Watt wattage?
#1
09-09-16, 11:39 AM
Watt wattage?
Does anybody know of a way to determine the wattage of several outdoor flood lights that the printing has worn off? I suppose I could compare them to known wattage, but I then need a known wattage to start with.
#2
09-09-16, 12:07 PM
I'm not clear on why you'd need to know. If you're satisfied with brightness you won't necessarily want a bulb with the same wattage because bulb output is reduced over time (called lumen depreciation). Beyond that, there's color temperature which also impacts what you may be seeing as brightness. In other words, a new GE 60 watt bulb may appear different from a year-old Philips 60 watt bulb.
#3
09-09-16, 01:02 PM
Don't need accuracy here. Just an idea of what I used. Not a big deal, but I'm replacing about 6 incandescent floods with 7 watt LED (550 lumens, 45 watt equivalents) floods. The incandescents are perfectly good and I just want to label them for storage in the event that I will use them at a future date. I don't know if I used 45 watt or 65 watts. 
One would think just looking at both being lit I could tell. The new LED's are bright daylight while the old floods are also considered daylight, but by comparison seem yellowish. Must be lower temp.
One would think just looking at both being lit I could tell. The new LED's are bright daylight while the old floods are also considered daylight, but by comparison seem yellowish. Must be lower temp.
#4
09-09-16, 02:03 PM
They sound small for outdoor floods. What size area are you lighting and distance from the lights to the objects being illuminated?
I'm not familiar with an incandescent bulb rated at "daylight". Halogens may make it there, but an incandescent would, as you stated, be on the yellowish side.
I have a couple of 60 watt equivalent LED daylight (5,000K) bulbs serving as floods and they are doing fine. My only objection is the intensity if I look directly at them.
Bud
I'm not familiar with an incandescent bulb rated at "daylight". Halogens may make it there, but an incandescent would, as you stated, be on the yellowish side.
I have a couple of 60 watt equivalent LED daylight (5,000K) bulbs serving as floods and they are doing fine. My only objection is the intensity if I look directly at them.
Bud
#5
09-09-16, 03:16 PM
Just the front yard in front of the garage if I need more light than the decorative one. Use for loading and unloading the car. Then the other one attached to the same fixture just lights up the other side around the corner. Don't use them often.
Which brings up the next question while were on the subject. I have these particular lights on one of those non-electrical timers that takes the place of the typical toggle on/off switch. I think it's a GE brand name. Like this kind.
Darn thing never counts down or times out. I tried cycling it by hand several times in a row and even tried some electrical lubricant, but it seems like it's just too much spring resistance to do the job. That's part of the reason I want to use the low wattage bulbs because if I set the switch I most likely forget about it and it stays on all night. At 75 watts or so for two lights that seems like a waste. Any ideas?
Which brings up the next question while were on the subject. I have these particular lights on one of those non-electrical timers that takes the place of the typical toggle on/off switch. I think it's a GE brand name. Like this kind.
Darn thing never counts down or times out. I tried cycling it by hand several times in a row and even tried some electrical lubricant, but it seems like it's just too much spring resistance to do the job. That's part of the reason I want to use the low wattage bulbs because if I set the switch I most likely forget about it and it stays on all night. At 75 watts or so for two lights that seems like a waste. Any ideas?
#6
09-09-16, 04:22 PM
There are several options for the timer, they make exact replacements I believe.
Have you already purchased the 7 watt bulbs or still shopping?
My flood fixtures have a cone that protects the bulb from most of the weather thus I'm using an indoor bulb. Made it through last winter just fine and only costs $4. And the light it puts out is great. They are the flat bulbs that look like a doughnut, plastic.
Bud
Have you already purchased the 7 watt bulbs or still shopping?
My flood fixtures have a cone that protects the bulb from most of the weather thus I'm using an indoor bulb. Made it through last winter just fine and only costs $4. And the light it puts out is great. They are the flat bulbs that look like a doughnut, plastic.
Bud
#7
09-09-16, 05:48 PM
Group Moderator
Use Ohm's law to figure out the current wattage, if incandescent, or halogen. Take a meter and measure the resistance of your current lamps, then go here: Ohms Law Calculator and do the calculation. It should get you close to that watt rating of the lamp.
As for the wall timer I would install a motion detector instead of the timer. Then it will only be there when you are out there. Install a standard switch in place of the timer.
As for the wall timer I would install a motion detector instead of the timer. Then it will only be there when you are out there. Install a standard switch in place of the timer.
#8
09-09-16, 05:52 PM
Group Moderator
Send that Intermatic "marktime" windup timer packing.
Go with the newer style pushbutton types.
If you had an amprobe you could measure the current used by the light to compute the wattage.
Go with the newer style pushbutton types.
If you had an amprobe you could measure the current used by the light to compute the wattage.
#9
09-09-16, 07:28 PM
Bud,
Yes I already bought the bulbs. We are dropping the GE line in lieu of Philips. All GE's are 50% off. No my fixture at that location is exposed. Might make a change next year.
Tolyn,
Never thought to use the math. I will. These lights are located under my garage eves and to change out the fixture is not in the cards at this point. But I did consider it. Maybe next year.
PJ,
I tried the electronic ones but I had a problem. It was years ago so I don't remember exactly why I choose the spring loaded one. I think my box was not big enough to handle the extra wires. It's a three gang box that has the inside light, outside decorative light and then these flood lights. Plus my power line enters at that location also.
Yes I already bought the bulbs. We are dropping the GE line in lieu of Philips. All GE's are 50% off. No my fixture at that location is exposed. Might make a change next year.
Tolyn,
Never thought to use the math. I will. These lights are located under my garage eves and to change out the fixture is not in the cards at this point. But I did consider it. Maybe next year.
PJ,
I tried the electronic ones but I had a problem. It was years ago so I don't remember exactly why I choose the spring loaded one. I think my box was not big enough to handle the extra wires. It's a three gang box that has the inside light, outside decorative light and then these flood lights. Plus my power line enters at that location also.
#10
09-09-16, 08:16 PM
Measuring the resistance of an incandescent lamp directly is not useful. The resistance of the lamp all by itself (not screwed in) is with the filament cold and is very different (much less) compared with the filament at full brightness. And you may not touch ohmmeter probes to a live circuit without burning out the meter.
Measuring the resistance of the lamp that is turned on has to be inferred by measuring voltage and amperes. A clamp on ammeter or a Kill-A-Watt tester are good enough for this purpose.
Measuring the resistance of the lamp that is turned on has to be inferred by measuring voltage and amperes. A clamp on ammeter or a Kill-A-Watt tester are good enough for this purpose.
