CFL and LED Lighting Upgrades
 ';
|
Can I safely replace a 60watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL or LED Lamp? Replacing Light Bulbs with CFL or LED Lights. © By: Dave Rongey |
CFL and LED Lamps for Light Fixtures
Electrical Question: Can I safely replace a 60watt incandescent bulb with a 60 watt CFL?
I need information about using a Higher Watt Compact Fluorescent in a Light Fixture.
- I have a bathroom lighting fixture which requires 2 incandescent bulbs.
- The maximum wattage bulb that is safely allowed is 60 watts.
- A while back, one of the bulbs seemingly burned out but, in trying to replace it, I realized that that side of the fixture had developed a problem such that a perfectly good bulb will no longer light when screwed in.
- Consequently the lighting in that room is now inadequate.
- I would like the room to be brighter but the fixture needs to be changed or repaired.
- Your show sparked the notion in my mind that it might make more sense (be easier) to just replace the bulb with a CFL.
According to information I have:
- If you are replacing an incandescent bulb with a CFL, you may not need a higher wattage bulb to get the same amount of light.
- A CFL uses around 20 percent of the power (wattage) to create the same amount of light.
- A 13-watt CFL produces about the same amount of light as a 60-watt bulb, so you can actually use less wattage by switching to a 13-watt CFL. If you want a stronger bulb, a 23-watt CFL gives you more light at a safe wattage than if you had been using a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
Again the bathroom is not well lit enough now.
- Can I safely rectify this by replacing the 60-watt incandescent bulb with, for example, a 60 watt CFL? Based on the quoted language from other sources, it seems that should give me 4 to 5 times as much light which would be ideal.
- I like to read and do other work with a 200 watt incandescent bulb. What watt ranges are CFLs available in? If I were to replace my 200 watt incandescent bulbs with for example 40 or 60 watt CFLs, would I have the same amount of light?
- As I mentioned, the problem fixture is located in a bathroom. The fact is that something happened to the glass which used to cover the bulbs and I believe the moisture from the shower, etc. is what damaged the half of the fixture which will no longer work. The insulation around the wire became frayed and I can see that the wire leading to the ceramic is the problem. Also the metal structure of the fixture is pitted. Is not having the fixture covered a fire hazard?
Thank you.
Martin.
This electrical wiring question came from: Martin, a Homeowner from Auburndale, New York.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Martin.
Replacing Light Bulbs with CFL or LED Lights
Guide to Upgrading Light Fixtures and Light Bulbs to Energy Efficient CFL and LED Lamps.
- Replacing Light Fixtures: Consider replacing damaged light fixtures with a new fixture that has the energy efficient light bulbs included which will produce the desired amount of light for you.
- Lumen and Watts: A lumen is the measurement of the amount of light that is produced, and a watt is the measurement of the electricity that is consumed. Thanks to improvements in energy efficient lighting technologies a CFL or LED lamp will produce a higher amount of light while consuming less watts of electricity.
- Example of Light Output and Energy Savings: For Example, a 13 watt CFL lamp will produce the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, so you are reducing your energy consumption by 47 watts of electricity.
- CFL and LED Lamps: There are an increasing number of low cost CFL and LED replacement lamps with a variety of lumen output and color corrected light. Installing these new lamps into traditional incandescent screw base light sockets may be ideal for achieving a higher level of light compared to incandescent bulbs.
- Replacing Old Light Bulbs: When replacing old light bulbs with a new lamp with an approved rating, the lamp will still require the same covering and protection provided by the original light fixture components.
More about Home Lighting
Home lighting
Home Lighting Articles
Home Lighting Articles covering recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, lighting terminology and more.
The following may also be helpful for you:
|
|
Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.
More articles about CFL Lighting, Electrical and Home Electrical Wiring: |
|
| « Previous | Next » |
How to Wire Light Switches From an Outlet |
How to Install a Plug Strip for Desk or Workbench Outlets |
