Philips CP19 Halogen Bulb Style Now Discontinued

If you are looking for the halogen CP-19 light bulbs, I'm afraid you are out of luck. These bulbs in all wattages have been discontinued by Philips and you would be hard pressed to find anyone with any stock.

This item was unique to Philips and unfortunately the style of bulb is not being manufactured at all. The unique octagonal shape added dimension to many folks chandeliers and sconces. I am sorry to say that you will need to change the bulb style and enjoy a different look to your fixtures.

Holly Eddins

120 Watt Philips Duramax Light Bulbs now Discontinued

It is a sad sad day. Now all Philips 120 watt light bulbs are discontinued. The last to go was the Duramax version probably because of the cost of them, customers were not ordered mass case quantities like some of the others that ran out of stock back in the spring.

If you've been using these bulbs, now you are going to be forced to find a replacement for them. We've put together a 120 watt Light Bulb replacement guide to help you make that decision. Take a look at it and if you still have questions let us know. We are happy to help in any way we can.

Basically, your decision in replacing your Duramax 120 watt bulbs is this: Is it more important for you to have the same amount of light you've been getting? Or is it more important to have the same type bulb that you are using now. Unfortunately you will not be able to have both. Once you make that decision your answer will be pretty simple.

Holly Eddins

Germicidal Lamps

We had a customer recently looking for a germicidal lamp that would start in a 35 degree cold storage room.

Any of the Philips germicidal lamps will start under those conditions. This is a function of the ballast that it goes in. So, if the ballast is made to start under the cooler conditions then any of the Philips lamps that work with that ballast will light and work properly.

Holly Eddins

Philips Flame Top Halogena F15 Light Bulb Discontinued

We've had several customers to call lately looking for the Philips Halogena' F15 light bulbs. These bulbs are great in chandeliers where the contour of the bulb can accent the fixture. Unfortunately, there wasn't the demand for them as Philips would have hoped.

The good news is that these bulbs are still available in an incandescent version. These Flame shaped F15 light bulbs come in 3 wattages: 25, 45 and 60. Check them out for a perfect replacement of the Halogena' version of these.

Links to the:

Philips 25 Watt F15 Flame Shape Light Bulb

Philips 40 Watt F15 Flame Shape Light Bulb

Philips 60 Watt F15 Flame Shape Light Bulb

Holly Eddins

Areas with More than 1 light switch......help.....

As you know, you can not use a non-dimmable compact fluorescent light bulb on an electrical line with a dimmer switch on it. Even if you don't plan to move the dimmer switch, it will shorten the life of the bulb and cause it to blow prematurely.

A question was recently posed to us about using a dimmable compact fluorescent light bulb on a line where that are multiple light switches. Unlike the statement in the above paragraph, you can use a dimmable compact fluorescent light bulb on a line without dimmer switches. So, doing this will not hurt the bulb.

And in a case of a large room with multiple entry ways or a hallway where you might have two switches, only one would be a dimmer switch and the others would be regular up and down switches.

Holly Eddins

Introducing Philips DIMMABLE Mini Deco Twister Light Bulbs

We want to introduce to our customers a new product for Philips that we are offering our customers. It is a DIMMABLE Compact Fluorescent light bulb! Now, if you haven't purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs before, you may be scratching your head. Most high quality compact fluorescent light bulbs are not dimmable. It is a special technology and because of cost is not implemented into all cfl light bulbs.

The new dimmable bulbs from Philips are a familiar bulb style. They come in a mini deco twister and then just a deco twister for the higher wattage. Wattages available are a 15 watt = to 60 watt A19; a 20 watt = to 75 watt A19 and a 32 watt = to 125 Watt A19.

Take a look at these Philips dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs and try them in your own home.

Holly Eddins

Looking for Philips Master Dimmable LED products......help.

We have gotten several calls lately about the highly publicized Philips Master Dimmable LED collection of light bulbs.

If you are in the US, you are as of right now out of luck. This collection is a group of dimmable led products made for the European market. Don't despair though. They are coming. When ever Philips creates a product for the European market, it's only a matter of time before it's available here in the states.

Many European bulbs can be imported and used here but unfortunately, we have not found anyone importing LEDs. If you have one certainly let us know. Otherwise, the current Philips LED collection is a great group of products. Take a look. They just aren't dimmable yet.

