energy saving lightbulbs

[Emaho]

If it takes less electricity to use it = less electricity purchased = less electricity do the electricity company have to produce = saves the nature.

[ZeUs!!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-aI1Ch39ZU

[Ewan]

Excuse me for asking what's probably pretty obvious but:

Isn't the power rating what matters in relation to energy use? 150W means that the light bulb uses 150 joules per second. How is that more energy efficient than a "normal" 60 watt (60 joule per second) bulb? Shouldn't an "energy-efficient" bulb consume less power, ie produce the same amount of light with 40W but with less heat output?

A lot of the energy in to standard light bulbs is converted to heat. That is why they are so innefficient.

I was slightly misleading in what I meant. Often they will be sold as their "equivalent" power rating. I.e. it will say "100W equivalent". What I meant was, go one up from what it is the equivalent of (So If you like a 100W normal bulb, get a 120W equivalent energy saver which is in reality about 30W)

[Rab]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-aI1Ch39ZU

what does that have to do with this thread?

[Fit of Rage]

A lot of the energy in to standard light bulbs is converted to heat. That is why they are so innefficient.

I was slightly misleading in what I meant. Often they will be sold as their "equivalent" power rating. I.e. it will say "100W equivalent". What I meant was, go one up from what it is the equivalent of (So If you like a 100W normal bulb, get a 120W equivalent energy saver which is in reality about 30W)

So a high-efficiency bulb rated at 120 watts produces the same brightness as a normal 120 watt bulb (or a 100 watt bulb?), but actually consumes 30 watts?

[Ewan]

Yes, as it doesn't give out stupid amounts of heat like normal lightbulbs.

[Fit of Rage]

Ok so at the store today I found 100W equivalent lights that actually consume 23W. They were on sale for a box of 4, 10 for $10.00. Bascially, I got 40 of these energy saver bulbs for $10. Cool, don't think I'll have to change a bulb in my house for years.