"ropeyarn" wrote in message
...
Paul Franklin wrote:
On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:25:35 -0500, Nate Nagel
wrote:

ropeyarn wrote:

The ceiling fixtures in our house all have labels indicating the maximum
wattage (incandescent) bulb to place in the fixture.

I assume this is a heat-based limit...

If I'm replacing the incandescents in one of these fixutures with
CFL's...which stay cool to the touch....are there any issues with going to
a higher light output in (say a CFL packaged with "75 watt" incandescent
output indicated on the package ?)


No. You are not exceeding the limits of either current draw or heat
generally speaking. Now a CFL will produce some heat, but not nearly as
much as a comparable output incandescent.

nate

You don't say if these are recessed fixtures.

If they are be aware that CFL life when operated base up in recessed
fixtures can be shortened. Most of the cheap CFLs are designed to be
base down (or sideways) and in open fixtures. The higher you go in
wattage the greater the problem is likely to be. The issue is that
the electronics, which are in the base of the CFL, are affected by the
higher temperature when operated base up in enclosed fixtures. Even
though the overall temperature is much lower than when a regular bulb
is used, the electronics are more sensitive to it. The Osram Dura One bulbs
are specifically rated for base up use in
recessed fixtures but are quite pricey compared to bargain CFL's.

Paul F.


Not recessed.......base horizontal...

Closed fixtures - those without good airflow around the bulb, can cause
overheating, and resulting shortened life.