Lightbulbs! Lost the will to live

[YesILikeItToo]

Thought I had this sorted, but obviously not. Chandelier (!) needs 12 bulbs. I replaced a couple when I moved in three months ago. Now only two still on. Remember that they are small bayonet caps. Happy. See that there is dimmer switch. Become unhappy. Research LED bulbs and dimmer switches. Find out that they need special LED dimmer switches. Consider likelihood of this being one - think unlikely given that other bulbs seem not to be LEDs. Research availability of other dimmable bulbs. Find that dimmable halogen bulbs in small bayonet candle shapes are like hens teeth. Consider replacing all bulbs with round ones, which do seem to be available. Wonder if this is just short termism, and given the cost of lightbulbs these days whether dimmer switch ought to be replaced since LEDs seem to be being promoted as the future. Become even unhappier, as I don’t know the answer to this. Empty online basket of lightbulbs. Is it really this hard?

Just replace them with simple LED bulbs. So long as you get the right connector and don't use the dimmer, it should be fine.

Buy some cheap LED bulbs and try it out.

Do you think? I’d love that. I never dim them.

I feel your pain, OP. I found myself then other days lamenting the olden days when light bulbs were much more limited. They had screws and they had caps, and were a bit dim or super-bright. These days I need a cupboard just to store all the different types of spares. It's the tyranny of choice.

I’ve just had an electrician in for lights on my stair that weren’t working, when I put new bulbs in they lit up and then went off every time. He said dimmer switch (on staircase!) had contributed to problem and took it out. Now scared of dimmer switches having poor relationships with lightbulbs.

I have spent a fortune on so-called dimmable led bulbs for our chandelier. None of them have worked. I wouldn't mind if it was just a case of them not dimming. They either flickered constantly or wouldn't turn off. At the moment we are having to rely on table lamps for our lighting.
I think I will have to replace the dimmer switch but when shopping for one I always come across reviews that say it doesn't work with LEDs despite being advertised for that purpose. We are shielding so it will be a long time before I am happy to get an electrician in to sort it out.
Had I known I would have stocked up on the old type bulbs when I had the chance.

Is it candle bulbs it takes?

Look in screwfix or similar. They do dimmable led bulbs

Are they definitely bayonet?

Light bulbs stress me out.

Why are there so many different styles, Watts, shapes and fitting?

I’m ashamed to admit it but I leave bulb buying to my husband!

It is candle bulbs at the moment, dementedpixie. But I think that’s just a shape, you could put other shapes in there as long as they had the same caps, there’s plenty of space.

Yes, they are bayonet.

Toolstation?

If you dont use it i would get the dimmer switch removed. I've just paid a ridiculous amount of money for halogen bulbs after similar problems to yours and am getting my dimmer removed.

helpfulperson - interesting - is it just a case of changing the switch? Quite a small job for the electrician? At least with an on/off switch you know what sort of switch it is.

Those tool station bulbs will be designed to work with the newer dimmer switches, I think, demented.

I’m going to try anewdawns idea of putting in non-dimmable LEDs. Online articles seem a bit gloomy about this, but they tend to be promolgated by people with something to sell (ie light switches).

@pippistrelle

I feel your pain, OP. I found myself then other days lamenting the olden days when light bulbs were much more limited. They had screws and they had caps, and were a bit dim or super-bright. These days I need a cupboard just to store all the different types of spares. It's the tyranny of choice.

I think it is par for the course that whatever lightbulb style you want will not be available. Or if you find one you like that actually illuminates the room as required, you will never ever find that sort again.

Do you need them to be dimmable?

If not, very, very easy to replace with a standard switch and then use whatever bulbs you want.

I had a similar issue in my porch last year (2 rows of 5 dimmable halogens being replaced with LED), took me 5 minutes to fit a replacement LED dimmer switch from LEDhut and the bulbs were about 10p each more expensive.

They had some flickering as well, which it turns out is because there is some manufacturing variability on each circuit on the voltages etc, so there was a fairly hit and miss procedure to reprogram the dimmer to work properly.....

I think that’s a good idea Fix. Perhaps should wait until after lockdown, if the plain bulbs will at least provide some light in the meantime.

At least with only two bulbs working, the fixture is providing some amusement - it casts all sorts of sizes of shadows of itself on the walls.