How many forum members does it take to change a lightbulb?

[voyagerdude220]

however lightbulb enthusiasts are often kept in the dark

:roll:

 

[Royston Vasey]

I shouldn't of posted this now

Nonsense, I thought it was a bright idea! It's brought us quite a lot of fulfilament in fact.

 

[Death]

Hey guys!
After following this discussion for a while, I've started becoming interested in some of the faster, higher performance lightbulbs developed by British Lighting in the late 70's and early 80's. I'm especially interested in one particular design of bulb - Known as the Advanced Phosphoro-Tungsten (prototype) or APT-P bulb - That appears to offer performance far exceeding that of any lightbulb in widespread use today. 8)

Does anyone know if any of these bulbs are still in existance and where I might be able to acquire a couple of them? If not, does anyone know of any heritage bulb societies that have working examples that I might be able to have a look at?

Farewell, and thanks in advance for any info! 8)
>> Death <<

 

[Pumbaa]

Mine's been cancelled. Frickin surprise surprise.

 

[gingerheid]

Death,

The APT lighbulb also had a bayonet fitting can flex and tilt when the bulb is being inserted, greatly speeding up the changing process and allowing fast changing even if the fitting is of poor quality. This was a groundbreaking feature developed by British Research in Electric Lighting in the 60s. Sadly it was too forward looking for it's times, and for political reasons the research was never allowed to go the last few yards needed to iron out small niggles.

At the time better engineered fittings were seen as a more viable alternative, and this was the approach taken in much of Europe for many years.

In recent times the APT lightbulb research has been taken forward by many producers all over the world.

The last remaining APT lightbulbs can be seen in hardware shelves in Crewe and Shildon, however they are in poor condition and it's not possible to change them

It's a shame that while this bulb came so close more than 20 years ago, it's taken until recently for a much more expensive lightbulb of a similar size to be fully changed in 4 hours! And that was after a very expensive and long running light fitting upgrade programme that led to iluminees being lighted by bulb replacement candles at the weekend for many years.

 

[MCR247]

The prices on the one I normally get have gone up yet again, typical 'Lights Only, the same people who run Lights Usually Live!

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again

That's the best one



Sorry mods for bringing up old thread...

 

[dan_atki]

That's the best one

Why do I get the feeling you've actually waited the six months to do that?

Sorry mods for bringing up old thread...

You can be forgiven in this instance, I think . I have to admit that was rather good!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

Is it me but some of the first page of posts actually turned out like the actual joke?

 

[37401]

and one to start a HST loco/unit debate grr! dont even think about it! you know who you are reading this!

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Why do I get the feeling you've actually waited the six months to do that?

Didn't actually think I would remember to do so! But a few days ago I remembered the thread, so I bookmarked it! I thought today someone might beat me to it!

 

[gingerheid]

None of these problems would have happened if the lightbulb hadn't been taken into private ownership.

I remember the good old days. True, there weren't as many lightbulbs and in a lot of places you didn't get them as often. Nor did they come in as many colours. However there was a lot more variety of types of light bulb, and there were a lot of filament hauled lightbulbs rather than just boring unit lightbulbs everywhere.

But the main benefit was that because the lightbulb, the light fitting, the light shade and the light switch were owned by the same people; they were cheaper to use and you didn't get conflict between the operators of different lightbulbs wanting to use the same fitting.

 

[90019]

See, the problem is that so many enthusiasts look back on the old filament bulbs through rose tinted specs, which is all very well, but the simple fact of the matter is that fluorescent lights are the way forward, they use less engergy and light areas more efficiently.

 

[Death]

Well, I'm glad to see that - Despite the efforts of our corporate overlords - The public still retain a voice in some ways. Yesterday's campaign on Lightbook to out-do that badly designed and poorly manufactured bulb was a roaring success, and proves that older designs are far better than todays crap!

Anybody got any detailed gen as to why the EU international bulbs have been so badly affected by the cold this year? They've been alright in the twelve years prior to now, but for some reason they've all seemingly been substituted by replacement torches and gas lanterns over the last few days... hock::razz:

 

[Old Timer]

I would like to know why all these "free" bullbs sent through the post and handed out by various organisations seem to fail after a couple of months light use (pardon the unintentional pun, by the way) ?

I have just been replacing them with the old style, which last longer.

 

[gingerheid]

I've been noticing that.

I went from two proper bulbs totalling 160w to 5 bulbs (I've bought three extra metal and plastic fittings, two of which were imported from China) with poor quality light totalling 86w. In 9 months two bulbs with a supposed 10 year life have failed and have been replaced with other overengineered items imported from China and containing a ridiculous collection of different types of material.

