Undercabinet fluorescents

[meow2222]

Hard to imagine where the energy savings are up for debate. Why dont you tell us.

NT

[Andrew Gabriel]

Actually they're "lamps" in the lighting industry. "Bulb" is used to refer to just the outer glass of a lamp, and torch bulbs, (and things you plant in the garden).

[Andrew Gabriel]

are no standards for power ratings and lengths of the T4 tubes that most of these use. So you must make sure your supplier also supplies spare tubes, and is going to be around for as long as you expect the light fittings to be around.

That eBay one might be a T5 tube -- can't tell. (T5 tubes are standardised power ratings and lengths).

The most recent kitchen I've done uses T5HE tubes clipped to the backs of the under cupboard plinth, and separate electronic control gear. These come in lengths designed to work with modular ceilings, which happen also to be the common width multiples of kitchen cupboards. This gives excellent bright under-cupboard lighting for the worktops.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Those are lamps. Bulbs you plant in the garden.

[brass monkey]

So we nip into Tesco for a box of 60W lightlamps? :D

[Huge]

> Since you can't usually see underneath the cupboards why not make up your > own?

At 3.99 or so for a made-up one, is there any point?

[Huge]

> There are no standards for power ratings and lengths of the T4 tubes

Ahhh. Thank you. Now that *is* worth knowing.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You can make up any words you like. And risk getting called Humpty Dumpty.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

>

If you're happy with a tiny dim light, none.

But most need this sort of thing as a working light and having it running the full length of the cupboards achieves this. Also there is a vast variety of tube types - ie the quality of light output - available in standard sizes but not so many in the smaller ones.

[Huge]

> >

Good point. Thank you.

[Steve Firth]

Thanks, typing in a hurry and got distracted by the power failing and the generator/UPS failing to kick in.

[Steve Firth]

Excellent, empty-headed shit and denial.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think it's quite well known that they choose about the most inefficient tungsten lamp for the benchmark. 'Soft tone' or whatever. Not an ordinary GLS type.

Giving a life in 'years' is of course a nonsense. It's operational hours that matter.

I'm not a lover of CFLs for domestic use - to me they can produce a less than pleasant light and can look ugly if you see the actual lamp. But I do use them outdoors and can confirm their life being as advertised, at least in my limited experience of them.

[Steve Firth]

BUt in this context they're all much of a muchness. Even when the fluorescent has iPF compensation it doesn't raise the efficiency *that* much. From 0.30 to 0.50 IIRC.

Not, I must point out that I'm saying there is *no* possible saving to be made, just that the saving is, as Huge stated debatable and that for someone to state that only a moron would debate the savings to be made is bollocks. The savings are exaggerated and are usually only made at the expense of having generally inferior illumination.

[Steve Firth]

I tried to use 4x14W CFL downlighters to replace 4x25W incandescent downlighters. It wasn't a success, the illumination is much dimmer, and the start up time is a PITA.

[Huge]

Quite. So it's a lie.

Quite. So that's a lie, too.

(I bought some new Philips ones on the Homebase offer the other day and I notice, comparing them with the spare in the cupboard that the 'lifetime' has gone up from 7 years to 10.)

I use them where they're acceptable, for "utility" lighting, if you like. Most of our "living" rooms have dimmers, so CFLs are no use there.

I've only had one failure so far, and that was outdoors, and only after a few hours. All the others are still working. I must remember to write the date on them.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

0.3 to 0.5 would be a large increase to most.

Where illumination is the aim (working light) - rather than mood lighting

- strip fluorescents are ideal. Even more so where space is a premium - like the example here.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

CFLs aren't ideal for this sort of thing because to get decent directional lighting requires more of a point source. Which is easier with a filament lamp.

[Man at B&Q]

You shouldn't use CFLs in any application where they are enclosed or hang downwards since doing so cooks the electronics in the base.

MBQ

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , Man at B&Q writes

Patently unsuitable for purpose if that is the case.