OT: Light Discussion

You can use those twisty ones IF they will fit and you don't have remote control on your fan. I have 2 fans and I use the Reveal ones and they are 60 watts and are perfect light. BTW my cieling fans have 5 on one and 4 on the other. It is amazing at the difference in the light and how much better everything looks. You may even want to get a floor lamp with a Reveal bulb and place it right next to you.

Harry My Ebay Auctions are at

I use 11 watt energy efficient bulbs in my ceiling fan (bought for $2 each at IKEA, but they've been going for two years now....). My fan is like your DH's, so we have varying degrees of light.

I don't do my beading in the computer room (some call it the dining room ;o). I use a table set up behind our breakfast bar, and up on the bar, I have a regular gooseneck lamp with a 60watt bulb in it. When I am really concerned about color matching, I will move over to my sewing table, which is where my big gooseneck Ottlight is. I take all my pictures under the Ottlight, too, because that's near the patio door, and I can get really good lighting :o)

You can absolutely use compact fluorescents in your fan, as long as they fit (they are a little bulky, and don't always physically fit into the small spaces made for incandescent bulbs). There are a few things to keep in mind:

The color of some compact fluorescents yields a less "readable" light than others.... so although it is, technically, a brighter light, it won't seem bright enough. Look for ones that say "5000K" or 5100K" on the package; that color rating mimics outdoor light, and will give you the truest color of any of the bulbs. Avoid the "warm" ones.

Compact fluorescents can't be used with a dimmer... I know you already said you don't have a dimmer, but just in case you had one installed in the future, you'd have to use regular bulbs with it.

General info for everyone - When changing bulbs in any fixture, make sure you're aware of the wattage rating - it's usually stickered right on the socket - and stay within it. This is rarely an issue with compact fluorescents because they are so energy-efficient, but it bears repeating, just because I've seen so many close calls and one nasty fire from using too high of a wattage for the fixture. If it's not stickered, use no higher than 60 watts, and always use regular-size, not mini, bulbs; or if regular-size bulbs don't make sense for the light, consult with a local lighting store.

I just got a couple of the most excellent light bulbs from buylighting.com; they're 47 watt compact fluorescent 5100K bulbs that give about the light equivalent of a 150 watt incandescent bulb each, and I can, finally, take good *indoor* pictures of my beads... the colors stay true!

-Kalera

meijhana wrote:

Great tip! I'll check it out :o)

< Could you tell me the name of the bulb you bought? I went to the website, but they have a lot to choose from and I want to be sure to get the ones that are 5100K. Thanks.

Harry

My Ebay Auctions are at

Harry

My Ebay Auctions are at