Energy Saving Bulbs

**Churchill** · 2 December 2007, 13:33

If God didn't want us to use so much energy, why did he invent it?

As for your incandescent globes, you've been taken for a ride.

**Sockpuppet** · 2 December 2007, 13:50

Al Gore for the win.

**johhnysalad** · 2 December 2007, 14:13

I appreciate than any of the following activity is frounded upon;

Green tendencies
Left wing tendencies
Liberal tendencies

... and that list could go on and on. But I thought that the general tight fistedness of contractors would have meant that us lot would have been the first to have jumped for this (££££).

Having said that I suspect that most of you miserable gits sit in the dark with a small candle providing light. Or you're stealing the neighbours leccy.

**thunderlizard** · 2 December 2007, 14:14

I'm at about 80% energy efficient bulbs, just through waiting for the old ones to pop and replacing them as & when.

I haven't found a cheap supplier, but lots of companies just give them out for free every now and again. British Gas have given me at least one, and so have Sainsbury's.

**TimberWolf** · 2 December 2007, 14:19

Stick 'em where the sun don't shine.

Just joking. I use two, in places where I lights are on for longish periods and where I don't need instant or good light. It's a shame people don't come in low energy versions, since they use more power than a 100 watt bulb.

Factoid alert: The sun releases enough energy in one second to power the Earth for a million years, or so I've heard, not actually having bothered doing the calculation myself.

**TimberWolf** · 2 December 2007, 14:56

Speaking of which how many of you guys are still using a CRT monitor and TV? If not what are you using instead: LCD, plasma, projector, etc?

**Clippy** · 2 December 2007, 15:25

Originally posted by TimberWolf View Post

Speaking of which how many of you guys are still using a CRT monitor and TV? If not what are you using instead: LCD, plasma, projector, etc?

No longer have a CRT monitor but do have a big screen CRT TV.
Still think the picture quality on it stands upto those on panels (in non HD mode).

**miffy** · 2 December 2007, 17:10

I got fed up of the steady energy price increases (and the general "climb" of my monthly direct debit). I went on a bit of an "energy saving mission" about 8 months ago.

I've replaced all the bulbs in my house with energy saving ones. I also bought a decent watt meter and measured all of the devices in the house, sat down and stuck the lot into a spreadsheet and worked out the costs to see where all my money was going and which appliances were the gas guzzlers.

Two of my CRT tv's had a high standby draw, so I swapped those with LCD's, their total standby current is less than 1W. The office PC consumes lots (about 280W) and I used to leave that on 24x7. Now I've enabled the power management and it hibernates after an hour.

That alone has saved £20 a month on the direct debit. I've now fitted new heating controls and thermostat valves on the radiators and thats making even more of a difference.

I'm now planning on ditching the fridge freezer and separate drinks fridge and replacing it with a larger and more efficient appliance. That should make yet more difference.

It's worth doing I think but have look at other areas in your house where you're wasting electricity too. I used to leave everything on without a care in the world, but when the energy company keep taking more and more money off you, you start to care about what you're using.

**TimberWolf** · 2 December 2007, 17:20

I stopped using the central heating a year or two ago when prices went sky high, and don't really miss it. In efffect I get free underfloor heating from the flats below me. My last quarterly gas bill was about £1.34, and I have a £30 or so credit to use up. My last electric bill was around £60 though, of which I guess the majority comes from the fridge/freezer,computer and TV. Most of my stuff is old CRT technology, but isn't going to be replaced until it either breaks or I win the lottery. The latter being unlikely since I don't buy lottery tickets.

Energy Saving Bulbs