Lighting – this strange, linear light bulb

light-fixturelighting

Thanks to previous occupants of my house, one of the bathrooms is lit with a pair of lights that are unlike anything I've seen. The bulb is a narrow cylinder, about 3 inches long and maybe 1/4 inch in diameter, with contacts on either end. The middle is filled with some dark material, and there is a tiny, clear protuberance in the center. It is marked "PHILIPS CHINA," and "130V 2E 150." Below are pictures of it in place and out.

What is this fixture/bulb called?

Why would anyone install one instead of a normal fixture?

fixture with the bulb described above

just the bulb described above

Best Answer

Specifically that is a 78mm T3 halogen lamp.

I have one in my bathroom as well and love it because:

  • The bulbs are pretty cheap. Usually a couple dollars. I bought 10 on ebay for $20.
  • They are BRIGHT. Much brighter than LED bulbs, and some fixtures can take 200 or 250W bulbs. For a light over a mirror thats only on a few minutes a day, I dont care about power efficiency, I just want something bright. A 100W halogen is much brighter than a 100W incandescent or any LED bulb.
  • The bulbs last for ages. I have had to replace it once in the last 3 years.
  • The color of light is better than most LED or florescent bulbs.

There are LED versions available, but most would be too large a diameter to fit in that fixture by the looks of it.

The downside of them is that they get quite hot. The heat is actually essential to their long life. Be sure to check for a sticker on the fixture stating the max wattage and not go over that with a replacement bulb.

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