Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.
--
Graeme

News wrote

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

Nope, I do too, particularly PAR38s.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw cap
E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about a
pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

And wildly varying lives too.

Huge wrote:

~50% of the lamps in my house are still GLS, either because they're
on dimmers or because I can't get a CFL that will fit in the fitting. I haven't
even looked at LEDs yet.

LEDs (providing you don't choose badly) fit the bill for size and dimmer
compatibility.

[Cue Johny]

In article ,
News wrote:
Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.


No you're not. The vast majority of my lighting is by incandescent. Or
'proper' fluorescent.

--
*England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 03/04/15 09:13, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.


If you decide to stick with incandescents, beware the cheapo types: I
posted my experience here a little while ago - in essence, the E14 cap
design ensures that when the internal fuse blows, an arc forms to the
cap, blowing holes, sometimes melting the lampholder, and often dropping
trips.

I went for a compromise of cfl lamps for my inlaws' fittings, and have
had no trouble since then.

--
Kevin

On Fri, 03 Apr 2015 11:00:51 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
News wrote:
Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still
using mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.


No you're not. The vast majority of my lighting is by incandescent. Or
'proper' fluorescent.

Just went up in the lft this mornign to retrieve a little of the bulb
stock. One had blown, but it has a very long life.

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £30a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 03/04/2015 09:13, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

Amazon.

The Philips bulbs like this have quite a good light distribution and
give of a warm light more like an incandescent bulb.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-MAST...PTEW03FE 88CS


The MiniSun bulbs like these are cheaper, the light comes from the top
of the bulb and is much colder. Not much light goes to the ceiling if
used in a pendant light fitting.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MiniSun-High...11w+LED+BC+B22

I use B22 fittings!

There is a YouTube teardown video showing the light distribution of the
Philips bulb.

--
Michael Chare

On 03/04/15 09:13, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

Stay off ebay.

With tungsten, you had two choices for any given form factor/power: good
quality and likely to blow early.

LEDs are a minefield. You can get:

a) ****e light output;

b) Bad colour temperature and.or CRI;

c) Works/not works with your dimmer if any;

d) Crap life;

e) Blows up (as in goes up in smoke).


This is why I stay away from non name crap.

Now: IME,



Avoid Crompton - they die early;

Philips are bloody good in all respects, except they are expensive. But
they do a very high output BC/ES bulb which can be useful in niche cases.

TCP (an actual brand, but sold a lot by Homebase) seem OK - but I had
one that did not like being dimmed.

LEDHut (as many here will recommend) - I have 4 R63 spot lamps and they
are brilliant. Twice as bright (subjectively) as the incandescants they
replaced. Slight lag when starting, but that's OK, it's about 1 second.

Had a couple of ES GLS bulbs from them too - seem good.

One of the R63's came duff, but they sent out a new one without fuss
straight away so I say their guarantee is actually worth something. I
did not have to faff sending the old one back.

And LEDHut have a long guarantee.

In message , Kevin
writes

If you decide to stick with incandescents, beware the cheapo types: I
posted my experience here a little while ago - in essence, the E14 cap
design ensures that when the internal fuse blows, an arc forms to the
cap, blowing holes, sometimes melting the lampholder, and often
dropping trips.

Good point - thanks. I'm tempted to stick with what I know, and I do
like to support our local ironmonger who is finding times very tough.

OT, but he stocks so much stuff in a shop that has probably not changed
in fifty years. Think 'fork handles', but less organised :-) Even
large tins of paint are within a pound of the sheds, and the sheds are
45 miles away, so a no brainer.
--
Graeme

In message , Michael
Chare writes

The Philips bulbs like this have quite a good light distribution and
give of a warm light more like an incandescent bulb.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-MAST...e-Bayonet/dp/B
00K237NNC/ref=pd_sim_light_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GD0T323PTEW03FE 88CS

Extremely useful, thank you, but 12 quid a bulb? I suppose I should
calculate how long such a bulb would need to last, before paying for
itself. Quite a long time, I suspect.

--
Graeme

On 03/04/2015 09:13, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

You can get some colour changing LED bulbs in that fitting, he may like
them as he can change the colour and/or brightness to fit his mood.

For plain LEDs I have used Ikea and Lidl and they are OK, but make sure
there is plenty of ventilation in the fitting and shade because LEDs do
not like it hot.

On 03/04/2015 12:33, News wrote:
In message , Michael
Chare writes

The Philips bulbs like this have quite a good light distribution and
give of a warm light more like an incandescent bulb.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-MAST...e-Bayonet/dp/B
00K237NNC/ref=pd_sim_light_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GD0T323PTEW03FE 88CS

Extremely useful, thank you, but 12 quid a bulb? I suppose I should
calculate how long such a bulb would need to last, before paying for
itself. Quite a long time, I suspect.

As a (very) rough example lets assume you pay 12p per KWh and run the
lamp for 4 hours per day.

A 75 watt tungsten bulb would cost 4 * 0.075 * 12 = 3.6 pence per day.
A 13 watt LED would cost 3.6 * 13 / 75 = 0.624 pence per day.
So that's a saving of 2.976 pence per day.
The payback period for £12.65 would be 12.65 * 100 / 2.976 = 425 days or
about 14 months. After that you'll be saving about £10.80 per year for
as long as the bulb lasts - which will almost certainly be less than the
20 years that some suppliers claim,

--
Mike Clarke

On Fri, 3 Apr 2015 09:13:44 +0100, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ledlam-E14-3...dp/B00L6LQ0K6/
3W, 320lm, 4100K, E14 with 5-year guarantee.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ledlam-E27-5...dp/B00L6LQVT6/
6W, 600lm, 4100K, E27

I've 2 rooms of 12' square where each has 3 of the latter lamps in shades
that are highly tranluscent - bit bright but I can now see what I'm doing.

Intending to put 2 luminaires of 3 lamps each of the 3W lamps in the
kitchen, when I find the fittings I wasnt.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 03/04/15 09:13, News wrote:

Having read other threads, it seems I'm the only person left still using
mainly traditional incandescent light bulbs.

We have one room, usually used by son playing PC etc., with two
freestanding lamps, each using a 40w clear golf ball bulb, small screw
cap E14 fitting. Just used my last spare bulb. Replacements are about
a pound at the local shop, or half that price via eBay, ten off.

So, were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type? Looking at eBay, the
range is vast, with wildly varying prices.

Stay off ebay.

With tungsten, you had two choices for any given form factor/power: good
quality and likely to blow early.

LEDs are a minefield. You can get:

a) ****e light output;

b) Bad colour temperature and.or CRI;

c) Works/not works with your dimmer if any;

d) Crap life;

e) Blows up (as in goes up in smoke).


This is why I stay away from non name crap.

Now: IME,



Avoid Crompton - they die early;


I no longer know who is making what.

Cromptom had a factory in Doncaster. Then all of a sudden the factory
changed its name to Cooper Menervier and now it says Eaton - and Eaton are
the old MEM.




--
Adam

On 03/04/15 16:53, ARW wrote:

Cromptom had a factory in Doncaster. Then all of a sudden the factory
changed its name to Cooper Menervier and now it says Eaton - and Eaton
are the old MEM.


I suspect their LEDs are a badge job. It wasn't just one - I had at two
and both died in short order - one in less than a year. I forgot who I
bought it from.

I was suspicious of LEDhut as they only sell their own brand, but I have
to say, I am quite impressed so far.

On 03/04/15 16:53, ARW wrote:

Question -

When fitting LED friendly trailing edge dimmers, do you have a favourite
make Adam?

Tim Watts wrote:

When fitting LED friendly trailing edge dimmers, do you have a favourite
make

I tried the MK "LED specific" dimmer, with some LEDHUT dimmable GU10s,

it flickered while being turned up/down
it buzzed too much for my liking
it sometimes went into "shutdown" mode

It was OK if the LEDs were swapped back for the halogen GU10s, so I
ended-up sending it back to Amazon.

Later, I tried the Varilight LED Grid dimmer, with an MK grid plate/yoke
and it is silent and dims smoothly, you can put it into a programming
mode by twiddling its knob in a certain pattern, to enable
leading/trailing mode and smooth start if it somehow detects the wrong
type of lamp, would buy again ...

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLGJP400MK.html

On 03/04/15 20:28, Andy Burns wrote:
Tim Watts wrote:

When fitting LED friendly trailing edge dimmers, do you have a favourite
make

I tried the MK "LED specific" dimmer, with some LEDHUT dimmable GU10s,

it flickered while being turned up/down
it buzzed too much for my liking
it sometimes went into "shutdown" mode

It was OK if the LEDs were swapped back for the halogen GU10s, so I
ended-up sending it back to Amazon.

Later, I tried the Varilight LED Grid dimmer, with an MK grid plate/yoke
and it is silent and dims smoothly, you can put it into a programming
mode by twiddling its knob in a certain pattern, to enable
leading/trailing mode and smooth start if it somehow detects the wrong
type of lamp, would buy again ...

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLGJP400MK.html


Programmable - interesting - I did not know the Varilight was adaptable.

On 03/04/15 21:42, Tim Watts wrote:
On 03/04/15 20:28, Andy Burns wrote:

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLGJP400MK.html


Programmable - interesting - I did not know the Varilight was adaptable.


And thank you -

It seems the magic word is "V-Pro" and they are also available in
touch/IR remote control which is actually quite cool in the given
application.

