Like most people I am working through my house changing to low energy
lamps. Up to now I have used the existing fittings and simply changed
the bulbs. A few days ago I bought some wall lights that were designed
for the compact fluorescents that have the square bases and separate
control circuitry on the fitting.

The lamps were rated at 18W. I intended to change these to a lower
output as I wanted background light from these undimmable lights. I
bought some 10W bulbs only to find that they would not fit. All I can do
is to buy 18W warm white bulbs that will give a more restrained light
output.

After some research I now know that there are several different and
incompatible bases. For electronic control gear there are three called
G24q-1(under 18W), G24q-2 (18W) and G24q-3 (over 18W). It seems that the
voltages are different. There are similarly three for conventional
control gear called G24d-1 etc.

No doubt many of you know all this already. But if like me you are new
to these fittings, be warned. You must choose the correct wattage in the
first place because you can't change later. I shall be buying
conventional fittings from now on. Unless of course someone knows better
than me?

There is a good data sheet from Osram which sums all this stuff up.
Download it from CPC at http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/44969.pdf

Peter Scott

On 2008-04-06 17:47:31 +0100, Peter Scott said:

Like most people I am working through my house changing to low energy lamps.

Really? That's a huge assumption. I recently threw several that had
been tried and found wanting into the bin along with the rest of the
rubbish.



Up to now I have used the existing fittings and simply changed the
bulbs. A few days ago I bought some wall lights that were designed for
the compact fluorescents that have the square bases and separate
control circuitry on the fitting.

The lamps were rated at 18W. I intended to change these to a lower
output as I wanted background light from these undimmable lights. I
bought some 10W bulbs only to find that they would not fit. All I can
do is to buy 18W warm white bulbs that will give a more restrained
light output.

After some research I now know that there are several different and
incompatible bases. For electronic control gear there are three called
G24q-1(under 18W), G24q-2 (18W) and G24q-3 (over 18W). It seems that
the voltages are different. There are similarly three for conventional
control gear called G24d-1 etc.

No doubt many of you know all this already. But if like me you are new
to these fittings, be warned. You must choose the correct wattage in
the first place because you can't change later. I shall be buying
conventional fittings from now on. Unless of course someone knows
better than me?

There is a good data sheet from Osram which sums all this stuff up.
Download it from CPC at http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/44969.pdf


Far easier to buy traditional fittings and to use proper tungsten
bulbs. You could then use any type that you like within the thermal
range of the fitting and could dim them as well.

"Peter Scott" wrote in message
...
Like most people I am working through my house changing to low energy
lamps. Up to now I have used the existing fittings and simply changed the
bulbs. A few days ago I bought some wall lights that were designed for the
compact fluorescents that have the square bases and separate control
circuitry on the fitting.

The lamps were rated at 18W. I intended to change these to a lower output
as I wanted background light from these undimmable lights. I bought some
10W bulbs only to find that they would not fit. All I can do is to buy 18W
warm white bulbs that will give a more restrained light output.

After some research I now know that there are several different and
incompatible bases. For electronic control gear there are three called
G24q-1(under 18W), G24q-2 (18W) and G24q-3 (over 18W). It seems that the
voltages are different. There are similarly three for conventional control
gear called G24d-1 etc.

No doubt many of you know all this already. But if like me you are new to
these fittings, be warned. You must choose the correct wattage in the
first place because you can't change later. I shall be buying conventional
fittings from now on. Unless of course someone knows better than me?

There is a good data sheet from Osram which sums all this stuff up.
Download it from CPC at http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/44969.pdf

Peter Scott

It is not just the lampholders:
We have mini strip lights all around the kitchen, using the T4 tubes. As,
so it seems, with almost all things cfl, the ballast fails on a regular
basis and the fittings are pretty well sealed, the strip light holders have
to be changed quite frequently. Every time we look for a new one, the
connector plug and socket design have been changed, so you can no longer
link them together without cutting ends off and just using a connector
block. Clearly deliberate, and makes a mockery of attempts at energy saving.

S

Andy Hall wrote:



Far easier to buy traditional fittings and to use proper tungsten
bulbs. You could then use any type that you like within the thermal
range of the fitting and could dim them as well.





Yes indeed, but it can be illuminating (!) to calculate how much you
spend on electricity for lighting. Dimmers don't reduce the consumption
much, just make the lamps even less efficient.

Peter Scott

On 2008-04-06 18:36:33 +0100, "spamlet" said:

It is not just the lampholders:
We have mini strip lights all around the kitchen, using the T4 tubes. As,
so it seems, with almost all things cfl, the ballast fails on a regular
basis and the fittings are pretty well sealed, the strip light holders have
to be changed quite frequently. Every time we look for a new one, the
connector plug and socket design have been changed, so you can no longer
link them together without cutting ends off and just using a connector
block. Clearly deliberate, and makes a mockery of attempts at energy saving.


Not really. It's a mockery anyway, although it has to be said that
playing around with lightbulbs is making a mockery even of that.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/jpo0006l.jpg

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/wpr0111l.jpg

On 2008-04-06 18:38:09 +0100, Peter Scott said:

Andy Hall wrote:



Far easier to buy traditional fittings and to use proper tungsten
bulbs. You could then use any type that you like within the thermal
range of the fitting and could dim them as well.





Yes indeed, but it can be illuminating (!) to calculate how much you
spend on electricity for lighting.

In terms of total energy outlay, very little, and in terms of my GDP,
very small indeed. When one then considers that for six months plus
of the year, any heat produced by lighting is added to the envelope of
the house, then it becomes even smaller.


Dimmers don't reduce the consumption much, just make the lamps even
less efficient.


Yes I know. The objective would be to set the lighting to the
desired aesthetic level. If 100W of heat is added to the
requirements for the house, then so be it.

The whole thing is focussed on what amounts to a 3rd or 4th order issue

On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 16:47:31 UTC, Peter Scott
wrote:

Like most people I am working through my house changing to low energy
lamps.

Not me. I've stocked up on incandescents.

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com