Holly Eddins

How do you install and remove a GU10 Twistline Light Bulb?

These Philips Twistline light bulbs have a GU10 base. To light these bulbs it only takes the proper contact just like a bulb you twist in. To remove burnt out bulbs, simply push in and twist the bulb counter clockwise. Then to install the replacement, push the bulb in and twist clockwise.

Holly Eddins

I'm looking for an MR16 light bulb with a colored lense.

We every so often will get a call from a customer asking if certain light bulbs come with colored lenses.

In the main line of Philips the only bulbs that have colored lenses are certain kinds of incandescents and honestly, that number seems to be decreasing. But as far as MR16s and other halogens are concerned, there are no color options beyond clear and frosted. The same goes for CFL bulbs and LED.

So, if you are needing a colored bulb, be sure and take a look at the incandescent offerings. But there aren't any with a base like the MR16.....unfortunately.

Holly Eddins

Looking for Master LED Philips Light Bulbs?

We have had several customers to call looking for the Philips Master LED Dimmable light bulbs.

Although fast and quick strides are being made in the technology of LED light bulbs that are available to us in the states, the LED bulbs that we can use is not dimmable. The Master collection made by Philips is dimmable but is only available for purchase in Europe. We don't even know of anyone who is importing them.

And just in case you aren't aware, Philips is a leader in LED technology. All their major competitors are way behind them and will continue to play catch up.

Holly Eddins

Can I use a cfl to replace my metal halide?

First off, where are you using this? If you are talking about a Hi Bay, there are going to be some more effecient ways for you to lamp your facility. But if you are using a flood light, you are using the most efficient thing you can use for the light needed. There are CFLs that will screw in but you'll need to bypass your ballast since screw in cfls are integrated.

To your question, you are going to get your most lumens with a plug in cfl and those really only go up to about 6000 lumens. So, there is just not a CFL out there that works on a 220 or 110 for that matter that will offer an equivalent light output as the metal halide you are using.

If you are needing this for a hi bay, you could start using a T5 fluorescent and these would decrease your energy usage by about half.

Holly Eddins

I'm looking for a bulb for my stove or range hood and need help.

Sometimes we can help you with your stove or appliance light bulb needs but many times we can not. Philips will often make bulbs specifically for the stove manufacturers and thus not offer them to their normal distributors for resale purposes.

If your manual only give you a part number that looks something like this.....Light Bulb Part No. 4393681......you will need to go to a dealer or repair shop for that bulb or contact the stove manufacturer.

Now if your manual gives you a replacement part with numbers that look more like this.....15S11/102.....then it may be something we can help you with. We have put all the appliance and stove light bulbs that we have access to in one group so you can see if what we have access to is what you need.

We're needing a 60 Watt Halogena BR40 Light Bulb and can't find them...

Philips has discontinued the 60 watt BR40 Halogena light bulbs and they are no longer available. Not sure exactly why but they are no where to be had. The best replacement for this bulb is going to be the Philips 65 watt BR40 incandescent light bulbs.

Holly Eddins

Can I put a Compact Fluorescent in my shower?

If your fixture is a newer fixture in your shower or in any place that gets a fair amount of moisture, you can use a compact fluorescent inside it. It needs to be a sealed fixture with a cover over the bulb.

Now, it's important to know that if you leave the light on all day or all the time, it will build heat inside the fixture and thus will shorten the life of the bulb.

It's fine to use these bulbs when you are turning them on and off for showers but not so good in enclosed fixtures that you plan to leave on all day.

Holly Eddins

Looking for an Infrared Flood Light to enhance my Security System.

We have a customer who recently contacted us and was looking for an infrared light bulb to enhance the vision of their infrared security cameras.

All of the infrared bulbs that we are familiar with made by Philips are incandescent and are manufactured to provide heat like for warming puppies and kittens or sauna applications. They are incandescent light bulb and will put out heat as part of their function.

We recommend contacting your security camera manufacturer. Chances are they make a fixture that you can install that will enhance the vision of their cameras.

Holly Eddins

I'm looking for a Philips 13568Y/00.....

The Philips Quartz Infrared Heat Light bulbs - Ordering code 13568Y/00. These are 1600 watt, 144 volt, t3 bulbs with caps on each end and a wire that extends from the side of each cap. It was available in clear and reflector finishes.

