I bought a reading lamp that on the box says: Max 1x40W
The shop also sold me an LED light bulb that says: 9W=75W
So my question is, can I use light bulb or not? I am confused between the 75W and the max of 40W mentioned for the lamp
Electrical – safely use a 9w LED bulb in place of a 40w incandescent
bedroombulbelectricalledlighting
Related Solutions
Do you have the space for an adapter like this one?
Lighting EVER Candelabra Screw (E12) to Medium Screw (E26) Enlarger Light Bulb Socket Adapter
Q: I'm going to overload it by using a larger bulb ?
A:
Electrically you are limited to the maximum amperage that the wiring will support, if it is rated for a 75W 125V then that's 0.6 Amps each (Wattage = Voltage * Amperage). You're not changing the voltage or number of lamp so it doesn't quite matter (doing the numbers that is). You can do up to the same amount of actual Wattage used, which for LEDs would be significantly less.
Heatwise, the LEDs should produce significantly less heat than incandescent, just make sure you have at least 1/8" between the LED's bulb and the shade/globe/etc and you should be alright; incandescent should be more like >1/2".
- CFL Side Note The same electricity rules apply for CFLs (or anything, note CFLs do have a peak turning on but I doubt you'll find a 75 actual Wattage CFL to fit), but I'd increase the minimum gap for heat to about the same as in incandescent ~1/2". I've had a few cheaper lamps with CFLs burn/melt so I'm a little over cautious with CFL and proximity even though they should produce less heat than their incandescent Lumen- relative counterpart.
Q: The bulbs will be put in sideways; I hear many LED bulbs are unidirectional; what degree/angle should I be looking for?
A: For unidirectional light, you probably need to find one with a diffuser or multiple LEDs pointing in different directions. If you can see the individual LED(s), it will shine light in the opposite direction(s) it/they are mounted only so if they all point in the same direction it's unidirectional. If you can't see the individual LED(s) then it is probably diffused (though it may not be diffused well)
I'm assuming this is a 100 watt equivalent bulb, that is actually only running 18-20 watts. Using a 100 watt equivalent will be safe as they run much cooler than even an incandescent.
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Best Answer
Yes. The fixture is concerned with heat. Your LED light bulb makes about 9 watts of heat. Your fixture is rated for a bulb that makes 40 watts of heat.
With an incandescent bulb, 98-99% of its wattage turns directly into heat. Even LEDs, 90% of their wattage turns into heat. For thermal planning, it's not worth pulling out the calculator. You're "close enough" just pretending it all becomes heat.
On the LED bulb, when it says "75 watt equivalent" it's trying to give ordinary consumers a general sense of how bright the bulb is - i.e. about as bright as an old style 75 watt incandescent. The more proper way to say that is "950 lumens", which is a unit of measure for describing brightness to human eyes.