Maximum Lightbulb 60w

[qld]

On some lightbulb connections it says a maximum wattage of 60w.

Does this maximum have more to do with the actual plastic covers,etc. melting rather than only being able to run 60w of power through the wires?

[echnidna]

I've always assumed its to do with the heat of the globe

[Ian Smith]

Qld,
It's all to do with the heat generated.

Unless Mr. Ohm has been proven wrong you can run about 40 of those 60 watt bulbs from a single standard 10 amp circuit

Anyway, why not use the newer more efficient energy saver bulbs?
Even less heat (about 20 watts I think and same light) and your light fittings wont suffer

Ian

[qld]

The energy bulbs possibly give me headaches and are annoying to dispose and greater risk of smashing. Mercury poisoning as well possibly.

I enjoy the other bulbs better.

Also I have a touch lamp with no shade or anthing about 40cm from my head which has a 200w regular incandescent bulb in it to keep me warm.

So i also use bulbs for heating.

[qld]

That Green Triangle on the bottom right corner of the picture is my shoulder.

Helps dry my hair and keep me warm.

[qld]

With regard to touch lamps. My lamp I got here you touch it once it turns on, hit it once more it gets brighter and touch it once more it gets brightest. Then touch it again to turn it off.

Does this effect the life a lightbulb much in terms of hours it will last compared to a bulb that stays turned on for hours ata time?

[Ian Smith]

Qld,
In theory, if you run anything below it's rated performance figures it ought to last longer than if it's run flat out the whole time.
However, having said that, if you give it a smack around the ears every so often I'm inclined to think that may very well shorten it's life.

If things go to plan you'll have real trouble buying an incandescent bulb in about a year or so, so you'd better stock up now. Coupled with that, and here's one for the conspiracy theorists, I reckon that those incandescent bulbs don't last nearly as long as they used to


Ian

[qld]

Most 60w, 75w and 100w bulbs are sold out.

i think they are still allowed to import the 150w and 200w bulbs i use for heating and spotlights.

You can still buy the 15w over pilot lights, the 25w and 40w pointy candle lights.

100w Halogen equivalent ones that look the same orange type light cost $5 from bunnings warehouse. Actually I think these would mean they are actually 140w is the light that gets thrown out by them while 100w of halogen power is consumed.

the 60w halogen equivalents cost $2.50.


Would Halogens be hotter for the same wattage?
A 100w halogen bulb hotter than a 100w incandescent bulb?

[qld]

Im getting an edison to bayonet and a bayonet to screw in converter.



Is there any problems i might encounter using these?

I imagine they are simple things just different shaped pieces of metal for the electricity to travel along

[Ian Smith]

Qld,
Watt for watt I believe that the halogen are brighter. I use pairs of 40 watt candles in my fan lights. Their equivalent halogen is 28 watts and they appear to just as bright (and they last longer)

I doubt you'd notice the difference in temperature between the 100w halogen and the 100w incandescent - a watt is a watt and that's the power they both consume. i.e radiate

Ian

[woodcutta]

Qld,
Watt for watt I believe that the halogen are brighter. I use pairs of 40 watt candles in my fan lights. Their equivalent halogen is 28 watts and they appear to just as bright (and they last longer)

I doubt you'd notice the difference in temperature between the 100w halogen and the 100w incandescent - a watt is a watt and that's the power they both consume. i.e radiate

Ian

Qld

A watt is a watt and the power is consumed as Ian says, but the output efficiency (what is radiated) is the difference.

A 100 Watt Incandescent globe radiates 2.1 Watts of light and 97.9 Watts of heat
A 100 Watt Halogen globe radiates 3.5 Watts of light and 96.5 watts of heat
A 100 Watt Fluorescent lamp radiates 8 Watts of light and 92 Watts of heat

Therefore a 25 Watt flourescent has about the same output as a 100 Watt Incandescent


woodcutta

[qld]

I was not comparing things equally.

I just noticed my desk 25w halogen lamp is much hotter than say a 25w incandescent lightbulb would be.

But that is probably because the filament,etc. of the halogen is only 1cm from the protective cover whereas the the filament of a bulb is much further away to the outside glass

[Harry72]

Woodcutta, I'd like to see how bright a 100w fluro would be, reckon some very dark sunnys would be needed!

[soundman]

the wattage rating stamped on lighting products in particular the lamp holders is definitely to be taken notice off.....these restricted wattage lamp holdrs are made from less heat resistant plastics and WILL FAIL if you run higher wattage lamps in them.

I was working with a bunch of projectionists on an exhibit once and one of the projectionists insisted in putting a 100w lamp in a lamp holder clearly markes 60 watt.... I pointed this out to him & he treated me like an idiot.......he wated more loght to see when he was working on the projector.

ANYWAY....... Here he was fiddlinmg with the gate of this projector with his head in the works and the lamp right next to his head..... I was watching him ( with some others) and the hot 100watt lamps spat out of the holder right into his bare ear...he jumped banged his head and his forehead on the machine and swore....... I laughed.

QLD you ahve some strage ideas about heating.......a light bulb would have to be one of the most inefficient heaters arround.

cheers

[qld]

For example a 200w Bulb uses 200w of power but the heaters you see on the market usually use 400,800 and 1200 watts.