On the back of my house, the previous owners installed a 65w outdoor fixture (looks like picture shown). The bulb went out last year so I went to ******* and bought a 65w Fluorescent bulb that had the mogul base and installed it. It never turned on. Maybe a bad bulb... so today, I go and buy another bulb... same one. I installed it, turned on the light and heard a "pop" and it never came on. I noticed on the fixture it says to use an L-765 bulb only. This is the manufacture’s part number for the bulb I assume or is this an actual bulb number? Designer's Edge is the only one that sells the L-765 bulb (thus I’m assuming this is just “their” part number for a, what looks like, the same bulb I bought at *******). The one I bought from ******* is identical. Both are 65w, mogul base, and need external ballast. Is my fixture bad? Maybe I'm not using the correct bulb?
I hate to order a $15 bulb to have it fail because some internal part is broken in the fixture.
Last question. I'm also looking into just replacing it with a Cooper Lighting GT100MH 100-Watt Metal Halide light. It has great reviews, better energy consumption and nice white light. I can get one for $85 at *******. Would you guys recommend just staying with the fluorescent or going to metal halide? I've seen a lot of bad reviews about outdoor fluorescent lights like that one I have. Plus I figure if the metal halide is too bright or don't like it; I can use it to replace another HPS light I have on a pole in my front yard. Not a fan of the orange color and was going to replace it in the near future anyways.
One last note and I mention this because it may make a difference in the responses I get. The florescent light on the back of my house (the one I’m having issues with and thinking of replacing with MH) isn’t used as a dusk to dawn light. It’s a switched unit that I can turn on and off from the garage. I like it set up that way because I can turn it on or off whenever (grilling at night, parties, etc..) but sometimes it’s nice to have it off to look at the starts, etc… On that note though, it’s not cycled on and off multiple times in one night. It either stays on till I go inside for the night, or it’s off.
Thanks for all your help.
I hate to order a $15 bulb to have it fail because some internal part is broken in the fixture.
Last question. I'm also looking into just replacing it with a Cooper Lighting GT100MH 100-Watt Metal Halide light. It has great reviews, better energy consumption and nice white light. I can get one for $85 at *******. Would you guys recommend just staying with the fluorescent or going to metal halide? I've seen a lot of bad reviews about outdoor fluorescent lights like that one I have. Plus I figure if the metal halide is too bright or don't like it; I can use it to replace another HPS light I have on a pole in my front yard. Not a fan of the orange color and was going to replace it in the near future anyways.
One last note and I mention this because it may make a difference in the responses I get. The florescent light on the back of my house (the one I’m having issues with and thinking of replacing with MH) isn’t used as a dusk to dawn light. It’s a switched unit that I can turn on and off from the garage. I like it set up that way because I can turn it on or off whenever (grilling at night, parties, etc..) but sometimes it’s nice to have it off to look at the starts, etc… On that note though, it’s not cycled on and off multiple times in one night. It either stays on till I go inside for the night, or it’s off.
Thanks for all your help.
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