Can i use Fluorescent bulbs in recessed light fixtures ( cans ) in my kitchen to replace the Flood lamps which are expensive & always burning out.
- posted
16 years ago
Can i use Fluorescent bulbs in recessed light fixtures ( cans ) in my kitchen to replace the Flood lamps which are expensive & always burning out.
Yes, you can use compact flourescents as long as they are not on a dimmer.
Color rendition is the main objection, Popular Mechanics mag did a test comparison months ago and HD bulbs scored high and are among the cheapest. You cant use a dimmer with them.
Note some CF lamps do work with a dimmer. Just check the lamp or packaging. If it does not say it does work, assume it can't.
There are actually two ways that CF lamps can be used with a dimmer. (I did not want to get into this, but I will.) If you have recessed light fixtures designed with dimmable ballast (which you probably don't) you can use a CF and a standard dimmer.
If you have regular recessed fixtures, you can purchase CF bulbs with a dimmable ballast on board. You must then use a dimmer that is specifically for CF bulbs. This is the expensive solution, although both are a bit pricey.
The bulbs with a dimmable ballast at my elecrical supply house are 16 bucks each. The CF dimmer is $39.
But you need to read the packaging. Certain CFs should not be mounted base up. I discovered after the fact that the 150w equivalent ones must be mounted base down or they burn out in very short order.
-- "Tell me what I should do, Annie." "Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars
I believe Robert is correct.
Also true, but I don't think too many of them have that limitation today, but I am sure some do.
Better to use only ones that are rated for such use and claim to be good for such use. Ones that I know with such ratings - Philips SLS non-dimmable units up to 23 watts. There are even snap-on reflectors to fit those, R30 (3.75 inch diameter) and R40 (5 inch diameter). The smaller one appears to me more seriously compromised optically to get it to fit - use the larger one if it fits with a bit of clearance to let air flow to cool things.
After that, I suspect overheating gets often-bad above 23 watts, and next-lower-level of lack of overheating appears to me to be staying below
18 watts. After that, it appears to me that most 13 watts or less do not overheat in such fixtures.One more thing to keep in mind: In commercial buildings, most CFL recesed ceiling fixtures take ballastless bulbs and have their own ballasts outside the "baking zone" which is at the top of the reflector.
- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)
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