Global Warming Poley Bears Efficiency Lighting

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by ltd

Apparently you use sticky tape and push it into the carpet, then remove.
I also agree with you and will be getting halogens to replace these energy efficient hazards.

Wow, whose bright idea was that, thats a lot of tape. I hope they make it in a metre wide roll. I had a proper flouro go, and glass was all over the place. Lucky it was on concrete but it was literally everywhere. They seriously go off with a bit of a bang, I assume the gas is under a small amount of pressure but its enough to send glass over a large enough area that sticky tape would be a PITA.

We've got a Wertheim carpet shampooer so Id probably use that as the water would help keep the mercury from being recirculated. But no, I'll avoid it by not having those stupid lights anyway.

Dont know how true it is, but I recall a bloke on TV stating how they can increase skin cancer risks too, so he bought several wholesale sized boxes of the incandescents before the ban kicked in.

[TheInterceptor]

Do the globes make a low electrical ''zzzzzzzzzzz'' sound before they go? When im on the computer at home i sit under 3 of these p.o.s's and they dont sound healthy....

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by ltd

I'm thinking I might just package all of mine up, and have a courier deliver it to the the former liberal environmental minister Malcolm Turnball's (the guy who started this efficiency lighting crap) office with a note saying; "suck my mercury".

Please do!

Originally Posted by MAD

one breakage and it was due to a wii tennis serve. (not me)

Those Wii things are dangerous and should be banned

[ltd]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Wow, whose bright idea was that, thats a lot of tape. I hope they make it in a metre wide roll. I had a proper flouro go, and glass was all over the place. Lucky it was on concrete but it was literally everywhere. They seriously go off with a bit of a bang, I assume the gas is under a small amount of pressure but its enough to send glass over a large enough area that sticky tape would be a PITA.

We've got a Wertheim carpet shampooer so Id probably use that as the water would help keep the mercury from being recirculated. But no, I'll avoid it by not having those stupid lights anyway.

Dont know how true it is, but I recall a bloke on TV stating how they can increase skin cancer risks too, so he bought several wholesale sized boxes of the incandescents before the ban kicked in.

What amazes me is that in life we are meant to progress as a society, we make all sorts of advances in science, engineering, construction etc etc, and yet somehow we've ended up regressing by allowing a very hazardous substance into our homes with these globes which are overly complex, potentially deadly and built by the LOWEST bidder. Gives you confidence doesn't it?
In my research I've found that the bulk of the globes are made in China and sold to Woolworths and Westfarmers for less than 50 cents per unit. These things are built to a price so the glue holding the tube to the plastic base is reknowned for failing when the buggers warm up. Apparently only the phillips or GE type are the least problematic of which I haven't been able to find.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by ltd

Apparently only the phillips or GE type are the least problematic of which I haven't been able to find.

Have you checked with a specialist lighting store. I'm pretty sure Bunnings stock Philips too

[ltd]

Originally Posted by cs123

Have you checked with a specialist lighting store. I'm pretty sure Bunnings stock Philips too

I could only find Mirabella at the Woolworths and the Coles, I'd just assumed that as Coles and Bunnings are part of Westfarmers, they'd have the same stock. I'll give Bunnings a try, but probably on Monday; I hate the weekend warriors.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by ltd

What amazes me is that in life we are meant to progress as a society, we make all sorts of advances in science, engineering, construction etc etc, and yet somehow we've ended up regressing by allowing a very hazardous substance into our homes with these globes which are overly complex, potentially deadly and built by the LOWEST bidder. Gives you confidence doesn't it?
In my research I've found that the bulk of the globes are made in China and sold to Woolworths and Westfarmers for less than 50 cents per unit. These things are built to a price so the glue holding the tube to the plastic base is reknowned for failing when the buggers warm up. Apparently only the phillips or GE type are the least problematic of which I haven't been able to find.

Politics. Not party specific, but just trying to appease certain groups, different groups, and a public perception that is often misguided or plain ill-informed, probably myself included. Apparently getting it right is irrelevant. Thats not a comment on current times, but includes them, both sides of politics play that game, and thats probably more the voters fault than politicians.

The whole notion that changing the lighting habits of domestic properties was somehow going to be revolutionary change was stupid in reality, but was politically clever. Domestic use of electricity is around 10% of all electricity produced in this country (similar stat for oil too AFAIK). and then factor in that lighting is a small amount of all our electrical use, its water heaters, room heaters, aircon, ovens, TV and surround sound systems, etc and to a lesser extent (as we use them for short periods at a time) kettles, toasters, hairdryers and other high power consumption devices that make up the larger part of domestic use. Then theres tools etc. Point is domestic lighting is bugger all of less than 10% of all electricity consumption.

And hey, i believe global warming is an issue, and man is at least in part responsible and even i know the lightglobe issue was nonsense. Just bring back the old ones.

[sudszy]

whoa....thanks for the headsup about normal incandescents being withdrawn from the market. I was aware that it had been talked about and wish Id stockpiled them, I hadnt needed to buy any for a couple of years and had a look down the local bunnings today and realised the reality!.

