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From: kurt@fluke.UUCP (Kurt Guntheroth)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Bulb Life/Local Power
Message-ID: <327@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Feb-85 18:39:32 EST
Article-I.D.: vax2.327
Posted: Fri Feb  1 18:39:32 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Feb-85 11:31:04 EST
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 21

Independent of the merits of so-called 'long life' bulbs, you should be
aware of the voltage rating of the bulbs you buy.

In the Pacific Northwest, our voltage runs pretty high; about 125 VAC.  If
you look at 'bargain' light bulbs you find on special in stores, you usually
find they are rated 117 - 120 VAC.  If your line voltage runs higher than
this, the bulbs will not last even their rated lifetime.  I now pay a few
cents more and get bulbs rated at 125 or 130 VAC.  I have not noticed any
decrease in light output (although I bet the difference is measurable).
What I have noticed is that since I started doing this, I am not changing
light bulbs very often, where before it was a weekly event that a bulb would
blow in some inconvenient fixture.

On the East coast, I think the line voltage is lower.  Still, it would be
interesting to check.  If you seem to always be changing bulbs, try a
higher-rated bulb.

-- 
Kurt Guntheroth
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!kurt