EU stops conventional lightbulbs from 2009
EU stops conventional lightbulbs from 2009
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Discussion

cramorra

Original Poster:

1,689 posts

264 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
For those of you who understand German...
http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,595133,00....
Summary
Eurcrates will stop manufacturing and supply of conventional lightbulbs (edison principle) from the end of next year (higher powered ones greater 150 watts poss sooner)
This applies not to halogen or fluorescent bulbs (so no danger for cars...) but all houshold appliances
Nobody knows what will happen to feature lamps light chandeliers or antique furniture/lamps
Are you getting some spares???

hornetrider

63,161 posts

234 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
The EU really pisses me off. It's like rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic ffs.

Why don't they introduce proper legislation so home builders building new build st boxes are never allowed to fit electric heating, and also that they are required to insulate houses properly.

Twats.

off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Big deal, they'll still make millions of them in China, mail order over the internet.

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
They're not perfect. They contain mercury and other toxic chemicals for starters. The colour temperature is poor.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

234 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Can you? I thought the energy efficient ones were those dim jobbies? There's also question marks over their safety.

pies

13,116 posts

285 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Id rather they banned disposable batteries first

Cafe Racer

166 posts

214 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Why don't they introduce proper legislation so home builders building new build st boxes are never allowed to fit electric heating, and also that they are required to insulate houses properly.

Twats.
Holy sweeping statement Batman!

A LOT of new build houses are actually VERY good, usually providing the developer isn't a large company lke Barratts etc.

grumbledoak

32,565 posts

262 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
Nope. CFLs are crap, and a disposal nightmare. All the reasons we are given to switch are 'plausible sounding' cobblers. But, politicians and band-wagons are often best friends. frown

pies said:
Id rather they banned disposable batteries first
yes Now that portable CD players are ancient history almost all household needs can be met with rechargeable batteries. This would genuinely be an improvement. And, they aren't doing it.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

233 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
Well if you believe the environmental garbage then on the surface the new type are far better as they use less electricity


However dig a little deeper and you see that maybe the nice simple little lump of wire in a glass bubble might be a little better for the world then the new fangled ones that are a mess of plastic mouldings and circuit boards

hornetrider

63,161 posts

234 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Cafe Racer said:
hornetrider said:
Why don't they introduce proper legislation so home builders building new build st boxes are never allowed to fit electric heating, and also that they are required to insulate houses properly.

Twats.
Holy sweeping statement Batman!

A LOT of new build houses are actually VERY good, usually providing the developer isn't a large company lke Barratts etc.
Well that's my point. There's no legislation to ensure everyone has high standards. Obviously bespoke low volume high quality builders can build decent houses, I'm referring to (as you say) Barratt and the high volume builders.

off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
For the vast majority of people, this makes virtually NO difference. Now I will accept that for some the warmness of the light and the disposal represent issues, but for the millions and millions of bulbs up and down the country in the average home, this is pretty meaningless. The fact that your energy suppliers are giving them away, the price for them has come tumbling down and the average person will see a cost saving clearly means nothing, does it?

I am not in this for the green side of things. I am certainly not in to support the EU. Maybe I am being a bit of a Devils Advocate here, but I swear, sometimes, anything anyone does that is against the status quo gets chastised and lambasted. Add in a little EU and 'banned' and you have all of the qualities for a rant against the government, establishments, environmentalism and just about anything else.

And lets face it, its an overall guide not an enforceable ban. So there is little or nothing to worry about. You still like your standard bulbs? Buy them now and not worry about it. From what I know about the future of technology, LED's are the way forward and it will put all of this bulb stuff to shame.... or should I say 'in the shade'....

hehe

Lighten up. Does it really matter? Or is this a thinly disguised rant against those scumbags in the EU? We pay their wages you know.....

cmsapms

708 posts

273 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
Cobblers! Try finding golf ball style bulbs with a small bayonet cap that give the same light (eventually) as a 60W proper bulb. The closest I can find stick out of the lamp nearly twice as far, which is unacceptable.

