EU ban of 100W incan bulbs - Sept 2009

[Daniel_sk]

100W clear incan bulbs and all non-clear incan bulbs will be phased out in EU on September 2009. No incan bulbs by the end of 2012.

Quote from:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficien..._12_08_technical_briefing_household_lamps.pdf

All non-clear incandescent lamps will be phased out as from September 2009.
Non-clear lamps will be required to be A-class (or slightly less efficient for certain
lamps such as those with external envelope). In practice, considering currently
available technologies, this means that non-clear lamps will have to be compact
fluorescent lamps which save about 80% energy compared with incandescent lamps.
Consumers who for various reasons (aesthetics, size, shape etc.) would prefer
another lamp technology can buy clear (transparent) lamps.​

1. From September 2009, lamps equivalent in light output to 100W incandescent
bulbs and above will have to be C class (phasing out all 100W incandescent
bulbs). At the same time, all lower wattage incandescent lamps of the F and G
class will be phased out, so that only E-class incandescent lamps will remain.​

2. By the end of 2012, the level will be made progressively stricter (to class C)
for the other wattages too, completely phaseing-out clear incandescent bulbs.
Halogen clear lamps (xenon-filled) which reach class C will remain on the
market until 2016. Unless new technologies would emerge, clear lamps will be
low voltage halogen lamps with integrated or non-integrated transformer from
2016, reaching class B.​

There are some exemptions like:
"Under conditions, special purpose incandescent lamps (e.g. those used in household
appliances such as ovens or fridges, traffic lights, infrared lamps) are exempted from the requirements of the regulation.."​

 

[Sgt. LED]

Great news!!!!!

Nothing like a few laws to push LED's even more into the mainstream. Granted CFL's will sell more but eventully LED's will make even more energy savings.

 

[RobertM]

Someday when European student's are studying the spectrum of light in school, someone will ask, "What's this red section? I've never seen that before."

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

While I'm sure these types of laws will push l.e.d.s to market quicker, I don't like it when governments ban products for reasons other than safety. In California, after our energy crisis (and many blackouts), the state made it illegal to throw out florescent bulbs and alkaline batteries. We have to recycle them or face a large fine. They said it was to ban certain types of chemicals from leaching into our water ways, but they really did it because they had maxed out the space in our dumps and did nothing to create more disposal space. A florescent bulb is only hazardous to your heath if you break one and lick the contents. No citizen based effort to help others recycle has worked because of another law requiring an expensive liscense to transport over 120 lbs. of this universal waste to the recycling center. Also in California, new constructed residential houses have to have energy efficient lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms. If any other lighting in the house isn't energy efficient or can accept a normal incandescent bulb, it has to be on a dimmer. That means that if you install normal recessed lighting cans in the ceiling and put compact florescent lights in them, they still have to be on a dimmer, even if the bulbs can't be dimmed without ruining them.

My point is that people will buy what they want in their own best interests. I think florescents and l.e.d.s have benefits that should sell themselves without eliminating the competition. People who want incandescent lights should be allowed to buy them without government interference. They may like the better color rendering or need the heat to keep their homes warmer. They may have epilepsy and can't tolerate the flickering of an aging florescent bulb or the 60 hertz flickering of an l.e.d. They may want to use a heat lamp in a bathroom to keep warm instead of using a heater that takes up too much space and causes a skin burn and fire risk.

Also, when l.e.d. makers have to crank out l.e.d.s as fast as they can to keep up with demand, there will be fewer premium bins available and fewer reasons to make their products more efficient and better. In other words, more money will be used to expand the business leaving less for research and development.

 

[Kiessling]

This is terrible. I don't want LED in curren ttechnological state to light my home, and there are applications where I require incan lights to feel good.

This is too soon IMHO.

While all those energy saving lamps sure are efficient and such, they're butt ugly and really don't add anything positive to the atmosphere in my home (my castle).

And, I know my POV is egoistic and not green. Oh well.

bernie

 

[B@rt]

:shakeheadI will definately stock up on 230V incans so I won't have to worry for a looong time...

 

[csshih]

I can imagine the cost of light bulbs will go up shortly.

hm.. quad MC-Es in a light enclosure might work.. but heat dissipation and cost.....

with mass manufactured LED lamps, quality is going to be as bad as CFLs...

 

[Kiessling]

It is not about cost. It is about ...

a) the "feeling good at home" factor, and LEDs in thei rcurrent state won't cut it

b) the freedom of choice, which is even more important.

They should have other things to do than that.

bernie

 

[Mr Happy]

Let me add to the chorus, it is a terrible law. It is rather funny that due to the mercury they contain, compact fluorescent lamps should be banned under the ROHS regulations. There is nothing like having laws that contradict themselves.

The law makers should stay away from technological areas they are not qualified to judge, and stick to doing something useful like repealing old laws instead of introducing new ones.

