Board logo

Energy saving bulbs to replace 150w halogen?
craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 10:54 PM

Hi,
Does anyone know if you can source such a thing as an energy saving version of a halogen security light bulb. You know the type I mean - they are a long thin tungsten halogen bulb which has a concave contact at each end and are usually in 150w, 300w and 500w sizes.

I have three security lights around my house, two 150w and one 300w (bulbs are different lengths) and they are set to run dusk to dawn on a dimmed setting with a PIR trip to full brightness. The thing is, they are consuming a considerable proportion of their maximum power even when dimmed to as low a level as is practical. My total electricity bill per year is around £1000 and I have worked out that something like £150 of this is my security lights. The bulbs also burn out far too often, probably due to my cats tripping them on and off all night, so they are expensive to run and maintain.

I see there are low power options but I'd rather just replace the bulbs in the units I've got and just set them to run at full brightness which effectively bypasses the PIR sensor. The units I've got are only a year or two old and in good order. The dusk-dawn sensor should still switch them on when dark and they will consume around 9 watts each, 27 watts total instead of 180 watts.

Anyone know if these bulbs are available and where I can find them?

Thanks in advance,
Craig.

handyandy - 12/1/09 at 11:00 PM

forget the bulbs....get a big dog
lol
andy

tegwin - 12/1/09 at 11:12 PM

Fit LED lights around the house to provide the cheap dull lighting...

Only fire up the nightsun when you have an intruder

caber - 12/1/09 at 11:12 PM

There are infra red coated versions of these lamps at 225W to replace 300W lamps and 375W to replace 500W. They are available from GE and Osram and you should be able to order them from electrical wholesalers but you may need to be insistent and buy a box of 10

I also found this bodge for using CFL lamps:
http://www.commercial-lamps.co.uk/acatalog/NEW_Security_lights.html


Good luck
Caber

craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Fit LED lights around the house to provide the cheap dull lighting...

Only fire up the nightsun when you have an intruder


What sort of LED lights do you have in mind? I presume these run at low voltage with a transformer yes? Probably not the cheapest of solutions I'm guessing???

Will look into it though thanks!
Craig.

handyandy - 12/1/09 at 11:16 PM

sorry craig for previous post, just pulling ya leg,
i dont like security lights as they cost so much to run & shows intruders whats worth nicking & shows intruders what not to fall over, but then i have 7 big dogs that live outside, sorted.
good luck in your search for the bulbs.
sorry andy

craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by caber
There are infra red coated versions of these lamps at 225W to replace 300W lamps and 375W to replace 500W. They are available from GE and Osram and you should be able to order them from electrical wholesalers but you may need to be insistent and buy a box of 10

I also found this bodge for using CFL lamps:
http://www.commercial-lamps.co.uk/acatalog/NEW_Security_lights.html


Good luck
Caber


Hi,
Yes I came across that one shortly after posting here. The only problem is that it is 24w which gives about 150w of continuous output whereas I am looking for the equivalent of around 50 watts (9w in low energy terms) otherwise I can see me being very unpopular with my neighbours...

If I could just find a 9-11 watt version of this I would give it a try. Does seem like a bit of a bodge though doesn't it, and I'm not sure what sort of light it will give off. The halogen light fittings are designed to project light using the parabolic reflector but what I probably want is a diffused light from a bulkhead light fitting.

Maybe the easiest way will just be to buy some bulkhead fixtures - probably cheap enough anyway.

Cheers,
Craig.

craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by handyandy
sorry craig for previous post, just pulling ya leg,
i dont like security lights as they cost so much to run & shows intruders whats worth nicking & shows intruders what not to fall over, but then i have 7 big dogs that live outside, sorted.
good luck in your search for the bulbs.
sorry andy


No worries, sorry I forgot to send you a sarky reply... I was too busy replying to the more mature posts...

Andybarbet - 12/1/09 at 11:23 PM

Ive definately seen them, fluorescent low energy direct replacements, try this place, im sure it was in their catalogue : http://cpc.farnell.com/

tegwin - 12/1/09 at 11:24 PM

Im planning to fit some new bulkhead type lights.... the standard ones... glas dome with plastic straps over the top..

However, my intention Locost stylie was to replace the bulb with 3-4 white LEDs... decent bright ones cost around 30p Each...

Run those off a simple inverting circuit... and you could power 8 or 9 of the units off a n amp or two...

graememk - 12/1/09 at 11:25 PM

here you go

ebay lights


craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by graememk
here you go

ebay lights




Yeah, those are similar to the ones on the website that caber posted above but they are too bright. They are equivalent to having the floodlight on full power whereas I am looking for a 9w energy saving bulb which has about a 50 watt equivalent output. Also, I just noticed, my halogen light fittings are in two sizes - the big one is 118mm and the smaller one is about 80mm (78mm I think it is).

Looking like I'll need to just buy a few bulkhead fittings and then I can just fit standard energy saving bulbs. Probably cheaper in the long run I suppose as the bulbs will be cheaper to replace being more run-of-the-mill.

