Light bulb for pool table light

[GTeye]

Has anyone tried the HUGE fluorescent bulbs at Walmart called something like "The Twister" ?

They are rated equivalent of 150W, I do not believe they are daylight. I've been using the 135W daylight spiral bulbs for a while and am pretty happy with them in my inexpensive pool table light.

The thing that caught my eye though is they are shaped like a cone. They start out very wide at the top and spral down to a point at the bottom.

Made me think that maybe since each spiral of the light has an unobstructed path to the pool table because the next spiral is narrower that it might put out some impressive lighting.

One question is if they would screw in and fit into your more common 3/4 shade pool table light, they are that large.

I've been trying to find a link to them with a image but have had no luck and I didn't want to just buy them at walmart without asking if anyone tried them.

 

[RBLilly]

135w

Well I am like you I have been using the 135 daylight spirals that I did buy from the Wal-mart in my town. I was very impressed by them as well. I don't think that I will move up to the 150W as the ones I have now are just on the treshold of being too bright. I will give them a look when I get to the Wal-Mart the next time though. You can look at the light spectrum they put out and find out if they are day light bulbs though. Here is a website that has all those types of bulbs, plus they have the spectrum ratings and stuff listed on each one. This website is a bit cheaper than most places too. If you have any questions about them feel free to ask me.

http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=2086

Oh, they have the real wattage up top. Then the amount of wattage they put out at the bottom. You can get one that is equivalent to 55 watts but puts out a whopping 240 watts!!!! Or you can opt for the 200 watt that puts out 800 watts!!! LOL

 

[gregoryg]

Daylight fluorescent bulbs

Those 135watt daylight fluorescent bulbs are fantastic. I put three of them in the three ceiling light bulb sockets in a room that is 8' x 32', with no widows. You would think it is high noon in there!!!!!

 

[alpine9430]

Those 135watt daylight fluorescent bulbs are fantastic. I put three of them in the three ceiling light bulb sockets in a room that is 8' x 32', with no widows. You would think it is high noon in there!!!!!

You will have to let me know which bulb you may have used?
This may work for increasing the lighting for pictures in my case.

Myron

 

[gregoryg]

Daylight bulbs

The bulbs I was referring to were the same ones mentioned in the earlier posts. 30 watt compact fluorescent daylight bulbs, equal to 135 watt incandescent bulbs. You can buy them at Walmart for around 8 or 9 dollars each. The store I get them at sells them fast.

 

[bsmutz]

No widows is good. My room has one widow, so I have to keep the lights off most of the time.

 

[alpine9430]

The bulbs I was referring to were the same ones mentioned in the earlier posts. 30 watt compact fluorescent daylight bulbs, equal to 135 watt incandescent bulbs. You can buy them at Walmart for around 8 or 9 dollars each. The store I get them at sells them fast.

Got it now...
Just had to do some more reading. It is the Kelvin rating that we need to look for. The 6500 Kelvin is near day light condition.

Thanks for lighting up my interest and knowledge.
Thanks to all...
Myron

 

[smittie1984]

Long Flouresent bulbs I would have to argue against. I'm not the absolute expert on them but I believe Flouresent Bulbs (Or the ones in ceilings that are long and narrow) are suppose to be very stressful on the eyes. The reason being is they basically flash on and off but it's fast enough where the naked eye can't see it. If playing a game this kind of stress can hurt your vision and make your miss shots you would normally make.

However I'm not a pro on that and don't know for sure. I'm sure someone on here will.

For a pool table bulb I recommend getting a frosted bulb. Or a bulb that is not clear and where you can't easily see the element. It helps spread the light our more evenly.

 

[RBLilly]

Full Spectrum

Full Spectrum lights are the ones that are daylight bulbs. If you go to the website I posted a little earlier you will see some have a rating and some say Full Spectrum. Full Spectrum is the full spectrum of light that the sun puts out. Hince the name Day light bulbs. I hope that helps!!! That website has some that are 200watts, but put out the equivalant of 800watts!!!! So you ought to be able to find a bulb that fits your needs.

 

[PlynSets]

Long Flouresent bulbs I would have to argue against. I'm not the absolute expert on them but I believe Flouresent Bulbs (Or the ones in ceilings that are long and narrow) are suppose to be very stressful on the eyes. The reason being is they basically flash on and off but it's fast enough where the naked eye can't see it. If playing a game this kind of stress can hurt your vision and make your miss shots you would normally make.

However I'm not a pro on that and don't know for sure. I'm sure someone on here will.

For a pool table bulb I recommend getting a frosted bulb. Or a bulb that is not clear and where you can't easily see the element. It helps spread the light our more evenly.

Your computer screen is doing the samething right now, so is every TV, and I'm pretty sure LED etc.. I wouldn't think it's that hard on your eyes? I have an 8' old school HardTimes light above my table and it lights it up quite nicely (no shadows) and doesn't seem to be straining my eyes that I can tell?

DJ

 

[gulfportdoc]

Long Flouresent bulbs I would have to argue against.

I've also heard that flourescent light fades the pool cloth color quicker than does incandescent lighting. I've never seen a study on that subject. However it seems to me to be true. On my old home 9' table I used 150 watt bulbs in the 2 center fixtures, and 200 watt bulbs on each end. The cloth was very slow to fade. I've seen other tables with flourescent lighting, and the cloth seems to fade within a few months. This could be due to other causes however.

Doc

 

[RBLilly]

Fade

I would be more conserned with the way the felt wears compaired to how quick it fades, but some people want perfectly green cloth.

So I guess to each their own. I have had my cloth for a year and been using the same type of bulbs the entire year, and it isn't fading that I can tell. The cloth is getting worn from play, but that is about it.

 

[asiasdad]

For a pool table bulb I recommend getting a frosted bulb. Or a bulb that is not clear and where you can't easily see the element. It helps spread the light our more evenly.

When my table mechanic/cabinet maker set up my table with a light that he built (somewhat like a diamond pro light) he set up a total of four (4) three (3) foot ballasts running two each in tandom on each side of the light using the green end Phillips bulbs. He also used some chrome coated plastic grating (he found at costco for $24.00 a sheet) to take the "sting" out of the flouresent lighting.

The reason for the 3 footers was that they are easier to pull out of the light cabinet than the longer bulbs. The "chrome" grating really helps spread the light as well leaving no shadows. FWIW

 

[smittie1984]

Your computer screen is doing the samething right now, so is every TV, and I'm pretty sure LED etc.. I wouldn't think it's that hard on your eyes? I have an 8' old school HardTimes light above my table and it lights it up quite nicely (no shadows) and doesn't seem to be straining my eyes that I can tell?

DJ

That is true. It's just one of those things I have heard tossed around here and there. I figured somone on here would know for sure. Which is what I love about the internet.