Heat Lamp Question for You Electric Guys

[Tex_Cattleman]

We're about to have to go all out keeping animals warm"er".

The four-lamp brooders are going in the barn. All good there. Small heat lamps are here and there where needed. (Many thanks to one particular goat that only kids when temp is in the 20s or lower.)

Now, I have an extra 6 bulbs but no heat lamps anywhere. Sooooo...would I have a problem putting a heat bulb in a regular lamp? I need one more in our RO water room. Man, those cords on a plain lamp are sure are thin.

Fire away.

[bloodstick]

We're about to have to go all out keeping animals warm"er".

The four-lamp brooders are going in the barn. All good there. Small heat lamps are here and there where needed. (Many thanks to one particular goat that only kids when temp is in the 20s or lower.)

Now, I have an extra 6 bulbs but no heat lamps anywhere. Sooooo...would I have a problem putting a heat bulb in a regular lamp? I need one more in our RO water room. Man, those cords on a plain lamp are sure are thin.

Fire away.

I have the outdoor light receptacles in my greenhouse and replaced the bulbs with red heat lamps. They have been running for several days no issue. The red heat lamp from Tractor Supply are 250W bulbs and I have not had any problems. So I don’t think there is any problem with running them on a lower wattage receptacle.

I also put two of them in opposite ends of the crawlspace under my house and another in the chicken coop. Electricity goes out, we will be SOL.


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[ken800]

Aren’t the heat bulbs like a 250w bulb? That’s what mine are... I would not put those in any fixture that wasn’t designed for it, personally.

[bloodstick]

Aren’t the heat bulbs like a 250w bulb? That’s what mine are... I would not put those in any fixture that wasn’t designed for it, personally.

I’m no electrician so I’m not using sound logic, but i thought the common receptacles put out a lower wattage and the 250W bulb was just not being used to its full potential? I mean, we use 60W bulbs in them normally for light.


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[db@100]

IF you must use the heat lamp, try to be sure that the bulb is above the socket. You want the heat from the lamp going away from the socket.

[db@100]

I’m no electrician so I’m not using sound logic, but i thought the common receptacles put out a lower wattage and the 250W bulb was just not being used to its full potential? I mean, we use 60W bulbs in them normally for light.


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Not correct.....

[Sharpe Eye]

250w @ 120v is just over 2 amps. Lampholders typically have a 15a cord/plug on them. Id run it. You might look at the lampholder for a wattage rating but I don’t imagine it to be under 250w. If the lamp base screws into the lampholder you should be good to go.

[Archery1st]

250w @ 120v is just over 2 amps. Lampholders typically have a 15a cord/plug on them. Id run it. You might look at the lampholder for a wattage rating but I don’t imagine it to be under 250w. If the lamp base screws into the lampholder you should be good to go.

This is your answer 250watts/120volts = 2.08 amps, based on a good 15amp cord you can safely run 3-4 250 watt heat lamps off one circuit.

Key is distance of run..longer run 50ft or more use 12Ga cords. Run it for 10-15 mins and check for heat in cords.

[miket]

Not an electrician either, but they are rated to a certain wattage because of wire size and fixtures ability to conduct the rated load. So its not safe to run a higher wattage than rated. Its not uncommon for regular work lights etc to be rated for only 100w or so. Check the fixture.

Not saying you won't get away with it, but technically not safe

[Tony Pic]

Just make sure the fixture you use the heat lamps in are metal and extension cords are of a larger gauge like 14 or 12 wire. I have seen high wattage lamps melt fixtures and cords. That is why heat lamps usually are used with a metal housing/hood. Kepp lamp away from combustibles and flammables.

[Mike D]

Check the rating of your lamp socket. Most of them are plastic now and only rated for 60-100 watts.


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[Killer]

The screw in fixtures is the rating to go by not the cord. Your limited by the fixture itself. Where the threaded end of the bulb meets the contact on the fixture. They will be rated 60w, 100w, 250w and so on. This is where it will fail if you overload it! Mike beat me to it!

[Duane]

Trey if it comes down to it and you are not sure on the lamp’s ability to handle the heat bulb, just put a 100W bulb in the fixture and use that. It will still put off some heat and raise the temperature in a confined space.