If energy needs to be saved, there are good ways to do it.
                                                               Government product regulation is not one of them

Thursday, August 30, 2012

UK Distributors Clarify:
Candle, Golf Ball and other Incandescents also to Stay Available

Update August 31
Updated with checks April 2016: The listed sites still have regular type incandescents, including frosted, opal, coloured etc types

As mentioned in recent posts here, "rough service" incandescents remain legal in both the USA and EU, although the authorities are trying to deal with their spread to the general public in various ways.

As it is particularly topical in the EU in view of the "final" ban on the simple regular types on Saturday, I sought clarification from some UK distributors on exactly what bulb types would still be available (being an EU issue, would apply cross-border within the EU as well).
My assumption was that just the "standard" pear shape type bulb would be sold, figuring that there wasn't much of a case for hanging up small candle shape etc bulbs in mines or wherever else industrially used...

However, the answer given is that such alternative incandescents will remain available as well, for example National Lamps and Components (NLC UK) have also put up this information on their blog

One large manufacturer, Bell, recently sent lamp distributors a list of incandescent “Tough lamps”, which said “don’t panic – All incandescent Tough lamps will be available from stock in September, candle shape, golf ball shape and standard household GLS shape.

From the NLC site:
GLS (regular type) bulbs sales page

Rough service GLS light bulb. 240V 60W BC Pearl, identical to the phased out traditional incandescent bulbs with extra filament supports.
Ideal for machinery lighting and applications that are subject to vibration.
Also perfect replacement for household standard light bulbs.


Meanwhile - looking at websites of other distributors, such as Ian Fursland's Light Company based in Herfordshire, they also have the rough service types while stocks of regular candle type and other incandescents are also still fairly plentiful in online sale, even sometimes of long "banned" 60W+ wattages ("Here at The Lamp Company we have large stocks of 100w, 60w and 40w lamps in golf ball, GLS and candle shapes remaining").


Looking at the Bell (British Electric Lamps Ltd) manufacturer lighting catalogue, it also still has banned regular types, including decorative types

Product Category Lamps
Product Group Incandescent
Product Sub Group Decorative Household
Product Type 35mm Candle Tough Lamp
Volts 240/250
Watts 60W
Cap Type SES/E14
Colour/Finish Opal
Burn Hours 3000



How Regulations are Wrongly Justified 14 points, referenced: Includes why the overall society savings aren't there, and even if they were, why alternative policies are better, including alternative policies that target light bulbs.
 

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