Once upon a time on usenet Huge wrote:
On 2015-04-03, Andy Burns wrote:
Huge wrote:

~50% of the lamps in my house are still GLS, either because they're
on dimmers or because I can't get a CFL that will fit in the
fitting. I haven't even looked at LEDs yet.

LEDs (providing you don't choose badly) fit the bill for size and
dimmer compatibility.

It does look like LED prices are falling to merely outrageous from
extortionate, but since I'm planning to move in the next few months,
I'll wait until we're in our new house.

I'm quite impressed with the LED lighting recently installed in our
local Sainsbury.

I've had all LED lighting in my house (and over my aquariums) for a couple
of years now and even the council streetlight outside the gate is LED.
Anything else is obsolete and wasteful of energy compared with a
well-designed LED light source.
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long, way when religious belief has a
cozy little classification in the DSM."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)

In message , ~misfit~
writes

I've had all LED lighting in my house (and over my aquariums) for a couple
of years now and even the council streetlight outside the gate is LED.
Anything else is obsolete and wasteful of energy compared with a
well-designed LED light source.

Yes, I agree, and have taken the plunge. Thanks for all the comments. I
have purchased two golf ball E14s from LEDHut, who are offering a ten
per cent discount today.

The incandescent bulbs are 40w, and the replacement LEDs 4.5w, so almost
a ninety per cent saving. This is in a room used by a teenager who
spends most of his life with the shutters closed, and the room lit by
two table lamps, so the savings should be worthwhile, even after the
cost of the bulbs.

--
Graeme

En el artículo , News
escribió:

This is in a room used by a teenager who
spends most of his life with the shutters closed

Have you checked that his reflection appears in a mirror?

--
:: je suis Charlie :: yo soy Charlie :: ik ben Charlie ::

In message , Mike Tomlinson
writes
En el artículo , News
escribió:

This is in a room used by a teenager who
spends most of his life with the shutters closed

Have you checked that his reflection appears in a mirror?

I'll check next time I look for the 666 on the back of his neck :-)
--
Graeme

On 06/04/2015 09:54, News wrote:


Yes, I agree, and have taken the plunge. Thanks for all the comments. I
have purchased two golf ball E14s from LEDHut, who are offering a ten
per cent discount today.

If considering another purchase from the same company - they often have
a VAT free or a 25% off week.

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , alan_m
writes
On 06/04/2015 09:54, News wrote:


Yes, I agree, and have taken the plunge. Thanks for all the comments. I
have purchased two golf ball E14s from LEDHut, who are offering a ten
per cent discount today.

If considering another purchase from the same company - they often have
a VAT free or a 25% off week.

Thank you! I will see how we get on with the two ordered, and watch
prices.
--
Graeme

"Adam Funk" wrote in message
...


Seriously, if you run hot water into the bath, does a 60 W lamp under
it actually make any noticeable difference to heat loss?

No.



--
Adam

On 2015-04-08, ARW wrote:

"Adam Funk" wrote in message
...


Seriously, if you run hot water into the bath, does a 60 W lamp under
it actually make any noticeable difference to heat loss?

No.

I thought it sounded farfetched. I guess the real uk.d-i-y approach
would be to spray expanding foam all over the underside of the bath.

Adam Funk wrote:

I thought it sounded farfetched. I guess the real uk.d-i-y approach
would be to spray expanding foam all over the underside of the bath.

Apocryphally, a few folk have found that cavity wall foam has
spread uninvited beneath the bath.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Plant amazing Acers.

Tim Streater writes:

In article , Johnny B Good
wrote:

All radiation eventually degrades to heat once it hits suitable surfaces
or absorbent particles (dust or gas molecules).

Not so much that it degrades, more that it's absorbed and re-radiated
at a different frequency.

Does it ever end up as 50Hz radiation (in theory at least) ?

--
Windmill, Use t m i l l
J.R.R. Tolkien:- @ S c o t s h o m e . c o m
All that is gold does not glister / Not all who wander are lost

Adam Funk writes:

On 2015-04-08, ARW wrote:

"Adam Funk" wrote in message
...


Seriously, if you run hot water into the bath, does a 60 W lamp under
it actually make any noticeable difference to heat loss?

No.

I thought it sounded farfetched. I guess the real uk.d-i-y approach
would be to spray expanding foam all over the underside of the bath.

But wasn't the idea to preheat the iron so that sitting on it before
turning on the water was less unpleasant?

--
Windmill, Use t m i l l
J.R.R. Tolkien:- @ S c o t s h o m e . c o m
All that is gold does not glister / Not all who wander are lost

En el artículo , Windmill spam-no-
lid escribió:

But wasn't the idea to preheat the iron so that sitting on it before
turning on the water was less unpleasant?

You get in an empty bath and turn the water on? Weird.

--
:: je suis Charlie :: yo soy Charlie :: ik ben Charlie ::

In message , Mike Tomlinson
writes
En el artículo , Windmill spam-no-
escribió:

But wasn't the idea to preheat the iron so that sitting on it before
turning on the water was less unpleasant?

