Bulb replacement on Philips PCS 130 Enlarger

[Ari]

Hi all,
I picked up a very interesting enlarger yesterday, even though I had no intention of getting back into the darkroom.
It has a nice colour system, with an accessory single bulb for B&W printing.
The bulb that normally goes in there is a Philips Photocrescenta 150W 220V bulb, and the plug for this socket attachment is European.

My question: I was going to go to the local photo store and get a fluorescent bulb to replace the incandescent bulb, since I can't find one right now.
What do you think should be the wattage of the fluo bulb, and will it work in the Euro socket (with a voltage adapter, of course).

Thanks in advance.

[Leigh]

I believe you have 250 volts available in Canada, yes/no?

If so, it would be cheaper to buy a socket adapter.
These are commonly available at places that sell traveling accessories.

Alternatively, you could get one of the 110/220-volt converter transformers that include European sockets.
While I would normally recommend one rated higher than the load, I think a 250-volt-amp (watt) rating
would be OK since this is a very low duty cycle application.

I wouldn't recommend a replacement lamp, since using the wrong one might adversely affect illumination uniformity.

- Leigh

[Ari]

Thanks, Leigh; we use 110V here, too.
I do have the adapter required, and the bulb, once plugged in, turns on and stays on, with little to no explosive noises.
The original bulb was 150W and 220V, but since it's now plugged into a 110V power source, perhaps I can get by with a 150W/110V which is easier to find here.

BTW, if you ever come across one of these enlargers, they are very impressive and make the smallest of footprints.

[Leigh]

Good on ya about the noise.

Explosions in a confined space like a darkroom can damage your ears.

- Leigh