Light Bulbs

[NW-Bound]

As a reference point, the venerable Ohms Law states simply that E=IR. It does not specify RMS, Peak, etc.
-ERD50

Very true. I simply pointed out to SteveL that the rms is usually implied when we talk AC currents and voltages.

 

[mathjak107]

I've noticed this too and it is odd. They definitely sell more 40/60/100W bulbs than they do 25W bulbs, and that explains part of it. But that is a big delta. Maybe 40/60/100W light bulbs are sold as a "loss leader" (or at least "low profit" leader?) to get people in thee store and buying, but they feel they don't need to do that with the less popular sizes?

A 25W bulb is just a variation of a 60W bulb, it's not like they really need to charge a multiple to re-coup their engineering, or capital expenditures, etc. You don't pay 2x or more for a car in a less popular color. These are not special or custom orders, just less popular variations.

In fact, this has had a negative effect. I have a few places where I just need some light, 25 or 40W would be fine. But I look at the price and get the 40W - I'll never recoup the savings in electricity with the price delta. And before you say CFL - these are on an electronic timer that can't use a CFL. I feel bad "wasting" energy, but I'm deciding to make it a financial decision.

-ERD50

im an electrical distributor and manufacturers of lamps have tier pricing based on how many they make and how long they have to warehouse stock before it sells... and we do the same.... we have to pay for those 25 watt bulbs we stock in 30 days....they sell so infrequently our money may be tied up for 90 days before we sell some,hense they cost more..... theres other factors besides manufacturing cost that goes into pricing.

in distribution its all about product turns, if i used that money insted to buy 12/2 romex in those 90 days i may have sold that romex 6 or 7x and made a profit each time ,instead those 25 watt bulbs turn once

 

[ERD50]

Thanks for that explanation Mathjak107, I didn't consider the inventory turns issue that fully at the retail level. Makes sense.

I would think it would be less of a factor for the big box places (but still a factor). I would think they could turn a case of 25W bulbs pretty fast, and might order 10 cases of 40W for every case of 25W. But I suppose there are still qty discounts, similar issues up and down the line, etc. And in a small store, where they might have to order the same number of 25W as 40W just to hit some minimum, it would be a bigger deal.

-ERD50

 

[TromboneAl]

Well, it's good we have solved this pressing issue of pricing structures for 25W and 40W light bulbs.

 

[ERD50]

Well, it's good we have solved this pressing issue of pricing structures for 25W and 40W light bulbs.

What (watt?) makes you think we're done?

We need to calculate cost per volume, surface area, circumference, effective radius.....

-ERD50

 

[kyounge1956]

Are there any CFLs that are made in the US?

 

[mathjak107]

we probley cant afford to make them here and be competitive