You get in an empty bath and turn the water on? Weird.

I must admit that was my first thought, too. Do people really get in an
empty bath then turn on the water? Perhaps most people do, and I am
weird.
--
Graeme

In message , Tim Streater
writes
In article , News
wrote:
Do people really get in an empty bath then turn on the water?

I certainly do. How else do you adjust the temperature; you need it
somewhat hotter once you're in compared to stood by the bath in the
nuddy. Anyway I wash my hair in the bath before proceeding further.
Only then does the plug go in and the main filling process start.

Just seems odd to me :-) Problem is, I rarely have a bath these days.
The shower is quicker, probably uses less water, but is it really as
good as a good soak? I'm convinced that soaking in the bath helps
prevent rough/hard skin on the feet, in a way that the shower never
will.

We had a break up on the Moray coast last summer, with a fair amount of
time bare foot on the beach and in the water. The difference it made to
my feet was amazing.

Oh, and given that this is still the LED lights thread, the two new
bulbs arrived from LED Hut within a day or two, and we're delighted.
They are much better than I expected, and son, who uses that room, does
not notice any difference. Looking at under cupboard strips for the
kitchen now.
--
Graeme

News wrote:
In message , Tim Streater
writes
In article , News
wrote:
Do people really get in an empty bath then turn on the water?

I certainly do. How else do you adjust the temperature; you need it
somewhat hotter once you're in compared to stood by the bath in the
nuddy. Anyway I wash my hair in the bath before proceeding further.
Only then does the plug go in and the main filling process start.

Just seems odd to me :-) Problem is, I rarely have a bath these days.
The shower is quicker, probably uses less water, but is it really as
good as a good soak? I'm convinced that soaking in the bath helps
prevent rough/hard skin on the feet, in a way that the shower never
will.

Not to mention that washing ones knees or feet is close to impossible
in a shower. How do you scrub dirt off your knees or toes?

--
Chris Green
·

In message , writes

Not to mention that washing ones knees or feet is close to impossible
in a shower. How do you scrub dirt off your knees or toes?

Funny you should say that. With the passing years, I find balancing on
one foot, with the other in the air to wash, or pull a sock on, is not
impossible, but not as easy - or perhaps reliable - as it once was. I
can still reach my knees, in spite of my girth :-)
--
Graeme

En el artículo , escribió:

Not to mention that washing ones knees or feet is close to impossible
in a shower. How do you scrub dirt off your knees or toes?

Stand on one foot. if you can't do that, try losing some weight.

--
:: je suis Charlie :: yo soy Charlie :: ik ben Charlie ::

On 2015-04-11, Tim Streater wrote:

In article , News
wrote:

In message , Mike Tomlinson
writes
En el artÃ*culo , Windmill spam-no-
escribió:

But wasn't the idea to preheat the iron so that sitting on it before
turning on the water was less unpleasant?

You get in an empty bath and turn the water on? Weird.

I must admit that was my first thought, too. Do people really get in an
empty bath then turn on the water? Perhaps most people do, and I am
weird.

I certainly do. How else do you adjust the temperature; you need it
somewhat hotter once you're in compared to stood by the bath in the
nuddy.

I stick my hand under the tap for the initial setting, then in the
bath a few times as it's filling up (& adjust the incoming temperature
again).

Anyway I wash my hair in the bath before proceeding further.
Only then does the plug go in and the main filling process start.

I was going to say that I'd find it fairly uncomfortable to wash my
hair under the bath taps, but then I realized maybe you mean you wash
your hair under the shower head & then have a bath?

News wrote:

I must admit that was my first thought, too. Do people really get in an
empty bath then turn on the water? Perhaps most people do, and I am
weird.

Certainly not!

Adjust the thermostatic mixer to the usual setting, turn the
diverter to the bath filler position, turn on and wait.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Plant amazing Acers.

On 13/04/15 15:05, Mike Tomlinson wrote:


try losing some weight.


That's my resolution this year - purely for health reasons (my knees are
creaking and I don't want a new hernia having had two fixed and being a
lardyass pants is a contributing cause of hernias...

It's annoying though - I go to the gym 2-3 times a week to mash the
cycles[1] following GPs advice and I moderate my diet within recommended
calorie limits.

[1] Being one of the few things that actually makes my joints feel
better for a while rather than worse - and does not cause abdominal stress.

The plus side is I am fitter - I struggle to get my heart rate above 140
(used to be able to get it higher) on the bikes (my legs fall off before
that happens) - but my ******* gut refuses to dissolve nor my weight go
down much.


I think I am basically a sloth...

News wrote:

were I to buy LED bulbs instead, which type?

I hadn't noticed these before, they win the prize for least LED looking LED

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTGLS7BC.html