Can I put a 13 watt compact fluor. bulb (equivalent to 60 watt reg. bulb in light output) into a "40 watt max" fixture?

Can I put a 13 watt compact fluor. Bulb (equivalent to 60 watt reg. Bulb in light output) into a "40 watt max" fixture?

This seems sort of obvious to me - the bulb only uses 13 watts and the fixture is rated for 40 watts - but the guy at Lowes was hesitant. He worried that the ratings on fixtures has to do with heat output from the light and therefore a 60 watt equivalent would be too hot. I'd really like to increase the light output on this fixture as even three 40 watt bulbs leave the room too dark - but I don't want to burn my house down in the process.

Does anyone out there have any expertise with this? Thanks, Christine Asked by cjrj 48 months ago Similar questions: put 13 watt compact fluor bulb equivalent 60 reg light output 40 max fixture Home > Home Improvement.

Similar questions: put 13 watt compact fluor bulb equivalent 60 reg light output 40 max fixture.

The Lowes guy got it right and wrong... Go ahead and light up your room with more efficient lights. The Lowes guy was right in that those ratings on fixtures are related to the amount of heat incandescent light bulbs put out. Put in the wrong bulb in, and you run the risk of overheating, scorch marks, or even a fire.

But wattage refers to the amount of electricity consumed, not the light or heat produced. And the "equivalency" of a compact flourescent bulb refers to the light, not the heat. Incandescent bulbs are horribly inefficient and convert more than 95% of their wattage into heat.So that fixture rated at 40W max can probably handle in the neighborhood of 40W of heat.

It is impossible for a 13W CFL bulb to generate that much heat under normal operating conditions and the Lowes guy was wrong to worry along those lines. There are two things he should have mentioned though. First, the light throw of CFLs can differ from incandescents.

If you have recessed or directional lighting, be sure to look for CFLs meant for that use. Second, if you plan on using a dimmer, make sure the CFLs you buy are designed for them..

Don't worry... The actual electrical wattage is the only number that matters. The fact that the compact flourescent light output is equivalent to a 60 watt incandescent bulb is irrelevent. The maximum wattage rated on the fuxture is for electrical watt energy only, not heat or heat equivalent.

Besides, a compact flourescent, even one that gives off the equivalent light of a 60 watt bulb, will never come close to producing the amount of heat the old incandescent bulbs produced. Flourescent bulbs are inherently much cooler than conventional light bulbs because they create light energy in a different way.

The 13 watt CFL is fine Compact fluorescent bulbs, regardless of the wattage, emit a minimal amount of heat. All you have to worry about is not exceeding the wattage limit of the fixture ( 13.

Yes you can and should..... Think green and help the environment. Go right ahead and change the bulb. It will not do any harm, nor create more heat.

I have changed every bulb in my house to a compact flourescent. While they are more expensive than the regular incandescent bulbs, they last much longer and save you money as they consume less energy. The only thing you should keep in mind though is the fact that they come in different type of light.

Some have white light which is what you are acostumed to see with flourescent lights and others have a yellowish light which is more similar to the light put out by an incandescent bulb. If you like the white light, than use bulbs rated at or close to 6,500 Kelvin. If you like the yellowish light than use bulbs with a 2,700 Kelvin.To my liking I go with the white light for the kitchen and baths and the yellow light for all the other rooms.

One last bit of info they are now also making compact flourescents that are dimmable. Kiko's Recommendations CrispAir Air Cleaning Light Bulb, 15 Watt, 6400K, Compact Flourescent Amazon List Price: $24.95 Globe 23-Watt Mini Compact Fluorescent Spiral Bulb (100-Watt Incandescent Equivalent), Soft White, 4-Pack #48526 Amazon List Price: $19.99 Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 19 reviews) Globe 13-Watt Mini Compact Fluorescent Spiral Light Bulb (60-Watt Incandescent Equivalent), Soft White, 8-Pack #6880201 Amazon List Price: $29.99 Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 7 reviews) Globe 13-Watt Ultra-Mini Compact Fluorescent Spiral Bulb (60-Watt Incandescent Equivalent), Cool White, 4-Pack #48412 Amazon List Price: $14.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 9 reviews) Amazon has a good selection of these bulbs..

I am certainly not an expert but to my knowledge one of the issues involved with using a light bulb with too much energy causes and overload in the fixture because the wires will try to give it that much energy. I would double check the amp usage and compare the two otherwise you could over load the wires, cause a short melt through the plastic on the wires and start an electrical fire. If you are really not sure how to check those things or know someone that does, err on the safe side and choose a wattage within the specified range and also check what type of light it is producing the finish on the bulb can change this.

Hope this helps! .

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How come when I put a reg bulb in my touch light the touch feature didnt' work and it got very hot.

Can I use a 40 watt light bulb on a 40 watt lamp.

Lamp sticker says "max 60 watts type a lamp or use max 15w CFL lamp". Why not a 26w CFL bulb if it can take a 60w reg.?

Fixture says max watt 50. Can I use higher watt using compact flourescent.

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