How to get around the incandescent globe ban

But can they meet the standards for room heaters?

Sylvia.

Probably don't have to, could be gerbil cage heaters.

And then there are those rumors about the 99W lightbulbs from Poland to get around the 100W ban. I don't think they were for real, but that sure was a good one:

For a very small room, or a room in a Darwin winter ;)

Another use I have seen for these was stores that sell bulk honey. (where you bring and fill your own container and buy what you need).

There would be an incandescent bulb (unknown wattage but quite bright) underneath the can near the tap in order to provide enough heat so the honey would flow reliably in winter, or in air conditioned shops.

In this case, the only purpose for the bulb was as a heater.

I was thinking more about safety regulations. We know that in practice people would be using these as light bulbs, and that they would therefore be installed in typical light bulb type places. But if one wants to sell them has heaters, then they have to comply with the safety regulations concerning heaters, and they may not.

Sylvia.

I suppose in that case they could claim that they are a "heating element" with "visual indication of operation" and must be installed in a suitable enclosure. Technically true as it cannot work on its own, it at least needs a socket and cable.

Another issue that might come about is that as CFL use becomes widespread, we might start seeing more and more light fittings designed and manufactured with only CFL in mind, and putting in an incandescent might melt or burn them from the heat.

The other interesting argument one could make is that 99% of light fittings that I have seen have "60w maximum" labelled on them.

About the only safe fittings for 100w bulbs would be naked lamp fittings without any covering, or specifically deigned fittings - probably with ceramic sockets and high temperature cables.. Therefore they could argue that the 100w bulb is indeed a heater as it can't be used in most lighting applications.

Nope, the plastic retaining ring on standard sockets cracks due to the heat when used with 100W globes for any length of time. I've replaced stacks even when using only 60W globes and a non enclosed light fitting.

Right.

MrT.

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I haven't used 100w bulbs for a very long time, (1970's) and that was in a shed that had several old type black bakelite fittings with a squarish shaped base. These are probably more tolerant of high temperatures than the more modern white plastic batten fittings.

In the end they were replaced with 40w fluro fittings when the place was rewired. They gave a better light.

When you think about it, in any decent sized incandescent a lot of the filament heat must travel directly up the metal stems and to the base, this must heat up the base and socket enormously. Probably doesn't do a lot of good pointing a bulb upwards as it would get hotter without the base to act as a "heatsink" ?

One place I lived in had a 150w (philips) bulb in the toilet light fitting, & the socket had gone a funny brownish colour from heat stress and was replaced. The previous owner had liked to read in the loo for long periods and due to eyesight problems, needed a bright light, even in the day.

I replaced it with something more sensible, as I don't go to the toilet to sunbake ;) but I still have that 150 watt "heater" around here somewhere.