How much light can I get out of this fixture?

[Sam Takoy]

Hi,

I'm looking at a ceiling fan that can take "(3) 40W 110V candelabra base (E12)".

With modern light bulbs (CFL or LED) how much light will I actually be able to get out of it?

Many thanks in advance,

Sam

[RBM]

Here is a CF that puts out 825 lumens:

[trader4]

The issue isn't really how much light the fixture is capable of handling. It's how much HEAT. Given that CFLs produce about 75% less heat than an incadescent, you can put any size you want in. A 40W CFL would produce about as much light as a 150W incandescent and I'm sure you don't want anywhere near 3X 150W equiv of light.

[bob haller]

and if the CFL will physicall FIT:(

They have gotten smaller but it can still be a issue:(

[RBM]

The issue isn't really how much light the fixture is capable of handling. It's how much HEAT. Given that CFLs produce about 75% less heat than an incadescent, you can put any size you want in. A 40W CFL would produce about as much light as a 150W incandescent and I'm sure you don't want anywhere near 3X 150W equiv of light.

**These are candelabra base lamps. I don't think anything is made that would give you 40 watts CFL in this style. The manufacturers know the type of fixtures and lamps that they are replacing. The idea is to get an equivalent amount of lumens as the incandescent produced

[Joe]

Fan makers do not approve CFL's. Evidently the vibration kills them or something. Therefore, you should really get fan rated 40W such as those at Amazon. With three of them in your fixture there will be so much light that you may want to tie them into a dimmer. Not a problem in a huge high ceilinged room, of course.

Joe

[trader4]

From the DOE Energy Star website:

"Ceiling Fans For ceiling fans, you have a variety of options. Spiral bulbs can be used but most people prefer the look of covered light bulbs such as =93A=94-shape, candles, or small reflectors. For some ceiling fans, the size of the CFL will be important. A lot of manufacturers are developing other CFLs for use specifically in ceiling fans."

I don't know about your ceiling fans, but mine are virtually vibration free.

[ransley]

Vibration could ruin led or cfls early.

[Don Klipstein]

In , Sam Takoy wrote mainly:

As for retail-available ones, there are "60W-equivalent" candelabra- base CFLs having actual wattage around 14 watts or so.

They don't produce more heat than 40W incandescents, despite CFLs being more efficient at producing non-radiant heat than incandescents are.

My guess at this moment such CFLs are good for 700-800 lumens, maybe claiming at least 800. 700 lumens is "lowish 60 watt equivalence". Three of these CFLs out-lumens even a 100W 120V halogen or two 50W 12V halogens designed to last typically 2,000 hours or more.

==============

I would rather go with "40W-equivalent", in order to avoid the most-aggressive design. I have good experience with 40W-equiv. CFLs with outer bulbs in ceiling fan fixtures. They use only 9 watts each.

===============

Starting dimmer and needing a full minute or 2 to warm up is worse for CFLs that have outer bulbs over the tubing, not-as-bad for ones with bare tubing. (At least generally!)

However, I don't see many candelabra-base CFLs without outer bulbs.

Any chance of replacing the candelabra sockets with E26 ones?

=======

[Don Klipstein]

I would say go for medium base AKA E26, 13-watt bare spiral tubing CFL.

I have years of experience with that being OK. Looking close to 800 lumens from each 13 watt spiral CFL.

[Don Klipstein]

Although I largely agree, I would give some caution as to heat production from CFLs:

I had a 42 watt CFL produce slightly more temperature rise of a fixture than a 60 watt incandescent.

"How Can That Be?"

CFLs are more efficient than incandescents at producing both light and non-radiant heat. CFLs are much less efficient at producing optical-band infrared than incandescents are.

As for CFLs that won't overheat a fixture rated for 60W incandescents:

26-watt CFLs ("full 100 watt incandescent equivalence") won't overheat the fixture, but they could easily overheat themselves in fixtures other than table lamps. And, I am happy with how 13W CFLs behave even in ceiling fan fixtures with the fan not running.

[Don Klipstein]

lumens:

These have been here in as much as "60W equiv" for at least a year, probably 2 years already.

[Don Klipstein]

In , Joe wrote (slightly edited for space by me [e-mail])

My experience is that vibration in ceiling fan fixtures does not kill CFLs.

My take is that fan makers do not want to be nailed to a wall for some reason or another...

Meanwhile, I have seen CFL makers "stepping up to the plate" - but only "endorsing" ceiling fan usage of CFLs as high as 9 watts by marketing 9 watt "ceiling fan CFLs". In my experience so far...

My biggest gripe with 9W ceiling fan CFLs is their design with outer bulbs - heavily correlating with starting dimmer and needing more time to0 warm up.

Then again, I have been happy for almost 12 years with performance of

13W bare-tubing spiral CFLs in a ceiling fan fixture.

[Don Klipstein]

How worse than with incandescent?