So, I've got to replace all the lights in my lounge because a eurott can't grasp that these "low energy" jobs don't solve anything worth solving whilst creating a whole load more problems?

Well done the EU, another winner! rolleyes

cramorra

Original Poster:

1,689 posts

264 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Parrot of Doom said:
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
They're not perfect. They contain mercury and other toxic chemicals for starters. The colour temperature is poor.
Exactely- and in traditional casings as afromentioned that makes the difference
Toxic substances are another problem as is the often bulky appearance (now candles here...)
I agree with what was said reg LED but again the do not suit any casing/lamp- it@s about choice here rather then anything else
Comparing this with cars the statement would not be "EU stops certifying petrol engined cars" but "EU decides only to allow diesel to be sold from 2010 to encourage energy efficient mobility"
There are as mentioned a lot of things the EU could do first - I would not even mind if they would stop making new lamps for this bulbs, but there are classic/antique lamps which have a value and with energy saving bulbs and their fluorescent light temperature they just don't look right...
C

Cafe Racer

166 posts

214 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Cafe Racer said:
hornetrider said:
Why don't they introduce proper legislation so home builders building new build st boxes are never allowed to fit electric heating, and also that they are required to insulate houses properly.

Twats.
Holy sweeping statement Batman!

A LOT of new build houses are actually VERY good, usually providing the developer isn't a large company lke Barratts etc.
Well that's my point. There's no legislation to ensure everyone has high standards. Obviously bespoke low volume high quality builders can build decent houses, I'm referring to (as you say) Barratt and the high volume builders.
The Building Regulations provide a minimum standard for houses that is actually a decent standard. Where the Regs cannot strictly be applied is workmanship (although there are provisions).

As it's massivley subjective, there cannot be any real effective legislation for it.

off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
cmsapms said:
off_again said:
Errr what's the problem here?

You can get light bulbs that look the same, behave the same (fast start and no warm-up period) but use a fraction of the power and last years longer. So, its better, brighter, cheaper and looks the same - yet you complain?

Nope, sorry, don't get it.....
Cobblers! Try finding golf ball style bulbs with a small bayonet cap that give the same light (eventually) as a 60W proper bulb. The closest I can find stick out of the lamp nearly twice as far, which is unacceptable.

So, I've got to replace all the lights in my lounge because a eurott can't grasp that these "low energy" jobs don't solve anything worth solving whilst creating a whole load more problems?

Well done the EU, another winner! rolleyes
What?

These:
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/category/354/ener...

or these:
http://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/product/list.php?cat...

Eric Mc

125,606 posts

294 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
I bet the French have negotiated a ten year exemption.

grumbledoak

32,565 posts

262 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
Nine fking quid minimum? Plus postage?

You have to be kidding. An Edison bulb would be 48p.

Edited by grumbledoak on Monday 8th December 18:22

speedchick

5,287 posts

251 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
Bulb in my son's light fitting went the other week and the only replacement I had in at the time was an energy saving one, fitted it and then when he went to bed, flicked the switch, and the bulb fell out, it had actually broke the light fitting. So is this how they save the planet then? by breaking the light fittings?

When I am making the jewellery, I can't actually work under the light given off by these bulbs, I have to either have normal ones in, or supplement the energy saving ones with a daylight bulb in a table lamp.

jamiebae

6,245 posts

240 months

Monday 8th December 2008
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Cafe Racer said:
hornetrider said:
Why don't they introduce proper legislation so home builders building new build st boxes are never allowed to fit electric heating, and also that they are required to insulate houses properly.

Twats.
Holy sweeping statement Batman!

A LOT of new build houses are actually VERY good, usually providing the developer isn't a large company lke Barratts etc.
Well that's my point. There's no legislation to ensure everyone has high standards. Obviously bespoke low volume high quality builders can build decent houses, I'm referring to (as you say) Barratt and the high volume builders.
Absolutely. I bought a flat 3 years ago and looked at 3 different new-build developments before settling on an old place and 2 of the new ones had electric storage heaters! A friend bought a new build at the same time and her place has storage heaters too, so it's roasting hot in the morning and freezing cold in the evening.