Don Klipstein wrote:
On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 14:42:20 -0500, "SeaKan"
wrote:

I want to get one of those new energy efficient light bulbs. question: my
light only takes 60 watts or less. Does that mean I could get a bulb higher
than 60 watts if it is one of the new ones? it uses less wattage, much
lower than 60.


As it turns out, a watt into a compact fluorescent heats up the fixture
more than a watt going into an incandescent because the incandescent
throws out a lot of infrared and the compact fluorescent doesn't.

I did a bit of testing with a few different lightbulbs and a non-contact
thermometer and in my limited testing a 42 watt compact fluorescent heats
up a fixture as much as a 60 watt incandescent does, maybe slightly worse.

So, I believe that compact fluorescents up to 30 watts will not overheat
fixtures rated for 60 watt max incandescent, and 42 watt ones either won't
overheat such a fixture or barely will overheat such a fixture.

Maybe but my experience with a 13 watt CF with the
bulb facing downward to replace a 60W
incandescent was not encouraging. Lasted a few
months and went fizzle. No way would I attempt to
replace a 60W incandescent with a 30W or even a
22W CF.

Outside in an open but protected fixture the same
brand and size bulb has been fine.


The biggest heat problem is that most compact fluorescents do not take
heat buildup well in small enclosed fixtures and downward-facing fixtures.
I think that by-and-large and generally, such fixtures will have compact
fluorescents up to 23 watts not overheating too badly and compact
fluorescents over 23 watts are likely to have severely shortened life from
heat buildup.



23 watt compact fluorescents have light output between that of 75 watt
and 100 watt incandescents.

- Don Klipstein , http://www.misty.com/~don/cfx.html)