Unfortunately, these bulbs are discontinued and no longer available through Philips. Our best guess is that they are making these bulbs and selling them solely to the manufacturers of the equipment that uses them. You should contact the manufacturer of the equipment you are using for the bulbs.

Holly Eddins

Where can I find an E27 base 220-240 light bulb?

Any light bulb that says it has an E27 base or if it's in the range of 220 to 240 volts is a European light bulb. A regular medium base in America is called an E26 base and our voltage runs more in the range of 120 to 130 volts. Light Bulb Market works with international importers who can obtain those European bulbs for you. If they don't stock them currently in the states, they can be ordered in case quantities. Call them for help.

Holly Eddins

Does Philips make a PL-L Grow Light Bulb

Does Philips make a Plug In PL-L Grow Light Bulb? No. Unfortunately, Philips doesn't make any plug in light bulbs that are grow lights.

Holly Eddins

What is an E26 Base?

An E26 base is commonly referred to as a Medium Base. There are many light bulbs across all types of bulbs that are made of a Medium or E26 base. But just know that the 2 terms are interchangable.

Holly Eddins

What BT15 Light Bulbs come in a Clear Finish?

Philips BT15 Halogena light bulbs come in various wattages. But not all wattages come in both white (shown here) and clear finishes. Only the 60 and 55 watt bulbs come in a clear finish. All other watts only come in this white finish: 70, 75, 95, 100 and 150 watts.

All BT15 Philips Halogen bulbs last for an average of 3000 hours and are 120 volts.

Holly Eddins

Philips MR LED Light Bulbs

Philips MR LED Light Bulbs that are designed to fit into MR15 fixture and sockets are now available in the states. This is Philips Essential White Series or eW Series.

These bulbs feature are manufactured in 10 and 25 degree beam angles. One would be considered a narrow spot and the other a narrow flood. They also come in two different kelvin: 2700K with 70 CRI and 4200K with 76 CRI.

These MR16 bulb types have a GU5.3 base (Standard MR 16 bi-pin connectors). Their lumens range from 37 to 66 which would be the equivalent to a 20 watt regular MR16. It's The width of these guys is 2" and Overall length is 2.1".

The biggest feature of these is the life span. They will on average last 50,000 hours. That is 10 to 17 times a halogen MR16 average rated life. Considering the cost of both and the life span the cost is about the same. Where you'll see savings is in energy costs and in replacement costs/your time.

Holly Eddins

Why do Light Bulbs come in different colors?

Light Bulbs come in different colors for different taste or lighting needs of consumers. Incandescent light bulbs come in the following: clear, natural light, soft white, inside frost, softone pastel, agro, colored and silicone or tough coated.

Clear bulbs are simply clear glass bulbs. Clear bulbs provide sparkle and reflect nicely off mirrored or chrome surfaces. Soft White light bulbs reduce that glare and provide a diffused illumination. Frosted light bulbs have an inside frost finish on the glass which reduces glare.

Philips Softone pastel finishes provide a hint of color in the room to create a specific mood. Natural Light Philips bulbs provide a light that allows you to see the true color of clothes or furnishings. Colored bulbs are used to create a festive or party atmosphere.

Some incandescents are specifically designed to promote plant growth by producing the appropriate light spectrum for plants to thrive. Silicone or Tough coated bulbs are designed to be shatter proof. It gives the bulbs a little more stability so that they don't break as easily.

Most folks will be using light bulbs described in the first paragraph. We wanted to give you the knowledge you need to make the best decision on the color of light bulb you need/want.

Holly Eddins

Can I use European Light Bulb in the states?

I was recently asked by a customer who is looking at the Philips European LED Light Bulbs if he could use them in the states. The simple answer is no. These bulbs are made for European voltage which is 240 and our voltage is 120 to 130. Honestly, I'm not even sure if it will work at all.

If he was looking at an incandescent, it would probably work but would be half as bright. So, what's the point in paying twice as much for the energy consumed? You wouldn't do it.

The fact of the matter is that Europe has made restrictions on the lighting industry much faster than the states has and as a result the manufacturers have been inventing new light bulbs based around their needs. Now, once a bulb is created for Europe, it's just a matter of time before we will have the same thing available here in the states. We just have to be more patient.

