The end of the 60W bulb...

[ainsworth74]

The 60W bulb: A luminary love affair

The once ubiquitous 60W light bulb is about to plop off the production line for the last time across Europe. But while its light may be dimming, it is still illuminating many of our homes.

It is at once a thing of delicate beauty and robust science.

Encased in its own glass world, a miniature laboratory keeps a tiny thread of tungsten burning brightly. There is even a touch of romance in its soft flare, as it casts a painterly glow over the room and the faces of its occupants.

The 60W has long been the bulb of choice for the modestly-sized rooms in the typical British home. But this very domestic species will be put on the endangered list on Thursday 1 September, when an EU-wide ban on the manufacturing and importing of 60W incandescent clear light bulbs comes into force.

Customers will still be able to get hold of a 60W bulb but once stocks run out, it will go the same way as candlelight and gaslight before it.

People are being forced to use energy-saving light bulbs. And no matter how much fans of compact fluorescent lamps proclaim their virtues, there will be some who will see Thursday as the day which consigned their homes to eternal dimness.

Continues here...

So what do the members of RailUK think? Necessary or nanny state gone mad?

 

[thefab444]

Necessary "evil". I don't get what the fuss is about energy saving light bulbs, we have them in nearly all of our rooms and once you get used to the fact the light is a slightly different tone to incandescent bulbs there isn't really a noticeable decline in the light levels.

 

[bb21]

Have they found a solution to the pollution caused by the eventual disposal of energy-efficient bulbs yet?

 

[SS4]

I bet they said the same thing when newfangled electric lighting came in!


About time they were removed, the UK has CO2 emissions to meet and although I don't have figures to hand those millions of bulbs must add up so some kW!
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Have they found a solution to the pollution caused by the eventual disposal of energy-efficient bulbs yet?

Doubt it, LED lights are becoming more common now anyway

 

[Schnellzug]

i don't see anything wrong with Those energy saving thingumies. I have two, what are they, *looks* 13w, and they give a nice soft glow, much in fact like an old 60w, only using fewer watts.

besides, we all need to make our contribution to reducing electricity consumption, to compensate for when they electrify the GWML, don't we.

 

[SS4]

i don't see anything wrong with Those energy saving thingumies. I have two, what are they, *looks* 13w, and they give a nice soft glow, much in fact like an old 60w, only using fewer watts.

besides, we all need to make our contribution to reducing electricity consumption, to compensate for when they electrify the GWML, don't we.

And fast train :P

Züge is the plural I believe

 

[Greenback]

We have been using energy saving bulbs for years. I can't see any difference myself, so I am not at all interested in the BBC's lame attempts to make traditional bulbs some sot of national treasure.

 

[bb21]

We use them around the house too. We stocked up when Tesco were selling them for 8p.

 

[SS4]

We have been using energy saving bulbs for years. I can't see any difference myself, so I am not at all interested in the BBC's lame attempts to make traditional bulbs some sot of national treasure.

It essentially comes down to the Stefan-Boltzmann Law in which wavelength (ie: colour) is related to temperature. I believe that the energy saving light bulbs (LEDs certainly do) use the Photoelectric Effect whereas the old bulbs use the resistance of tungsten to create heat at that temperature (hence the need for an Ar environment)

 

[Phil6219]

I think it's a shame, I have two lights in my back room one energy saver and one 60W Tungsten and I hardly ever use the energy saver as I really don't like the light coming off it. I must admit that they have improved considerably from the earlier models of energy saving bulbs though, those that took forever to actually produce any usable light and then the light was far too dim...

Fortunately I have a couple of cases of "proper" lightbulbs so can carry on basking in the warm glow of my Tungsten bulbs for a few more years to come

 

[142094]

Have they found a solution to the pollution caused by the eventual disposal of energy-efficient bulbs yet?

Several ways of recycling now available.

 

[starrymarkb]

And fast train :P

Züge is the plural I believe

It's right - Schnellzug was the designation before DB adopted intercity...

 

[Bill EWS]

''or nanny state gone mad''

What is mad about reducing the power rating and still produce the power of 60w or whatever. I have changed most of my lamps in the house, except where a dimmer is used and the reduction of power is noticeable. Are you against saving money on your power bills? Saying that I am perfectly aware that we have saved nothing in reality as since we all started purchaing these new lamps the Power people have increased the bills a few times, leaving us using less power but higher bills. However, the bills would be even higher if we had stuck with 60 watt lamps everywhere in the house. I fail to see what a ''Nanny state has to do with cost savings, in this matter! Just seems like common sense not me!

