Incandescent Canopy, Fluorescent Bulbs?

[fattikins]

Someone on my local forum apparently took some 15 watt fluorescent bulbs and stuck them in their regular old 10g incandescent canopy. They apparently screwed them in and just turned it on.
Does this work??
In my 10g incandescent canopy it says "Maximum 25 watt 'T' type bulbs" or something like that... does that matter in this situation?

Thanks for your help

 

[Rooster]

I think you are talking about "energy saving" lamps If so, then yes you can use them as a direct replacement... the maximum rating on your hood relates to the amount of heat the original lamp(s) it would be "safe" to run.... you can ignore that with energy saving lamps, as they emit far less heat.

If possible, get "daylight" versions... they look far more natural, and are to be preferred for use with plants.

 

[fattikins]

I think you are talking about "energy saving" lamps If so, then yes you can use them as a direct replacement... the maximum rating on your hood relates to the amount of heat the original lamp(s) it would be "safe" to run.... you can ignore that with energy saving lamps, as they emit far less heat.

If possible, get "daylight" versions... they look far more natural, and are to be preferred for use with plants.

Lol, yes that is what I'm talking about. Thanks for answering my question!

 

[nickelplates]

Although I agree that it will probably be ok you should be aware that in some types of fittings it is very easy to destroy Compact Flourescent Lamps because of overheating.

Although they put out far less heat than old fashioned incandescents if you are going to get a good life out of them they need to be cool. Some fittings designed for incandescent light bulbs have very little ventilation and are designed to run the bulb as hot as 200 deg C or so, incandescents couldn't care less at this temperature. Problem is you put a CFL in there and with it's much lower heat output it doesn't get anywhere near as hot but to get the full life out of a CFL you have to keep it below about 50 deg C otherwise it will die long before it should. This is why a lot of ceiling mounted downlighters can't be used with a CFL nowhere for the hot air to rise to and even though they run much cooler with CFLs they still destroy the bulbs through overheating!

It's probably ok but I would make sure that is some ventilation for the bulbs which are presumably in the top of the hood where all the heat they produce would otherwise be trapped and possibly make your relatively pricey CFL bulbs fail very quickly indeed.

The apparent contradiction in all this is a result of the delicate electronics in the base of the CFL and in particular the capacitors in the circuit which don't like the heat. An incandescent bulb on the other hand is fundamentally a bit of wire in a bottle. and will take all sorts of abuse.

 

[fattikins]

Although I agree that it will probably be ok you should be aware that in some types of fittings it is very easy to destroy Compact Flourescent Lamps because of overheating.

Although they put out far less heat than old fashioned incandescents if you are going to get a good life out of them they need to be cool. Some fittings designed for incandescent light bulbs have very little ventilation and are designed to run the bulb as hot as 200 deg C or so, incandescents couldn't care less at this temperature. Problem is you put a CFL in there and with it's much lower heat output it doesn't get anywhere near as hot but to get the full life out of a CFL you have to keep it below about 50 deg C otherwise it will die long before it should. This is why a lot of ceiling mounted downlighters can't be used with a CFL nowhere for the hot air to rise to and even though they run much cooler with CFLs they still destroy the bulbs through overheating!

It's probably ok but I would make sure that is some ventilation for the bulbs which are presumably in the top of the hood where all the heat they produce would otherwise be trapped and possibly make your relatively pricey CFL bulbs fail very quickly indeed.

The apparent contradiction in all this is a result of the delicate electronics in the base of the CFL and in particular the capacitors in the circuit which don't like the heat. An incandescent bulb on the other hand is fundamentally a bit of wire in a bottle. and will take all sorts of abuse.

...Oh boy... they are over a peice of glass so not much heat would escape... Oh, would drilling some holes be okay? Now that I look at it, the top is already laced with slits (probably for ventilation). Should I still drill?

 

[nickelplates]

...Oh boy... they are over a peice of glass so not much heat would escape... Oh, would drilling some holes be okay? Now that I look at it, the top is already laced with slits (probably for ventilation). Should I still drill?

I wouldn't get too paranoid, if it's already got some vents I'd bung your CFLs in and try it but when you first switch it on see how much heat builds up under there, the bulbs should be no more than warm to the touch, definitely not too hot to touch or you will find they don't last long. I'm no expert, but that's what I'd do if it was mine. If after that you think there is a problem you'd better get your drill out and make some more holes!

 

[Rooster]

If they are designed for incandescent lamps, then you can FILL it with energy savers.....
As for air flow, bulkhead lights are SEALED and they are in widespread use - in fact we have a "drum" light in our bathroom (sealed again) which I converted to energy savers, and thats had 3 lamps in 10 years !

