Just been reading previous posts re outdoor lights and whether halogen or whatever, is there any reason why I cant (or shouldnt) use and outdoor fitting with normal (household type) bulbs in them I just want a bit of light but nothing powerful as its a smallish garden.
conventional bulbs don't seem to last very long in a waterproof fitting. Probably because of overheating. I have a ftting which loks like a halogen flood, but is really a coiled fluorescent tube. It lights my drive perfectly.
My outside lights all use low wattage CFLs and have done for the past 15 years. 7W goes a long way at night. The only thing to watch is that, if you use an automatic switch, it is compatible with them.
Colin Bignell
They work fine, though with a couple of downsides. First they cost more to run than cfl. Second when they blow, now and then they kill the triac in the PIR, more hassle & expense.
If you're switching a CFL frequently, best get an electrodeless one. Standard ones have short life worked like this. Also up the power to compensate for reduced output during cold.
NT
I've found the opposite. The bulkhead fittings here with GLS bulbs in just work.
Where as the ones with CFLs in don't last anything like as along. The bi g problem with CFLs outside is that they don't like the cold and are seriously dim until warmed up. Then, being in a waterproof fitting, cook the electronics so fail quicker...
I'm looking hard at the 10 W IP65 LED luminairs you can get for < £20.
Are we still talking about bulbs...
Reminds me of one of my nieces.
Waterproof doesn't necessarily mean airtight. I have three glass and metal coach lamp style fittings outside, with CFLs installed base down. They are they have outlasted any bulbs in the house. The cold start brightness is not to bad either (spiral form-factor Tesco branded) I think some manufacturers are too stingy with the Hg.
Same here. The fitting is about 60 years old and the bulb about 45! It does, unless I forget to switch it off, spend about 10 mins. p.a. on, so that gives it a few millenia yet.
Last year I got the CFL flood from Lidl. It has a 22 or 23W lamp that seems to be about 6000K CT and comes on immediately and brightly. I was surprised at the area that gets adequate illumination.
You put your nice in a waterproof lamp fitting?
Brian
True enough but there isn't much ventilation in a fitting with better than IP44... (which is anythig but waterproof)
Plenty of space inside for air to circulate and large surafce area to disipate it from. A bulkhead that will just take a GLS bulb isn't quite the same.
There is cold and cold I'm talking around freezing or below. It's been that sort of temperature in the evenings for at least the last fortnight. The 21st and 22nd Feb were ice days.
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