Question about wattage.

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by TheH1ghLif3, Mar 22, 2012.

  1. #1 TheH1ghLif3, Mar 22, 2012
    With my lighting, I am using these as fixtures.
    It says that it has a rating of 150w.

    Now, I have found a local hardware store that sells 48w CFL's (240w equiv.) and was going to get some to swap them for my 20w CFL's (100w equiv.)

    My question is, are my fixtures 150w actual or equivalent and will they be able to power these bulbs without risk of overheating, shorting, ect.

    Cheers guys and girls :)
     
  2. #2 Jellyman, Mar 22, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 22, 2012
    150w is the wattage of the bulb included with the fixture. It's actual watts. The fixture doesn't really "power" anything. It just holds the bulb. The site doesn't seem to say what the maximum wattage is of any wires in the fixture. There should be a sticker on it, a stamp on it or an instruction pamphlet included with it that says the maximum wattage. It should handle at least 150w, though. You could measure the wire gauges, note the type of wire & use that info to find out what the highest wattage it can support is.
     
  3. #3 TheH1ghLif3, Mar 23, 2012

    Thanks for the reply mate :)
    So going on the fact that the globe that comes with it is 150w, can we assume that it could handle up to 150 actual watts? So it should be all good to use a 48w CFL?

    Thanks again for the help :)
     
  4. #4 Jamo16, Mar 23, 2012
    I had the same exact question! My fixtures say 75 watt max but I wanna get 100 watts CFLs that say there equivalent to 25. Will the fixtures support that?
     
  5. #5 IgnorantFool, Mar 23, 2012

    That's generally a heat rating...it means that the fixture can handle the heat generated by a 75W incandescent bulb...

    CFLs and incandescent bulbs do not produce the same amount of heat watt per watt, so experimenting may be in order...

    It will more than likely handle a 100W equivalent/25W actual CFL...
     
  6. #6 Jellyman, Mar 23, 2012
    While some bulbs list equivalent wattages, fixtures do not. If a fixture says 150w, it means an actual 150 watts. So yes, that fixture is supposed to be able to handle bulbs that are 48w or greater, up to 150w actual.

    Jamo: You mean a 25w CFL that's equivalent to 100w. But yes, the fixture's rating of 75 actual watts will support a 25w actual bulb.

    As I mentioned earlier, information about a fixture's electrical limits may be found on the fixture or in its instruction pamphlet, but you may also be able to speak directly with the company that made it as well. One thing to look for is an amperage rating. This figure will only pertain to the wiring and can't be confused with the heat ratings that Iggy mentioned.

    To be completely certain of how much current a fixture can handle, you'd need to inspect its wiring. You can measure the gauges of all of its wires, determine if they are solid or braided and of what material. This info can then be compared to charts easily found online that list what various wire types can handle. Unless you have reason to be confident that you know the purity of the conductor materials, always assume they are the lowest grade that matches their description. Without a knowledgeable person carefully examining the fixture's wiring, you'd have to make the assumption that any soldering & connections were done properly & support an equal or greater amount of current than the wires themselves.
     

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