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GU10 bulb buying guide. CFL LED & Halogen.
GU10 LED, Halogen and CFL energy saving bulb buying guide from Presenceuk.com This page is constantly under construction as technology imporoves and we are open to any questions and queries. Material from this page is our intellectual property and must not be copied without permission.. Please email presenceuk@ntlworld.com with any queries. Energy saving bulb types. Normal LED GU10 energy savers have a very long life (Normally 25 years or 50,000 hours) and use a very small amount of electricity. They are normally used for mood lighting or low level lighting. The lower wattage bulbs are standard size but once you get above 21 LED's per bulb the bulbs get larger we have from 1.8w to 3w in stock. Super bright high power LED GU10 energy savers use only 3-4 watts per bulbs, (30000 to 50000 hour lifespan) they are very bright and use very little electricity, the downside of these bulbs is the high initial cost price although they will pay for themselves many times over time. These are the latest technology and the future of lighting, we have these in standard size 3w with 3 LED's per bulb and 4w with 1 LED per bulb and also a slightly longer 60mm version (therefore cheaper). CFL GU10 (Compact flourescent) energy savers offer great value for money for the light output given out and normally have a long life (6-8.000 hours is normal, however all our CFL bulbs have 10,000 hour lifespan) these have a mini flourescent tube inside. these are our most commonly sold bulb for room lighting rather than mood lighting. Sizes in these bulbs range from 58mm to 76mm length including pins so they are longer than a normal GU10. We stock from 7w to 13w in CFL GU10's. The best replacement for a 50w Halogen is an 11 or 13w. Halogen GU10 energy saving bulbs have the advantage of being dimmable and very bright (ours are equivalent to a 50w normal halogen GU10 bulb) but give you 25% more light per watt used. Halogen bulbs give off approximately twice the light of an normal incandescent bulb and last a lot longer. The downside of these is that you dont save as much electricity as with a CFL or LED bulb but they have the advantage of being totally standard size, they are dimmable and they will go into any fitment, also the bulbs last a much longer than a normal Halogen GU10. Fittings: If you are installing new fittings always go for an open fronted bulb holder where possible because then you can use any bulb you choose from our whole GU10 range, if you are stuck with enclosed downlighters with glass covers already and no room in the holder for a longer bulb then the choices are limited, you will have to go for a standard size bulb, we have a few types but not nearly as many will fit, please email your requirements to presenceuk@ntlworld.com and we will let you know what we have. Colour temperature. Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin expressed as "k" and bulbs tend to range from 2700k white to 6400k white. 2700k-3000k is a "warm white" similar to the colour of sunlight, very slightly yellow in hue, (most normal incandescent bulbs are 2700k to 3300k so this is the colour of light most people are used to), it is a soft white and many people used to normal (non energy saving) bulb light will prefer this shade of light for living areas as it has a more "relaxing" feel to it. 5000-6400k is a cooler white and known as "daylght white" This is a bright white and you do tend to get a little more light from the bulbs per watt of power used, to help describe the colour, they are a similar colour to the 4 foot flourescent striplights you see in workplaces and factories, it is a "cool white" and is very popular in bathrooms, kitchens, public areas, shops, bars, work areas, hair salons etc.
Frequently asked questions on GU10 eco bulbs. Here are some real life asked questions and if anyone wants to add to this we can make it part of the buying guide, we all know what a nightmare choosing these bulbs can be so I am hoping to help everyone out there by eventually making "The definitive buying guide to GU10 energy saving bulbs". I can only tell you what I think I know and this is not legally binding in any way shape or form... its my own opinion and I am learning every day... even after having sold these bulbs for several years (since they were invented or so it seems).
Here we go with real life "asked questions" then,.. just to get the buying guide off to a start...
"Im starting to get an idea of the "Warmth" of a white light bulb but I would just like to know the difference in the differant Kelvin (k)values please".
To help you with colour temperature here is my own opinion as a seller of these bulbs for several years in all shades...
2700k warm white is like a sunlight colour, (some are starting to call it "soft tone" nowadays) and those are distinctly yellowy in colour like the colour of sun with a clear sky through a window in a morning, (like a normal old traditional pearl 60w house bulb).... 3000k is also a warm white but a slightly purer (less yellow) white and is very popular... 3500k is in an "in between the two" white but still a distinctly whiter shade than a normal house bulb, 6400k is almost blue-white in hue like a daylight white on an overcast day... its so far up the spectrum the light is very white like the colour of a 4 foot flourescent tube as you see in factories and schools etc...we used to sell more of the warm white range bulbs but now we seem to be selling more of the cool white ranges.
Also,.as you go up the spectrum in light shades you also get slighly more brightness (EG a 6400k bulb will give out 10% more lumens than a 2700k lamp using the same wattage and fitting).
Many of our customers buying for thier homes go for the 2700k for living areas and whiter shades like 6400k for work areas, bathrooms, kitchens and public spaces etc...we have all those in several wattages including the short 58mm 9w=45w model
"Will these fit standard inset ceiling holders"
They will fit most holders but if you are not sure perhaps it would be better to buy a single bulb and try one before buying a large quantity... please keep packaging as new if you need to return a sample for refund.
Why are CFL energy saving bulbs larger than normal bulbs ? (CFL stands for compact flourescent).