 

[Minilad]

With regards to saving money how much does an energy saving bulb actually save in the real world.
Not in the quoted industry figures which are probably if you leave the bulb on 24 hours a day 7 days a week. But in real world usage.
Not a lot I would guess

 

[wbbminerals]

RIP. And to compensate for the loss I might leave my ~300W computer on all night! LED lights are the future, as the mercury content is very hazardous - from one damage to the environment to the other!

 

[tony_mac]

With regards to saving money how much does an energy saving bulb actually save in the real world.

It does still save some, enough to justify buying them.

It is also the case that lights are on most often when it is dark, and hence often also cold.
If you have your heating on, then an incandescent bulb is helping to heat the house, so the extra energy isn't actually wasted anyway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Several ways of recycling now available.

The trouble is that not many people are aware that these have to be recycled if a recent survey is to be believed.

Some supermarkets now have a facility where shoppers can bring back used batteries for recycling....why can't they also offer a facility for shoppers to bring back new-style light bulbs for recycling. After all, they sell enough of both products and they could be seen as doing something to help their customers and the environment at the same time.

Plenty of good PR to be had in this for them.

 

[Bungle73]

Two words: dimmer switches.

Also you're not supposed to put them in the household refuse, so where the hell are you supposed to put them? Also, apparently, if one breaks you're supposed to call the council to come and clean it up, and if one breaks on your carpet your supposed to buy a new one (carpet)!

 

[tony_mac]

where the hell are you supposed to put them?

You get in your car and make the 15-mile round trip to the council recycling centre, of course!

 

[Schnellzug]

Two words: dimmer switches.

Also you're not supposed to put them in the household refuse, so where the hell are you supposed to put them? Also, apparently, if one breaks you're supposed to call the council to come and clean it up, and if one breaks on your carpet your supposed to buy a new one (carpet)!

Do they come in radiation hazard suits?
What is supposed to be so hazardous about them?

 

[codenamecuebal]

halogen lights - expensive yes, but more efficient, instantly bright and a nice tone

 

[Bungle73]

Do they come in radiation hazard suits?
What is supposed to be so hazardous about them?

They contain mercury.

 

[SS4]

Isn't mercury an impurity in fossil fuel though? Especially coal.

Nice to see the opposition is well coordinated with sound reasoning instead of the technophobe crap from the BBC website.

 

[Schnellzug]

They contain mercury.

Seems curious onsidering how keen They are to eradicate anything (e.g. CFCs) that might be, harmful to the Environment. Perhaps they consider that potential harm to people is of less concern, or perhaps it's all a big fuss and the actual risk is negligible.

Anyway, don't thermometers and things contain Mercury, or is that forbidden now as well?

 

[SS4]

Do they come in radiation hazard suits?
What is supposed to be so hazardous about them?

A gas mask will do. Mercury is relatively volatile and is usually inhaled.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Seems curious onsidering how keen They are to eradicate anything (e.g. CFCs) that might be, harmful to the Environment. Perhaps they consider that potential harm to people is of less concern, or perhaps it's all a big fuss and the actual risk is negligible.

Anyway, don't thermometers and things contain Mercury, or is that forbidden now as well?

I believe mercury thermometers are being phased out by alcohol ones. Certainly the ones I have around the house are alcohol but there are naturally millions in circulation.

I really don't see what the fuss over mercury is, can anyone really plausibly say that this issue hasn't been address and is set at a safe level by (probably EU) law.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

It's unfortunate that we are left with the interim technology to use (energy saving bulbs were never fully developed and only meant as an intermediary between the ending of Tungsten and the beginning of LEDs).

 

[Dennis]

I really don't see what the fuss over mercury is

Minamata, for example.

A lot of electrical goods contain nasties, WEEE

 

[ChrisCooper]

All this talk about the Mercury in them is starting to sound like something from the Daily Mail. You do know it's them and their type that started that myth don't you? It's so funny how people and groups that are largely politically and socially left tend to swing to Daily Mail right as soon as environmental issues come up.

 

[sutty]

All this talk about the Mercury in them is starting to sound like something from the Daily Mail. You do know it's them and their type that started that myth don't you? It's so funny how people and groups that are largely politically and socially left tend to swing to Daily Mail right as soon as environmental issues come up.

*like*

Anybody who wants to check out the mercury urban legend, I'd advise a trip over to snopes.com and search for energy saving bulbs. As long as you're careful you can clean one up.

In theory you're not supposed to put anything electronic in the rubbish under WEEE guidelines.

 

[90019]

Two words: dimmer switches.

I've been doing viewings at a flat that has a couple of dimmer switches, problem is, they've put in a load of energy saving bulbs, which don't dim.