Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really fucking hate energy saving lightbulbs?

184 replies

DarlingDuck · 11/10/2011 19:08

Ok I realise it is a good thing that we use them and think we should but I hate the dim flourescent glow, am starting to notice it more now the nights are drawing in and remembering just how much it does my head in.

OP posts:
Peachy · 12/10/2011 09:32

Dum it is apparently possible to acquire dimmable halogens for bayonet fittings. Dimmable LEDs available as well.

Jux · 12/10/2011 09:37

Oh boy, we have to get a new boiler. You can't get hte parts for our old one. We're currently on immersion for hot water and no heating in the house. Bulbs are the least of our worries atm.

Pudden · 12/10/2011 10:03

workingitout biobulbs or daylight bulbs simulate natural light. Light is measured in kelvins- ordinary bulbs come in a 2500 kelvins but these biobulbs are around 6500K which is the same as natural light. They don't flicker and are excellent for reading by or for crafts. They are also v. good during gloomy winter days.

You can get bayonet or screw fitting as well as tubes

aldiwhore · 12/10/2011 10:18

Cool.

When you say 'natural light' I'm assuming its uninterupted natural sunny day light, rather than what you get in my house, which is eternal gloom? Wink

We have a normal bulb in the lounge because we're addicted to our dimmer switch... however, I'm pretty sure there's ways round that.

The one BIG selling point for eco bulbs for me, isn't the eco side of things if I'm honest, its how long they last. Our stairs light is on its 7th year. Great saving!

DumSpiroSpero · 12/10/2011 10:42

I know there are ways round it, Peachy - it's just having the time/money/inclination to do something about it. I'm usually in another room on the laptop or reading with my halogen lamp so it's a fairly minor irritant in the grand scheme of things.

I always have the wall lights on when DH goes out though!

BelleEnd · 12/10/2011 10:54

I don't get this "warming up" thing- So do your lights start off dim and then get brighter with time?

I use energy savers and they're fantastic. They last ages and they're bright.

Jux · 12/10/2011 11:04

We get the brightest energy saving lamps we can (not much choice in our small town) but they're still crap to read by and I can't see well enough to draw graphs and sorts of other problems. DD has to sit right by the window to sew and after dark she's straining her eyes to see well enough. It's like a return to candle light and people going blind trying to sew by it. Of course, she just stops, but her living doesn't depend on what she earns by sewing (and she's only 12 anyway!).

I put 100w incandescents in wherever I can but there is such a wide variety of fittings in this house that I can't use them everywhere, otherwise I would. I like to be able to SEE what I'm doing.

Am now wondering whether the increase in migraines I have experienced could be at least partly due to these ghastly buggers.

Have looked at Sylvania now and am considering the daylight bulbs in the highest wattage they offer.

Pudden · 12/10/2011 11:05

aldiwhore from where I am sitting now I can see into the small passage that leads to downstairs bog and utility- passage itself doesn't have a window yet it looks like there is a skylight fitted and it's a bright day outside instead of dull, grey mizzley skies.

My biobulbs have just celebrated their 3rd birthday

moominliz · 12/10/2011 11:08

My dp works in construction and has a lot to do with sustainability so loves anything energy saving!
He has changed every bloody bulb in the house to those energy saving ones which has just resulted in me leaving the lights on nearly all the time as I get sick of waiting for them to 'warm up', I know its only a few minutes wait but very annoying when the dog camouflages itself as the carpet creating a perfect tripping hazard in dull lighting!

aldiwhore · 12/10/2011 11:22

Thankyou Pudden that's me sold!!

PigletJohn · 12/10/2011 11:42

BelleEnd Wed
"I don't get this "warming up" thing- So do your lights start off dim and then get brighter with time?

I use energy savers and they're fantastic. They last ages and they're bright."

