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Can you put a lower watt bulb in a higher watt fixture?
When it comes to replacing old incandescent bulbs with LEDs, a common question that customers ask is: “Can I use an LED bulb that has a higher wattage equivalent than my fixture allows?” The simple answer is yes, as long as the LED bulb uses less wattage than your fixture.
What happens if you use a light bulb with a lower wattage?
This heat can melt the light socket as well as the insulation of the wires. Once that happens, you put yourself at risk of arc faults, and this is something that could even lead to property fires.
What happens if I put a 100W bulb in a 60w socket?
Putting a 100-watt bulb in a 60-watt fixture could cause intense heat, melting the light socket and the insulation on the fixture’s wires. Any time you have that kind of damage on wires, you’re at a big risk for arc faults, where an electrical current falls off its intended path— a leading cause of home fires.
Can I get a lower watt bulb?
Yes, going with a lower wat bulb doesn’t present any major safety concerns for your home. The only drawback is that the bulb will offer weaker light than what a higher wattage bulb would have. But as long as you’re satisfied with the amount of light you’re getting, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
Can you put a 75W bulb in 60w socket?
It simply means that the bulb, whether CFL or LED, is able to produce as much light as a 60-Watt incandescent. If your fixture is rated to accept 60 Watts, you can safely use 75W, 100W, or even 125W equal bulbs (which all draw less than 50 Watts of power) instead.
Can you replace 60W with 40W?
If you’re talking about an incandescent light, you can replace it with a 40 Watt bulb, a 15 Watt bulb, or even a 120 Watt bulb. If you change from a 60 Watt incandescent to a 40 Watt one, you’ll notice a few things. Light output will be the first.
Can I replace a light bulb with a higher wattage?
In other words, replacing your light bulb with a lower wattage should not be an issue; however, replacing it with higher wattage could potentially lead to overlamping – a safety hazard for your home What is Overlamping? Overlamping occurs when you buy a light bulb with a wattage that’s too high for your electrical fixture to handle.
Is it bad to put a 100 watt light in a fixture?
If a fixture is rated for a maximum of 60 watts, then it’s dangerous to exceed that. A 100-watt bulb will draw more power through the wires than they safely can handle. (It is okay, however, to put a bulb with lower wattage in that fixture—drawing less than the wire’s maximum load isn’t a problem.)
What wattage bulb do I need for my Lamp?
Once you identify your fixture’s wattage rating, buy a lamp that matches or is below what’s listed. As long as you don’t go over the manufacturer’s recommended wattage, you’ll be safe. If your fixture doesn’t have a wattage recommendation, the rule of thumb is to choose bulbs with 60-watts or lower.
How to choose the right light bulb for your fixture?
The critical factor is to make sure that the light bulb (or bulbs) inserted into a light fixture or lamp does not exceed the maximum wattage rating of the fixture. This requires you to inspect the light socket itself to identify its maximum wattage rating and choose a light bulb that is equal to, or less than, this rating.