 

[BigC]

You can buy ceramic lamp/bulb holders and fit a small PC fan to dissapate heat.
Back in the cave men days of this hobby I used to use candle bulbs 40w
Regards
BigC

 

[fattikins]

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[nickelplates]

While I hear what everyone is jumping in and saying and respect the fact that it is based on your experiences I think a little caution in terms of where CFLs are used is appropriate. I am a great fan of them and every light in my house is a CFL except, the bathroom because of the risk of damp in the electronics and wall mounted lights in the living room because they are on a dimmer. If you want to know all (and I mean all) about CFLs you could try this link.

http/sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm

I have read a huge amount of Rod Elliot's writing and built items based on some of his designs and while I doubt his qualifications on environmental issues you will go a long way to find anyone better qualified in a wide spectrum of electrical and electronic engineering. Of course as far as heat is concerned a bathroom light will likely be fine as they don't tend to be on long enough for heat to build up, that doesn't mean you should use them in the bathroom though because the electronics doesn't like moisture either.

As I said before I am not suggesting you hack your hood about, try it, but if it gets hot don't expect to get 10,000 hours life out of the bulbs.

 

[Rooster]

While I hear what everyone is jumping in and saying and respect the fact that it is based on your experiences I think a little caution in terms of where CFLs are used is appropriate. I am a great fan of them and every light in my house is a CFL except, the bathroom because of the risk of damp in the electronics and wall mounted lights in the living room because they are on a dimmer. If you want to know all (and I mean all) about CFLs you could try this link.

[URL="http/sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm"]http/sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm[/URL]

I have read a huge amount of Rod Elliot's writing and built items based on some of his designs and while I doubt his qualifications on environmental issues you will go a long way to find anyone better qualified in a wide spectrum of electrical and electronic engineering. Of course as far as heat is concerned a bathroom light will likely be fine as they don't tend to be on long enough for heat to build up, that doesn't mean you should use them in the bathroom though because the electronics doesn't like moisture either.

As I said before I am not suggesting you hack your hood about, try it, but if it gets hot don't expect to get 10,000 hours life out of the bulbs.

Sorry, but this is "tosh" ! the electronics in a CFL are sealed - or they should be, the lamp in the bathroom is sealed - or it should be. and how long DO you run your lamps for ? 10,000 hours ? thats a 1000 days, or 3 years ?? everyone else changes their lamps - duff or not, every 6 months or a year at most.
Please quit this scaremongering !

 

[nickelplates]

While I hear what everyone is jumping in and saying and respect the fact that it is based on your experiences I think a little caution in terms of where CFLs are used is appropriate. I am a great fan of them and every light in my house is a CFL except, the bathroom because of the risk of damp in the electronics and wall mounted lights in the living room because they are on a dimmer. If you want to know all (and I mean all) about CFLs you could try this link.

<a href="http/sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm" target="_blank">http/sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm</a>

I have read a huge amount of Rod Elliot's writing and built items based on some of his designs and while I doubt his qualifications on environmental issues you will go a long way to find anyone better qualified in a wide spectrum of electrical and electronic engineering. Of course as far as heat is concerned a bathroom light will likely be fine as they don't tend to be on long enough for heat to build up, that doesn't mean you should use them in the bathroom though because the electronics doesn't like moisture either.

As I said before I am not suggesting you hack your hood about, try it, but if it gets hot don't expect to get 10,000 hours life out of the bulbs.

Sorry, but this is "tosh" ! the electronics in a CFL are sealed - or they should be, the lamp in the bathroom is sealed - or it should be. and how long DO you run your lamps for ? 10,000 hours ? thats a 1000 days, or 3 years ?? everyone else changes their lamps - duff or not, every 6 months or a year at most.
Please quit this scaremongering !

I think you will find it is the manufacturers of the lights who recommend that they last 10,000 hours which is why I quoted it here. It is not true that the electronics are sealed, they are not exactly hanging out in the breeze but sealed they most definitely are not, at least not in most CFLs.

I think CFLs are great and use them wherever they are appropriate (most bulbs in my house are CFLs) but no I don't blindly put them in every light holder in my house as it is naive to regard them as a drop in replacement for incandescents in every situation. I've seen far too many threads on here deteriorate into a slanging match and I am not going to be drawn into one, I have offered valid information which anyone can verify with a quick google on the web. I have also suggested the original poster go ahead and install them in his hood, just cautioned him to watch for heat build up and remember he should be looking for the bulbs to run MUCH cooler than incandescents, hardly scare mongering.

Someone mentioned ceramic holders, these are designed for incandescents because they run very hot in enclosed fittings, if the light is running hot enough to damage a heat resistant plastic holder do you really think the plastic base of the CFL would cope never mind the electronics inside.

 

[Rooster]

Wouldnt use ceramic holders anyway... they are difficult to seal, and seal you MUST unless you enjoy dicing with death
One of our local electrical shops does lamp holders designed for outside use (decorative lighting ?) and they are waterproof... but having said that, i would imagine the hood would have something like these already - if incandescents were in use.