EU lamps

So, all halogen lamps are due to be banned in 2016 as part of the EU's long schedule to move to energy efficient lamps. A lot of the original push for this came from the EU lighting industry which was keen to move people to more profitable products.

Well, it seems the EU lighting industry is changing it's mind, although the EU isn't changing it's mind as yet. The lighting industry wants the halogen ban pushed back to 2020, claiming that LEDs will not be ready by 2016.

Lighting market experts are claiming this is because the EU lighting industry is going to see its profits plummet. People won't pay the higher prices EU manufacturers charge for LED lamps, still expecting lamps to cost £1 regardless of the efficiency or lifetime expectations. This means the market will go to China. Furthermore, the life of LED lamps by then is expected to be 20 years, so the product volume will be vastly smaller than halogens. The halogen lamp market is still profitable for EU lighting industry, and they will see that vanish overnight.

So in a bizzare move which would seem to rubbish their own LED products, they are are now trying to stop the EU going ahead with the halogen ban in 2015, which they pushed so hard for 10 years earlier.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel
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You couldn't make it up. Except they have been making it up, all along, really.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

There has been consideable pressure to keep halogen lamps from the theatre. LED using lanterns that work are still remarkably expensive and the amateur side of the business which relies on 2nd hand kit from the pro side could well have to go dark. I was at Chichester this summer where there has been a multi-million pound refurbishment, but they are still using good quality halogen units.

Reply to
charles

LED isn`t ready entirely for theatre , brightness and colour rendering are

2 issues that spring to mind nevermind cost, from someone who`s living is i n LED lighting for entertainment.

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Reply to
Adam Aglionby

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Typical EU attitude -ban them rather than let market forces make them obsolete. They are just about as expensive to run as old incandescents. As led prices drop people will switch away from halogen - and cfls too, I've recently bought 3 "60w" leds to replace 2x cfls and one tungsten. Instant light and brighter both types. Paid about £7 each and they are only 9.6 watt compared to the cfl 12w

Reply to
bert

I have several LED lamps. Bayonet cap, they are indistinguishable in light or appearance to incandescents. Come on full brightness instantly. Only nine watts instead of sixty. They seem brighter than sixties to me. ?9 each from B&Q

Reply to
harryagain

You need a near point source of light to get a focussed beam. So LEDs wil never be any good for spotlights. Just as they are useless in a torch.

Reply to
harryagain

Cost of CFL say £2 so you have £5 to recover from saved electricity at 0.0024 kWhr. £5 buys about 40 kWhr so those LEDs have to last at least 40 / 0.0024 = 16,000+ hours...

I'm not buying LED routinely until they are below a fiver. If I come across one of suitable output and fitting at that price point via an offer or clearance I might buy.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

LED spotlights do exist - at a price

Reply to
charles

There are a few , ETC make the S4 in a couple of LED variants, cost is in l ine with bleeding edge technology, brightness isn`t in proportion to cost.

There are some terrible attempts around as well.

LEDs win completely on every level against incandescent for torches.

Reply to
Adam Aglionby

Well, yes. There's rather more to lighting in general than how much it costs in electricity or how long a bubble lasts.

I tend to think of it in that way at home too. The couple of hundred quid a year I *might* save by changing to the various low energy types simply isn't worth it for the less attractive lighting.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Think that is missing 'to you'. I've yet to see any LED that gets close to matching the light quality of a decent halogen.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I put one of these in a 15 year old 4D cell maglite 3 years ago.

It makes the old bulb look like a candle and the light quality is way better colour wise. The batteries now also last more than a few weeks of regular use.

I gave my daughter a genuine LED 2AA maglite. Initially it was dodgy - but stretching the battery spring a few mm seems to have fixed that. As a light, it also works incredibly well and way surpasses the torches of the 1970s.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Ah yes, the changing face of markets. I never have used Halogen. The only time I did they all blew in about 4 months. The light is very weird, being kind of blueyellw to my dodgy eyes at the time.

The answer seems to be for them to make LEDs that stop working until you log in and pledge the manufacturer some extra money. Internet connected light bulbs. Support you poor lighting company now. Of course what will in fact happen will be that the EU will get its leds made in china or Africa or wherever its cheapest to do so. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

At the prices they charge for the these energy saving bulbs, I can't actually see there's any monetary saving to be made.

Reply to
Scott M

Has anyone calculated the energy cost of making a LED lamp? I suspect that the lifetime energy cycle of the LED is not much better than an incandescent bulb. Remember that there are calculations that a nuclear power station uses as much energy to build it as it generates in its lifetime.

Reply to
Geoff Pearson

You may jest Brian, but internet connected light bulbs were being demonstrated on QVC the other night.

Belkin Wemo Smart LED Bulb

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Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

LED bulbs also give off less heat than traditional light bulbs, which reduces your home's cooling costs.

but will increase you heating costs! in most places not 'blessed' with a sanfansisco climate

Avpx

Reply to
The Nomad

That I very much doubt!

Reply to
Tim Watts

We've got a light fitting that has five candle blubs. Come to think of it, that was installed by Our Dave the Medway Highwayman. Anyway, I recently replaced one of the five by an LED equivalent and can't tell the difference.

Reply to
Tim Streater

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