Now, I don't want to confuse you but there are certain European light bulbs that are made to work with fixtures that we can use in the states. But usually you will be purchasing the fixture with the light bulb already in it and you'll be able to seek out that bulb. It's those of us that are wanting to fit the new technology in our system that have to be careful.

Holly Eddins

We need a CFL bulb in 220 Volt.....

We are looking for a compact fluorescent light bulb that will work in a 220. We can not speak for every manufacturer out there but as far as Philips is concerned, the cfl bulbs are all made to use with 120 volt. If you need a 220 volt bulb, you'll need to look at European bulbs which Light Bulb Market can help you with.

Holly Eddins

What are light bulb bases made of?

Light Bulb screw in bases are made of three different materials: Aluminum, Brass and Nickel Plated Brass. The most economical way to manufacture these is with aluminum but it isn't intended for bulbs used in certain situations.

Any of the long life bulbs or ones that come in contact with outdoor elements(or humidity), should be made of brass or nickel plated brass as these are corrosive resistant materials. You should also choose a bulb with these materials in the base if you have a problem with the base sticking in the socket or where it's difficult to replace the light bulb.

Holly Eddins

How do Halogen Light Bulbs work?

Halogen light bulbs are commonly referred to as incandescent light bulbs. Technically they are the same. BUT Halogen light bulbs are brighter in light for the same wattage, the color is a whiter color and they typically last longer. Halogens bulbs also run hotter than incandescent equivalents.

The filament in a halogen bulb is actually thinner than the one described in our post on how an incandescent light bulb works. The biggest difference is that this filament is enclosed in a glass capsule. This capsule traps the gases that are emitted that end up on an incandescent bulb's glass and keeps it within the small are. This keeps these bulbs brighter and cleaner than their sister incandescents.

Because the gas is trapped in the glass capsule it often re-adheres to the filament keeping it strong. But eventually it does wear down like in incandescent light bulbs and thus becomes the end of the life of a halogen.

Holly Eddins

How does an Incandescent Light Bulb work?

The workings of an incandescent light bulb are simple. An incandescent has a filament on the interior of the bulb that heats up when it is charged with an electrical current or electricity. This filament becomes very hot and thus the reason you can get burned if you touch an incandescent light bulb too soon after turning it off.

Over time, the filament will evaporate as it gets used. Two things will happen. The bulb will blacken up a bit and the filament gets weaker or gets used up. At this point, the bulb needs to be disposed of.

There are a couple of reasons why incandescent light bulbs have shorter lives than what they are designed for. The most common is when it endures abnormal power surges. If you live in an area that sends voltage to your home over 120 volts (which is by the way common. Avg voltage in a person's home is 124 volts.) the filament will get too hot too fast and thus evaporate that filament prematurely. In this example, you should be using a bulb that is 130 volts. Another less common reason is when an incandescent is used in areas where it gets shaken around a bit. This will weaken and break the filament. If you do have an area where you need a light bulb that gets movement, we recommend using a "rough service" light bulb.

Holly Eddins

Compact Fluorescent Compatable Dimmer Switches

Just when you thought you had it all figured out, you find out that not all dimmer switches will work with dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs. There are many that do but not all function at a perfect level that we've all become acustom to.

Philips Lighting did a test using their 15W, 20W and 23W dimmable flood lights and put together a list of dimmer switches common in the market that works with those bulbs. There were others the functioned but had a small glitch of some sort and we eliminated them from the list.

If you'd like to see a complete list of these, go to our CFL Compatable Dimmer Switches list.

Holly Eddins

What is a Philips Ambient LED R20

The Ambient LED R20 Philips Light Bulb is a LED flood light made to be more energy efficient than your regular incandescent or halogen light bulb. These are sold as 25 degree beam angles. In English, that is a cross between a spot and a floor. Maybe I would call it a narrow flood.

Philips R20 LED bulbs are 4" in overall length and 2 1/2" in width. They are an easy replacement for incandescent or halogen R20 bulbs. Even though they are only 7 watts these LED bulbs put out the light of a 40 watt incandescent flood. That is some significant savings in energy considering these bulbs last on average 40,000 hours. That is 16 times the life of incandescent Duramax R20 bulbs!

The cost of these bulbs is only 10 times the cost of the incandescent version and considering that it lasts 16 times longer......you are going to save money in cost of purchasing light bulbs.....not just considering the cost of energy that you will save.