That's great Belle. Either by luck or careful choice you've managed to get some of the good ones. There are people on here who have got some that are not so good. They don't believe me so I don't know if they'll believe you either Sad

BelleEnd · 12/10/2011 12:21

I genuinely have never heard of them having to warm up! And I get the cheapest kind. I guess I'm lucky or have low standards :o

ragged · 12/10/2011 12:23

So do your lights start off dim and then get brighter with time?

Yesss....
DH quite recently installed two of these fittings with bulbs like these.
TWO of the bulbs have already failed & DH (being DH) has yet to replace or exchange them (sigh). So now we are down to 4 of these very-slow-to-brighten up bulbs in the kitchen, instead of the notional max. 6 that wouldn't be adequate for first 3 minutes, anyway!!

They are tolerably bright when warmed up but halogens were better.

PigletJohn · 12/10/2011 12:24

do you know what brand yours are? If they are cheap I presume they are the "stick" ones?

ragged · 12/10/2011 12:25

Do you know that tungsten filament lightbulbs can last decades as long as you never turn them off? I find that fascinating, the oldest ones continually in existence are like 70-100 years old. It's the on/off process that shortens their functional lives.
Use a lot of energy over that period, of course, but given the embedded manufacturing and disposal costs in the "low energy" bulbs that don't last half as long as advertised...

ragged · 12/10/2011 12:26

Stick? @ Piglet

PigletJohn · 12/10/2011 12:29

"Stick" was @ Belle

Means the one with two or more glass tubes poking out of the base (not in a bulb-shaped pearl envelope). The stick lamps are usually the cheapest, and slightly brighter, without the cosmetic envelope, but are not generally considered to be attractive. They are also more prone to give glare if you look straight at them.

PigletJohn · 12/10/2011 12:33

this is a "stick" lamp

Original poster
DarlingDuck · 12/10/2011 12:46

Have just bought some bio bulbs on ebay so will let you know how I get on, I'm exited at the thought I might be able to actually see what I'm doing in the evenings!

OP posts:
tilder · 12/10/2011 13:07

Blimey. We use energy saving bulbs, have for age and think they are brilliant. Put them in when we bought the house 6 years ago and have replaced the first one this year.

I also have migraines - classical with aura. I did look into this to see if the light bulbs would make them worse and I really didn't see any real evidence. Am sure there are lots of people convinced the lights do cause theirs, but not mine.

The reason the government want us to change is energy efficiency. Households actually use around 30% of the electricity generated in this country and of that around 10% goes on lighting (or used to before energy saving bulbs). So around 3% of all electricity generated used to go on household lightbulbs. That is actually quite a lot. Am just curious - all those who hate them, what is your view on electricity generation? Basically, if you want to use the power you need somewhere for it to be generated.

Maybe this answers some of the questions? Like the thought that old style light bulbs actually heat your house (sorry but that reminded me of the joke about sitting round a candle).

PigletJohn · 12/10/2011 13:11

It's true that the old filament-lamps give out heat. Thirty of them give out nearly as much heat as a fan heater (and use as much electricity). However since this heat is emitted both summer and winter, and is concentrated on warming the ceiling, it is not such an advantage as is sometimes suggested. I very rarely run my heating in summer, and never want to warm my ceilings.

Heating by electricity costs about twice as much as heating by gas, so is not an economical choice, even if warm ceilings are important to you.

ouryve · 12/10/2011 13:12

Like the look of the biobulbs, but we have chandelier style light fittings and matching wall lights in the lounge and dining room and i can't see anything in a candle style bulb.

tilder · 12/10/2011 13:17

I do appreciate that they give out heat but am really not convinced this is a reason to keep them! Although am sure the spiders appreciated a warm ceiling Wink

Am interested in the various types of bulb you posted - thanks for those.

My in-laws always cite the delay in light coming on (which doesn't seem to happen with newer bulbs?) and the appearance as reasons for not getting them. Personally, and I am admittedly a bit stong on this, I thought they were fairly frivolous reasons not to save energy (particularly given the size of lampshade they tend to go for).