Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

Dan

Newbie

Posts: 23

Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

« on: May 28, 2011, 01:11:37 AM »

I have a ceiling fixture that can use 4 incandescent light bulbs. I only have 2 bulbs screwed into that fixture. Will it still use the same amount of energy as if all 4 were connected and lit? For instance, 2 bulbs (200 Watts) instead of 4 bulbs (400 Watts)? Or will it still pull 400 Watts from 2 bulbs?


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Steffen

Newbie

Posts: 1

Re: Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2011, 12:50:09 PM »

There is no energy used if there is no light bulb in the socket. The circuit is not complete so no current will flow.


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Frank

Newbie

Posts: 11

Re: Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2011, 02:02:58 PM »

two 100 watt bulbs will pull 200 watts. Four 100 watt bulbs will pull 400 watts. Empty sockets don't matter.

If you get CFL or LED bulbs, you'll get the same amount of light as a 100 watt bulb, but with far fewer watts consumed.


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Its_Nick

Newbie

Posts: 1

Re: Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2011, 03:24:01 PM »

It will use the same about of V voltage. Power (watts) is the amount of power a specific component uses so you answered your own question there. 1 bulb 100 watts, 2 bulbs 200 watts etc..

Let me just pull out my physics book for more detail..


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dmoney_sc

Newbie

Posts: 2

Re: Electricity used if light bulb is not in socket?

« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2011, 04:47:00 PM »

Like the others said, there's no power used by the empty sockets. It's the same as an electrical outlet with nothing plugged in. But if the fixture is low enough for anybody to reach it, they can get shocked if they stick their finger in the empty socket. If you have 2 burned out bulbs, you can put them in to protect tall, dumb people. If it's burned out it won't use any electricity.