As for 4 of these months I've had heating on in the house anyway and heat generated by the bulbs wouldn't have been wasted, I'd like to know how much extra energy has been wasted because, like in North Korea, we aren't allowed proper light bulbs.

 

[Wyvern]

And since they contain mercury, how do we get rid of them?

 

[Mojo]

And since they contain mercury, how do we get rid of them?

From Defra:

"From 1st July 2007, waste CFLs have been subject to the requirements of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations. Those who sell items such as energy efficient bulbs must provide information to the public about where they can take waste bulbs and other WEEE. Some retailers will also take them back in store. However, most retailers have funded Designated Collection Facilities, in the main at local authority civic amenity sites. From this point, producers of the equipment fund the transport, treatment and recycling, where most of the mercury can be recovered."

 

[David]

How many miles does a government contracter travel to change a light bulb?

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=151560056

 

[Wyvern]

However, most retailers have funded Designated Collection Facilities, in the main at local authority civic amenity sites.

Trouble is, it would take two hours on the bus each way with a change in Ripley.

(Fortunately the taxpayer would pay my fare as I'm over sixty),

I've laid in a stock of filament bulbs which should last me till LED lamps come on the market at a reasonable price.

Even so I'm advised by the World Health Organisation not to eat fish more than twice a week because of mercury contamination from the environment.

 

[Death]

And since [Energy saving bulbs] contain mercury, how do we get rid of them?

That's actually a very good point, I'd never thought of that!

As it is; Just over a year ago, I had a slight accident involving an energy saver that got caught by my Blade during some late-night Sword practice. I didn't give any thought to the mercury inside the bulb (I'd forgotton it was an ingredient in any kind of neon fitting) but the 25Kv arc that nearly formed between a bare electrode and the tip of the Blade was a little unnerving. hock:

In any case, it wouldn't have happened with a proper incandescent bulb (I'm now regretting being an early adopter of energy savers!) and does indeed raise an interesting point: Energy saving bulbs are - In fact - Far more potentially dangerous than traditional ones! :roll:

I've laid in a stock of filament bulbs which should last me till LED lamps come on the market at a reasonable price.

I have to confess...Being a rather frugal git with my 'leccy bill, I've actually laid in a stock of energy savers. If Id've known that LED based ones were in the works though, Id've looked towards those insted.

As it is, I might try and flog the ES bulbs anyway...I bought 'em at the end of a Tesco promo when they were knocking 'em out for about 20p for five, and I was in such a rush at the time I didn't realise until a few days later that I'd gone and bought screw-fits by mistake. Not helpful, given that all of my fittings have bayonet connections! :roll:

Even so I'm advised by the World Health Organisation not to eat fish more than twice a week because of mercury contamination from the environment.

Now that's something else that we didn't have ten years ago, and did we even want such health "advice" back then? Nay...We lived our lives, and didn't ever have to bother with all the healthy this, unhealthy that, don't do that nanny culture that we've now found ourselves stuck in! :roll:

What I don't get about our nanny state though is: Given that the vast majority of people (I would guess at least 90% upwards) in our country seem to like it about as much as I do, how the Hades has it been allowed to exist and continue like it has? Has nobody tried to stick a much needed Sword in it's gut yet?

 

[Mojo]

It doesn't really affect me anyway as I'd never dream of sending a lightbulb (CFL or Incandescent) to landfill!

 

[Death]

...But no kind of lightbulb (Even clear incandescent ones with fittings removed) can be recycled in a glass bank, can it? hock:

Indeed...If there is any way of recycling lightbulbs without having to cart 'em down a specialist council tip, I'd be most interested to know about it! 8)

 

[Wyvern]

I have to confess...Being a rather frugal git with my 'leccy bill, I've actually laid in a stock of energy savers. If Id've known that LED based ones were in the works though, Id've looked towards those insted.

This is the sort of price they are going for. Dont know what they are like to use tho

 

[37401]

dont forget the member to decide if the light bulb should be the same colours as Mainline and load haul, the one to say they are froth liveries, then one to mention Largo logo blue followed by one to want "Highland rail" on it too. and the one to argue it shouldnt be in BR green because lightbulbs were never in BR green "back in the day"

 

[Death]

...And of course, there's always the inventive member who froths on about his Revolutionary new bulb that manages to fit double the number of filaments into the same amount of space, which could be very useful on typical British Lighting installations where larger continental type bulbs couldn't possibly be used... :razz: