Proper LED bulbs at last

[88v8]

I have never used 'energy-saving' bulbs.
Horrible stark light, wrong shape, bad light pattern with the bottom of the bulb clad in plastic, nasty things. And their claimed light output was just a lie.

But at last there are LED bulbs with a proper shape and full 360 degree light and 2700K (warm white).
https://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b22-led-bulbs/6-watt-bayonet-filament-standard-shape-bulb.html

I notice Jim Lawrence also sells a squirrel-cage version for around a tenner.

As a guide, in terms of light output, it's 10%. So, a 4W LED equates to a 40W incandescent.

Don't know if they're dimmable, but we only have one dimmer and I have a huge stock of proper bulbs.

Anyway, for those obsessed with energy saving, there they are.

I ordered one. I shall check the light output against a proper 60W bulb by pointing my camera at it, and report back.

Ivor

 

[Flyfisher]

OK, I'll confess to being a bit of an LED fan. 'Warm white' versions have been available for some time and it's the longevity that I like most - perhaps we just have too many awkward-to-get-at light fittings?

But I do agree they can be a poor replacement in terms of shape and light pattern, so those new build designs look promising - except that I've never really been a fan of clear filament bulbs. Hopefully, frosted versions will also be available - without that ugly plastic 'collar' around the base.

 

[foppish]

I've some candle bulbs that work on the same technology (not same manufacturer) in the hall and they are all the things you say, warm light, good looks etc - however - they also strobe it's not noticable normally, as it's very fast, so things have to be moving fast to notice it, but if you stand under them and wave your hands it can be quite disorentating: the first time it hapened I thought I had a problem with my eyes. Might be because I have several in the same light fitting, or it's peculiar to the bulbs I have, but I thought i'd warn you!

 

[Flyfisher]

I've never noticed strobing with LED lights but can imagine how it could happen. LEDs can turn on and off very fast whereas filament bulbs are very slow because of their thermal inertia. Thus, LEDs can switch on and off 50 times a second when mains operated whereas a filament bulb will 'smooth out' this switching effect. Perhaps some manufacturers use a 'smoothing' circuit in their LED lamps?

On a slight tangent, because LEDs can switch many millions of times per second, they have been used to implement 'wifi' systems without requiring radio waves, with all their inherent interference and security issues.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/light-bulb-li-fi-wireless-internet/

 

[Andys]

oo yes, I've tried some LED filament bulbs but the candle-shaped sort, here
http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/megama...4_1444473372_03b3bfb25972b15e5d9fe26e2354f1d4

As Ivor says a colour temperature of 2700K does the job ( I've tried 3000K ones and the light just seems a bit weird) In fact we have them in a chandelier along with a couple of those halogen-bulb-within-a-candle-bulb things which, from experience, I'm expecting to burn out soon and I can't tell them apart.

It took a bit of searching to find these, most similar ones have hideous plastic bases, grrr

 

[MatthewC]

They look like they might have a good market but they won't help me in my latest quest. I have been trying to replace an old floodlight (mushroom shape, bayonet) to fit in a large glass reflector which requires quite a long stalk. I even found a serviceable old mushroom bulb with bayonet and it is a smidge too short to secure in the reflector. No-one seems to sell anything to fit this and so a complete new fitting seems to be required.

Is there a technical reason for the relatively recent trend to Edison Screw or the newer pin arrangements on most LED bulbs? I would have thought that they would aim for like for like replacement and yet so many non-domestic situations seem to need a new fitting to benefit from the new efficiency (like the 50+ lights in the church...).

 

[Flyfisher]

Not sure if screw fittings are more prevalent these days, but new-fangled pin arrangements might be due to low-energy regulations/directives.

A condition of the planning consent or building regs (I forget which) for our new kitchen extension stipulated that all new light fittings must be of a certain type (again, I forget the details) that would only accept low energy light bulbs, so presumably there is such a fitting being used on new builds these days - perhaps that's what you mean?

I say presumably because I'd never heard of such a thing but just resigned myself to it. As it turned out, I forgot all about it, the electrician didn't ask and just fitted normal fittings and the building inspector never asked or checked and signed everything off anyway.


