Exceeding Maximum Wattage Light Fixture

What would happen if i used y splitters and had 4x 23 watt cfls going through each socket.

Exceeding maximum wattage light fixture. From the insulation on the wire to the insulation in the fixture and the materials that make up the socket installing a light bulb that exceeds the maximum wattage can cause excessive heating that can ultimately damage the fixture. The simple formula to calculate the maximum wattage of a light fixture is. 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. Every light fixture is constructed to handle a certain maximum wattage.

A 100 watt bulb is going to emit a certain amount of heat and the fixture is rated to take that heat. If a fixture is rated for a maximum of 60 watts then it s dangerous to exceed that. The simple answer is yes as long as the led bulb uses less wattage than your fixture. If it doesn t have a rating err on the conservative side.

So you can make use of this formula. 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. When you see a label say 100 watt led equivalent that does not mean that the bulb actually uses 100 watts it means that it produces an amount of light equivalent to a 100 watt incandescent bulb. That s what it s rated for and you can t put more than that.

And if it s an older fixture that may not have modern wiring be even more conservative. When it comes to fluorescents you re only using a quarter of the energy. First of all if your fixture has a maximum wattage rating only use bulbs in it that do not exceed that rating. If your socket says not to exceed 60 watts it is referring the dangers of high heat output associated with incandescent bulbs.

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 some specialty lamps or other fixtures may have even lower watt ratings for other safety reasons. Installing a bulb or group of bulbs that exceeds either individual or combined socket wattage ratings can have detrimental effects. Wattage w voltage v x current draw i however it is important to take into account the resistance factor as well when you want to calculate the maximum wattage of a light fixture.

If you re lucky enough to avoid a fire you risk damaging your fixture s sockets or wiring.