Couple of CFLs have just failed. They lasted about seven years, which I guess is pretty reasonable. However, being as how they are seven years old, they were always feebly slow to start up, and the light was pretty poor.
Not having any replacements at the moment, I stuck in a couple of new 60w incandescents I've had sitting about for, oh I don't know, about seven years. Obviously, with the now immediate start and bright nice light, I'm not exactly tempted to try and find new CFLs at some daft price. That's by the by.
Anyway, I realised I didn't know which of the many coloured bins the wonderfully green CFLs go into. A check on leaflets, local magazines and eventually the web, tells me that South Cambs don't seem very keen. I can drive either 11 or 19 miles to a tip where they will, or I can put them in the landfill bin. I suppose I do have an EV to mitigate the journey pollution. Yeah, right.
Black bin and landfill it is then. I'm not sure I've saved the environment tonight.
Does your council recycle CFLs or are landfills up and down the country stuffed with the things?
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Had to search for the term CFL, so energy saving bulbs. The only thing my council mention about light bulbs is fluorescent tubes but I'd have to take it to the tip to dispose of them.
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I made some enquiries about this when we had a CFL go - shops are meant to take them back (I believed) but no-one would take them as I tried to punt them. Took them to the re-cycling place - they had a big box full of them.
We had GU11s throughout the old place - so not much of an issue (replaced them with LEDs as and when they blew) - we found ourselves buying new bulbs in the new place as and when we replaced fittings, now discovered that LED bulbs of all shapes and sizes. Hopefully they'll last forever..
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Having just looked on Amazon, I've established that about a tenner buys me two CFLs that will fit. Possibly. I think.
The same tenner buys me ten old style incandescents.
I've also discovered a whole new impossibly complex world of fittings, code numbers and types.
I thought things were supposed to get easier with progress. In the old days you asked for a bulb, or a lamp if you were feeling particularly feisty, and the man in the brown coat behind the counter knew what you wanted. Your house was then brightly lit for some years, before you handed over a shiny sixpence for another.
The world has changed, and I'm not convinced it's for the better in this area.
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>> The world has changed, and I'm not convinced it's for the better in this area.
Your rose tinted specs of the good old days must be an impenetrable infra red. The old days the bulbs glowed red hot, burned the holders and browned the shades, blew regularly and stuck to the holders.
You are over complicating things to feed your perverse memories. Go to your local diy shed with your blown bulb, pick up a new LED bulb with the same fitting, drop your old bulb in their recycling point, go home fit and forget.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 21 Sep 17 at 21:34
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Ah zero. I just wrote you such a nice long reply, and then thought, no, I'll just do exactly what zero says. It'll be for the best.
:)
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I had to change a plug fuse on a table lamp this evening. Mildly surprised me because in this house, what normally happens when a bulb goes, is that the whole circuit shuts down switching all the sockets off and I have to go out to the garage in my skiddies and reset a switch thingy.
This phenomenon of a plug fuse blowing is something I've not had to deal with in years. So, of course, I had to go out to the garage and find the tin with fuses in, last seen about 15 years ago, and put away "safely". Fortunately, I was appropriately attired for once.
It's one thing throwing a switch in your underpants ( if you see what I mean ) but quite another rooting around in the garage for several minutes in them ( again if you...oh never mind )
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 21 Sep 17 at 21:52
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You need trackie bottoms for that job.
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Think I'd rather stick with the tried and tested method. Concentrates the mind.
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It's RdH, Brouges are more likely than skidders. :-)
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>>This phenomenon of a plug fuse blowing is something I've not had to deal with in years.
IIRC Kit Kat wrappers used to do the job :-)
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>> I have to go out
>> to the garage in my skiddies and reset a switch thingy.
Doing the old man's walk of shame across the landing last night, when I entered the tiny room and thought 'oh no my feet are wet'.
Spent today replacing the ceramic to plastic joint. I hate that job!
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>> Ah zero. I just wrote you such a nice long reply, and then thought, no,
>> I'll just do exactly what zero says. It'll be for the best.
You know it makes sense my son, you are absolved, repeat ohms law three times.
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There's no place like...oh never mind.
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>> Had to search for the term CFL, so energy saving bulbs.
>> The only thing my council mention about light bulbs is fluorescent tubes but
>> I'd have to take it to the tip to dispose of them.
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My local tips have a very small steel box for fluorescent tubes.
So much for recycling !
I have a big box of unused CFLs obtained from when they were giving them away.
I have just two of the 'orrible things in use.
When my supply of bulbs run out I will probably swap some for LEDsS
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Our hovel is 99% LED now. I have had three fail in the lounge. They were three small Edison candles in a five bulb fitting. My supplier blamed the makers and replaced them under warranty with LEDs of a different make. Nil problemo so far. None of the 11 GUs in the kitchen and bathroom has given any problems.
I think, apart from the garage, which has about 12 tubes, the only incandescent is in my Anglepoise on the desk here. I'm keeping it 'cos it keeps my typing hands warm !
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In my local Tesco Extra there's a recycling 'thing' with compartments for all sorts... batteries, printer ink cartridges etc. I think there is a 'compartment' for CFLs too. Could be wrong. Next time I am there I'll have a look.
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Oh, Tesco is a good lead, Rob, thank you. That could work.
I'm realising I've missed a generation or two of tech here. All we have is CFLs and incandescents and you're all talking about LED and GU somethings. Although actually there might be something in the kitchen downlighters that's more modern, I don't know.
I'm going to have to research aren't I. What a crushing bore.
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>> I'm realising I've missed a generation or two of tech here.
I've only quite recently realised that there are whole tribes of people whose bulbs screwed in rather than push/twisted like ours, but otherwise replicating all the familiar wattage options. They seem just as puzzled by my background as I am by theirs.
Was it a sort of religious thing, like church/chapel or CoE/RC ?
Also we were always Pearl - I think Clear was a bit high-church, but I've swung that way recently, and like the way it sharpens detail and is not so bland in its views.
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>> keeps my typing
>> hands warm !
>>
How many sets you got Ted? :-)
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Recycling CFLs - sooty123
