3-way CFLs?

[Nate Nagel]

hi all

does anyone sell 3-way CFLs with a max brightness greater than "150W equivalent?" trying to avoid replacing goofy 100W max rated socket in table lamp (really would like to put 250W max 3-way in there, to make reading easier on the eyes.) Quick web search revealed nothing as did perusing the shelves at my local hardware emporium.

As an aside, how can a 3-way socket be rated for only 100W? Isn't the smallest 3-way incandescent 150W?

thanks

nate

(thinking that a new socket is in the near future, although I would go CFL just for the efficiency if one were available)

[RBM]

Jeepers Nate, they can't even make the things work properly with dimmers, a

3 way is probably not in my lifetime. Some 3way incandescents max at 100 watts, I guess they're 50-75-100

[Nate Nagel]

they actually have 3-way CFLs but they max at only "150W equivalent" AFAICT which means IRL probably not much brighter than a good 100W incandescent. was hoping for something brighter...

did not know there were 100W 3-ways, seems pretty useless though because traditionally 3-ways are used in table lamps in rooms where you either want just enough light to see or else really bright light for reading, and 100W ain't enough unless it's a real small space and you have a very translucent shade.

nate

[Jeff Thies]

Just a thought...

I have some old table and floor lamps with the double light sockets. You can have a three way any way you want with that. Photo CFLs come in very high wattages. It works well for me... You would have to get an old lamp or convert.

Jeff

[greenpjs]

I will guess 40-60-100. There are two filaments so the third wattage is always the sum of the first two. 50-100-150, etc.

[Robert Neville]

Your math doesn't work. The sum of the lower two has to equal the highest.

30/70/100, 50/100/150, etc.

I have 3 way CFLs in the living room lamps - they work fine.

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Fri 17 Sep 2010 03:57:15p, Nate Nagel told us...

Both wattage combinations exist in incandescent... 30-70-100 and 50-

100-150.

The highest I've seen in CFLs ins 50-100-150.

[LSMFT]

No but you CAN have three sized CFL's in three separately switched sockets. Put in a 60, a 100 and an 150 equivalent cfl. Turn one on for low, two on for medium, three for high or all on for even more. It won't take a genius to invent a 3 socket lamp for CFL's.

[Art Todesco]

In a CFL, they don't "have" to add up as they get the different levels by varying the electronics in the base, i.e. pulse width, etc.

[Art Todesco]

Google is your friend. I got this link from Google (Nextag) giving a bunch.

seem the highest wattage in a 3 way was 34 watt which they claim is equivalent to 150 watt incandescent. The were several. Also, I've seen 150 watt (equiv) 3-ways at Ace (on line).

[Nate Nagel]

That's what I found as well, was hoping for something brighter. Guess it doesn't exist (yet.) Will likely have to replace socket in lamp, because 100W or 150W isn't enough for room.

nate

[A. Baum]

150 watt equiv is pretty damn bright. I have two 100 watt equiv on a security light fixture in my back yard and it lights up a 80x120 area much better than the incandescent equiv ever did.

[jw]

That would be 50-75-125 (You add the two lower numbers together, it's just two separate filaments in one globe) If I recall, 50-100-150 is common, and I think there's something like a 40-60-100, or 30-70-100 something like that....

I dont believe they make 3way CFLs, but I may be wrong.

[Gary H]

[snip]

How is that possible, when there's no third filament? The high wattage has to be the sum of the other two.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I've seen 30-70-100.

[hrhofmann]

Art Todesco is right, with CFL's the two lower levels of lighting do NOT have to add up to the total brightness because there are not two separate filaments, just an electronic circuit that can be anything the designer wants to manufacture.

[gpsman]

If 150W isn't enough reading light you need glasses. -----

- gpsman

[aemeijers]

Oh, grow up. We are supposed to trash perfectly good lamps and replace them with 3-headed monstrosities? Not very green, there. That lamp took energy to manufacture and ship, remember, as will the replacement. You upgrade to green when you are doing lifecycle replacements, not just to be trendy. Hopefully, within the next 2-3 years, somebody will come out with CFLs that work in 3-way, dimmed, and so forth fixtures.

[Mark Lloyd]

It feels strange to be doing "impossible" things. The CFL I have here is marked 12W/19W/28W.

[Nate Nagel]

Hah... we theoretically already have ones that work in dimmed fixtures, and I've tried enough of them that I'm not about to try any more.

There are three-way ones on the shelf at the local Big Box, but only

150W equivalent. Dunno if they work well or not. I would assume that they do work better than the dimmable ones as it doesn't seem to be as challenging a technical problem.

nate