I want to put an outdoor light fixture on my shed.

It will have a light sensor on it so that I do not have to bother
turning it off and on.

It is one of those cheap light fixtures that has a clear glass cover
that looks like a canning jar. The problem is that when I insert the
light sensor, and then put the light bulb on top of that, it only leaves
about 1/4 of an inch of space at the bottom of the jar cover.

The bulb is a 60 watt. Is this going to get too hot and maybe explode?

Thanks.

Corinne

i believe that due to reflection the sensor will be confused and turn
the light off in your example.
i believe you are describing an indoor photo-eye device.
other options:
1. replace with a 60 watt incandescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
2. or replace with a 13 watt flourescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
3. or add an outdoor photo-eye mounted on an outdoor electrical box for
your present fixture.

If it overheats, it'll burn the lamp out prematurely. You might try a
physically smaller lamp like an appliance lamp



"Corinne" wrote in message
...
I want to put an outdoor light fixture on my shed.

It will have a light sensor on it so that I do not have to bother turning
it off and on.

It is one of those cheap light fixtures that has a clear glass cover that
looks like a canning jar. The problem is that when I insert the light
sensor, and then put the light bulb on top of that, it only leaves
about 1/4 of an inch of space at the bottom of the jar cover.

The bulb is a 60 watt. Is this going to get too hot and maybe explode?

Thanks.

Corinne

RBM rbm2(remove wrote:

It is one of those cheap light fixtures that has a clear glass cover that
looks like a canning jar...

If it overheats, it'll burn the lamp out prematurely. You might try a
physically smaller lamp like an appliance lamp

That won't help in itself, but fewer watts would, or holes near the top.

Nick

The add on sensor may burn out from heat, get a lamp with sensor buit
in, as you will see the sensor is outside the bulb area of heat. For
dusk to dawn use a flourescent fixture they use 25% as much electricity.
A 15 watt flourescent will be equal to 60 incandesant and the bulb will
last much longer.

I have had a few of the exact fixtures you describe. No, nothing will
explode. It will be fine.

To save a few pennys on electricity cost you can use a compact
florecent rated for outdoor use, to get longer life of the bulb you can
use a bulb rated 130v.

Seems you have a 60w bulb already, just install it and be done with it.
When the buld burns out just replace it with what you have on hand or
get something different. No big deal. The fixture probably says 60W max
and UL listed, just do not use higher than what its rated for and you
will be fine.

"buffalobill" wrote in message
ups.com...
i believe that due to reflection the sensor will be confused and turn
the light off in your example.
i believe you are describing an indoor photo-eye device.
other options:
1. replace with a 60 watt incandescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
2. or replace with a 13 watt flourescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
3. or add an outdoor photo-eye mounted on an outdoor electrical box for
your present fixture.

I have to question the several recommendations for a fluorescent bulb used
with a photo sensor in this thread, based on my recent experience.

I mounted entry lights at front and back doors with photo sensors built into
the fixture. Installed 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs. Early failure of
both bulbs at about 200 hours of use. Repeated with different brand
bulbs -- same result. I concluded, and this has been confirmed by several
comments I've read on newsgroups, that the repeated blinking of the lights
at dusk cannot be tolerated by these bulbs. I'm now using 40 watt
incandescents as the cheaper alternative.

SJF

"SJF" wrote in message
news:Jhgcf.60012$fE5.15896@fed1read06...

"buffalobill" wrote in message
ups.com...
i believe that due to reflection the sensor will be confused and turn
the light off in your example.
i believe you are describing an indoor photo-eye device.
other options:
1. replace with a 60 watt incandescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
2. or replace with a 13 watt flourescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
3. or add an outdoor photo-eye mounted on an outdoor electrical box for
your present fixture.

I have to question the several recommendations for a fluorescent bulb used
with a photo sensor in this thread, based on my recent experience.

I mounted entry lights at front and back doors with photo sensors built
into the fixture. Installed 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs. Early
failure of both bulbs at about 200 hours of use. Repeated with different
brand bulbs -- same result. I concluded, and this has been confirmed by
several comments I've read on newsgroups, that the repeated blinking of
the lights at dusk cannot be tolerated by these bulbs. I'm now using 40
watt incandescents as the cheaper alternative.

SJF

I installed an 18 watt (75 watt equiv) CFL in our outdoor post (it has a
photocell control built into it). It's been three years now and I haven't
had to replace it yet. It runs every night, all night.

"Mike O'Donnell" wrote in message
m...

"SJF" wrote in message
news:Jhgcf.60012$fE5.15896@fed1read06...

"buffalobill" wrote in message
ups.com...
i believe that due to reflection the sensor will be confused and turn
the light off in your example.
i believe you are describing an indoor photo-eye device.
other options:
1. replace with a 60 watt incandescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
2. or replace with a 13 watt flourescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
3. or add an outdoor photo-eye mounted on an outdoor electrical box for
your present fixture.

I have to question the several recommendations for a fluorescent bulb
used with a photo sensor in this thread, based on my recent experience.

I mounted entry lights at front and back doors with photo sensors built
into the fixture. Installed 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs. Early
failure of both bulbs at about 200 hours of use. Repeated with different
brand bulbs -- same result. I concluded, and this has been confirmed by
several comments I've read on newsgroups, that the repeated blinking of
the lights at dusk cannot be tolerated by these bulbs. I'm now using 40
watt incandescents as the cheaper alternative.

SJF

I installed an 18 watt (75 watt equiv) CFL in our outdoor post (it has a
photocell control built into it). It's been three years now and I haven't
had to replace it yet. It runs every night, all night.

Much better situation. I got reflection off the wall which caused the
blinking at turn-on. With your post mounted light, you should have been
able to avoid the blinking. Off wall mounting, if convenient, is obviously
the
better way to do it.

SJF

"Mike O'Donnell" wrote in message
m...

"SJF" wrote in message
news:Jhgcf.60012$fE5.15896@fed1read06...

"buffalobill" wrote in message
ups.com...
i believe that due to reflection the sensor will be confused and turn
the light off in your example.
i believe you are describing an indoor photo-eye device.
other options:
1. replace with a 60 watt incandescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
2. or replace with a 13 watt flourescent fixture with a photo-eye
already in it
3. or add an outdoor photo-eye mounted on an outdoor electrical box for
your present fixture.

I have to question the several recommendations for a fluorescent bulb
used with a photo sensor in this thread, based on my recent experience.

I mounted entry lights at front and back doors with photo sensors built
into the fixture. Installed 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs. Early
failure of both bulbs at about 200 hours of use. Repeated with different
brand bulbs -- same result. I concluded, and this has been confirmed by
several comments I've read on newsgroups, that the repeated blinking of
the lights at dusk cannot be tolerated by these bulbs. I'm now using 40
watt incandescents as the cheaper alternative.

SJF

I installed an 18 watt (75 watt equiv) CFL in our outdoor post (it has a
photocell control built into it). It's been three years now and I haven't
had to replace it yet. It runs every night, all night.

Sent the following reply earlier but doesn't show in the newsgroup here.

Much better situation. I got reflection off the wall which caused the
blinking at turn-on. With your post mounted light, you should have been
able to avoid the wall reflection and the blinking. Off wall mounting, if
convenient, is obviously
the better way to do it.

SJF