Cheers anyway,
Craig.

graememk - 12/1/09 at 11:31 PM

sorry didnt read the full post..... but there again i'm drunk so your lucky i can even read at the moment.

craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by graememk
sorry didnt read the full post..... but there again i'm drunk so your lucky i can even read at the moment.


Is that why you appear to have replied twice and then deleted the duplicate post...

Drink plenty of water before going to sleep - you'll thank me in the morning...

craig1410 - 12/1/09 at 11:45 PM

Maybe something like this?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9789119&fh_view_size=6&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen _GB%2fspecificationsProductType%3dsecurity_lights&fh_search=outdoor+light&fh_refview=search&ts=1231803372656&isSearch=false

Cheers,
Craig.

[Edited on 12/1/2009 by craig1410]

Simon - 13/1/09 at 12:57 AM

Hi Craig,

Just spotted this after posting my thread re Energy Saving bulbs

Unfortunately I can offer no suggestions other than I am not impressed with longevity of these bulbs, especially given the cost.

LED might be the way to go - I gather they are fairly robust - mythbusters did have LED spots involved in one of their tests, so they are available.

Might be a case of higher set up costs and lower longterm running costs.

Just been on google and found this:

http://www.reuk.co.uk/LED-Spotlights.htm

ATB

Simon

craig1410 - 13/1/09 at 01:07 AM

Hi Simon,

Yeah I just saw your thread - I had similar problems when I bought a batch of Ring energy saving bulbs. The light from them was very cold and they died after only a few months. Since then I've only used Philips bulbs and the light is much warmer and they have lasted a couple of years so far. I suppose you get what you pay for (in my case anyway...)

I think I might get some of those LED bulbs to replace the ones we have in our kitchen spotlights. They are on quite a lot and are 35w each times three = 105 watts so if the predicted lifetime is accurate then they should pay for themselves many times over. Famous last words eh???

Anyway, got to go or I won't be able to get up in the morning...

Cheers,
Craig.

ps. Thanks for not asking how my car is coming along... :-) Still hoping for SVA before IVA comes in but I need to get my skates on...

[Edited on 13/1/2009 by craig1410]

907 - 13/1/09 at 08:20 AM

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling that when I last replaced a PIR unit it said in the blurb that it was unsuitable for fluorescent lighting; incandescent bulbs only.

Aren't energy saving bulbs just fluorescent strip lights in a bulb form?


Cheers
Paul G

greglogan - 13/1/09 at 09:19 AM

Try these lamps. We sell them in our store and they're not bad at all.

Greg.

BTW this ebay shop is NTDWM but I needed a pic and an example.

[Edited on 13/1/09 by greglogan]

iank - 13/1/09 at 09:29 AM

Replaced some 50W Halogen spots (GU10) with LED ones linky.
They are much cheaper per hour assuming they last their rated lives - in our house the halogen spots don't last anything like their rating since they are on-off all the time but even at their maximum rating they are more expensive.
The light they give is quite warm (yellowish) but not very bright (I'd guess <25W halogen equivalent) so not suitable for kitchens etc.

Can't stand florescent low energy bulbs, take time to turn on, are dim to start and flicker slightly. They also don't fail as well as incandescent/halogen last one I had that blew stank of burning electronics.

02GF74 - 13/1/09 at 10:00 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 907
I could be wrong, but I have a feeling that when I last replaced a PIR unit it said in the blurb that it was unsuitable for fluorescent lighting; incandescent bulbs only.

Aren't energy saving bulbs just fluorescent strip lights in a bulb form?


I don't think you are wrong; is whtat I heard. Reason being that flourescent lamps do not like being turned on often, which is what would happen with sensed security lights.

going back to LED bulbs.

I've been thinking - as far as it has got - about making a "bulb" to replace the halogen strip bulb in my work lamp - same principle as the security lamps.

As far as I have thought about it, a strip of grp pcb with 10 or 20 white LEDs, a drop resistor and pair of contacts is all that is needed. Need lot look further ...... maybe this w/end....

dhutch - 13/1/09 at 10:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Fit LED lights around the house to provide the cheap dull lighting...

Only fire up the nightsun when you have an intruder

Yeah, thats what i would say.
- Will save the bulb life too.

Doesnt have to be LED's, but something like that, for the low leval if you want it.

Then as said, just fire up the floods(indivually?) on the PIR. Setting the time as short as you can such that they still come long enough that they dont toggle on/off on/off all the time as people/cats would past. If that makes sence.

Filiment bulbs are very ineffecient at low power (halogens being more effecent simply because they work a higher powers all the time) and will burn up doing it long.



Daniel

motorcycle_mayhem - 13/1/09 at 11:30 AM

Not so far off topic, given the application. I found that even a PIR nightsun wasn't a deterrent given my very rural location. (I have an OAP neighbour on a hate crusade who enjoys damaging my cars and property 24/7). Far more cost-effective has been an IR illuminated CCTV set-up.