Is a 60W bulb in a 100W socket safe?

[Legend]

I'm a n00b. Enlighten me.

 

[dartworth]

 

[Legend]

Seriously. I don't want to have to go back to walmart. Gas is fvcking expensive.

 

[Shawn]

huh? 100w socket?

 

[Anubis]

WTF is a 100w socket?

 

[PHiuR]

Originally posted by: dartworth

 

[Legend]

So there's no such thing as a 100 W socket? The power applied is variable?

 

[Engineer]

If you are placing a lower wattage bulb in a socket built for a higher wattage and the voltage is the same for the two bulbs, then yes, it's perfectly fine.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Legend
So there's no such thing as a 100 W socket? The power applied is variable?

sre you talking about a normal light socket?

because they cna take ANY light bulb from say 15w to 1000w

 

[Leros]

A lower wattage bulb is safe, but higher may not be.

For those of you that dont understand, some lamps and fixutres say "rated for XXXw bulb"

 

[Bozono]

A Legend in your own mind. Should be fine, though it's life will likely be shortened.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Legend
So there's no such thing as a 100 W socket? The power applied is variable?

Yes, light fixtures (sockets) are rated at a maximum wattage. Many ceiling fans, for instance, have sockets rated at 75 W per bulb. Many enclosed fixtures (sockets) are rated at 60W because of heat buildup. Also, some sockets may have smaller wiring leading to them that a 100W bulb might be a potential fire hazzard, but not likely as a 100W bulb pulls around one amp and it takes one hell of a small wire to not withstand one amp!

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Legend
So there's no such thing as a 100 W socket? The power applied is variable?

sre you talking about a normal light socket?

because they cna take ANY light bulb from say 15w to 1000w

But the wires used to construct the fixture may only be rated to a certain wattage. If a bulb draws 500 watts, and the wires are rated to 100 watts - you're gonna have a fire.

As Engineer said, 60w bulbs in a socket rated at 100 will be fine, as long as voltage is the same.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Bozono
A Legend in your own mind. Should be fine, though it's life will likely be shortened.

wtf are you people talking about?!?

OP if you are talking about a light fixture that's rated for a maximum of 100w then you can use any bulb that's 100w or under.

 

[Pepsi90919]

it's "maximum 100W" not just "100W"

 

[Legend]

It's built into the ceiling.

It wouldn't give the 60W bulb any light. The bulb works for a lamp so it's not the bulb. Unfortunately I can't test the old 100W bulb anywhere else. I just moved into this apartment.

 

[amdhunter]

No. Its not safe.

 

[Spencer278]

The maximum watts is just the company covering there ass. Fee free to put what ever light bulb in that you want.

 

[villageidiot111]

Originally posted by: Legend
I'm a n00b. Enlighten me.

That is the best pun I have heard all day! Made me laugh.

 

[Atheus]

"I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."

Charles Babbage

 

[Legend]

Nevermind, It works now.

Sad thing is I'm a computer engineer student. They don't teach us the simplest things about hardware.

So

Power = I*R^2
V = I*R

If V = 120, and R is variable, I didn't understand that current is changing.

 

[Reel]

For energy and heat conservation reasons, it is best to use the lowest wattage bulb that satisfies your lighting requirements. There is no harm in using a lower wattage bulb in a socket.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: Legend
Nevermind, It works now.

Sad thing is I'm a computer engineer student. They don't teach us the simplest things about hardware.

So

Power = I*R^2
V = I*R

If V = 120, and R is variable, I didn't understand that current is changing.

It isn't really that simple because your light bulb isn't purely resistive and your using AC current.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

Originally posted by: Legend
Nevermind, It works now.

Sad thing is I'm a computer engineer student. They don't teach us the simplest things about hardware.

So

Power = I*R^2
V = I*R

If V = 120, and R is variable, I didn't understand that current is changing.

uh, if R is variable, then i doesnt have to change

If R is fixed then i will change depending on voltage or power.

 

[Legend]

It isn't really that simple because your light bulb isn't purely resistive and your using AC current.

Ok, that makes more sense.

uh, if R is variable, then i doesnt have to change

If R is fixed then i will change depending on voltage or power.

Both bulbs are 120 V. Voltage is constant. I was assuming that resistance was purely changing the power and current was constant. With that in mind, V=I*R would not make sense because R changes while I and V remain constant.

In math:

120 = 5 * x
120 = 5 * y

y cannot equal x

thus the equations are false