Lamp Post Light Bulbs
 

I'm a snow bird (27 wks. in TV) & I have to change my lamp post light bulb at least twice a yr. & once 3 X'S in a yr. I hate to impose on my neighbor to change it even though he said he doesn't mind doing it.
The past 3 times I used 9-10 watt CFL bulbs. Would I be better off using a different type of bulb? I heard about led bulbs which cost more, but in reading led bulbs need ventilation.
Any GOOD ADVICE?

We were in the same boat!
I replaced my incandescent bulb up north with an led. I got it at either Home Depot or Loews on sale for around $10. It's the equivalent to a 60 watt bulb.
Our other bulbs only lasted 4-6 months. The led has been in 2 1/2 years. There is plenty of ventilation in mine as the bottom of the fixture has 3 openings.

You could be having a compatibility problem with your photosensor and the CFL. If the sensor is not rated for CFL .... it might work (turn them on/off) but it can also place larger stress on the CFL bulb.

Unfortunately, their is no way to know if your existing one is or not. Fortunity, they are not very expensive (apox $15.00) and easy to replace with one rated for CFL bulbs.

I was in the same boat. I went with an LED lamp I got at Lowe's. Cost about $14.00. Been working for a year and has a 30 year life. It only has a 10 year warranty.

The type of bulb you use should have no bearing on the photocell. All the photocell does is close the circuit when the light gets low enough. We have CFLs in our yard light and the outdoor lights at the garage and front door. They have all been in use for almost 2 years.

I am currently thinking of doing the same thing....changing my lamp post to an LED bulb.

The exterior of my home is gray, so I like the cooler color of an LED light. I just replaced my address light with an LED one and the look is very nice. I now want my lamp post to match.

I've read that if you use an LED with a color rating of less then 3000k, like a 2700k that bugs do not "see" it, so they are not attracted to this light and the lamp post will not get all "buggy".

If this is true, I will also use these LED lights in the surface mounted fixtures on either side of the garage doors.....

Frank

I went one step further for all of the same reasons as the lamp itself, made of plastic and cheap as dirt broke too. I ordered a brand new LED light, built into the unit itself. A little costly and not near as bright, but I don't set out in the front yard and read by it. Take the old one off, cap off the electric and mount the new one. Google LED Solar lamp post lights. I got mine from Menards as my Michigan friend say they are the best.

Big savings on electric and it doesn't get hot and attract bugs.

Not exactly true. Some photocells actually start to slowly increase the voltage to the lamp and not just suddenly snap on. You can see examples of this ramping up in the way Mercury Vapor type bulbs in street light flicker before they come on. CFL's do not react well to a ramping up of voltage.


Intermatic Dusk-To-Dawn Photocell Light Sensors - Twist Lock and Surface Mount Photocell Sensors and Mounting Sockets at Green Electrical Supply

CFL bulbs in all outdoor lights almost 3 years and going.

btk

The article you refer to indicates that some sensors do not completely shut off. This is true. The ramping up of power will have no effect on whether the light turns on or not. If, on the other hand, it does not turn completely off, like with a dimmer switch, the light may flicker during the day, but you probably will not ever see it. We have a CFL in the light in the kitchen nook and it flickers very dimly all the time. That does not bother me because it does not matter whether it is an incandescent or CFL, the electricity is still flowing. The incandescent just doesn't get enough to light up. The CFL has a capacitor that charges and discharges constantly, even when turned off. Very dimly, though and most people probably wouldn't notice it.

Water may be blowing in during heavy storms and shorting out the bulb in the socket. We and a couple of neighbors had the same "short life" problem until we installed a rubber gasket at the base of the bulb which covered the socket, apparently keeping water out. Now I'm going on 4 years with the same bulb.

And the difference between CFL & LED is???? I'm not afraid to ask, even though I admit, I know nothing about either

A CFL is a Compact Fluorescent Lamp ... or a fluorescent bulb in any of the various shapes they are available in these days (ol school "pig tail" to ones that look like a standard light bulb)

A LED is a Light Emitting Diode. which is not actually a light bulb in the traditional sense, in that it does not have an filament that emits light when charged with electricity. Instead it has a diode that emits light in the form of protons when charged. The advantage is that LED's use very low power to produce equivalent wattage of light, run very cool and have very very long life ... unfortunately while the cost of LED's is coming down .... they are still considerably more expensive that nutritional light bulbs or CFL's.

Thanks for the explanation. So in the future, best to buy LED!! Do they make LED's for the Post Lights that take 3 small ones?

we found them at Home Depot. Unfortunately came in packs of 2 and I think they were close to $20. per pack