Wattage of CFLs

I purchased GE's 15 Watt CFL, compact fluorescent lights.

Details: Packaging says 950 lumens (!), 15 watts energy
used, 8000 hours, helical or spiral, 230 mA.
Model = FLE15HT/3/2/S

I measured the amperage and found around 85 mA.
The voltage was around 118.5 for the source.

Using W=VA, I get somewhere around 10 Watts, not 15.

I wonder what is going on?

First off, I doubt the lights are 950 lumens if
60 watt incandescents are less than that? That is,
usually around 800 lumens are the 60 watts that
this CFL is supposed to emulate.

The light is nice enough, and it's about as bright
as maybe a 50 watt bulb at most. It works and goes
right up to brightness so I'm pleased with just
the basics.

But I don't understand why only 10 watts at 85 mA.

I called GE and they said my AC was probably too low.
I measured without load but that should not matter?
I just plugged my digital voltmeter which is accurate
to 4 digits at least? into the AC. My meter says not
to do that, but it does not seem to get harmed.
And for 85 mA to put out 15 watts, it would have to
be much, much higher than 120, 130, even 150 volts
using W=VA, actually need around 176 volts for 15 Watts.

I suggested something with the electronic ballast,
but GE said that does not matter. Maybe it does.
I know incandescent bulbs are right on the money
when I have measured them.

Any ideas appreciated.

FP

 

Many CFLs have a long warm up time, and continue to slowly increase
their current consumption (and brightness) over a period of 5 or 10
minutes. You may also have just gotten one that is on the low side of
the bell curve.

 

Besides John's suggestion, I wonder if maybe the
electronic ballast does in fact affect the measurement.
I'm guessing that the actual current is not sinusoidal
and your meter is not computing a true RMS value.
Just a thought.


Bob Masta
dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
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