quick energy saving flourescent question

Morning!

Am I right in thinking that a particular glass enclosed light fitting is rated at a certain wattage because of heat dissipation?

Am I also right in thinking that because of this I can replace a 60W bulb in said fitting (it maxes at 75W but where can you get 75W bulbs?) with a 25W or higher energy saver (100W equivalent)?

There's physically enough room 'cos the enclosure is a big glass balloon.....

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

Reply to
Witchy
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Yes. The limit is for the actual wattage, not the incandescent equivalent. If the fitting says 60W, you could install a 60W (250W equiv) energy saving bulb, if they existed.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

yup

yup again

Reply to
John Rumm

However, that would mean the 60W fluorescent would be as hot as a 60W incandescent, and it's life would be a few minutes if you're lucky.

Generally, there's a 1:4 ratio between fluoresent and incandescent power ratings for the same light output, so this isn't a problem. In the US, higher power retrofit compact fluorescents are available, but from the reports I've seen, they are very unreliable, having very strict operating conditions (e.g. only base down and only in unenclosed fittings), but they still overheat and kill themselves.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Thanks all, brighter kitchen here we come!

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

Reply to
Witchy

On 22/01/2004 Witchy opined:-

Too some extent, yes. But remember that the energy saver equivalent includes electronics and that the electronics will not be able to withstand the same heat build up as would a normal bulb. In other words the fitting itself might well be OK, but the energy saver might not be happy running at an higher temperature.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

That's true, but in this case the globe is suitably large, ie bigger than a football. Plenty of surface area for heat dissipation, which is why I'm wondering why it's restricted to 75W in the first place.

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

Reply to
Witchy

Nasty greenish discontinuous spectrum kitchen here you come.

Reply to
Simon Gardner

Yeah well, there is that too :) The situation is aided somewhat by 3

50W downlighters over the cooker and worksurfaces etc....

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

Reply to
Witchy

When we moved in to our present house many years ago, my stomach was quite turned by the ghastly colour cast caused by the kitchen flourescent. Swapped it out for a track light with multiple incandescent GS lights. Nice colour. More recently I have tried to cut the heat output of various things because of nasty hot summers and swapped the GS bulbs for those 'energy saving' bulbs. Apart from the fact that they certainly don't last for years, we now have the horrid colour effect back again. You can't win.

Reply to
Simon Gardner

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