Incandescent light bulbs to be phased out by 2012

Franco Farrugia

Mar 19th 2009, 17:49

@ Mr Delia - Well, it seems that we are all for going back to the 'Dark' Ages, then, literally! I agree that we should curb the noise levels ... but should the lights be forfeited as well? If you don't like the village festas in summertime, it doesn't mean that the whole of Malta and Gozo has to follow suit!

P.Zammit

Mar 19th 2009, 10:20

@Lawrence Micallef.

You might need to change the dimmer switches to energy saving lamps compatible dimmer switches. Take the dimmer with you to Calejja of B'Kara and they will test tell you if they are compatible.

As for festa lights - they will probably have to be changed to LED type I guess.

D Delia

Mar 19th 2009, 07:22

The festa lights should have disappeared a long time ago. The church should lead by example and festa lovers should economize first than moan on the excessive bills later.

Lawrence Micallef

Mar 18th 2009, 23:11

Most of my home has dimmer switches which provide a very soft effect. Does this mean that I have to change all my switches ? Can someone who is technical please answer me.

Clemens Hasengschwandtner

Mar 18th 2009, 22:10

This is only thanks to the lobbying of two major players - namely Siemens and Phillips who divide the market share of energy saving light bulbs between them. Nobody says that the cost of the lamps are approximately 30 times higher than normal light bulbs - so no real saving for the consumer.

Another thing nobody mentions is the high mercury content of these light bulbs.While the European Union phased out thermometers made out of mercury they now suddenly allow these light bulbs which are anything else than healthy.

If you break an energy saving bulb the WHO actually recommends to air the room for at least an hour before entering it again.

It's again all about the money. Some big companies invested heavily into this technology and now they have just two or three years before LED's become the standard to make as much money as possible.

Again - the consumer is the idiot - having to buy an unhealthy and already outdated product to fill the pockets of the rich guys.

Nigel Lawrence

Mar 18th 2009, 20:42

OK, so one owns an antique chandelier fitted with BC 14 lampholders. Can one but BC14 energy savers- NO. So to keep the lights on, does one have to replace the BC14 lamp holders with E14 holders and their respective oversize lamps?

Franco Farrugia

Mar 18th 2009, 17:49

What will happen to festa lights, I wonder! Will this spell the end of Church facade lights as we know them?

L..Galea

Mar 18th 2009, 16:27

Isn't it ironic that the eu prohibited the use of mercury in thermometers and yet opted for energy savers that have mercury, even though a small amount but when considering the billions of energy savers it amounts to a lot?

Chris Finch

Mar 18th 2009, 15:16

Personally i will opt for LED bulbs once the technology improves (which it is doing). These have much lower energy consumption and none of the associated health hazards of the compact fluorescent (low energy) bulbs such as mercury contamination if they break or light wave problems.