Light bulbs getting "too much power"!!

[Sureitsoff?]

Spotted on Reddit..........

Electrician told us that our light bulbs were blowing out because they are too “low wattage”… does this make sense?​

The light fixture in our bathroom died and the landlord replaced it with a fixture that simply says
“Max x40W Type E12”
We put in GE LED bulbs our local hardware store recommended that were like 45w equivalent but actually around 5 watts. They started flickering and all blew out within months. The landlord’s electrician claimed we need to use bulbs that draw around 30 watts each because otherwise they’ll get “too much power” and blow out.
This presents an issue because that basically limits us to incandescent bulbs that are hard to find. Also I can’t find anything online who says you can’t use wattage lower than a fixture specifies. Any advice is appreciated!

Best reply I found was this
"Your electrician is what we in the trade used to call a '****ing imbecile'."

 

[ETAF]

NO
NOT on a Dimmer ????
I have known a whole batch of bulbs blow within a few days , one of my neighbours a few years ago had some - we throw the lot away - purchased some new ones and all was fine

 

[blup]

The voltage is the same for all bulbs, its the internal circuitry/resistance that determines the current. So it has to be a problem with the bulb quality unless the circuit is faulty

 

[FrodoOne]

Spotted on Reddit..........

Electrician told us that our light bulbs were blowing out because they are too “low wattage”… does this make sense?​

The light fixture in our bathroom died and the landlord replaced it with a fixture that simply says
“Max x40W Type E12”
We put in GE LED bulbs our local hardware store recommended that were like 45w equivalent but actually around 5 watts. They started flickering and all blew out within months. The landlord’s electrician claimed we need to use bulbs that draw around 30 watts each because otherwise they’ll get “too much power” and blow out.
This presents an issue because that basically limits us to incandescent bulbs that are hard to find. Also I can’t find anything online who says you can’t use wattage lower than a fixture specifies. Any advice is appreciated!

Best reply I found was this
"Your electrician is what we in the trade used to call a '****ing imbecile'."

I am attempted to query your motives for posting such "questions".

However.
one problem with LED devices is that (mostly)
most LED lamps cannot be used in "enclosed spaces".

The reason is not because of the LEDs themselves
but
because several of the associated components cannot tolerate "heat buildup" in enclosed spaces.

While most "LED" lamps cannot survive in confined spaces,
the only ones which can are "Filament LED" lamps,
where the small number of "auxiliary components" are contained within the "Base Cap" - which allows heat dissipation via the Socket.

 

[SUNRAY]

I am attempted to query your motives for posting such "questions".

I know what you mean, however I was on site working on the building control system and heard an AV installer explaining to the customer why their sound system was distorted (not his installation) : there is too much ohmage and the loudspeakers can't take it. He continued by surveying to change the loudspeakers. After he'd gone I had a quick look at the system (the AV rack was right beside the control panel) when the customer had seen him out and returned to shut the system down I stopped him and asked if 'flicking this switch made any difference?'. The switch marked 'MIC/LINE' for the CD players channel on the amplifier was set to 'MIC'. It souded so much better without a factor of 500 overload.

I so often wonder how much work creation is deliberat to make money or through ignorance of the facts.

 

[ericmark]

I remember my boss seeing the gas detector on a ladder, he said it should be on the floor, we were in a battery room, so gas if any would be hydrogen which is lighter than air, so I explained that, and his reply was hydrogen is not really that dangerous, I was getting upset with this questioning, I was trying to earn bonus, so I said some thing to just shut him up, "have you not heard of a hydrogen bomb" and he said Oh yes forgot about that.

I knew what I had said was wrong, we were not splitting atoms, but it shut him up. And yes I have done it a few time, told one guy I had invented and engine with a straight crankshaft, forget the engineering, think of the English, if straight it's not a crank.

I have however been caught out, told and engine had a wobble shaft, I thought they were taking the mick, but it seems a sterling engine does have a wobble shaft or plate may be better name.

