I've got a ceiling fan that has 4 lamps on it. I have had a hell of a time trying to find the right bulbs for it because they're a special base/bulb. I finally found a set of bulbs but they're 60w incandescent. Now, the lamp fixtures (sockets) themselves, which are ceramic, have the typical "40w max" warning. I know those ratings are usually a little conservative but can I honestly get away with adding 80 additional watts to a fixture like that?

The shades are a thick glass/ceramic, and are open (meaning you can see/touch the bulbs without removing them). Also, the fan is always running, so head dissipation shouldn't be a huge problem. I'm just worried about the wiring. House was built in 1980-something and has modern circuit breakers not fuses.

Very likely you will be fine.  80 watts is really very little, and all of my ceiling fans have 60 watt bulbs regardless of what it says.

One ceiling fan has florescent bulbs.  Despite my hatred for them, it produces nice bright light -they just can't be dimmed.

Quote from: john on January 12, 2014, 09:08:13 PM
Very likely you will be fine.  80 watts is really very little, and all of my ceiling fans have 60 watt bulbs regardless of what it says.

One ceiling fan has florescent bulbs.  Despite my hatred for them, it produces nice bright light -they just can't be dimmed.

Thanks.

The problem is my fixture requires a special size bulb AND special size base. Stupid damned thing. I wish I had known that or thought to check it out when I bought the fan.

They make dimmable CFLs.

Go LED!

Would an adapter be out of the question?

Can you measure the wire gauge?

Tried ebay rather than your local hardware store?



Also could it cause issues with insurance should a fire occur if they find "overkill" bulbs in there?

I sold light fixtures and ceiling fans for 5 years... the only base I could see being and issue to find bulbs for would be an intermediate base (also known as an E17).  Many times, the fixture takes an odd bulb for aesthetic purposes; however, there are a few cases where the odd bulb is there because of limits of the fixture itself... made that way so you cannot install a bulb that shouldn't go in there.  I see this mostly with flood type bulbs.  Though you could probably get away with it without ever a problem... most manufacturers will not warranty the fixture if you don't use an equivalent recommended replacement bulb, or in a worst case scenario (fire or something), insurance companies may not cover you if the misused fixture is determined at fault.  Seems like a stretch, but there are a few companies that view it the same as using the wrong breaker in your breaker panel.  Not to put a huge scare into you, as millions of people misuse their light fixtures everyday, but it can happen.

The most common frustrating ceiling fan bulb off the top of my head is the R14 (bulb size) E17 (base size) combination... that one is common enough now that there are CFL and LED replacements for them making their way to store shelves.

If you need more light output... I'd suggest looking at CFL and LED bulbs that meet the requirements of the fixture... and if you need dimming, the cost of these will be more significant.  I would weight out how much a different fixture would cost with reasonable replacement bulbs versus the one you have now with proper bulb upgrades.

- Bboy

Edit: Forgot to ask... what bulb shape/size and base size does the fixture actually call for?  Somewhere on the package, fixture, or manual it should say 4 things about the bulb =size/shape, base size, and wattage.  Most ceiling fans now take upto 60 watt, B10 (bulb shape/size), candelabra base E12 (base size).

Being a registered Sparkie here I should point out that normally it is the lamp base construction that limits the wattage (Heat) - ceramic bases should be fine for up to nearly 300W lamps at normal (in)efficiency, but you should check the fittings wiring to see if the insulation is rated for a higher temperature.

Normal PVC insulated wiring is rated for either 75 or 90 degrees C, and higher temperatures by using either heat resistant sleeving or silicone insulation.

Your circuit breakers shouldn't pop unless you have way to many lights on a single circuit (unlikely) - I would say you should be ok with a minor increase in wattage - just keep an eye out for discoloration of the base or wiring after a week / a month of use.

LED is the way to go if it an option - lot more efficient, better life expectancy etc. 

Quote from: BockinBboy on January 13, 2014, 09:07:30 AM
I sold light fixtures and ceiling fans for 5 years... the only base I could see being and issue to find bulbs for would be an intermediate base (also known as an E17).  Many times, the fixture takes an odd bulb for aesthetic purposes; however, there are a few cases where the odd bulb is there because of limits of the fixture itself... made that way so you cannot install a bulb that shouldn't go in there.  I see this mostly with flood type bulbs.  Though you could probably get away with it without ever a problem... most manufacturers will not warranty the fixture if you don't use an equivalent recommended replacement bulb, or in a worst case scenario (fire or something), insurance companies may not cover you if the misused fixture is determined at fault.  Seems like a stretch, but there are a few companies that view it the same as using the wrong breaker in your breaker panel.  Not to put a huge scare into you, as millions of people misuse their light fixtures everyday, but it can happen.

The most common frustrating ceiling fan bulb off the top of my head is the R14 (bulb size) E17 (base size) combination... that one is common enough now that there are CFL and LED replacements for them making their way to store shelves.

If you need more light output... I'd suggest looking at CFL and LED bulbs that meet the requirements of the fixture... and if you need dimming, the cost of these will be more significant.  I would weight out how much a different fixture would cost with reasonable replacement bulbs versus the one you have now with proper bulb upgrades.

- Bboy

Edit: Forgot to ask... what bulb shape/size and base size does the fixture actually call for?  Somewhere on the package, fixture, or manual it should say 4 things about the bulb =size/shape, base size, and wattage.  Most ceiling fans now take upto 60 watt, B10 (bulb shape/size), candelabra base E12 (base size).

I don't need more light, I just couldn't find anything but a damn 60w for it. It is in fact an "intermediate" size bulb. The one I found is exactly the same dimensionally, it's just that it's 60w versus 40w like the original.

Quote from: Kiwingenuity on January 13, 2014, 11:42:00 AM
Being a registered Sparkie here I should point out that normally it is the lamp base construction that limits the wattage (Heat) - ceramic bases should be fine for up to nearly 300W lamps at normal (in)efficiency, but you should check the fittings wiring to see if the insulation is rated for a higher temperature.

Normal PVC insulated wiring is rated for either 75 or 90 degrees C, and higher temperatures by using either heat resistant sleeving or silicone insulation.

Your circuit breakers shouldn't pop unless you have way to many lights on a single circuit (unlikely) - I would say you should be ok with a minor increase in wattage - just keep an eye out for discoloration of the base or wiring after a week / a month of use.

LED is the way to go if it an option - lot more efficient, better life expectancy etc. 

I'd totally go with LED (when I move, everything in my new house is going to be LED, and I'm going to do the wiring myself) but the problem is that it's a funny sized base like BockinBboy was talking about. It's bigger than a candelabra (c7) and smaller than a normal edison base. It's more like a C9 size.

http://www.bulbs.com/

I bet its the European base (E14).  Most places around here only carry that in the specialty bulb section, usually in an appliance bulb package.  You'd have better luck online if you can confirm the base size.

- Bboy

Have you tried Jaycar? They do an E14 LED replacement..

Something like
http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SL2222&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1007#12

EDIT: Wrong Country.. whoops.. try Adidasguys suggested site.  I am sure you can get your mitts on an LED option for nearly anything these days.