But the electronics in a CFL may fail faster if they get hot due to being in
an enclosed light.

"Don Klipstein" wrote in message
...
In article m, David
Nebenzahl wrote:

On 1/19/2009 5:40 PM Nate Nagel spake thus:

SNIP a fair amount to edit for space
Yes, so long as you aren't actually drawing more than 100W.

I wouldn't sweat the "drawing more than 100 watts" part. Really.

Think about it: I'd feel safe betting that *almost all* light fixtures
(sockets) are electrically capable of handling far more than their rated
values in watts. Many standard Edison-base light sockets are rated at
660 watts.

I once saw a "bankers' lamp" style desk lamp rated for 60 watt tubular
"T10" bulbs produce a slight burning odor and have wire insulation
slightly char with a 60 watt bulb. It was plenty fine and dandy with a 40
watt one.

I suspect the fixture was manufactured and tested in a country where the
prevailing line voltage is 230V, or most thermal testing was done with a
230V bulb or otherwise vacuum-containing bulb. I suspect most 60 watt
230V bulbs of that style have a vacuum - most bulbs drawing less than
about 20-25 watts per visibly-apparent inch of filament length have a
vacuum.
But the 120V 60 watt version of that bulb is gas filled. (Gas allows
higher filament temperature, but conducts heat from the filament to the
surface of the bulb). So I am guessing that the 120V version runs hotter
than the 230V version. It did indeed run quite hot.
Meawhile, the USA-usual 40-watt version has a vacuum and runs cool.

The issue isn't too much current flowing through the contacts and wires:
it's too much heat being generated by the bulb.

- Don Klipstein )