Low wattage light bulbs

Posted by: bob atherton on 10 January 2009

I am trying to find low wattage light bulbs that are near as damn it a direct replacement for standard bulbs. The problem is that all low wattage ones I have tried have a number of drawbacks. These are really just three.

1 They can be prone to flicker and I am very sensitive to any flickering lights including fluorescent.
2 They have a greenish hue to the light that makes me feel ill even when I’m fine.
3 They take a few minutes to get up to full output.

The greenish hue I have got round by spraying the bulbs with a fine mist of magenta coloured car primer. Just a touch is all that is needed but it does cancel out the mortuary slab ambience that they have before modification. That still leaves problems 1 & 3.

I sincerely want to do my bit for the planet and keep running costs down but my emotional well being is being put ahead of these priorities at the moment.

I must confess I have not researched or tried any LED lights. Is there an LED replacement for an old fashioned light bulb and if so does it have similar issues to the low wattage variety.

I think this is an issue that we will all have to address as the UK and I believe European governments are phasing out higher wattage standard bubs.

Posted on: 18 January 2009 by Roy Donaldson

Bob,

There are a couple of variants of GU10s'. The cheap no brand ones and the slightly more expensive brands.

What they don't tell you is that generally the brands tend to have a (diode ?) inline with the mains, so that when they blow, they don't blow your fuses.

The cheaper ones don't have this and so blow your fuses and then generally the whole lighting circuit.

Roy.

Posted on: 18 January 2009 by Don.E

Took 555's advice a got myself a couple of BioBulbs for the lounge to replace standard low wattage bulbs as fitted throughout the rest of the house. What an amazing transformation. instead of the usual yellow glow, now have bright white light similar to daylight, just as stated on the advertising blurb. Bulbs are a £ or two more expensive than other low wattage bulbs, but well worth it.
Don.

Posted on: 18 January 2009 by Bob McC

Roy
I know about the diode
but they don't tell you on the box
and I am a tightwad

Posted on: 18 January 2009 by naim_nymph

A couple of years ago I had my kitchen converted from ordinary bulb (on hanging rose) to fluorescent lighting that uses 1200mm size tubes.

Some blurb…

36Watt 48 Inches Long Activa Fluorescent Tubes T8 - 1 Inch Dia Activa is a very high colour rendering daylight lamp with a CRI above 95, it also emits a small percentage of UVA. With a colour temperature of 6500K and its high CRI it is ideal for presentation of accurate colours. Features: Accurate daylight simulation Surburb colour 6500K CRI above 95

This type of lighting is also known as full spectrum lighting, and I’ve found is such an enormous improvement with light quality I can’t understand how it hasn’t caught on in a big way.
Okay, it’s 36watts and with two tubes that’s 72watts, but this is the easily the nicest lit kitchen I’ve ever had the pleasure of slaving in.

The only trouble being they make the rest of my home lighting look a horrible gloomy-yellow!
I’ll have to check out those bio-bulbs too! : )

nymph

Posted on: 19 January 2009 by 555

I think your daylight fluorescent tubes have very similar light output to Biobulbs Nymph.