flickering when turned off?

They don't flicker constantly, just at night after they've been turned on and then off after use. The one in our bedroom drives me insane. However, the eco warrior I'm married to insists that we use low energy bulbs (he doesn't know about my secret 100w workroom bulb) as the light is on a very high ceiling I can't change it because I don't do ladders (shudders) so I just use my bedside lamp instead.

Jules

[Glutton4...]

Blimmin things drive me potty! We've got three light units in the kitchen/diner, each holds four bulbs, so we gradually replaced them with LED bulbs in an effort to cut costs - we now have to put them all on so we can see to eat, whereas before we could get by with having only one set on!

Prior to that I used to buy those large ugly low energy bulb thingys (from Ikea, or anyone cheap), they were ok light-wise, but only lasted a couple of months before they exploded, so where's the saving in that?

I like bimbling around in the half-light, but that has made me light-sensitive, so in the sunshine I can't see - it's like someone shining a torch in my face. Ho hum!

[jackie j]

We have been using them for a few years and to start with I didnt like them but I have got used to them now, they do take a while to warm up but ours have lasted for ages.

[HeyWayne]

We've been using them for years now, and must just be used to them.

[Hilary B]

We use low energy bulbs. Never had a real problem.
They give SOME light immediately, and in familar settings, I tend not to need bright light for going from A to B anyway.
I do want to move towards LEDs, but it is hard to find LED lamps (other than battery things), so yes, they SHOULD be pushing for advances in this area. Unfortunately no-one seemed willing to try. Maybe the phasing out of the old type bulbs will put pressure on manufacturers to look for an LED solution!

[bluemoon]

Ours flicker continually and the three we replaced with normal bulbs at the top of the stairs are now flickering too if any of the low energy ones are also on. I have to say this is depressing me as I know that soon these things will be all we can get. As for there being fewer accidents, when using three of these my staircase was positively dangerous so I can't see that being true. We have attempted to cut energy consumption and don't have any unnecessary appliances (the computer is about the only thing we use, but don't actually need), no microwave, T.V., tumble dryer etc, etc... we recycle all we can, grow all our own veg, keep chickens, don't use supermarkets, so I'm not exactly anti-green, but the thought of being stuck in the dark is filling me with dread. My mother uses them and says she finds them OK, but she spends her evenings watching telly so probably doesn't need light. (I'm even getting paranoid enough to think it's a government plot to make us non-telly watchers buy one of the things so we can be fed the mind numbing rubbish they put out) I have noticed though that even Mum has 'proper' bulbs on the stairs.

[SueA]

I wish they would work on a better alternative. We've got a few low energy bulbs & I think they're next to useless as they take ages to warm up & don't give out enough light when they are on, they're fine for 'mood' lighting etc. but if you want to read etc. they're hopeless. As for them lasting a long time, some of our 'normal' lightbulbs have been going for 10, 15, possibly 20 years, it's only the ones in frequent use in the lounge which we have to replace every so often.

[Alison]

Have them in pretty much all our light fittings and think they're fine. The early ones and a lot of the cheapo ones that they give away seem to take a long while to warm up but the ones we have (which weren't the top priced ones) are fine.

By the way, Bluemoon, if you're getting flickering like that then I'd get your electricity looked at, sounds a bit dodgy to me and we've never had that problem with using low energy bulbs. Never had one go either and have been using them about 6 years now.

[HeyWayne]

I seem to remember just having one light (the "big light") in each room when I was a kid. Not so anymore.

Uplights, downlights, sidelights, table lights, reading lights etc etc.

Worth a mention - energy saving bulbs don't work well with dimmer switches. Took us three bulbs to work that out in our bedroom.

[jackie j]

Talking of lighting being dangerous, when my daughter was born I was carrying her downstairs in the middle of the night ( or early morning ) had the landing light on, got to the bottom couple of stairs and slipped ouch, no one heard me, got up and carried on ( baby was ok ) with what I was doing. Told MIL and she said maybe if you carried a torch you might be able to see where the cat is ( cat no where near me ) lol. yeah right ummm where exactly shall I put it lol ( the torch )