h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have a black lamp with a large clip that is attached to my shelf and which I use to read by.

The neck is flexible and I can position it however I like.

However, the hood that surrounds the screw fitting isn't large enough to accept an energy saving bulb, which I would like to install now that my original bulbs has expired.

I'm trying to look for a replacement lamp, it must be:

1.) clip-on
2.) flexible
3.) energy saving.
4.) Preferably black.

but I am having the most fraught time trying to find one.

The majority I can find via amazon / hardware stores, alternate between not being clip on or being clip on with L.E.D lighting or just being not clip-on, static and with a base.

I figured it would be a simple thing to buy, since the design of the thing I am sat looking at is fine, the only problem is the scale of the hood, which with the advent of the new bulbs I had assumed would be accommodated but apparently not.

So am I just looking in the wrong places and can anyone help?

Clive - in search of

>>but I am having the most fraught time trying to find one.<<

You will because I believe they are banned from sale in the UK.

The reason I have been given is that they were classed as a fire hazard, because of people using over-powered bulbs in the lamps and attaching them to places were they shouldn't be, leading to trailing wires or a falling hazard.

BTW, I do this when doing my ironing. I plug it into the socket in the kitchen, then attach the light to the kitchen door to shine on the ironing board. Definitely not safe!

However, the biggest cause for concern was clip-on lights being used on headboards in bedrooms. These could be knocked or fall off (maybe when the person had fallen asleep while reading in bed, or some other activity ) , land on the bedsheet and cause a fire. Another was being placed in close proximity of curtains, again a potential fire hazard.

The company I work for haven't sold them for a good three years, and is why LED style lights are the preferred type available!

Although you could look here!

http://www.ryness.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?CN=GU10+-+White+Flexi+Clip+on+Spot&CategoryID=496&ProductID=6857&Category4ID=130

MMF

I was beginning to wonder.....

So are LED lamps better or worse than Energy Saving?

I understand they are probably better in terms of energy-saving but, FMI, not so good for 'true' candlepower luminescence.

MMF

I was afraid of that.

So how about if I could just replace the hood?

we have clip on reading lights (on the beds) for The Gruesomes.

I don't recall reading about hoardes of Germans dying in fires caused by clip-on lamps.

(And we have electrical sockets (for which we use shavers & hairdryers) in the bathroom which makes our British relatives go but it's normal here)

Well I am kind of curious to know which statute banned them.

LEDs slightly beat out energy saving for luminescence per watt. The main problem with them at the moment seems to be that the white isn't quite right, so they're not particularly pleasant.

Clive, being off for the weekend, I can't check on the ban, or whether it is government or industry led, but I'll check on Monday!

I would add that Europe announced, at the beginning of October that 'traditional light bulbs are to be banned from 2010'.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/3174452/Traditional-lightbulbs-banned-by-EU.html

Stock up now!!!

MMF

try homebase for bulbs

some of their new low energy ones are now the shape and size of a candle bulb

That Swedish place has all sorts of clip-on lights

that's where I got mine, I think

LEDs do use very little energy. Try one?

I finally found a lamp on Amazon that fits the bill.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OS91BM/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A2KQ64W1HWQA51

"I would add that Europe announced, at the beginning of October that 'traditional light bulbs are to be banned from 2010'."

Good for them. They're superseded technology from the time of the industrial revolution. Bob knows why I would want to stock up on them.