daylight spectrum bulbs

[Simon Finnigan]

Hi everyone, Ive painted a few rooms with a paint that under daylight is a lovely warm happy yellow colour. Under energy saving bulbs it looks the brightest day glow yellow you can ever imagine :-)

We like the colour, and I'm not inclined to paint three rooms again, but was thinking that a bulb that gave a more "natural" light spectrum would hopefully make the paint look more normal at night.

Anyone got at suggestions for a source of bayonet ended bulbs with a more natural spectrum? I've had a look online but most sources are either in china, or via eBay, which I'd like to avoid unless I am pointed towards a particular seller or brand that is good.

Thanks in advance for your help m

[Steve Firth]

Simon Finnigan wrote: [snip]

It's possible to get 42W and 70W halogen bulbs in a bayonet cap fitting. The 42W is claimed to be equivalent to a 60W tungsten bulb. Tesco sell them as own brand and they are also available from GE. They used to be sold in both clear and opal glass but current Eco-nazi rules mean plain glass only.

Halogen should be closer to daylight than CFL.

[NT]

You can get CFLs in daylight version, marked as daylight or 6500K. Daylight tinted lighting is however hideous. Halogens come nowhere near it at 3000K.

NT

[Neil Williams]

I've tended to find that "daylight" lighting means lighting with a colour temperature equivalent to a dull, cloudy day, which isn't what I need to cheer me up. Halogen is far nicer as it gives a much "sunnier" light. The tubes used on First Great Western's trains are particularly hideous.

Neil

[NT]

Quite. Imho the OP would do far better to repaint.

NT

[Tim Downie]

Repaint three rooms vs trying a few different light bulbs? You must love painting. I'd definitely try halogen/tungstun bulbs first. CFLs vary quite a lot in their colour quality so there's a fair chance of finding one that will produce a more pleasant effect.

Tim

Tim

[Simon Finnigan]

I formally don't mind CFL bulbs but there must be something weird happening with these bulbs and the paint, as I've never seen this before. It's almost as if there's a lot of UV coming from the CFL and making the paint on the walls fluoresce.

[Simon Finnigan]

You'd honestly shift two sofas, tv and stand, take down pictures etc in one room, move a bed, computer desk and all the other furnishings in a second room and clear all the walls of your hall, stairs and landing, then get the ladders out and repaint it all then try a few different types of lightbulb, after asking advice on a newsgroup? You must really love doing work, I know I'd much rather ask for advice and try a few different types of bulb before committing to that much extra work, and the expense of buying more paint.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'm not aware of any CFL which gives a resonably continuous spectrum output. For that you'd need a filament type or decent fluorescent. CFLs all have spikes and troughs in the spectrum that can do weird things to some colours. One make could well be different to another, too.

[Phil L]

You didn't buy it from someone caled Trigger did you?

[Scott M]

I too wonder if they chuck out UV. I have a load of glow-in-the-dark planets and stars on a ceiling (courtesy of my brother) and since I switched from an incandescent to a CFL they glow far more in the dark.

[The Natural Philosopher]

mercury vapour produces a lot of blue-greens and plenty of UV.The actual phosphors are there to down convert and add reds and yellows, but they re all narrow spectral lines..only black body thermal radiation gives a sunlight - like continuous spectrum.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Course they do. dangerous for eyes as well. Conjunctivitis etc.

[Tim Streater]

And you can get sunburn if you rest your face on one.

[Simon Finnigan]

It's B&Q branded, looked lovely in the shop, looks lovely during the day, but once the CFL bulbs come on it looks glow in the dark. It's bloody weird!

[Geoff Pearson]

What is the colour called on the tin - se we can avoid this hazard?

[Phil L]

fluorescent line-marking paint - comes in large aerosols

HTH

[John Williamson]

A quick way to check would be to use a UV filter as used on a camera lens. Hold it between the lamp and the paint and see whether the flourscent effect is reduced in its shadow. Or try a UV light and see if it increases.

[Simon Finnigan]

I'll ask a mate with lots of photography gear see if he's got a UV filter I can try.

[Simon Finnigan]

Lemon ice IIRC, it's in the garage and it's cold outside so I'm not gonna make a special trip to check :-)