Philips LED R20 bulbs contain no mercury, are instant on bulbs (like incandescents), emit almost no UV/IR light in the beam and saves in bulb cost and energy costs. Try them!

Holly Eddins

What does PL-S Stand For?

PL-S light bulbs are compact fluorescent plug in light bulbs made by Philips Lighting. These are the oldest types of plug in light bulbs and are often found used in portable lamps. The PL-S stands for "Philips Linear- Short" These only come in a 2 Pin Plug In bulb.

PL-S CFL bulbs have an average rated life of 10,000 hours. These plug ins are available in the following wattages: 5, 7, 9 and 13. All but the 5 watt come in 827, 835, 841 and 850 color ways. The 5 watt only comes in 827 and 841 color ways.

The bases on the 5, 7 and 9 watt bubls are all interchangable. The bases are all the same and if a 5 watt isn't bright enough for you, feel free to go up in wattages. The 13 watt however, has a different base than the others and if you your lamp/fixture uses this wattage, it is the only wattage you can use.

Holly Eddins

What are PL-C Light Bulbs?

PL-C Light Bulbs are compact fluorescent plug in light bulbs. There are 2 versions. One is a 2 Pin Plug in PL-C light bulb and another is a 4 Pin Plug in PL-C light bulb. This is the number of pins on the base of the bulb. PL-C literaly stands for "Philips Linear-Cluster."

These cfl light bulbs have a life span of 10,000 hours for the 2-Pin version and 12,000 hours for the 4-Pin version.

PL-C light bulbs come in the following wattages: 13, 18 and 26 for the regular 2 pin version; 20 and 27 watts for the 15mm tube version; and then 13, 18 and 26 for the 4 pin version. Most wattages are available in 827, 830, 835 and 841 color ranges. The 15 mm bulbs only come in 827.

You can not interchange the wattages for these bulbs. The base is different for each variation and thus the only flexibility you have is in choosing a color.

Holly Eddins

Looking for a Philips Spot Line BR25......

The BR25 Spot Line light bulbs were discontinued by Philips. They were available in 100 watts. Unfortunately, there is no adequate replacement for the BR25 bulbs as all other spots are going to be either >.5" less in diameter or .5" more in diameter.

Holly Eddins

What does PL-L Mean?

PL-L Philips Light Bulbs are compact fluorescent plug in light bulbs. Each have 4 pins that plug in to your fixture and are configured in a straight line. PL-L stands for "Philips Linear-Long."

These bulbs have an average rated life at 15,000 (36 watts and under) and 20,000 (40 watts and above) hours making them a significantly more effecient light bulb to use. PL-L light bulbs come in the following wattages: 18, 24, 36, 40, 50, 55 and 80. Most wattages are available in 830, 835 and 841 color ranges. The 55 watt only comes in an 841 and 950 color.

With these bulbs it is possible to interchange wattages. The bases and thus the ballast that powers these bulbs are all the same which allows for easy wattage substitutions.

Holly Eddins

What is TuffGuard Coating?

TuffGuard Coating is like a teflon coating. It provides Thermal Shock Protection to light bulbs. If accidently broken, these light bulbs will effectively contain shattered glass particles.

These should be used in any space where the welfare of your employees or guest is a consideration. TuffGuarded light bulbs are ideal for the following applications: Food Service/processing, beverage plants, textile plants, medical facilities, packaging manufacturing, museums, schools, waste-water plants, pharmaceutical manufacturing and many more.

Infrared are often tuffguarded as it is a material that will last under the heat provided by the infrared lamp.

Holly Eddins

What does PL-T mean?

PL-T Philips light bulbs are compact fluorescent bulbs that have 4 pins in the base that plug in to the wall. PL-T stands for "Philips Linear-Triple."

The life of these bulbs is 16,000 hours. They come in the following wattages: 18, 26, 32, 42 and 57. And most of the wattages of the Philips PL-T bulbs come in 827 to 841 color ranges or 2700K to 4100K.

It is key to know what wattage you are using. Reason being is that the base of each wattage of this plug in is different. So, if you purchase a different wattage than what you are currently using, the PL-T will not fit.

Holly Eddins

Do Philips MR16 bulbs have a Lense over the top?