Picture of a happy face:

 

[Daniel_sk]

Xenon/Halogen bulbs will still be an option to CFL.
I am pretty sure LED manufactures will come up with LED's with a good color rendition with such a big market coming.

Quote from article:
"Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a fast emerging technology, whose
efficacy competes with that of CFLs. However, LEDs for room illumination
are today only in the first phases of commercialisation, and rare are
those that fulfil all the expectations of the consumers in terms of light
output and other functionalities. They are likely to become true
alternatives to CFLs very rapidly."

 

[DM51]

I am pretty sure LED manufactures will come up with LED's with a good color rendition with such a big market coming.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I bet they won't. We've had these CFL "alternatives" around for several years now, and there's been no attempt at all to improve the dreadful color rendition of them, despite the fact that they have been supposedly trying to gain a market foothold.

What incentive will the manufacturers have to improve their products when the competition is banned and the market is handed to them on a plate? None whatever. And the average consumer will not be interested anyway.

This is a rotten law, imposed on a supine populace by a rotten system.

 

[dano]

I'll add some flashlight content: does this effect the small bulbs used in portable lighting, or is it just the nanny-state EU controlling household lights? Also does it address the mercury issue found in the CFL's? In the U.S. a broken CFL is a serious issue with the mercury released, with strict hazardous waste clean-up procedures which need to be followed.

 

[Mr Happy]

Xenon/Halogen bulbs will still be an option to CFL.

This is not quite true. All the lights in my house are on dimmers, and my usual lighting level is incan bulbs dimmed to about 1/3 brightness. You cannot dim xenon/halogen bulbs like that without damaging them.

I find dimmed incan light to be pleasant and restful. In contrast, fluorescent light is harsh and tiring. Since LEDs use the same kind of phosphor technology as fluorescents, their light is equally tiring. (Why I always prefer incan flashlights over LED lights.)

I am pretty sure LED manufactures will come up with LED's with a good color rendition with such a big market coming.

See comment above. LED light is not "natural" (and cannot be -- consider tint lottery), and if you dim them they don't change to a warmer color like incans do.

I predict that forcing people to change to fluorescent or LED lighting will cause a dramatic increase in stress related illnesses, tiredness, accidents and other problems. Every action taken by lawmakers has unintended consequences.

 

[Mr Happy]

In the U.S. a broken CFL is a serious issue with the mercury released, with strict hazardous waste clean-up procedures which need to be followed.

You are kidding, right?

Every shop here has shelves stacked high with low-priced CFL's imported from China. How many of those do you think actually get recycled, rather than just dumped in the trash and sent to the land fills? (And what about all the hazardous industrial waste produced by those Chinese factories? What do you suppose happens to that?)

 

[souptree]

Freedom is SO 20th century.... :wave:

 

[Kiessling]

Mercury ... CFL ... danger .... ???
What?
Never even heard of that.

Just to be sure ... a CFL is like the one sold here, right?
http://cgi.ebay.de/10x-Energiesparl...14&_trkparms=72:1229|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308

bk

 

[Culhain]

Awesome. In our current reccesion we very much need new jobs and career fields created.

Think of the oppurtunites this creates for Flashaholics to participate in the governments incan ban, by joining the enforcement agency. Alternatively, imagine a person hidden in the dim shadows of a dark alley saying "hey man you wanna buy some primo incans?".

After watching the activities of America's Drug Enforcement Agency for many years, I do believe that the incan pushers (and their bought and paid for politicans) will be the big winners.

Hmm, surely there must be an incan manufacturer in Colombia with access to a distribution network.

 

[Mr Happy]

Mercury ... CFL ... danger .... ???
What?
Never even heard of that.

Just to be sure ... a CFL is like the one sold here, right?
http://cgi.ebay.de/10x-Energiesparlampe-spiral-E27-24W-120W-NEU-OVP-RoHS_W0QQitemZ160297918176QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDE_Haus_Garten_Inneneinrichtung_Leuchtmittel?hash=item160297918176&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1229|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1308

bk

Yes, like that one. There are many references, but here is one article:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431198

Incidentally, that lamp is very expensive. They are selling CFL's in the US now for as low as $1 each.

 

[deranged_coder]

In the U.S. a broken CFL is a serious issue with the mercury released, with strict hazardous waste clean-up procedures which need to be followed.

I don't know about strict procedures that need to be followed. All I've seen are "recommendations" from the EPA on how to clean up a broken fluorescent bulb as found in pages 2 and 3 on this PDF: http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

 

[Lighthouse one]

I use a lot of CFL lights because I decided too. Having the government mandate it really ticks me off. There are three color output choices now. Normal, daylight, and super bright. THey are also making CFL bulbs that can be used with a dimmer. Lowes has the best selection I've seen so far..much better tha Wal Mart. THey are also making them with the small base...like the tear drop bulbs use.