# light bulb help wanted



## VeloWeave (Apr 29, 2014)

I have a lamp located in my living room that has a 3 way switch. It is rated for up to 100 watts. I had been using an incandescent bulb. Today all I could find at Lowes was a 3-way CFL bulb in 12/21/32W which the packaging says translates to 50/100/150W incansescent. My question is will the 32W high on the CFL be dangerous to use? Will I start a fire with my lamp or fry its switch or kill the bulb, which cost me $10. Thanks guys!


----------



## Lynx_Arc (Apr 29, 2014)

If the lamp is rated to 100 watts that is ACTUAL power, not relative "watts". a 32W CFL is only 32 ACTUAL watts even though it is ~150 "relative" (to incandescent bulbs) watts. CFL and LED bulbs are more efficient at the same power input so compared to incan ACTUAL watts they use a lot less power thus 100 ACTUAL watts can get you perhaps 400 relatives CFL or LED watts output (or more). You won't find a 100 ACTUAL watt 3 way CFL bulb or LED bulb on the market for some time now. I've been wanting them to make a 200 relative watts CFL 3 way bulb but it probably would be too fat to fit in my lamp.


----------



## alpg88 (Apr 29, 2014)

in most cases when they limit your wattage, it has to do with heat inc bulbs generate, if you use cfl or led, disregard that. 

100W at 120v is less that 1A, regular household wiring can take 10x as much, so are wires provided with any household light fixture, so your 100w limit is not based on current.


----------



## VeloWeave (Apr 29, 2014)

very cool advice, so what I gleen is that the bulb I purchased is ok to use in my lamp. And I see what you mean Lynx_Arc, the bulb I purchased is pretty fat, I can only wonder how fat a 100 ACTUAL 3 way CFL would be.


----------



## Lynx_Arc (Apr 29, 2014)

VeloWeave said:


> very cool advice, so what I gleen is that the bulb I purchased is ok to use in my lamp. And I see what you mean Lynx_Arc, the bulb I purchased is pretty fat, I can only wonder how fat a 100 ACTUAL 3 way CFL would be.



I've never seen one offered anywhere I have seen 200 watt (non actual) CFLs but they weren't 3 way versions. I have an old 300 watt incan floor lamp I keep hoping to find a CFL or LED version to match the output


----------

