R2OK!

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

...to buy a 100W light bulb lately?

You can't get 'em, for love or money.

I know all about the withdrawal of the traditional tungsten filament bulbs - there shouldn't be any of them left on British shop shelves as of 1.1.11 - replaced by the compact fluourescent energy-saving bulbs that take five minutes to warm up and still give off a dim, yellow light.

Well, 100W in old money was equivalent to 20W in the new energy-saving product. Apart from the dimness, and inability to work with a dimmer switch, they were about twice the size, or length, and looked ridiculous (and were far too big for, say, an uplighter shade fitting).

I found some spiral-shaped bulbs which were much smaller (only just a little bit bigger than the old-fashioned sort). Expensive at £1.99 each but gave off good light. Two of them have just expired (they don't blow when switched on like the old ones, they just go out) - after only 18 months, some way short of the 8 years predicted on the box - and I found I only had one in reserve.

Off to the shops to buy some more, not expecting any problem, 100W light bulbs having been as plentiful as Jordan's husbands in the good old bad old days.

To begin with, light bulbs are no longer labelled in watts - it's lumen. Another EU wheeze, measuring lighting output (when new) rather than power consumption. So 100W became 20W and is now 1350 lumen - easy to remember, no? 60W became 11W and is now 715 lumen Rolling Eyes

Anyway, irrelevant, because there appears to be an acute shortage of the things, unless you want a halogen bulb (which is a whole different kettle of fish). Plenty of low power bulbs, none for something a bit bigger than a table lamp.

I did eventually track some down, at good ol' John Lewis. How much?!!
£2.99 each. It may save energy but it certainly ain't saving money.
_________________
Ron

BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

If it's any consolation Ron my husband says the energy saving bulbs look like tampons! They look so awful in downlighters Laughing

I can't even get a small screw candle bulb to go in an enclosed light fitting without paying about 3.99 for one bulb ridiculous!!! I'd settle for even a 25w but no can't find one.

The world has gone mad and we are all going to be living in the twilight soon, like time has gone backwards. Probably be simpler to go back to candles and lanterns!

Rachel · Guest

A wee while ago when I was appointed ( lumbered with) being responsible for energy efficency at the department where I used to work- I did loads of research into, and implemented all sorts of ways to save energy. To cut a long and boring story short ( although my monthly newsletter was a hoot, which landed me in so much hot water with da management- of which I was a part) lots of the stuff I learned, spilled over into our house. We went energy saving bonkers at home. That was a little over two years ago. We got our home energy use down to 3KW a day - that's just 3 units of electricity a day. With several energy meters, new bulbs everywhere - a new fridge freezer and washing machine- a new TV, several of those bye bye standby things - they are fun, especially for Christmas Tree lights- a new kettle and many other energy saving bits and bobs. It turns out that if we come home twenty minutes before we get home, switch on all the lights and put on the kettle then when we get home we can wander around in the dark, drinking tepid tea and amuse ourselves playing with a heap of remote controls and if we do this for the next thirty years- we should just about break even.
We both flipped over Christmas, dug out the old proper bulbs and we were able to read in the house- imagine that.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6791