The reg is flawed for a number of reasons.

Ive had two of the compact fluros fail and start smouldering(who knows what would have happened if they had been unattended, and have had several of the woolworths ones break just while pushing them into bayonet sockets.

As others had noted, they simply dont put out the quoted light output and take several minutes in cold temperatures to produce worthwhile light, not good for a sensor light at the front door etc.

Sure, they are a good idea if they are in areas where you need the light more than a hour a day, yet I have a number of places about the home/shed where I only need the light to work for a minute or less per day. The amount of energy the globe needs being really quite irrelevant, but Im forced to now compromise with these expensive globes and will have to install several of them to replace the 150W and 200W filament globes that I have in several places.

It doesnt appear that this basic restriction of choice has been applied to any other consumer item. We can still purchase a 500W plasma versus a 150W LED version or even buy a thirsty Hummer compared to a thrifty golf diesel, or for that matter a even a 2000W infra red light(bar radiator), not happy.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by sudszy

whoa....thanks for the headsup about normal incandescents being withdrawn from the market. I was aware that it had been talked about and wish Id stockpiled them, I hadnt needed to buy any for a couple of years and had a look down the local bunnings today and realised the reality!.

The reg is flawed for a number of reasons.

Ive had two of the compact fluros fail and start smouldering(who knows what would have happened if they had been unattended, and have had several of the woolworths ones break just while pushing them into bayonet sockets.

As others had noted, they simply dont put out the quoted light output and take several minutes in cold temperatures to produce worthwhile light, not good for a sensor light at the front door etc.

Sure, they are a good idea if they are in areas where you need the light more than a hour a day, yet I have a number of places about the home/shed where I only need the light to work for a minute or less per day. The amount of energy the globe needs being really quite irrelevant, but Im forced to now compromise with these expensive globes and will have to install several of them to replace the 150W and 200W filament globes that I have in several places.

It doesnt appear that this basic restriction of choice has been applied to any other consumer item. We can still purchase a 500W plasma versus a 150W LED version or even buy a thirsty Hummer compared to a thrifty golf diesel, or for that matter a even a 2000W infra red light(bar radiator), not happy.

If youre replacing 150 watt units, just get a flood light or one of those arlec (cant think what they are called) halide work lights, they come in 150 and 500 watt.

For the other stuff, just look for halogen globes, they look like a normal old style globe with a car headlight globe inside the glass. Essentially thats what they are but obviously 240 volt and purpose built. They cost about $3 and seem to last as long as the old lights did, pretty much anyway.

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by fmc351

If youre replacing 150 watt units, just get a flood light or one of those arlec (cant think what they are called) halide work lights, they come in 150 and 500 watt.

For the other stuff, just look for halogen globes, they look like a normal old style globe with a car headlight globe inside the glass. Essentially thats what they are but obviously 240 volt and purpose built. They cost about $3 and seem to last as long as the old lights did, pretty much anyway.

Thanks for that, but flood light style units(interesting they can still be bought) aren't suitable, I need high power globes that distributed the light in all directions, suppose Ill just have to install a couple more globes.

[cs123]

I don't think the problem is the concept of CFL but as is typical these days the products we get from chain stores are cheap crap.

[z80]

It's the electrolytic capacitors that do the blowing in the compact fluoros.

The cheap chinese made fluoros are usually intended for the 110/220v market, in spite of being labelled as 240v.

If you get some slight excess mains voltage the driver transistors short out, then AC voltage finds it's way into the secondary side electrolytic capacitors.

It's the capacitors that explode like fire crackers, the glass assembly is usually in the way and is the most obvious casualty.

[Spudz27]

Originally Posted by ltd

I could only find Mirabella at the Woolworths and the Coles, I'd just assumed that as Coles and Bunnings are part of Westfarmers, they'd have the same stock. I'll give Bunnings a try, but probably on Monday; I hate the weekend warriors.

All of my globes are phillips and all bought at my local woolies. I bought only phillips because of all the brands on shelf, phillips was the only one I knew had a reputation for good products. It was just a pity each globe was $7-$8.

In saying this I have had a few of these work fine for an hour, then begin to flicker and even flash on and off after being bought the day before. The one in the family room always flicks like a power outage when you first hit the switch, only once and is a split second thing, but initially it seems like it is shorting. Might go get hologens.

[pulpist]

I have a gross of incandescent 75w bulbs stored in the shed.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by pulpist

I have a gross of incandescent 75w bulbs stored in the shed.

Wouldn't be interested in selling some would you?
People who stocked up on incandescents could make a small fortune selling them on ......................... The Black (light) Market.

[xtremerus]

Replaced all incandescent bulbs in the house with the compact fluros when they first came out, about 15yrs ago.
None have failed, or blown yet.
The older ones may have been better quality.

[davez104]

I don't know if it's the quality of the bulbs or the quality of the power supply making them blow, but I've lost count of the number of these energy savers I've thrown in the bin. Going to give these halogen jobbies a go and see if they last any better.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by davez104

Going to give these halogen jobbies a go and see if they last any better.

Will last about the same time as a normal incandescent globe from my experience.