Using 100 watt bulb in 60 watt lamp

[tenplay]

As I get older, I am needing more light to read and tasks. I have a couple of lamps that are rated at 60 watts. Is there any harm in using higher wattage bulbs to increase the illumination? Thanks.

[udarrell]

100 watt bulb produces a lot more heat than a 60 watt bulb and cold cause a dangerous fire situation! - udarrell

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

As a consumer I am very happy that manufactures have found ways to dump liability on me. If you actually look at what people purchase, most every American would agree with me. I only regret that I cannot purchase a product "as-is".

I know that no matter how hard a manufacturer tries eventually their products will result in death and the manufacturer will be forced to pay out millions which comes out of the consumer's pocket. Just look at the dangers posed by dihydrogen oxide. As you have undoubtedly read, dihydrogen oxide has been found to be a major threat to the environment and to human and animal health. Here are the facts: In 1991, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 4,100 Americans- many of them under the age of 10- died from excessive dosages of dihydrogen oxide commonly found in many homes and recreation sites. Our polluted lakes, rivers and oceans are known to contain vast quantities of dihydrogen oxide. On this, there is no controversy! Contaminated ground water? Same tragic situation. In California, Missouri and Georgia families have lost their homes to dihydrogen oxide contamination. In some applications, dihydrogen oxide is a major contributor to injuries from falls. In other applications dihydrogen oxide is a major cause of burns.

Why does America endure this wasteful destruction of our planet, our children and ourselves? Greed. Simple greed and stupidity. (according to some) According to me, with my unpopular belief in better living through modern chemistry, dihydrogen oxide is about the best thing we have going.

Hope this helps, William

[Paul Franklin]

Yes, often they will overheat. A 100 bulb puts out a lot more heat. This can melt plastic parts, or even damage the bulb socket and wiring.

What you can do is replace with a compact flourescent. A 60 watt CF gives out as much or more light than a 100 watt incandescent but runs cooler. They are available in shapes that will screw into a standard lamp socket.

HTH,

Paul

[Dan C]

It cold? Oh my!

[Dan C]

What would you *think* the answer to this question would be? Why do you think the manufacturers bother to put ratings and warnings on things?

Were you born this dumb?

[RBM]

think the manufacturers bother to put ratings and warnings on things?

My personal opinion is that it has more to do with liability than safety. In the electrical and lighting industry the materials used over the last forty or so years have improved greatly yet in the case of the lighting industry the allowable wattage keeps decreasing. It's routine for a lighting fixture to have a warning not to connect it to wiring rated at less than 90 degrees, like your going to rewire eighty percent of the houses that want to install fixtures in them. I don't think so. I'm sure a good portion of these ratings is just to pass the liability on to you the installer or the consumer

[RBM]

[RBM]

Yikes Joseph, no I'm not suggesting anyone do anything stupid. I think common sense has to be applied to his situation and I'm not trying to evaluate his fixture from where I sit. I base my opinion on what I've seen in the lighting and electrical industry first hand over the last thirty five years. Just MY opinion !!!

[RBM]

[wayne]

not advisable you can get a compact fluorescent that will put out more light for less watts. A more important thing to look at is where is the light going? The light for reading should be coming in over your shoulder to avoid shadows for working on a workbench overhead is OK but will create shadows 2 lights at the end along with an overhead light will work best? It is not the wattage you need to look at but the lumens and the type of lamp or enclosure any lamp or fixture with a reflector will provide more light to a specific place. A good example is car headlights most are 55 watts but they vary in brightness depending on how well designed the housing and reflector are made.

Wayne

tenplay wrote:

[Doug Miller]

Your personal opinion, however, is incorrect. It has everything to do with safety. I've had the misfortune of needing to replace numerous light fixtures that previous homeowners used 100W bulbs in, despite the clear warnings "Danger risk of fire use 60W max". The excessive heat of the 100W bulbs has, in every case, severely damaged the fixture wires, causing the insulation to harden, crack, and fall off.

[Joseph Meehan]

So do you suggest the homeowner take the chance? Maybe it will not burn you home down.

[Doug Miller]

No, it's not the fixture that's a fire hazard. The hazard is in using bulbs that are too hot for the fixture. That's why limits are posted.

Believe what you wish. The fact remains that, when installed correctly and used with bulbs that do not exceed their rating, fixtures of any type are safe

- and the use of bulbs that do exceed the rating can be dangerous.

[anoldfart2]

Just be sure you got good fire insurance.

[Punch]

spelling flames are lame, especially when you make them in follow-up post's.

[Chip C]

I second the advice, but I differ on the math; around here it's the 23W CFs that are rated as equivalent to 100W incandescents. If one fits in the lamp (the 23s are not the smallest) and the lamp isn't on a dimmer switch or something, you should find that works fine and runs cooler than the 40.

I use a 23W CF in my shop light. Nice bright light, stays cool in close quarters and it'll even survive a bit of a bump. Great minds must think alike, it's one of the bright reader ideas in this month's Fine Homebuilding.

Chip C

[George E. Cawthon]

You are getting a bunch of BS answers. First, you can use the maximum size stated on the fixture, but don't use a bigger bulb. Some fixture don't say anything but you can test it by putting your hand on the shade which can get warm but not hot unless it is metal. The real solution may be move the fixture closer or buy new fixtures that use larger or multiple bulbs, use fixture that are shorter so the bulb is closer to the work area, or buy fixtures that allow moving the bulb such as a parallel extension light.

[Joseph Meehan]

But do you think very may people have the ability to make that evaluation? I am sure you have seem some of the stuff people think is OK. It is best to stick with the rules here.

PS: I know you did not suggest they ignore the problem, but I am sure many people reading it would take it that it is fine to ignore the sticker.

[Don Wiss]

In addition to the possible harm to yourself and your environment, as pointed out by others, it would most likely shorten the bulb life. If the bulb can't dissipated the heat its life will be shortened.

Don (e-mail link at home page bottom).