Multiple on and off per day - security light - which type of bulb?

[Vir Campestris]

Given that some LEDs turn on and off 100 times a second I wouldn't worry about it.

Andy

[Andy Burns]

I doubt it's the actual LEDs you need to worry about, rather the other electronics, and most likely the caps ...

[Dave W]

It's not the CFL tube itself, it's the electronic driver that often fails.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You have tested them all to be sure I'm wrong?

You appear to have little experience of specialist lamps. Candle types for one don't claim a 1000 hour life.

[tabbypurr]

Oh dear. No country anywhere that I've encountered runs on 230v. 230v countries are either 220v or 240v.

230v filament lamps aren't even made. Boxes were sometimes marked 230v, but the lamp's real voltage rating is on the lamp itself. 220v lamps last around 300 hours on 240v, with much more light output. Start by getting the facts sorted out.

Fwiw complaints of short life were very common in the latter filament lamp years, and almost always down to user expectation being out of line with reality.

The only time I encountered 220v lamps here was when I brought them over from France specifically for their higher efficacy.

NT

[tabbypurr]

Your silly trollish comments are starting to sound like Rodney. Not even worth adressing.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I bought some mains downlighters from B&Q which came with lamps. Every one failed in short order. Replacements came from TLC, and have been fine.

I've also got some PAR 38s which are used most days, and are 20+ years old.

If you think all tungsten have the same life, you have absolutely no experience of different types.

[Fredxxx]

Your claims are along the same lines as Wodders, and when he gets caught out he turns on the abuse. It all sounds familiar.

[tabbypurr]

If you make stupid things up, attribute them to others and argue with them then you are not worth discussing with. You are Rodney AICMFP.

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] used his keyboard to write :

They are marked as 230v, so suitable for 220 to 240v, except they are really NOT at all suitable for our 240v.

[tabbypurr]

Filament light bulbs are not suitable for 220-240v. That's filament lighting 101 stuff.

NT

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] pretended :

Yes, I think we are all well aware of that, none the less - they do sell 230v lamps in the UK, where we have 240v.

Back in the day, the UK had a range of voltages, so you had to buy the correct voltage. Then the UK became standardised on 240v and there was no reason to bother specifying the voltage of lamps, except for special purposes.

Several years back they began importing lamps marked as 230v, the new harmonised EU voltage. Would they last or not - no they did not, so now I once again check it states 240v on the actual lamp. Ebay, Lid and Aldi were some of the worst for this - selling 230v lamps as suitable for use in the UK. I took the latter two to task over this.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That would explain the GU10s that came from B&Q with the fittings. 6 of them - and all failed within weeks. The replacements from TLC are still going strong years later. In that application I might go LED when they fail.

Put me off buying lamps from a shed or supermarket.

[Andrew]

if they are switching on and off during daylight hours then that is part of your problem.

There should be a light sensor to disable during daylight else fit one to control power to the PIR switching unit.

My venerable Smiths PIR bulkhead PIR unit has got to the point where the pot that adjusts the daylight sensitivity no longer has any action (full rotation), so the whole unit is connected to a mechanical timer that only powers it up between about 6PM and 6AM. Saves 20watts of power for

12 hours a day.

OT. How much power does an MK bell tranformer use 24/7 ?.

[Andrew]

The halogen mains bulbs in my anglepoise tend to fail if I accidentally knock it with my arm. Seems that the internal halogen bulb itself is only held in place by its connecting wires so any sort of vibration imposes a mechanical load on the filament. Could also be a problem for poorly installed outside lights that wind might be moving about.

[Andrew]

Sainsburys R63 halogen bulbs (42 watt) are marked 220-240 volts on the bulb. (made in China). No lifespan is mentioned, but claims >8000 switching cycles.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Less than the cost of batteries every year or so? But you also pay for the convenience.

[Andrew]

I have a 60 watt, 240 volt Woolworths bulb in by bathroom, without shade or decorative housing, which I put there as a temporary measure in 1991 after I moved in (*) and it still works.

(*) Vendors had a triple spoltlight thingy with 3x40 watt reflector bulbs and I could see a bloody thing. One bare 60 watt gives twice the illumination !.

[Andrew]

He's right. Tungsten bulbs could have been made to last forever but Edison and Swann soon realised that (like printer cartridges) money could be made by constantly replacing them. Hence they have a deliberate finite life.

[Andrew]

Better tell Sainsbury then. Their filament bulbs are marked 220-240V