fixture wattage question

[Fritz]

when a fixture is marked for max 75wts, that refs to the heat given off by a 60w incandescent bulb, but I could still replace that with a 14w LED, correct?

[Tiangou]

So long as the heat from the LED does not exceed that of a typical 75w incandescent, you're good.

Just be sure that there's decent air circulation in and around the fixture if you want to maximize the life of the bulb. Fixtures designed for incandescent bulbs may not leave enough room around the base of the LED lamp for heat dissipation from the power-conversion circuitry in there.

[Fritz]

aaaaaaahhhhhhh, couldn't find a "75w", so I'll settle for as it was at 60wt.

[special]

for LED, avoid fully enclosed fixtures if you can.

[JoeH]

It can vary depending on the fixture. The wattage limit for older fixtures is based on incandescent bulbs where the heat is more distributed over the bulb and base. For LED and CFL bulbs the heat dissipation is concentrated at the base where their power supplies are located. So there may not be enough air circulation there if you go too high a wattage.

[Fritz]

it's a vanity fixture, not enclosed in the least

[RAMd®d]

when a fixture is marked for max 75wts, that refs to the heat given off by a 75w incandescent bulb, but I could still replace that with a 14w LED, correct?


Yes.

I also take a look at the AC line cord because on occasion I've seen decorative standalone lamps with very like 'decorative' cords that might not play well with a larger wattlage Incan regardless of what the sticker says.

That's not your situation though.

The drivers for LEDs are where the heat is, and they're in the base.

Some run hotter than others, so an open fixture is always best if not always necessary.

I tend to believe the LED components are not significantly impacted by the heat of the base, though there be exceptions, I'm sure.

To that end, I'd prefer mounting situations where the bulb is used base down, or horizontally.

I don't really know if it makes a difference or how much of one, if it does.

It may be all moot, since I've never come close to the 50,000hr life span once touted.

In fact, now the figure I see is 30,000hrs, and I'm not sure even that's to be trusted.

Truth be told, I have two incans still running, outlasting every CFL and a few LEDs I've used.

This is because of a little thermistor I put in between the bulb and base.

They both come to full brightness very quickly, faster than my last few CFLs.

I thought they were a gimmick, and had I known then... I would have bought a lot more.

But they probably don't do anything for CFLs or LED bulbs.

[pdq]

When they first became available, LED bulbs were expensive and often massively underperformed their claimed expected lifetime. (I know from personal experience).

Now they’re cheap and basically bulletproof. Haven’t had to change one in years.

And to answer your question, yah, it’ll be fine. As noted above, those were limits based on incandescent heat output, not light output.