Chris Wilson Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Genuine Phillips low energy bulbs. Apart from the stink from them when they were new they have, over less than six months, lost a LOT of their brightness and have got even slower at coming to their full (now pathetic) brilliance. If I go in a room at night to look for something the things start up so slowly it's a full couple of minutes before they are any good. I have found someone with a big stash of proper 150 watt incandescent bulbs, I am putting those back in the rooms I sometimes need to go in at night, but don't use all the time. The technology may be energy saving (although our bills are ever rising), but from an instant light output they are pathetic. The local council (jobsworths) sent a 3 page flyer the other month detailing exactly how they should be disposed of, too, which made them sound like radioactive waste, what's the place coming to? They invent all this *rap and never develop it properly before making it "compulsory". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I am down to my last 150watt bulbs in my uplighters before I have to use the crap energy saving ones . They really are useless, the bathroom is where they are the worst, you have to turn the lights on 15 mins before you need to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share Posted October 15, 2011 Glad it's not just my eyesight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilkinson Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 When I switch on the living room and dining room overhead lights, I often have to check twice for all the light they give. Energy saving bulbs are rubbish!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Surprisingly its the more expensive branded ones that are rubbish. Bought a few cheap "100W" (Tesco branded) output ones and they reach full brightness almost instantly. My house also comes with the newer type of energy saving bulbs (2 pin type) housing and they produce a bright white light too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guigsy Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Agreed. They are crap I had one in my garage when I moved in. It was easier to light the room with my phone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 New LED technology is rubbish also, bough some multi LED (50millon hours bollocks) spots for the kitchen 9 months ago one is dead and the others are getting dim. Need to stock up on security light 500watt bulbs, tried a Low energy one, absolute rubbish, local scum bags will have to bring a torch if they want to nic stuff off cars the security light is just too dim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbloodyturbo Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 my house came with energy savers aswell, they are actually quite quick to come upto brightness just a bit dim. The light in my living room has a big shade round it and this although nice looking, almost deletes all light output. I've seen incandescents on ebay so might try some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Have them in a few places in my house - was annoyed with the triple inline 60watt style I had in my kitchen as they were really slow to reach full output and not that bright even then. I replaced those bulbs with Ikea's latest efforts and am much happier with them - come onto full brightness instantly and almost on a par for old skool 60watt bulbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Bit of trial and error needed, some of mine are good and some are pants, doesn't seem related to cost at all though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Agreed. They are crap I had one in my garage when I moved in. It was easier to light the room with my phone! Doesn't that spoil the idea of having a mobile phone if it is always tied to your garage ceiling? Bit of trial and error needed, some of mine are good and some are pants, doesn't seem related to cost at all though. Work you way up from the cheapest and find a good un. We have a mixture at home and with the wife and kids leaving lights on for fun I am glad we had dimmer, low wattage lights. The leccy bill would be massive without them. I had a quick run around the house last night and switched of 18 bulbs in rooms that people weren't using. Our house isn't that big either..!! H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share Posted October 16, 2011 The Philips were fine when new, but after a few months they have become slower and dimmer. Has anyone acyually measured their current draw? I know it says 9 watts on the box, or whatever, but I am a sceptical old *ugger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraDan24 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I have them throughout my house. In the living room i have to turn on the main light and two lamps either side of the couch just to bloody see anything. Whoever invented bulbs that barely emit light is an idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I've been watching those programmes about electricity with Dr Jim Piccalili and he demonstrated Humphrey Davy's experiment in the Royal Institution where he brought two carbon rods together and made a carbon arc light up the entire room. The very first electric light was way too bright for common use. It seems we are going backwards in development, due in my opinion to so called green issues and lobbying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 They are called energy saving bulbs because they don't have enough energy to light up a cupboard. They should come with a torch when you buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Thankfully I havn't been forced into having to use any of these hateful things yet. Have they made dimmable ones yet? Nearly every light switch in my house is a dimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Chris, you should get one of the 1000 Lumen head torches that people like me use for running in the dark. You can probably cook stuff in the beam too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubbyTwo Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I cant stand these bulbs, I think I must be overly sensitve to crap light as I always seem to get headaches. Thankfully half the main lights in our house are all halogen ones. Another stupid EU decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 i love the energy bulbs if they saving you money lol.i bought a load when they were on offer for 10p each from tesco.big tesco 1200 lumen 20watt and some smaller Phillips 600 lumen 10 watt.got about 80 as they were good price at 10p each.went to get some old 60 watt bulbs and they were £2.95 each from B&Q and they dont seem to last 2 mins. think of the enviroment :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubbyTwo Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Its counterproductive tho, if they dont produce enough light people will just use additional one as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 How much light do you need? I've got energy saving in my bedside table light, wife still has an old bulb - hers comes up straight away and mine takes about 2 mins to get to full power, but once on mine has a much nicer white light rather than the dull yellow of her bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Funnily enough, I just put a couple of LED spotlights in our kitchen. I was getting fed up of replacing the halogen GU10 spots everytime one went pop. These new ones are a bit whiter, but nowhere near as white as some I've seen. Each spotlight as 3x2W LED's in each spotlight. So far I'm impressed - they're easily bright enough and there's no waiting about for them to come up to full brightness. I have the energy saving bulbs elsewhere in the house and don't really have any complaints TBH. I have one in a lamp in the bedroom that takes a little while to brighten up, but not enough to bother me. If it reduces my bill, that's good for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I quite like them too. Mine seem to be long-lasting and only take few seconds to come up to full brightness: bright enough to immediately point percy at the porcelain. I like the effect of brightening up over a few seconds: it's less harsh on the eyes when you've come from somewhere dark, or just put the bedroom light on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purity14 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I quite like them too. Mine seem to be long-lasting and only take few seconds to come up to full brightness: bright enough to immediately point percy at the porcelain. I like the effect of brightening up over a few seconds: it's less harsh on the eyes when you've come from somewhere dark, or just put the bedroom light on. But if by a few seconds you are talking three seconds, and successfully going to bed 365 days of the year, would you not exchange the 18 minutes and 15 seconds you've wasted waiting for the light to come on for something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.