Question about lightbulbs

[cruiser]

Simple question about lightbulbs.

What would happen if you put in a higher wattage bulb into the light socket then what is recommended?

I'm replacing a light in my door entrance...it calls for a 60 watt...but a 100 watt does a much better job (since this entrance is darker).

Are there any wiring/heat issues that a guy has to worry about?

Appreciate any feedback.

thanks

 

[jim]

Simple question about lightbulbs.

What would happen if you put in a higher wattage bulb into the light socket then what is recommended?

I'm replacing a light in my door entrance...it calls for a 60 watt...but a 100 watt does a much better job (since this entrance is darker).

Are there any wiring/heat issues that a guy has to worry about?

Appreciate any feedback.

thanks

Exactly the reason. Howzit going cab man?

 

[cruiser]

Exactly the reason. Howzit going cab man?

Sorry, but I don't drive a CAB...never have.

You must be thinking of somebody else JIM.

 

[Walk Softly]

Just put in an outdoor rated compact fluorescent, a 23w = 100w...or something like that. No issues if you do that.

What he said! (As long as it isn't on a dimmer switch.)

Cheers! WS.

 

[greatshark]

heat can start a fire.

Don't do it.

 

[uncleg]

Okay, you're in an MP and you're in the room and the girl comes in after you've showered. Most of these rooms have a dimmer switch which allows a person either to dim or brighten the intensity of the lights in the room.

On several occasions in the past whenever I go to see ANY girl at an MP, she ALWAYS dims the lights a bit more when she comes into the room after my shower.

Now, I know I don't look like Brad Pitt or George Clooney but I do know I don't look like the Creature from The Black Lagoon, either. I'm not the best looking guy out there but I really do think I look modestly a-okay.

So . . . my question is: does this happen to everyone else or is it only me and is it time for me to get facial reconstruction surgery or something or what?

Actually found that most do dim the lights. May actually have something to do with local by-laws requiring windows in the doors, if the room is a bit darker the cops can't see as clearly, if they do a walk through.

 

[sonoman]

What would happen if you put in a higher wattage bulb into the light socket then what is recommended?

It will draw more current than the socket/wiring is rated for. Similar to having a 20 amp fuse in a circuit only rated for 15. End result: fire.

 

[brocketrocket]

I am an ugly mofo too... they dim they lights for me too.... I think they do it sometimes to hid themselves from you (us).

 

[cruiser]

Thanks for all of the "interesting" replies...and where this question lead as well !

 

[treveller]

I suspect some of the fixtures are rated 60W so that they will fit into a different rating category. I have seen ceramic sockets rated at 60W when it is clear they can handle much more.

Following the rating and going with a flourescent or LED bulb is the best and safest approach but you could also look at the fixture and fittings and decide for yourself whether it could handle the extra heat. A metal fixture with a ceramic socket mounted outdoors on a stucco surface is not going to start a fire with a 100w bulb. Maybe with a 1000W bulb you could get a fire.

And no, you can't quote me on this.

 

[Boob man]

Simple question about lightbulbs.

What would happen if you put in a higher wattage bulb into the light socket then what is recommended?

I'm replacing a light in my door entrance...it calls for a 60 watt...but a 100 watt does a much better job (since this entrance is darker).

Are there any wiring/heat issues that a guy has to worry about?

Appreciate any feedback.

thanks

Is the light bulb pointing up or down? If the rating of "60watts" is upside down you can place a 100w bulb in there. I wouldn't place a CFL (Compact fluorecent lamp) outdoors. It misses a lot of the colour spectrum (in comparision to incandecents), and if you say come home late it doesn't give off enough light and it will be a bitch tryinh to see. If the lamp points down, and you are overly concerned about a fire buy clear lights (clear as opposed to frosted).

 

[MeganAtRevive]

why not just use the higher watt bulb for a night until you can make it to the hardware store to buy the correct bulb? Light bulbs aren't terribly expensive and using the proper bulb will only save you money (in both energy usage and replacing your house if your shit catches fire.

 

[treveller]

Spectrum

I have to disagree with Boobs on the "flourescents at night" part. Low pressure sodium produces light in a few very narrow bands and they work fine for safety at night. These are the orange lights that make all the cars look the same colour. You effectively have a B&W light source. The flourescents produce a full spectrum by comparison.