Thanks Nic - I look forward to reading what you think.
I am not against using less power for lighting, if I was I would not have got the low energy daylight bulb I got in my living room, it only uses 25watt compared to 150watt, I would have also ripped out the tube light in the kitchen. I have got rid of that horrid Fluorescent 2d comp[act thing that the landlord put in the bathroom and now got a normal light and bulb in that.
So I am not against energy saving light bulbs, but I need good light and so far apart from the daylight one I got inb my living room, I have not found any that is suitable. I already got a drawer full of low energy bulbs that I have tried over the last few years, I am not buying any more.
I also still think that low energy bulbs are only good in places where they are left on, because of their warm up time. On the stairs I need something that is quick to light the stairs up.
Millions of people dying may be the way to control the population, may sound harsh, but the world is over populated, or we could ban peple from having kids for a few years
Go brighter. The reason why a lampshade is quoted at 60w is because that's the maximum filament lamp it will take. Any brighter and the heat from the filament lamp becomes a fire risk. However you aren't using filament lamps. So don't bother with a 60w equivalent, use a 100w equivalent.
WE KNOW! You post about it again and again and again!
It is not just the brightness, it is also the colour of the light they produce/ Why I went for a daylight one in my sitting room
I prefer having a remote control mains switch, zero hassle and lower energy bills, I really have so many better things to do with my money and life than leave the lounge illuminated with little red LEDs all day and night and going to work to pay for it.
A mate of mine got one of these remote control switches, he uses it for his pondpump. It works well.
I was looking at them myself, but they are pretty expensive, the other problem is that not everything can be put onto these switches, the PVR and the DVd recorder for instance, the Hi-fi takes 1 watt on standby, so it is not worth sticking one on there, just like my T.v only takes one watt.
I may have a think about it, could be useful for the computer bits upstairs, like printer, scanner, and other stuff that uses power when not in use.
I have a double socket behind the TV unit, one outlet for PVR, VCR and router, the other through the remote mains switch for TV, amp, XBox, CD player etc. I've never needed to check what mine use on standby, I'd make sure you're right with the 1 watt but I have heard that newer stuff is much better.
I think it would take a long time to pay for itself and if the T.V only takes 1watt or the hifi for that matter, I should think that these plugs will take the same amount. they have to take some power to work.
As I said could be useful for upstairs and all the bits for the computer.
I put a switch (specifically a fan isolation switch) into an extension lead that fed all my hifi so it was very easy to completely turn off the whole setup. I was able to place the switch such that all I needed to do was tap it with my foot to turn on and off - couldn't be easier - I didn't even need to bend down!