# What bulb to buy for those 'touch' lamps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572 "2011-04-16T02:07:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/1 "2011-04-16T02:07:17Z")
I bought [this lamp](http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/136885/RS-To-Go-Torchiere-Touch-Lamp/): You touch the lamp and it varies from low, medium, or full brightness. But i dont have the instruction book; when my light bulb ran out i threw it out, and bought another 150 but it doesn’t respond to the touch anymore, it just is always on high. Would a lamp like this need a three-way 150, or a regular 150? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/2 "2011-04-16T02:10:37Z")
If the light varies, you need a threeway. I mean the bulb. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/3 "2011-04-16T03:12:30Z")
I have a three level touch lamp that uses a regular bulb. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/4 "2011-04-16T07:47:46Z")
> [@sassyfras](#): > > Would a lamp like this need a three-way 150, or a regular 150? You can tell if it uses a 3-way bulb by looking into the empty socket. A 1-way socket will have only the contact point in the center; a 3-way one will have a second contact toward the side (and of course, the threaded shell for the neutral contact). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/5 "2011-04-16T12:34:26Z")
it does respond to the touch. a regular bulb will come on at a single brightness and in only some of the ‘on’ switch positions (using the term as if it was a turning knob on a 3-way lamp socket). it needs a 3-way bulb to give 3 brightness levels and to switch as intended. a regular bulb works giving a single brightness level and switches only on certain switch positions (using the term as if it was a turning knob on a 3-way lamp socket). a regular bulb works as a temporary replacement or if you only want a single brightness at that lamp. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/6 "2011-04-16T14:25:59Z")
> [@sassyfras](#): > > Would a lamp like this need a three-way 150, or a regular 150? You probably need a three way, judging by this [amazon description of almost exactly the same lamp](http://www.amazon.com/Normande-Lighting-Incandescent-Torchiere-Compliant/dp/B000UD4YV8). ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulb-to-buy-for-those-touch-lamps/578572/7 "2011-04-16T17:27:04Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > You can tell if it uses a 3-way bulb by looking into the empty socket. A 1-way socket will have only the contact point in the center; a 3-way one will have a second contact toward the side (and of course, the threaded shell for the neutral contact). Exactly. I had though of posting that, but thought the question was answered.