When is a bulb not a bulb, when its a lamp?

LordSutch

It used to be so easy .....

You went to the shop to buy a bulb to put into your lamp. 15 watt, 25 watt, 40 watt, 60 watt, 75 watt, whatever size you wanted to put into your standard lamp or bedside lamp!

Now you go online or into a shop and find that bulbs are no longer described as bulbs but lamps! So now you may purchase a Halogen or LED lamp* to go into your...... err, lamp* :cool:

http://www.electricalwholesaler.ie/Departments/Lamps-and-Lighting/Bulbs--Lamps-and-Tubes/LED-Lamps.aspx
http://loweledlighting.ie/lamps/halogen-lamps.html

Why are bulbs now refered to lamps?
*by some retail outlets.

brightspark

Because most lamps aren't a "bulb" shape.

(The "lamp" goes into a "light fitting" or more technically a "luminaire")

LordSutch

brightspark wrote: »

Because most lamps aren't a "bulb" shape.

But surely the 'new term' describes all the bulbes listed, irrespective of shape?
http://www.electricalwholesaler.ie/Departments/Lamps-and-Lighting/Bulbs--Lamps-and-Tubes/LED-Lamps.aspx

brightspark

LordSutch wrote: »

But surely the 'new term' describes all the bulbes listed, irrespective of shape?
http://www.electricalwholesaler.ie/Departments/Lamps-and-Lighting/Bulbs--Lamps-and-Tubes/LED-Lamps.aspx

Yes they are called lamps not bulbs, bulbs are planted in the ground to become tulips

Some bulbs we call bubbles. Lamps can be fixtures that hold bubbles and i daresay a halogen bulb is a tungsten bubble, I've seen them work longer without halogen than filament.
A led is not a bulb but an emitter and a CFL is best served as a mouse deterrent.

Larry the Logster

When it's a jar? No, hang on, that's a door.

Risteard81

As stated bulb is and always was an incorrect term for a lamp.

So you relamp your luminaire, and as stated plant your bulbs.

Even old incandescent lamps were correctly called lamps.

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

As stated bulb is and always was an incorrect term for a lamp.
.

Was it? When did you discover this? Who decided it?:)

While we're on the subject of mass misinterpretation most batteries are in fact cells and most chargers are PSUs.

Risteard81

Bruthal wrote: »

Was it? When did you discover this? Who decided it?:)

There was nothing to discover. It is simply a fact.

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

There was nothing to discover.

So you knew this at birth I guess.

It is simply a fact.

It's simply a label. A man made one, open to the interpretation of evolving language. Lightning can cause a fire. That's a fact. It could do it a million years ago, long before man called it lightning. Or called a fire, a fire.

Don't take too serious though. Just having a laugh

Irish Steve

Lamps, bulbs, luminaires, or whatever, that's splitting hairs.

What I'd like to do is split the marketing genius that decided to make the newer lamps of whatever flavour in just about every fitting EXCEPT B22, which means a significant cost in replacing the fitting if you want to become more energy efficient. What was wrong with the old bayonet fitting that seemed to work without problems for years?

Risteard81

B22 LED lamps are available.

Irish Steve

Seen the adapters, IKEA do them for next to nothing, but that's not always a viable option for things like wall lights that have a bar or similar that holds a glass panel or the like, the extra height means that it's not possible to get the adapter AND the lamp into the fitting.

ted1

LordSutch wrote: »

It used to be so easy .....

You went to the shop to buy a bulb to put into your lamp. 15 watt, 25 watt, 40 watt, 60 watt, 75 watt, whatever size you wanted to put into your standard lamp or bedside lamp!

Now you go online or into a shop and find that bulbs are no longer described as bulbs but lamps! So now you may purchase a Halogen or LED lamp* to go into your...... err, lamp* :cool:



Why are bulbs now refered to lamps?
*by some retail outlets.

a lamp goes in to a Luminaire. a bulb does into your garden