Yes. Philips started making all of their MR16 products with a lense. So, if you order a MR16 or a MRC16 either one, you will get a bulb with a lense. The "c" in MRC16 use to indicated that it had a "cover" but that no longer applies since all Philips MR16 bulbs now have a lense.

Holly Eddins

What are Philips Rough Service Light Bulbs?

When you see a Philips bulb called a Tough Bulb or a Rough Service bulb they mean pretty much what it sounds like. These bulbs are manufacturered with a filament that will withstand constant vibrations and extreme shock.

For example, a customer recently called having trouble keeping a light bulb in his garage door. They all seemed to burn out prematurely. The solution is to use a rough service bulb. It will withstand the constation motion that comes with the opening and closing of garage doors.

These bulbs are also great for portable lighting, like a work light, or near any kind of vibrating or heavy machinery.

Holly Eddins

Philips AmbientLED A-55 Light Bulb Hot off the Presses

The Philips Ambient LED A55 Light Bulbs carry the same general shape as an A19 bulb. They are also about the same overall lengh. The A55 is 4.2 in overall length where the A19 is 4.134. These 7 watt LED bulbs replace a 25 watt incandescent bulb. The biggest difference? The LED A-55 will last upwards of 40,000 hours and a standard incandescent bulb only lasts 2500 hours.

This makes this bulb an ideal alternative where maintenence of replacing the bulbs can be an issue. But can be used anywhere you are currently using a regular A19 light bulb.

Holly Eddins

Philips Pink SoftTone 3Way Light Bulbs

A wonderful way to get softer lighting in your home is by using the Philips Pink SoftTone 3-Way Light Bulb. The wattages it will product are 50/100/150 which is very bright. But with the softness of the bulb it's not a harsh light.

Holly Eddins

85 Watt BR40 Philips Light Bulbs now Discontinued

As part of the mandate from Congress, another bulb is now discontinued and out of stock. The 85 Watt BR40 light bulbs.....all variations. To assist out customer in making the best decision on what replacement bulb to start using in their applications, we have put together a spreadsheet that outlines your options.

A couple of things to note: The halogen bulbs are going to put out a bit more heat that the incandescent bulbs. Also, the par halogen bulbs are shorter than the incandescent BR40. The width won't be that noticable but the length will. Therefore if you go with this option, you will need to purchase bulb extenders for each socket. You will only need to purchase these once.

Holly Eddins

Ionic Breeze Air Purifier Light Bulbs

We are told by many customers who have the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Air Purifier that finding replacement light bulbs are hard to find. We stock them and ship them out to customers daily. The bulbs are a Philips UV G15 T8 light bulb. The Sharper Image manual recommends that you change these bulbs every 12 months. The bulb may still be working but from the tests that Sharper Image ran, they tested the units to be optimally working when the bulb is replaced every year. You can purchase the bulbs HERE.

Holly Eddins

Does dimming your overhead lighting save in energy costs?

Absolutely yes! If you dim a line of lights by say 50% brightness, you will be saving approx. 42% of energy. The dimmer switch itself uses some energy. That's why you wouldn't be saving 50% of the energy.

Any halogen or incandescent light bulb can be put on a dimmer switch. On a dimmer switch, the bulbs are not at their complete brightness. It varies by manufacturer but on average the bulbs will be at about 92% of their brightness if they were put in a socket without a dimmer switch.

Holly Eddins

Philips Aurelle LED Deck Light Bulb Kits Discontinued

Philips Aurelle LED Blue and White Deck Light Bulb kits are now discontinued and unavailable. If not already very soon they will also no longer be available through local stores and online retailers as they have sold all the back stock they may have had. The white version was actually discontinued and went out of stock in 2008. The Blue version is just now out of stock as this color was not as popular as the white version.

Holly Eddins

Are LED light bulbs dimmable?

No, LED light bulbs are not dimmable. Incandescent and Halogen light bulbs are always dimmable. Some CFL bulbs are but most are not. And most if not all LED bulbs are not dimmable.

Holly Eddins

Do LED Light Bulbs generate much heat?

The short answer is yes. It's hard to wrap your head around the fact that LED bulbs generate heat with them wattages being so low. You can not correlate the wattage with heat. LED bulbs generate heat like halogen light bulbs do. With halogen light bulbs the heat is thrust out of the can and into the room. With LED light bulbs the heat is held inside the can.

