Low Energy Light Bulbs

[Panic Button]

The government wants to get rid of incandescent bulbs.

What about all of us with dimmer switches and light activated outside lights? They don't work with low energy bulbs do they?

[honky-tonk]

I have tried a low energy bulb on a outside light that is connected to a digital timer it does not work

[Toureman]

My outside light works by a light sensor, works ok with a low energy bulb.

[Panic Button]

Mine goes spare after a few seconds, enough to bring on a fit in vulnerable people.

[buildersmate]

Its a design thing in the dimmer. The cheapo ones are less likely to work with low energy bulbs.

[Disco Fever]

The simple answer is this, you cannot dim a compact fluorescent lamp with any type of dimmer cheap or expensive, you either have them on or off. The amount of electricity that a low energy lamp uses is most of the time 75% less than a conventional 60 watt GLS lamp.

Now when it comes to outside lights it's better to leave the light on all night to illuminate the area you want to so you get the effect of the light output of a low energy compact flourescent as in the winter the lamp needs about 4 minutes to warm up, also if you want to fit a "Photo electric cell" to the fitting so the light stays on all night and off in the day. They are inexpensive and all electrical wholesalers have them. The ones I buy are about �9 + vat and are very small and can be fitted in most outside light fittings ask them for the Eterna EMPCR photo cell.

Can you tell i'm a sparky!!!

[Disco Fever]

Oh and I forgot to say that the maunfacturers of the normal 100 & 150 watt BC & ES lamps will stop making them this year and next year the 60 watt will also stop being made.

They have already stopped manufacturing the 8ft 100/125 watt fluorescent tubes due to the cost of making them and the light output to ratio of the cost of the fitting being on is a lot higher than the 6ft so once all of the 8ft tubes have gone then you will have to replace all the old fittings with 6ft twin fittings to get the same light output and the manufacturers can't make an electronic ballast for the 8ft so that's another reason why they have stopped making them...

[Panic Button]

Unfortunately I am in rented, and the outside light will not accept a low energy one because the type of photo electric cell fitted is incompatible. I am therefore forced to use an incandescent one.

[matt1e]

hi there
you can actually get dimmable energy savers now