Commercial Lamp Supplies News

We have been sending out the first lot of 100 watt bulbs but some people have still not been happy as they are now made in a smaller size.

Normal bulbs arent usually our best seller (people tend to pop into their local shop to get them - we mostly sell the low energy equivalents) so we didnt realise that people didnt know that the big manufacturers such as Philips and GE have changed the bulb size. They have made the bulbs smaller by 10 millimeters which doesnt sound very much but it looks quite different

The smaller bulbs put out the same amount of light but take less ’stuff’ to make so are less wasteful (and lets face it cheaper for the manufacturers!)

The problem with them is the older style lamp shades that clip onto the bulb dont always work with them very well.

If you specifically want the older size lamps then please put a note in the shipping info and we will oblige but please be aware this may result in a delay in your order as we can only get these from certain manufacturers so dont always have them in stock. (we cannot even place orders for the larger size 100 watt lamps at the moment so if you would like them please be aware we cannot give a definate delivery time)

Yesterday we had our first delivery of 100 watt lamps!

So we will be sending them out as fast as we can to begin to fulfill outstanding orders. We are dispatching orders in date order.

We are hoping to receive our first large delivery from the manufacturer in the first or second week in March although we cannot get any guarantees from them yet.

As an aside the new regulations regarding bulbs dont include ‘directional lamps’ or specialist lamps so spotlights are unaffected (a directional lamp is defined as anything under a 120 degree beam angle) or oven lamps which do not currently have a low energy alternative

Ok, so it may only be a small bit of explanation but here goes!

Your ‘normal’ lightbulb has a filament inside that is heated up with electricity until it glows and this creates the light. It works well but isn’t efficient as it wastes alot of its energy as heat.

The low voltage halogen spotlights or capsule lamps are a variation on that theme. They are more efficient but not too much (Remember the fact that they are 12 volt does not make them low energy - it is the wattage that counts)

The usual low energy lamp is based on a fluorescent tube (the ones in most offices). They produce light by exciting mercury in a vapour form which in turn emits light (thats a simple version obviously!) The coating on the tube dictates the spectrum of light produced by the lamp. Flourescent lights are much more efficient than filament lights and there are many more colour variations available.

A handy rule of thumb when buying low energy lamps is to multiply the wattage of the low energy lamp by 4. That will give you the approximate equivalent in ‘normal’ lightbulb wattage.

If you already have fluorescent lights in your office but still want to save energy there is an option for you to try. Even the humble tube has been modernised with the invention of the T5 version. These are more efficient and last longer than standard T8 tubes (the normal ones found in offices). For example a 58 watt 5 ft T8 tube can be replaced with a 35watt T5 tube - a saving of 23 watts per tube. There is a cost involved in converting your fittings to take the T5 lamps but they usually pay for themselves over time. If you are interested in hearing more then please contact us either by phone 01822 860 110 or use the contact tab on the top of each page.

LED’s are coming along. They are quite possibly the future of lighting. They have a huge lifespan and consume very little power. We have tested a 3 watt LED candle this week that can just about light a small room! The usual problem with LEDs is they are quite ’spotty’ and dont really do well as ambient lighting. They are ideal if you run a jewellers for example (you may have noticed them appearing here and there already - ok, we know its only us that look at the lighting wherever we go!) as you can replace your normal halogen spotlights with LEDs that will do the job perfectly. LEDs also used to give out a very cold blue light but that problem is being addressed now so is much less of an issue. With LED technology it is definately a case of ‘watch this space’

Well we had quite alot of snow! We are up on Dartmoor and so got quite a covering at the end of the week and over the weekend.

Its all melted now thanks to the vast amount of rain we had on Monday - its great being on a moor!

Anyway, we are all caught up after the disruption last week so deliveries should be going out on time again as usual - except for the 100w lamps that is….

We have received some deliveries of 100 watt clear bulbs and have been dispatching them in date order. I will update this blog as soon as we get our first big delievery which is still looking like the end of the month at the moment.

When we send consignments we also send you an email to let you know the tracking number so you know when to expect your parcel.

Yesterday we had problems with deliveries due to the snow and it is going to happen again today.
Another knock on is that we will not be getting some if not all of our normal deliveries, we normally get 5 to 6 per day this will also have a knock on effect for a few days.
We will just have to enjoy the snow and the wonderful images it provides, it doesn’t happen often and I am sure we will cope.