General FAQ's
- Do CFL's contain mercury?
- What sort of bulb should I buy?
- How does the brightness of a low energy bulb compare with an incandescent bulb?
- What forms of payment do you accept?
- Is online payment secure?
- How long does delivery take?
- How are you able to offer such low prices?
- The bulb that I ordered does not fit, what can I do?
- Do they flicker when you turn them on?
- Do they take time to "warm up"?
- Returns policy for faulty lights
LED FAQ's
- What is an LED?
- Are LEDs bright enough?
If your question is not answered in this section please e-mail your questions to info@efficientlight.co.uk or call 0800 043 8893
Q1: Do CFLs contain mercury? And isn't that bad for the environment?
A: Energy saving bulbs contain only tiny traces of mercury - imagine a pellet smaller than the tip of a biro. What's more, in the long term, CFL technology will actually help less mercury to pollute the air. This is because burning fossil fuels like coal is the biggest source of mercury in the air. And as energy saving bulbs use 80% less electricity than a traditional bulb, they mean far less mercury overall.
Remember to always recycle your used bulbs, for example at your local authority's recycling centre.
Source: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy_saving_products/types_of_energy_
saving_recommended_products/energy_saving_light_bulbs/
Q2: What sort of bulb should I buy?
A: Ensure you know the type of light fitting you require, for example bayonet or screw cap, we stock a range of different fittings including the small bayonet and screw caps. Secondly consider the use of your particular light and size the bulb apropriately. Small bedside lights will require less power (Watts) than a bulb to light an entire room. Top
Q3: How does the brightness of a low energy bulb compare with an incandescent bulb?
A: The brightness of lightbulbs is measured in Lumens which is a measure of a light's luminous power. The graph below compares the luminous power of low energy bulbs, the light green bars, with incandescent bulbs, in dark green. 
A recent series of surveys by The Energy Savings Trust some of which were coducted like the 'Pepsi Challenge' showed that half of those surveyed could not tell the difference between traditional and energy saving bulbs - 2 out of 3 preferred the energy saving version. In a seperate piece of research over 2000 people were asked if they used energy efficient bulbs, 80% of those that use them felt they are as good if not better than traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Q4: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: We accept all the major credit and debit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Switch, Solo and Meastro. Unfortunately we do not accept Visa Electron. We can also accept payment via paypal or cheque, but goods will not be sent until funds have cleared. Please contact us to pay by cheque/paypal. Top
Q5: Is online payment secure?
A: Please see the Security page for details of our security policy Top
Q6: How long does delivery take?
A: Have look on the Delivery page for all things relating to delivery Top
Q7: How are you able to offer such low prices?
A: The price of CFL light bulbs has been steadily decreasing over the last 10 years. The current competition between China and some of the large manufacturers such as Osram and Phillips are forcing prices down without a loss of quality. Top
Q8: The bulb that I ordered does not fit, what can I do?
A: It's your choice, you can either try to find another use for the bulb or return it to us and exhange it for a different model. Top
Q9: Do they flicker when you turn them on?
A: No - there is no 'flicker' associated with our range of bulbs and have received no complaints of this nature. Top
Q10: Do they take time to "warm up"?
A: There are approximately 300 different bulbs on offer from Efficient Light, the start up time is different for each model. The reflector and spiral bulbs have instant light and require no 'start up' time at all. The other bulbs available are still significantly better than most bulbs on the market in terms of a very short start up time. Again remember that the quality of bulbs has improved vastly over the last couple of years. As a very simple guide the most compact fittings such as small spotlights often start up slower than their larger alternatives.Top
Q11: Returns policy for faulty lights?
A: Mistakes happen, as does damage in transit etc etc. We are happy to replace damaged bulbs for you should they not arrive with you in good working order. Similarly should you find that your 8000 hour bulb has not lasted 6 months of use we will replace it free of charge. Top
LED FAQ's
Q: What is an LED?
A: A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits narrow-spectrum light when electrically charged. An LED is a small bulb previously used in millions of physics experiments at school to demonstrate electrical current, use of switches etc. LED's are being improved all the time to progress from experimental devices into the future of lighting technology. Top
Q: Are LEDs bright enough?
A: LEDs are improving by the week and are probably a lot brighter than you might imagine. You do get what you pay for with LED technology, at the cheapest LED lighting is only really useful for soft mood lighting. If you would like to use LED bulbs to replace halogen for example they will cost £10-£25 each and be up to 30W equivalent, use 3-5W of power and last many years. Top
Resources
Energy saving light bulbs
Over the passed few years the consumer focus on 'green' goods has increased a great deal. The awareness that we all have about the greenhouse effect and what that mean for the future of our planet has meant that we are all more focused on trying to find safer more efficient ways to use the everyday things that we use in the home. One such idea is the use of Energy Saving Light Bulbs in place of ordinary bulbs. Energy Saving Light Bulbs are specifically designed to use less energy but to produce the same output as a normal bulb. What this means is that we can achieve the same level of light but in a manner that is less harmful to the planet. Every year thousands of people purchase Energy Saving Light Bulbs instead of the normal wasteful bulbs. Not only are the Energy Saving Light Bulbs kinder to the environment but they are also cheaper too. This means that if everyone in the uk changed one light bulb to the Energy Saving Light Bulbs kind then we would save enough electricity made by one power station. So join the ?green' movement today and see how you can do your ?bit' for the future of the planet.
Light bulbs
Light Bulbs are common in almost every home in the uk. Light Bulbs come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common. They all shed Light on the surrounding environment. Which is good, especially in those long winter months. But shedding light on the environment is not all that Light Bulbs are about. For example, what about high efficiency Light Bulbs? That are kinder to the environment. Or coloured Light Bulbs to add a little interest to the colour scheme in the room. Even out door Light Bulbs that can cast light in the dark evenings. All in all there is a lot to be said about the humble Light Bulbs. So for a great range in Light Bulbs click on our online catalogue.
LED Lighting
LED Lighting makes coloured lighting effects in your home and garden possible. An LED, or light emitting diode uses a fraction of the power of other light sources and so is a very energy efficient way of lighting your home. Using waterproof LED Lighting for outdoor uses and around wet areas such as bathrooms and swimming pools provides a safe, low voltage method of providing illumination. So for a great range in LED Lighting click on our online catalogue.
Low voltage lighting
Over the passed few years Low Voltage Lighting has become very fashionable. There are many different types of Low Voltage Lighting available from LED lights to the more common halogen light bulbs. Because Low Voltage Lighting is different to the normal kind of light bulb that you might be used to, there may be some special equipment that you need in order to get the Low Voltage Lighting to work properly. More notably the presence of a special kind of transformer that serves to reduce the voltage going into the light system. Plugging the Low Voltage Lighting directly into the mains will serve to burn out the bulb very quickly. The site here has a great range of bulbs available to choose from?so for a great deal?Come on in!
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