So, if you had a piece of art that you wanted to light with either a halogen or a LED light bulb, I would recommend using an LED bulb as the heat will not be thrust upon the art like with a halogen. But if you are trying to keep a confined area cooler, one is going to be about the same as the other.

Holly Eddins

Are other Philips bulbs the same as their Duramax bulbs?

Philips created a group of light bulbs that are incandescents which have a little different technology and cause them to last a bit longer than your regular incandescent called Duramax Light Bulbs. These are mostly what the big box stores sell of Philips. If you are looking to purchase other bulbs that are the same wattage but just not Duramax or not the same voltage, the color of the light put out will be exactly the same. The only difference may be the life of the bulb and/or the brightness of the bulb. 130 volt bulbs will be slightly less bright but not tremendously.

Holly Eddins

What is the Philips Masterline MR16?

You may have a small flood light that you are using either in recessed or track lighting that will have "Masterline" on it. The Masterline collection was a group of halogen MRC16 bulbs that are no longer made. The replacements are the Philips Energy Advantage MRC16 light bulbs. The only thing that is different is that all of Philips MR16 bulbs come with a glass lense. No longer are the bulbs open like some use to be.

If you have "Masterline" on a different type bulb, the word simply refers to branding that Philips use to use.

Holly Eddins

What is a Full Spectrum Light Bulb

There is no across the board "official" definition of the term full spectrum. So for each manufacturer you may find slight variances. Full Spectrum light bulbs are generally linear fluorescent light bulbs and are identified by their color temperature. Anything with a 5000K color temperature combined with a high CRI is classified as full spectrum according to Philips.

Essentially it's a light source that has a cool temperature (5000K) and a color rendering (CRI) of as close to 100 as possible. Philips has several linear fluorescent light bulbs that fit in their definition of full spectrum. They are called Colortone 50 bulbs or have the code "C50" in their ordering code.

Holly Eddins

Philips Regular 85 Watt BR40 Light Bulbs Discontinued

As part of the 2006 energy bill passed by Congress, another one of the bulbs on the chopping block made by Philips is now officially discontinued and out of stock. The regular line 85 watt BR40 light bulbs are now discontinued and out of stock.

The good news is that the Duramax version of the 85 Watt BR40 is still available. The price is going to be a bit different but in light of the fact that there isn't anything that is a perfect replacement, it may be worth the price. The bulb will be the exactly the same. Depending on whether you are currently using a 120 volt bulb or a 130 volt bulb, the brightness may vary just slightly.

Holly Eddins

What is the difference in a "Standard" and a "Medium" base light bulb?

The simple answer? There is no difference. Different manufacturers generally call bases the same thing as they are industry standard or need to be the same across the board for user ease. But one base that you may find multiple descriptions on is your "medium" base light bulbs. Most light bulbs that a homeowner will use in their home will be this base type. You may also see this type of base referred to as a "standard" base size. Or an original "Edison" base.

Holly Eddins

Philips 150 watt Traffic Light Bulbs

More than 10 years ago Philips went from producing their A21 traffic lights from a glass cover to a polycarbonate cover. For some of you, you may have had a stock pile of bulbs and are just now needing new ones and aren't aware of the change.

When they went to the polycarbonate, the 150 watt bulbs were developing a white burn spot on the ends because the wattage was too hot for the material. As a result, Philips discontinued the 150 watt traffic lights and changed it to a 116 watt traffic signal bulb. Those are available in the 130 volt as well as the 120 volt but the 130 volt will by far last the longest. But with Philips the highest wattage in the traffic signal bulbs is now a 116 watt.

Holly Eddins

Do I need to use a special timer with Halogena' light bulbs?

The simple answer is no. All Halogena', halogen and incandescent light bulbs can be used with any timer or dimmer. No special mechanism is needed. If you are having a problem, it's not your light bulb. It is probably a faulty timer or dimmer or wiring.

Holly Eddins

What is the difference between Halogen bulbs and Halogena' light bulbs?

Philips created an ad campaign to air on national television revolving around their Halogen bulb collection. In the process of this, they created a "retail shelf" line called Halogena'. If you look at regular halogen light bulbs from Philips and their halogena' equivalent, you will find that the specs are exactly the same. So, it really doesn't matter whether the name Halogena' is on the box. If it's from Philips, it's a quality product.

Holly Eddins

Do all CFL flood lights have standard twister light bulbs inside?