Edit: just had a quick search but couldn't find much info, except this rather fine rant with some interesting comments. Given that it's from 2011 and that incandescent bulbs are increasingly difficult to find, I'm wondering if the push to change fittings has gone away?
https://www.latentexistence.me.uk/a-rant-about-light-sockets-or-should-the-government-take-away-our-choices/

 

[88v8]

I've some candle bulbs .... if you stand under them and wave your hands ...

Is this some sort of initiation rite, like the Bullingdon? :shock:

Edison to BC - there are adaptors, I see
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/bc-to-es-adapter-bk70m
Although of course they add to the length of the bulb, so won't suit all fittings.

We used to be entirely BC and mostly are. And SBC. But we also have some ES that were in a collection of antique brass bulkhead lights I bought for the kitchen.
What with connectors, candles, globes, and the need to maintain some standard-size bulbs instead of these gnomic GLS thingies, so they will work with clip-on shades, our stock of bulbs has become very complicated. I hate 'progress', but UKIP will fix that. :wink:

Plus we inherited some pinny things and other modern weirdnesses but they of course have gone in the skip.

...I've never really been a fan of clear filament bulbs. Hopefully, frosted versions will also be available .

Clear bulbs, not frosted or pearl, yes, hmmm. The interfering EUocrats again.
In the car, I pinked a bulb with paint. It survived the heat. I surmise that I could cloud a bulb with some sort of glass paint, although it would drop the light output. But you're right, clear bulbs don't work in all fittings.
Other than the squirrel cage which looks lovely when dimmed.

Ivor

 

[malcolm]

Shortly after restrictions were placed on traditional light bulbs a German company started advertising 100W electric heaters that could be installed in existing light fittings. They described them as 95% efficient with the remaining energy wasted as light.

I noticed a wide selection of LED bulbs in Screwfix yesterday. You do need to be careful with temperature of light - the cheaper ones tend to be very white.

 

[mattice]

mmm, a dimmable one of those would scratch my itch. Since moving to the country, and it's spiky/surgey power supply, my lifetime supply of 60W bayonets and candles is dwindling - 5 years for tech to sort itself out.

Saying that I've just replaced fluorescent under cabinet strips, with LED white strips. I thought it would be too stark but the oak tops tone it down and I can actually see whether my tea bag is still in the cup... Also nice to have instant, quiet, light unlike their predecessors.

Thanks for the link. I'll be getting couple for the non-dimmers.

 

[TheRoost]

When we moved in to our place we inherited four cheap chandelier type light fittings in the hall and landing, they had 5 x 40w Edison globe bulbs each, a total consumption of 800w! The electricity cost worked out fairly significant, and i'm not sure if heat pointed at the ceiling is of much benefit to us at the bottom half of the room :? , so I've been gradually replacing them with Philips 3w LED pearl globes at a fiver each. To my eye, the light colour is the same, the brightness is the same as 40w (could do with a 2w version actually!) and they are hidden by the glass shades. When we eventually replace the light fittings with something nicer, I would probably look at the LED filament

On the other hand, for the dining room we got some old fashioned carbon filament bulbs http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00U90B42O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00 which look great when dimmed low and give a very warm light.

I keep an old 100w bulb that I use for decorating, I will not be happy when it eventually fails!

 

[mattice]

OK, spontaneously, 6 installed on outdoor lamps, look good in the day and night. Thanks!

 

[88v8]

I have one of these in a Vaseline shade.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-Edison-Bayonet-Squirrel-Antique/dp/B00XNG305K/ref=sr_1_7?s=lighting&ie=UTF8&qid=1445071112&sr=1-7

Beautiful, but would/will look better with a dimmer.

Peering at it just now, I notice that the filaments are vibrating. Very odd, perhaps does not bode well for its longevity and may be the reason it produces RF interference on R3.

It's amazing, how the demise of proper light bulbs has seemingly prompted this profusion of retro versions. Amazing, and very welcome.

Ivor