Any electricians around? Quick Q....(lights)

[CoffeeAndPeanuts]

Hi

A quick question, hoping an electrician can help?

light fitting in the lounge is currently just one of those wired in white cables with the light fitting on the end. Basic.

it goes through phases (excuse pun) of blowing the bulb, usually just 'pops' and the wire inside has broken. Light bulb gets replaced & I carry on, but a few months ago it grew dimmer (in seconds) and just died out ( no real bang/pop/ping etc. the glass was all smokey and the wire (inside) all black. Worried me a bit. But the next day I had a good look at the wiring (of the fitting in the round bit that goes on the ceiling and that wiring into the ceiling- it all looked fine so I just replaced the bulb

all good until last night & the new bulb went ping/bang and the consumer unit, threw the switch. Glass all clear, no discolouration of the bulb.

So today I just replaced it.

tonight it's gone again, it's black smokey again and it didn't trip the consumer unit switch. I've since switched it off.

they are proper old bulbs as I hate LED lighting and so I bought up some stock from a local hardware shop when it was all changing over.

I use the same bulbs in the bedrooms with no problem, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

how do I know if it's the bulbs or the wiring?

I have about 16 bulbs remaining. I don't mind using them even if they blow every couple of months or so, as long as it's not dangerous.

??

Not an electrician but haven't filament bulbs been illegal to sell for yonks, so they're probably absolutely ancient and degraded?

@BertieBotts

thanks for your reply😄at least I know my post is ok😂😂

They're a few years old, but not ancient!! (5 maybe 6 years I think?!). They're well stored in original boxes, inside a storage box. In a cupboard not getting knocked about.

The ones in the bedrooms are fine.

Have you any suggestions for non filiment bulbs that aren't horrible??

I was thinking about how long they are likely to have been in the shop before you bought them. I'm sure they stopped selling them around the time my 15yo was a toddler because I remember being annoyed by it at the time, they all seemed to be those weird bulbs like the flourescent tubes all bent into lightbulb shapes.

Afraid I can't help now - I'm totally used to LED lighting and they don't bother me any more.

@BertieBotts

i definitely didn't buy them that long ago! I was in the house & haven't been here that long. He'd ordered them in as a few of us regulars wanted them while we could still legally buy them/find them. Of course they may have been in a warehouse a while-who knows??

I have no idea how to choose non filiment bulbs.

glad you've got used to them!!

Incandescent (filament) bulbs are known for doing that. Best quality ones have an internal fuse to reduce the risk of blowing the house fuses.

I have a feeling that you were sold some low-quality imports after the main European companies stopped making bulbs.

I suggest "classic" shaped LED lamps in "warm white"

"Golfball" lamps in low wattages are useful in bedside or table lamps. Try a 6.5watt golfball in a bedside lamp. I use them, I just checked, mine are 800 lumen

Osram and Phillips are the best brands. Sylvania also seem good. Supermarket own brands seem fine. I suggest buying a couple to see how you get on with them, because to my eye, LED lamps seem brighter than you would expect. If the brightness is not what you like, move them to a different room that suits better. Don't buy a whole lot until you have tried them. They last a very, very long time so you will no longer need a "spare bulbs" cupboard.

For some reason, Wickes have a particularly wide range at good prices. You can browse online.

Avoid screw-fitting bulbs which are a European fitting.

For conversion, look at the Lumen (light output) on the packaging not the watts which can be misleading. An old 100 watt light bulb gave about 1300 lumens.

If you have old dimmer switches, they will not work with LEDs.

Some examples

(B22 is the standard British bayonet fitting. I have filtered out the miniature and screw fittings)

(The "filament" ones are not real filaments. They are fakes with a decorative LED imitation)

https://www.wickes.co.uk/search?q=Lightbulbs%3Aprice-asc%3ABulb+Fitting%3AB22%2B-%2BBayonet%2Bcap&text=Lightbulbs&B22+-+Bayonet+cap=B22+-+Bayonet+cap#

@PigletJohn

Thanks!

Do you mean going smokey & fizzling out is normal?

I'm 55, in the 40+ years (bloody hell, really??) I've been changing light bulbs I'd never seen one go smokey black when blown before the one a couple of months ago.

if you think this is 'normal' can I assume it's safe enough & I can just plough my way through the remainder of the bulbs?? While I try out some LED bulbs to find one I like?

(A friend of mine said I should replace the bayonet fitting. Buying one prepared with the ceiling bit & wire in between. You don't think this is necessary?)

thankfully it s a relatively new 'Consumer unit' (well, probably 10 years, this year. time flies!!) so just switch flicking! The 'fuse box' that was here when I moved in was a little grey box with fuse wire, drove me demented!

I agree, probably low quality imports!

No dimmer switches, I like bright lights (my Dad used to say it was 'home' not an operating theatre!! 😂

Looking at the Wicks link alone there are so many options!! Good to know what Lumens to look for.

Going smokey means the seal has failed. Might be a tiny flaw in the glass, might be where the conductors pass through. Suggests shoddy manufacture.

You can buy a new pendant if you want, an old one might have a loose connection or been damaged by heat (old incandescent lamps get very hot. LEDs do not).

Example (this is a very good make). As you see, cost is trivial.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/crabtree-capital-6-pendant-set-light-fitting-bc-white-3-1-2-/65501

Note that lighting fittings are still live when switched off at the wall, you must isolate at the consumer unit and test for dead.

Store you low-quality lightbulbs in here

https://sohocommercial.com/metal-dustbin-90-ltr/?msclkid=4852a5bc8caa10bad09ac3ff7df16379

@PigletJohn thats interesting as to why they go smokey!!

i was looking at B&Q or the local hardware store, but if you recommend that pendant fitting I can just as easily go by screwfix tomorrow, in fact it's closer than B&Q. I'll have to see if they stock bulbs too, that would be handy!

Yeah, I'd flick the switch on the lighting circuit.

My friend is going to fit it for me & he's equally careful! (Since my accident I can't keep my arm up high for any length of time)

@PigletJohn hmmm not liking your storage unit though!!

I like my filiment bulbs!!!

Lightbulbs, yes

It's a trade counter, not a shop. Browse their website first, or the catalogue inside.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/light-bulbs/cat8350001?capfittingtype=bc