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Energy Save Lighting
Old style filament light bulbs are extremely inefficient in their use of energy. Only 5% of the energy they use is converted to light. The other 95% is wasted in heat. Florescent strip lights are more efficient but tend to give a harsh light more suited to office and workshop use. They are however only efficient when left on for long periods of time as the starting process is very energy hungry.
Energy Save (ES) bulbs are by far the most economical way of lighting your home. An 11watt ES bulb gives the equivalent light output of a 60watt filament bulb and uses only a sixth of the energy. That equates to a £100 annual lighting bill costing only £17. In a few years, you will only be able to buy ES bulbs as the filament bulb is phased out of production.
There are however three principle drawbacks with ES bulbs. They are considerably more expensive to buy than their filament cousins but they last much longer. In regular use, a filament bulb may only last a few months whereas an ES version will last many years. They are not available in all sizes and shapes and look especially ridiculous in chandelier fittings. They also cannot be used with dimmer switches.
You may notice that I do not refer to ES bulbs as ‘low energy’ bulbs in this article. ES bulbs are also sold under the title of low energy bulbs and indeed they are the same item. I choose to use the ES title so there is no confusion with ‘low voltage’ lighting. Low voltage lights are the small twinkley lights often installed in bathrooms and kitchens as main lighting or surface illumination. These are not low energy by any means. They may have been installed with safety considerations in mind but they produce vast amounts of heat with comparatively little light output. However, they do look nice in the right context.
There are no energy save replacement for low voltage lights as yet but I suspect Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology will soon address this issue.
ES bulbs are available in electrical shops, DIY stores and through wholesalers. If you are considering buying more than five ES bulbs in one purchase, the wholesale outlets are the cheapest options. They are also available through IKEA who stock some unusual shapes and sizes.
Be aware when looking for replacement bulbs that they come in a number of different fittings. Only two types are commonly available as Energy Save bulbs, BC (bayonet cap) and ES (Edison screw). SES (small Edison screw) bulbs are becoming available but in very limited sizes only. There are also compact ceiling Energy Save spotlights with GU10 fittings available through specialist suppliers.
The SBC (small bayonet cap) is not available as an Energy Save bulb as yet.
Energy Save bulbs come in different power/brightness versions.
5watt ES bulb equates to a 25watt filament bulb.
7/9watt ES bulb equates to a 40watt filament bulb.
11watt ES bulb equates to a 60watt filament bulb.
18/20watt ES bulb equates to a 100watt filament bulb.
25watt ES bulb equates to a 125watt filament bulb.
Fitting the Energy Save bulbs is no different to changing a conventional filament bulb. There are other designs of Energy Save lighting which are not straight replacements for filament bulbs but are designed to fit in a purpose built lamp assembly. These are no less efficient than their Energy Save bulb type cousins but obviously need to be initially fitted to your home wiring loom by a qualified or capable electrician. |
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