Why don't Microwave lightbulbs burn out?

Question

It is these kinds of things that make capitalism problematic. Capitalism can get you technologically ahead faster, although it can also create motivation to make inferior products for the sole purpose of profit. While at the same time no-one seems to notice that there microwave light bulb lasts for a VERY VERY long time and they want us to buy those mercury laden "energy efficient" twisted fluorescent bulbs now for 7 bucks a piece and yo can't even throw them away when they die - so the question is why don't microwave bulbs burn out as fast? and can you buy them for lamps?

Answer 1

A microwave bulb is the same as a oven or refrigerator bulb.  They cost a little more, but have thicker glass and larger filaments, and yes you can put it in a standard socket.  They are good in garage door openers since there is usually high vibration with an opener.

Smart capitalist consumers learn not to believe everything they hear or see.  Since the best selling products are not necessarily the best product.

Answer 2

They do! We've had to change one & so have my parents.

Answer 3

They aren't used near as much as regular light bulbs!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Apples and oranges, really.

Appliance bulbs are sturdier than regular bulbs, but also consider that the microwave's bulb is on only a few minutes a day. It's also a low wattage - 15W or so. They're also often low-voltage halogen, which do indeed last longer than conventional bulbs.

A floor lamp puts out a lot more light. The 65W equivalent bulb in CFL is about 22W. To equal the light output you'd need 4-5 appliance bulbs. And I guarantee you that they'd not last nearly as long when used as room lamps even if they're also low-voltage halogen, simply because of the amount of time they spend "on".

That said, CFLs are quite unreliable especially when you switch them on and off a lot. They're not very robustly engineered.

Answer 5

Mercury is toxic. Yet, it is already existing in the environment as cinnabar or other minerals. We are not creating mercury unlike the greenhouse gases, which we do create.

Tungsten filament lamps like the ones in the microwave can stand a lot of switching on and off unlike CFL or other vapour lamps.

At least here in India microwave lamps do keep popping off. This has to do with the fluctuations in the supply voltage, which does not bother the vapour lamps as much.

In India one can buy CFLs for about fity cents US.