A little known fact is that compact fluorescent flood lights are just covers over a regular stardard twister cfl. Or it looks like one anyway. Technology is such that this is the best way to provide cfl light in the form of a flood light.

You may ask, why even buy a flood light when you can simply put up a cfl twister and be done with it? You can certainly do this. What a flood will give over a regular twister is the flood light features. The cover has a reflective material that will throw the light is a wider and brighter swath of light than a regular twister will. The regular twister bulbs are great for table light lamp where the light can be projected in all directions. But in recessed applications, it is not the most effecient.

So, can you get anything different in compact fluorescent reflectors. Unfortunately, no. All manufacturers use the same technology. Really, how often do you look directly at the bulb except when you are replacing it?

Holly Eddins

I have a 28 watt 2 pin PL light bulb that has burned out and need to replace it.

In the world of plug in compact fluorescent light bulbs, 2 pin plug ins were the first to be manufacturered. The newer version of these light bulbs is the 4 pin plug in. That is the way of the future and gradually the 2 pin versions will be discontinued one day. This is not an official word from the manufacturers. Just an observation with the way technology is going.

If you are using a plug in that is simply a "PL" cfl and can't find it, chances are that it's been discontinued. If you would like confirmation on that, feel free to contact us and we're happy to help. What should you do? If your have an old fixture, you may be forced to purchase a new fixture. That is really going to be easier and more cost effective than trying to get a replacement socket or an adapter of sorts.....which I'm not even sure exists.

If you are purchasing a new table lamp or lighting fixture, be sure you are purchasing one that uses a 4 pin plug in to insure you will have access to the light bulbs the longest.

Holly Eddins

120 Watt 120 Volt Philips Light Bulbs Discontinued

As part of the energy plan that was passed by Congress in 1996, the first of several to come completely sold out bulbs is the 120w 120v incandescent BR40 flood light.

The great news is that there are still 120 watt 130 volt BR40 incandescent flood light bulbs still available. The only difference you will see in the two is that the 130 volt one will be a bit dimmer than the 120 volt one. The Duramax version of the bulb is also available as well as Philips generic bulbs. This is as of March 16, 2009. We will continue to post as we hear of more changes.

Holly Eddins

What does it mean when it says a light bulb is frosted?

When a light bulb is frosted in finish, it is not clear and thus will cast a more subtle light. There are two ways a manufacturer can achieve a frosted finish. They will either use a phosphorus mixture along the inside of the glass or will use an etching technique to get the frosted finish.

Holly Eddins

If my table lamp says use now more than a 60 watt bulb, can I use a lower watt flourescent bulb that puts out lumens of a 100 watt bulb?

That's a great question. As long as your table lamp is not enclosed you should be fine. You are referring to a 23 or 27 watt cfl that would be equivalent to a 100 watt incandescent bulb.

There are two factors to consider, one is the draw of energy that the table lamp is made to take. This is no problem since the wattage you'll be using is so much less. The second is the heat generated. CFLs still generate a fair amount of heat in their ballasts but as long as the fixture you are using it in isn't enclosed, you should be fine. Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule.

Holly Eddins

Can I use a different wattage plug in cfl light bulb than what I'm using now?

Can I use a lower wattage or a higher wattage cfl plug in light bulb than what I'm using now? We often get this question and the answer is maybe. You will need to stay within the same collection that you are currently using. So, if you are using a PL-L, you will need to stick with a different PL-L. Or using a PL-C, you will need to stay with a PL-C.

There are two things to be considered when you are looking to go up or down in wattage with your compact fluorescent plug in light bulb. First, you'll want to insure that the base is exactly the same type of base. If you look at the line drawing to the left, you'll see that these 2 bases differ by 1 number on the end. Looking at the side view, they don't look very different but when you look at the bottom view, you can see that the pins are in different positions on the bulb. So, a bulb made with a GX32d-3 base will not fit in a GX32d-2 base.

The second thing to consider is that when you go up or down in wattage you will often change the length of bulb that you'll be buying. IE. A Philips PL-C that is a 26 watt is 6 1/2" in overall length where the 18 watt in the same style is 5 11/16" in over all length. After taking into account these two things, you can safely make your decision on whether or not you can substitute a different wattage plug in bulb for the one you are currently using.

Holly Eddins