inspired by light | lighting blog

The stainless trim on this product has very high resistance to corrosion. Despite this, blotches may appear on the surface of the stainless steel. They can be removed by a soft cloth soaked with neutral oil (WD40) or equivalent. The cause of the blotching is due to some free iron atoms from the polishing wire brushes remaining on the surface and these atoms are outside the protection afforded by the nickel and chrome alloys in the steel.

If the product is exposed to very corrosive environmental conditions (sea fronts, salty atmospheres etc) it will require additional maintenance. Before installing the stainless parts must be treated with neutral oil, which must penetrate all the joints. After treatment, dry with a soft cloth. In very corrosive environments, the treatment with oil must be repeated at least 4 times a year, in cases of serious corrosion use an abrasive paste (specifically designed for stainless steel or chrome) to remove the stain and then apply the neutral oil again.

Attention, wood preservative and solvents can damage insulation on electric cables. Allow treatment to dry prior to installing deck lights. Do not apply preservatives after installing.

Here is a round up of interesting links we have gathered regarding energy saving lamps, the many questions they pose, and what everyone should, and in some cases, is doing about it;

Energy Saving Trust – A great place to learn a wealth of information about energy saving
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Energy-saving-products/Energy-saving-lightbulbs-and-fittings

Directgov – Saving Energy Advice
http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home/in-the-home/save-energy.html

Defra – Department for Environment (subject now belongs to DECC)
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/household/products/cfl.htm

DECC – Department of Energy and Climate Change
http://www.decc.gov.uk/

Greenpeace – interesting stuff on lighting
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/light-bulb-retailers-league-table-20070714

The Lighting Association – Energy Efficient Lighting
http://www.lightingassociation.com/energy.php

Many people already know from the press the Goverment are supporting retailers to phase out traditional energy hungry bulbs, replacing them with energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs) by the year 2011. This is a voluntary initiative being carried out by major retailers and energy suppliers to phase out old-fashioned light bulbs, to turn them off for good.

The latest news we have found reveals the following;

• 150 watt incandescent bulbs to be phased-out in January 2008
• 100 watt by January 2009
• 60 watt by January 2010
• 40 watt by January 2011
• 60 watt Golfball and Candle shaped by 2011
• all other high-energy incandescent bulbs by 2011, rumored to become an EU Standard thereafter
• (Halogen power hungry wattages by 2016)

According to the government, this will save five million tonnes of CO2 a year and take us closer to their 2050 target.

LEDs

LEDs – light emitting diodes – have been popular for some years as indicator lights. More than you probably realise, these little lights are everywhere in your every day life: there is the red light of your digital clock at night, the green light from your cell phone display, … LEDs are all around us. Soon they will also be commonly used as an actual light source in your house.

Lighting makes a big difference in how you feel about your home. Lighting helps you perform tasks more easily, makes you feel safer and more comfortable.

The bathroom needs to have one of the most flexible lighting schemes of the whole house. Task lighting must be bright enough to enable you to shave or to apply your make up. But it should also work well with indirect accent lighting designed to soften the ambience of the bathroom.

Lighting above the mirror should be centred over the sink to prevent shadowing on your face. Install a fixture that casts light just over the front edge of the sink. This will bounce light off the countertop and up onto your face. Fixtures located on either side of the mirror should be set at eye level to be most effective.

The Energy Saving Trusts Energy Saving Recommended accreditation, CFLs have to emit the same warm light level as GLS bulbs:- between 2,600 and 2,800 kelvin.

CFL Lamp

CFL do not need to be kept switched on for longer than a normal GLS bulb as they do not consume any greater energy during start up and run very efficiently immediately after the first 2 or 3 seconds.

The latest generations of CFL lamps offered by the major manufacturers are no longer very large. In many cases, they are even slightly smaller than their GLS equivalent and with the new classic shapes looking almost the same as GLS bulbs.

CFL lamps are now available in almost all cap/base types, such as E27, E14 etc.