Ceiling fan: why the wattage restriction for lights?

Howdy gents,

I searched the forum and didn’t see this topic, so here it goes…

I have a standard, 15-year old Hunter ceiling fan with light kit, no dimmer. The unit specifies a 40-watt restriction for the lightbulb and I am wondering if that is due to an amperage restriction in the wires or to a heat restriction from the hot bulb?

Thanks!

Could be a limitation of both or Hunter just wants you sitting in the dark. :smiley:

Seriously though, a 40 watt lamp is pretty useless for lighting a room.

prolly cause the overseas manufacturer really doesn’t care if You can read and the undersize wire he uses saves him a fraction of a penny per unit…

Mostly due to wiring and heat for the limit of wattage

Paul you need to ask Hunter .

The wires could overheat and start a fire.
Never play around with safety.

Meanwhile I strongly suggest you stick to what the manufacturer says.
The manufacturer knows more than we do.

exactly! which is why I want to use a 75W-T3 halogen (cigarette-shaped bulb)

yeah…them are pricey and the reason I went with the T3 form-factor in the first place is because I need a high-intensity, low-profile bulb. T3 is the only bulb that comes to mind which fits that bill.

don’t get me started…

I wish that were true, but we’ve all called 800-numbers and gotten ahold of some minimum-wage receptionist who simply reads from a tip-sheet. I called Hunter last week to ask about using a 75W halogen, and the nice lady said something like, “ummmm…that’s a CFL, right? Yeah, that should be fine.”

Using a bulb that is above the rated maximum is a fire hazard, burn hazard or bulb life issue.

Not advisable.

These units are tested according to standards that specify maximum temperatures for wiring components and accessible parts.

A lower wattage bulb that give more light is the solution and that means either a compact florescent or LED.

With all this concern just change the thing.
Had I read the instructions on the ice cream I would not have ended up in the hospital last night.

(Allergic reaction)

The biggest concern is the amount of heat that is held inside the dome or shades. After long term of usage, the insulation is going to end up being brittle and eventually crack near the terminals of the lamp socket.
I just rewired and installed new sockets on a Tiffany style lamp last month. The wires had burnt off one socket and the other socket was going through the same situation. Age and heat will ruin the wiring inside the fixture.

Jeff