Choosing the Right Lightbulb

Tips for Choosing THE RIGHT LIGHTBULB The light bulb market has gone through enormous change since traditional incandescent bulbs were removed from the market and replaced with energy-saving bulbs. Below, we walk you through what you need to know to buy the best bulb for your needs. #1 II Choose a light bulb with the right fitting I I Bulb fittings Depending on your lamp the fitting may be very common or it might be There are an awful lot of fittings to choose from so, if you can, it's best to take the old bulb you are replacing to the store with you. But if you can't do that, then use the graphic to the left, which shows some of the most common fittings. You will need to write down the fitting reference number and take it along to match with the packaging on the box of your new bulb. B22 B15 E27 E14 GU10 MR16 #2 Decide if you want to pay more for LED lights There are three main types of regular light (compact fluorescent lamp - the standard type of energy-saving light bulb), halogens or LÉDS. LED annual running cost £1.71 These use almost 90% less energy than a traditional incandescent, making them the most energy-efficient type of lighting. LEDS are usually more expensive to buy, but should last up to 25 years. In the long term they are the cheapest option. An LEĎ could save you more than £180 in energy use over its lifetime, compared with an old-style incandescent bulb. bulb CFLS For a quick guide, below is a summary of each and how much a typical 700+ lumen bulb might cost you per year have it on for around three hours a day. if you CFL annual running cost £2.04 CFLS are cheap and widely available in a range of sizes and outputs. Some older CFLS were slow to brighten but this has improved considerably in recent years. They are four times more efficient than incandescent bulbs and quickly pay for themselves in energy savings everyone likes the light they emit. Halogen annual running cost £8.42 Light from a halogen bulb is similar to an incandescent in colour and quality, as both use a tungsten filament. There's little difference between the two in the amount of energy used and halogen's are significantly more expensive to run than other energy savers. With an expected life span of less than two years, a halogen bulb is unlikely to pay for itself before it fails. but not # 3 Get the right light bulb brightness and colour I Decide what type of light you'd prefer. This breaks down simply into brightness, otherwise known as watts or lumen output; and the colour of the light, measured on the Kelvin scale. Don't be put off by these technical terms - here is a short explanation of each. Atmosphere Candielight Traditional incandescent Blue sky Midday sun Overcast sky light bulb Kelvin 1,500K 2,700K 5,000K 7,000K 10,000K The colour of light can impact everything, from your mood to the colour of the vegetables on your chopping board, so it is important to get the colour of light that you prefer. Use the picture below to match the Kelvin scale rating with the colour you are after and go armed with this when you head out to buy your bulb. Brightness 220+ 400+ 700+ 900+ 1300+ Use this chart to see equivalent watt and lumen output for old- style incandescent and the three- types of energy-saving bulbs (LEDS, halogens and CFLS). Halogen 18W 28W 42W 53W 70W LED 4W 6W 10W 13W 18W CFL 15W 20w 6W 9W 12W Standard 25w 40w 60w 75w 100w As a rough guide, around 400 lumens would be suitable for a bed-sized table lamp, whereas you might want between 1,500 and 3,000 lumens in total (from more than one bulb) for a good-sized living room. # 4 Find the best shape Bulb shapes Now you have your bulb fitting and the colour and brightness in the bag, you will need to decide the shape of the bulb you want. Again, there is a bewildering variety and different brands have subtly different look and characteristics. Traditional Spiral Candle a See the graphic to the right for the most common shapes. If you are just replacing a blown bulb, it's useful to take the old one to the shop to match it with ones on the shelves. Spot Downlight Globe Stick Golf #5 !I Buy the best quality bulb for your needs Hopefully you are now feeling a little more informed and you have made all of the key decisions. You know the fitting to look for on the box the shape of bulb, the light colour and brightness to look for and the benefits and drawbacks of a CFL, an LED and a halogen. The best bulbs brighten up quickly, don't lost light over time and provide a lot of light for a small amount of power. The worst will add to your energy bills, don't last as long as our Best Buys and don't match the Kelvin and lumens stated on the box. www.tiffanylampsonline.co.uk Freephone: 0800 884 1041 Opening times: [email protected] Monday - Friday | 10am - 4pm Sources: http://www.which.co.uk/energy/energy-saving-products/guides/how-to-buy-led-cfl-and-halogen-bulbs/five-tips-for-choosing-the-right-light-bulb/ ther Screw Bayonet II