I think there is a problem with LED bulbs over heating, the typical LED bulb has a composite printed circuit board, which can shield the heat from the electrolytic capacitor on the other side and with the base to the bottom, as shown here with this chandelier the capacitor is kept cool, and the light reflects from the white ceiling giving a good spread of light, but with same bulbs facing down, one the capacitor gets warmer, and two the light is absorbed by the dark floor. Add to that and put the lights in a tube in the ceiling, and the bulb will get even hotter, plus of course in the ceiling in the hottest place in the room anyway. I use GU10 lamps, but mainly in pods, so better cooling and aimed at parts of the room which would otherwise be dark.

I do have one lamp where the bulbs are recessed, but there is a large space around the bulbs to allow them to cool. I opened a GU10 (failed) to see what was inside and there was far more than I expected, once I removed the plate with the LED's on it, so one can understand why they don't like getting hot with all those electrolytic capacitors. But in the main it is luck, the centre bulb in the GU10 chandelier was one of two, first one used in kitchen, lasted around 4 months, second in chandelier now around 4 years old, so in the main just luck, some last years others just months.

 

[trojanhawrs]

Spotted on Reddit..........

Electrician told us that our light bulbs were blowing out because they are too “low wattage”… does this make sense?​

The light fixture in our bathroom died and the landlord replaced it with a fixture that simply says
“Max x40W Type E12”
We put in GE LED bulbs our local hardware store recommended that were like 45w equivalent but actually around 5 watts. They started flickering and all blew out within months. The landlord’s electrician claimed we need to use bulbs that draw around 30 watts each because otherwise they’ll get “too much power” and blow out.
This presents an issue because that basically limits us to incandescent bulbs that are hard to find. Also I can’t find anything online who says you can’t use wattage lower than a fixture specifies. Any advice is appreciated!

Best reply I found was this
"Your electrician is what we in the trade used to call a '****ing imbecile'."

What kind of fixture was in there before? Is it possible the landlord has connected the new fixture into the old transformer wiring instead of the mains lighting?
Could just be dodgy bulbs of course.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I am attempted to query your motives for posting such "questions".

However.
one problem with LED devices is that (mostly)
most LED lamps cannot be used in "enclosed spaces".

The reason is not because of the LEDs themselves
but
because several of the associated components cannot tolerate "heat buildup" in enclosed spaces.

While most "LED" lamps cannot survive in confined spaces,
the only ones which can are "Filament LED" lamps,
where the small number of "auxiliary components" are contained within the "Base Cap" - which allows heat dissipation via the Socket.

Is likely, the correct answer! Not many light fitting manufacturers, have cottened on to this issue even now, but there are still lots of older fittings, designed for old, incandescent lamps around.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

e

That chandelier, with the LED lamps well exposed, and the base down, is likely to achieve the very longest life out of those LED's - always assuming they don't have those silly 'candle' like tubes, hiding the base.

 

[Murdochcat]

Stop buying bulbs in pound land ?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Stop buying bulbs in pound land ?

If that was aimed in my direction, I have never bought any LED's in Poundland, though I did hear they are rather good lamps..

 

[Murdochcat]

If that was aimed in my direction, I have never bought any LED's in Poundland, though I did hear they are rather good lamps..

Aimed at the op

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Don't have a go at me I just spotted the silly statement on Reddit and liked the absurdity of the "electricians" statement and the brilliant comment.
I wasn't me.
And I have bought and used many bulbs from Poundland and have only had one failure in over five years.

 

[ericmark]

Stop buying bulbs in pound land ?

Why? I have the kitchen lights from Poundland, they were £5 each, smart GU10 by Eveready colour changing dimmable lamps, controlled by SmartLife app. As pods so aimed at the corners of the room, they seem to work very well. I have seen not difference with lidi, poundland, screwfix, or any other, one seems to get good and bad in all makes, although after my experience with Philips when I bought 16 of there golf ball CFL for living room and dining room, and within a year half had failed, I vowed never to buy expensive bulbs again, replaced with bulbs from Home Bargains which were still working when the house was sold 5 years latter.