Choosing the correct voltage is crucial for the bulb operation.
Does voltage matter for light bulbs.
For most cfl bulbs the actual power draw is about 25 percent of the equivalent incandescent bulb.
This is the default voltage for most lighting fixtures.
This is the default voltage for most lighting fixtures.
When a bulb burns out most people simply grab whatever spare lightbulb is available.
There is a voltage ratio you are able to go up or down from the voltage you need but it is always recommended to use the correct voltage or higher within the allowed ratio.
The watts it will draw will be printed somewhere on the package.
However some lighting fixtures are low voltage.
The most common voltage for electric light bulbs is 120 volts 120v.
There is potential danger here however because light fixtures carry a maximum wattage rating and if bulbs are installed that exceed this rating there is the potential for overheating the fixture.
And a 120 volt bulb wouldn t even light up with 12 volts applied to it.
If the old lightbulb was a little too dim they might opt for a higher wattage bulb to improve the illumination.
Hose theory to understand this phenomenon an analogy is useful.
You have to have a bulb that operates on the correct voltage.
When it goes about light bulbs wattage determines its.
The voltage is 120 volts and a 120 watt bulb has 1 amp flowing through it.
The 60 watt equivalent bright from the start cfl light bulb from ge for example uses exactly 15.
Almost all of them will have a printed description about the voltage and wattage of each particular bulb.
Understanding voltage amps watts.
Watt is a basic unit.
Think of a garden hose.
However if you can you.
The wattage is how much power the bulb uses to operate and is basically an indication of how bright it will be.
The filament of a light bulb is an extremely thin wire.
Let s say you have a 120 watt light bulb plugged into a wall socket.
Does voltage matter for light bulbs.
This thin wire resists the flow of electrons.
The newer bulbs aren t marked in watts as the electrical ballast in them drastically alters what they run at.
You can calculate the resistance of the wire with the resistance equation.
You won t generally have much choice in the voltage as it ll be supplied by whatever voltage your system runs at.
We did it for decades focusing on this measure of electrical flow.
Does wattage matter for light bulbs.
As a result the bulb burns cooler uses less energy watts and lasts longer.
If you look at a store display of light bulbs you ll see dozens of shapes sizes and colors.
It determines amount of mechanical thermal or electrical power.
If the bulb isn t an incandescent bulb it won t draw 60 watts.