This is purely down to the electronics in the bulb, they dont just have a glowing filament in them like a normal bulb, when you take them apart there is a round circuit board with a little transformer coil, a ballast, a couple of capacitors and resistors and some wiring plus you have the flourescent tube itself, this means they cant get higher brightness without bigger components which then means a larger bulb. We do stock several standard size bulbs but the smaller and brighter you go the more expensive they get, technology is improving all the time though and they will get smaller in time, we already have CFL 9w down to as short as 58mm which is only 2mm longer than a standard bulb and we have LED bulbs in standard size but the brighter you go the more costly. We always try and stock the latest technology as well as the older type bulbs (at lower prices) to give people a wide choice, if your fittings can take a longer bulb then our CFL's are a great light provider at a low price.
"I presume the extra length does not matter as long as they can fit inside the ceiling void".
I can see no reason why they couldnt be fitted in enclosed holders or recessed holders as long as they are fitted in such a way as to avoid electrical or fire risk as you would with normal halogen bulbs (which run 5 times as hot)... for peace of mind we have a years warranty on all bulbs... (for our regular customers we may extend this)..
"Is the 2700k temp equiv to warm white?"
Yes 2700k is warm white the colour of sunlight through a window as opposed to day or daylight white which is closer to the blue spectrum, many people prefer 2700k as ts a softer light and ideal for living areas whereas your 6400k is a brighter and whiter light such asyou used to get from flourescent strip lights etc... 6400k is a cooler white and you get more lumens output for the power used but it is a very bright pure white and some people prefer 2700k, try one if you are unsure but keep it as new and if its not what you want we can exchange for you..
"Hi. I would be very interested to know which, of the CFL lamps you stock, would you recommend for direct replacement of halogen units. I do have some 9w CFL`s that do not fit the majority of standard downlighters with a wire retaining ring. That is even tho` the lamps measure only 55mm - it appears there greater girth is the problem. As most of my customers require replacement units for standard downlighters, a replacement CFL that did fit would be of great interest to me, so i will keenly await your response. Regards, Alan"
Hi At time of writing (March 2010) the shortest CFL GU10 we do and we have 28-30 types in stock, (the largest range in the UK) is... including pins, 58mm in Finelite or 60mm in Eveready (2mm or 4mm longer than a normal halogen respectively) but this includes the pins so it will fit MANY downlighters but not all, its always a big problem with those ones with the wire rings and glass covers and also the ones that are like round balls set flush in the ceiling (some swivel). For those awkward fittings the very best we have we stock and that we have ever seen are the Eveready 3w high power LED (3x1w LED per bulb) 4000k...they are very bright, top quality but also pricey, You can buy them from us £4 to £5 cheaper than from major firms like Maplin electronics but they are still £20 singly (we can get them down a fair bit price wise on quantity obviously), we have 4w (1x4w LED) Finelite brand in warm white 2700k at a lower price (not as bright as the Evereadys as with cooler white you get more lumens and also the Eveready really are top notch bulbs, we even have them fitted here) if bulb price is a problem..I know its hard to convince some people that its worth £19 each even when its a bulb that will last more or less forever and only use 3w power as bulbs have always been classed as disposable and not a permanent fixture, Also we have halogen energy savers, totally standard size fully dimmable, same brightness as a 50w bulb and they last longer we sell them at about £23 for ten, the only downside with halogen GU10 energy savers is you only save 20%-30% power rather than 75%+ with CFL and 90%+ with LED so the CFL and LED pay for themselves more times in the long-run. Regards.
"Do you find that these bulbs last as my experience with older CFLs is that they do not last as long as the claims mainly due to the ballasts failing due to heat probably"
Yes I agree with you there... although (with the best of the suppliers I use) the technology has come a long way since then and they run cooler and the CFL ballasts (and chips with the LED bulbs) are geting more reliable all the time..each new batch we receive sems to have an improvement in some way, if they are going to fail they normally fail within a week of use and if not used with dimmers they should reach the manufacturers average lifespan which ranges from about 10000 hours for our CFL bulbs and uop to 50,000 hours for our LED bulbs in general. This means that if you buy from us you are guaranteed against faults.
All bulbs purchased from www.presenceuk.com and our companion site www.powersavebulbs.com come with a full years warranty.
Disposal of CFL energy saving light bulbs.
Why do I need to be careful how I dispose of my Energy Saving Light bulbs and Fluorescent tubes?
CFL Energy Saving Light bulbs function in much the same way as a fluorescent tube. They contain electronic components and a tiny amount of mercury (each just enough to cover the tip of a ballpoint pen). This mercury allows them to deliver their substantial energy saving benefits. It is therefore much better not to put these lamps in the normal household waste. A more environmentally friendly and responsible way of disposal is to ensure that the lamps are recycled at the end of their life. You should therefore separate them from your normal household waste. They can be disposed of at your local authority Household Waste Recycling Centre in the separate containers that they have available for these lamps. These containers are then returned to specialist companies for recycling. How should I deal with a broken CFL Energy Saving Light bulb or Fluorescent tube?
However the use of CFLs saves on mercury emissions when compared to the use of incandescent bulbs. This is due to the reduced electrical power demand, reducing in turn the amount of mercury released by coal as it is burned
Health issues. According to the European Commission Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) in 2008, the only property of compact fluorescent lamps that could pose an added health risk is the ultraviolet and blue light emitted by such devices. The worst that can happen is that this radiation could aggravate symptoms in people who already suffer rare skin conditions that make them exceptionally sensitive to light. They also stated that more research is needed to establish whether compact fluorescent lamps constitute any higher risk than incandescent lamps. The UV received from CFLs is too small to contribute to skin cancer and the use of double-envelope CFL lamps "largely or entirely" mitigates any other risks, they say. |
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