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Thread ID: 76908 2007-02-20 05:51:00 why don't they have the lower wattage energy saver bulbs Morgenmuffel (187) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
526178 2007-02-20 05:51:00 Energy saver bulbs - yes those weird shaped things, we have had all our bulbs replaced with them for ages
BUT
Why can't you get lower wattage bulbs?
as in the lowest wattage energy saver bulb i can get is I think a 12 watt bulb (equivalent to an old 60 watt bulb) what i want is an energy saver bulb that is equivalent to an old 40 watt bulb and one that is equivalent to the old 25 watt

I guess that would be an
8 watt and a
5 watt bulb

But I can't find them anywhere
Morgenmuffel (187)
526179 2007-02-20 05:58:00 Physical limits exist to what can be done with CFL technology.

We run a 15 watt "nightlight" in the hall, I would like a CFL to replace it, but that would be a 3 watt CFL, never been made.

Minimum lengths of phosphor tubes needed for reliable operation is likely to be the problem, to get a lower light output would need a low effiency phosphor, which would mean no energy saving. Electronic ballast losses would also probably add to making less than about 10 Watt lamps uneconomic.

I suspect that LED lamps will soon fill this gap, with even better efficiencies and longer life.
godfather (25)
526180 2007-02-20 06:47:00 I have some 11 watt ones, Genie brand. I use them as low wattage heaters in or under cupboards that tend to get somewhat cold and musty in the winter.

Can't remember where they came from, either The Warehouse, or a supermarket.
Terry Porritt (14)
526181 2007-02-20 09:00:00 There are some very low wattage Osram ones sold at Mitre10 Mega stores. They have only one or two of the "spirals" that you see on the higher-wattage ones. somebody (208)
526182 2007-02-20 19:07:00 Why can't they make them differently? I hate those long ugly bits that hang out of your light fitting. pctek (84)
526183 2007-02-20 20:07:00 I see Australia are going to ban incandesent bulbs - what is going to happen to all the dimmers out there that require them?

And more importantly, did anyone ask the little man in the fridge ??
decibel (11645)
526184 2007-02-20 20:29:00 I think 8w bulbs are available. I put one outside but it is not easily accessible for me to confirm this. Strommer (42)
526185 2007-02-20 20:29:00 Why can't they make them differently? I hate those long ugly bits that hang out of your light fitting.

Use the spiral ones.
Strommer (42)
526186 2007-02-20 20:46:00 8W are definetely available: www.osram.com

I'm fairly sure I've seen 5W as well, but can't confirm that.
somebody (208)
526187 2007-02-20 20:51:00 I've seen 8W bulbs at random times. If I remembered correctly, there are energy saving bulbs that works with dimmers. Then again, anything that uses dimmer ain't energy saving, is it :D SKT174 (1319)
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