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Ethical living

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Original poster

I want to use low-energy light bulbs

29 replies

bakedpotato · 30/01/2007 10:40

but the ones I've tried give off this dispiriting murky-brown light. Has anyone found a brand that actually gives off proper light?

OP posts:
fizzbuzz · 30/01/2007 10:58

No, but I totally agree with you, it is like constant twilight in this house and I hate it. Dp bought them, and all I do now is switch on all table lamps etc, so therefore using more electricity than ever.

Also washing clothes at 30 degrees does not get them clean.

iwouldgoouttonight · 30/01/2007 11:03

We just got some from Tesco. When you first switch them on they're really dull but they do get brighter, maybe not quite as bright as a normal bulb but definitely bright enough for living room, bedroom, etc. Especially if you use them in lamps as well. I still haven't found any bright enough for bathroom though - I still use normal ones in there - otherwise I'd be going out looking like a clown because I can't see where my make-up is going!

charliecat · 30/01/2007 11:05

I use them and once they have been on for a bit they are fine.

Original poster
bakedpotato · 30/01/2007 11:07

I bought some low-energy bulbs for the hall and after a week realised I was feeling very miserable
When I changed the bulbs to bad ones, I cheered up instantly

OP posts:
Notquitesotiredmum · 30/01/2007 11:07

Most of ours are fine too, though we've got one murky one. I'll check on the brand once I get home and let you know.

Cappuccino · 30/01/2007 11:08

they do take a while to warm up

JackieNo · 30/01/2007 11:10

Had my copy of Easy Living through yesterday, and there's an article on low-energy lightbulbs in there. It recommends a website to buy them from, but as I'm at work, I can't check which one it was - might have been Lightbulbs Direct though.

NannyL · 30/01/2007 18:47

my favourrite ones are the tesco value energy light bulbs
the expensive phillips ones thake ages to get bright enough, but those tesco value ones seem bright straight away!

nikkie · 30/01/2007 21:08

Ours are all fine.Mainly Ikea ones.BUt I like the light to be dim anyway.

Ash80 · 30/01/2007 21:15

Can somebody please tell me where i can get a lampshade to fit over our energy saving light bub. We have recently moved to new devlopment flat, and it has sveral energy saving light bulbs. I dislike the light it emits, it feelsw like a hospital or something, also i cannot find a lampshade that will fit over it as they as its bulb holder thing is much bigger than normal ones!

Ash80 · 30/01/2007 21:19

Oops sorry for all the typo errors:
can somebody please tell me where i can get a lampshade to fit over our energy saving light bulb. We have recently moved to new devlopment flat, and it has sveral energy saving light bulbs. I dislike the light it emits, it feels like a hospital or something, also i cannot find a lampshade that will fit over it as it is much bigger than regualr ones.

JanH · 30/01/2007 21:19

The light is a bit pink - I think the main problem is that the ones designated as = 60/100w aren't really. There are stronger ones which = c120w but they are hard to find.

Also the light decreases as they get older.

But even if you add a couple of low-energy table lamps you are using much less power than with one big tungsten bulb so still worth doing!

JanH · 30/01/2007 21:23

Ash, we have those big paper globe shades over all our ceiling bulbs, low-energy and tungsten. You can get them in all the DIY places for £3-5.

charliecat · 30/01/2007 21:23

Ash80, no idea Ive still got juice suckers in my lamps, although they are rarely used.

JanH · 30/01/2007 22:53

Some bulbs say 18w=100 and some say 21w=100 and I have definitely had some - possibly 24w - which = 120w.

Thing is that when you're using low-energy bulbs you can go for greater brightness without the heat of the equivalent tungsten bulb damamging the shade or the fitment so - apart from the size, which can be an issue - you could put an 18w bulb into a lamp which is supposed to be limited to 40w or 60w normally.

This table says that there are 30w which = 160w and 40w which = 200w which would be a lot less murky than the supermarket ones. (They are huge though - 170mm or 235mm )

MrsSpoon · 30/01/2007 22:59

I have tried them and hated them. Reminded me of the light given off by strip lighting but not as bright. DH and I both find lighting affects our mood so changed back.

nikkie · 31/01/2007 19:08

The paper lampshades are £1 in Tesco atm, don't know how big they are though

PigeonPie · 31/01/2007 19:14

We've just replaced all our remaining standard light bulbs with Philips ones which were BOGOF in Homebase a couple of weeks ago (so worked out at £1 each). We haven't found any noticeable difference in the light emitted, apart from when they're just warming up, which takes about two minutes.

The only place we're not using them is in the dimmer switched lights in the sitting room and dining room but we use side lights with the little Philips bulbs in them instead.

We're now on the hunt for special CFLs for dimmer switches.

nikkie · 31/01/2007 21:19

I have masses of bulbs now as someone keeps sending me them (think it may be Powergen but not sure why) but they don't run out , haven't replaced an energy one since dd2 was born (5 now!!!)

worldgonewild · 01/02/2007 08:29

I only use them in hallway & outside light. They're too harsh elsewhere and poke out of the top of our lampshades!

JanH · 01/02/2007 12:35

Have a look at this site - most of the bulbs listed are fairly similar sizes to standard ones (eg standard 40w candle is 10cm long - I just measured one - theirs is 13cm), and there's an 11w (=60w) spiral candle, which is a bit fatter than a standard one but only 11cm long.

ballbaby · 01/02/2007 21:06

I use them everywhere except bathroom and kitchen spots. If you have a nice big lamp and a 100W equivalent bulb it gives enough light and a nice cosy effect. We always buy light fittings that will hide them well.

Best thing is to use the ES ones in lamps you have on for a long period for a cosy effect, then have the big light (as Peter Kay would describe) as a normal one for short periods if you need a strong light for doing something particular e.g. sewing.

majorstress · 05/02/2007 15:57

I just bought lots from Lightbulbs Direct (link early in thread), low energy replacements for spots and candlebulbs that have been annoying me for ages. The candles are fine though larger than regular ones, and are brighter in fact (I'm waiting for the rest to blow in this candelabra-thingy, so you can really see the difference ATM). The spots are also brighter, but the light is a little cold, we are very happy with them.

Apart from the very important waste of energy issue, I am looking forward to not having to change them for on average, 7 years! Yippee!

PinkTulips · 05/02/2007 15:59

philips ones are fine.... same as normal bulbs (we get the ones that look like normal bulbs too, not the tubey ones)

they take a few mins to warm up though, if you leave them on they get brighter

ballbaby · 05/02/2007 20:37

Agree about not having to change them so often - it's a real shock when one goes (think it's only happened once to me!) which is fantastic. There was a chappie on the radio today from the Energy Saving Trust (I think) saying they were looking for the phasing out of tungsten ones so there might not be a choice in future.