Max wattage permitted in a light

[melvinmaggot]

Hi, I've just bought a light that states on the packaging the max recommended wattage bulb it can take is 50W. When the lights on it's not quite as bright as we'd hoped for. I'm probably gonna be told this is a stupid question but is it safe to put in a 60W bulb...eg...10W higher than the recommended max. What are the risks of doing so?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

 

[JohnD]

the risk is that it will char. Probably the bulbholder inside will go brittle and break next time you try to change the bulb. The lamp will perhaps go visibly brown on the outside. If it has a paper of plastic shade it will probably be scorched and go brown. It probably won't catch fire.

I suggest you find a CFL (energy saving bulb) which gives more light for less electricity and will last a long time.

 

[rjb]

To follow on from this my landing light max was 60w which was too dim for situation. I installed 20w CFL which are equivalent to 100w.

Problem solved.

PS Breifly off thread. John I sent you an e-mail have you received it or did I get wrong address?

 

[plugwash]

i've found CFLs in enclosed fittings tend to die pretty quickly

 

[rjb]

What would you put that down to?

 

[plugwash]

my guess is the drive circuits in the base overheat.

 

[Adam_151]

http://sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm has a quick and dirty experiment into enclosed CFLs

But yes, the failure mode is that while an incandesant lamp will not bat an eyelid at high temperatures, and enclosed fittings for them are designed to tolerate these. A cfl, while putting out less heat, still puts out a fair bit, except this time the lamp isn't immune to it, and the electronics keel over pretty quickly.

Remember kids, a montain of mercury filled CFLs that died prematurely is 'greener'

 

[Chri5]

Melvin (in laymans terms) why not get a low energy fitting for the lamp holder.

21w low energy gives 100w brightness (well sort of).

CFL = compact Fluorescent light (low energy).