Bath Chip Repair (update)

[Cursitor Doom]

Well, I finally took a punt on this stuff:

And it really works! I wasn't too hopeful when it arrived since it appears to be made in Poland and the instructions were in broken English, but it does exactly what it claims. I suspect it's been created from all the good old chemicals the EU has illegalised, because it smells just like the wonderfully effective old Araldite used to before they buggered around with the formulation to conform with the new environmental regs. So I've ditched my plans to burn the house down and collect the insurance and the missus has stayed the divorce proceedings. :-)

[pamela]

Excellent result!

I'm still hankering after the time not long ago when "nasty" incandescent light bulbs were dirt cheap at six for a pound but now they're so expensive that I handle them with extra care.

Sure the old bulbs were inefficient but too many energy efficient bulbs have been disappointing (poor life, awful colour temperatures, expense, low lumen output, etc) and sometimes you just want one of those old bulbs.

I wonder how the EU manages to keep up the price of old style bulbs.

[Cursitor Doom]

I don't miss the old tungsten bulbs one iota. Time was many decades ago when they were manufactured to last by solid companies like Osram and GE, but those days are long over. The Chinese ones that starting swamping the market in the 90s had awful lifespans but they were so cheap they just put the established manufacturers out of business, so in the end one had no choice but to buy cheap Chinese junk. Fortunately the quality of stuff from China has improved greatly since!

[pamela]

I thought a lot of the cheap bulbs were from east Europe. I never noticed old style light bulbs from China although I'm sure they were there.

In the past, when I thought I had seen the very worst way certain goods could be made, I would come across a Chinese made version which plumbed below the depths of my worst imaginings.

One of my bug bears with modern light bulbs is that they are so expensive and too many are either dead on arrival or fail soon after. That changes the entire cost equation for me because I don't usually return the failed bulb.

Am not sure where the incandescent bulbs I see in the shops are coming from. I thought there is now an outright ban on them.

[The Natural Philosopher]

'high efficiency' halogens are allowed as are 'rough service' bulbs. Basically old fashioned incandescents made a 'bit better'

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

The odds and ends shop near me sells them for 65p each. The last about 3 years and that will do me. Sod this modern stuff.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I hated the fluorescent things, but the LED shit has a decent brightness, decent colour temperature and seems to be what is wanted.

[pamela]

Yes, LED can be nice sometimes although not always. Some CFLs seem okay especially the cooler colour temperatures. It's a shame the max lumens of many of these bulbs is so modest.

For me, halogen is the nicest of all but it seems so fragile. I gently knocked a table lamp and the halogen bulb packed up. Same happened with the replacment bulb. At two quid each for a few months use, this is getting expensive.

[newshound]

I've learned to live with CFLs for general use, although I am beginning to shift to LEDs. Halogens are nice for reading or desk lights, the bulbs are cheap on eBay.

[Chris J Dixon]

I have recently found an acceptable mix of LED downlights to replace halogens in my kitchen, As they are also on a movement sensor, the consumption now is negligible. Sadly, the spare halogens are sunk cost.

Chris

[damduck-egg]

Commiserations , I didn't realise the nastier side of your personality as it appears in many of your postings is probably influenced by you having a terminal illness and knowing how long you have left. Hopefully you'll see a third Christmas.

G.Harman

[The Natural Philosopher]

We all have a terminal illness. Its just a question of how long we have.

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

Don't be cruel, I've confused him enough.