Have you ever imagined what life would be like if all the bulbs around us suddenly disappeared in one night? The world will practically come to a halt at night time for sure.
Considering the ever-increasing demand for LED bulbs throughout the globe, we are going to discuss another crucial question regarding these bulbs that may be already popping up in your mind. Can you use LED bulbs in any light fixture?
LED Bulbs and Multiple Fixtures
Before diving deep into the topic, we want to clear out one thing first. Yes, you can use LED bulbs in any light fixture. But doing something like that isn’t advised by experts commonly.
We will discuss in detail why doing something like this is not advisable. The bulb’s base must be compatible with the fixture, even if you want to use multiple fixtures for LED bulbs.
The Halogen Fixtures Myth
The myth states that using an LED bulb for a halogen fixture will shatter the bulb into pieces as soon as you switch the whole system on.
Well, that is just a myth, and nothing like this will happen. Halogen fixtures are designed to support and control LED bulbs as well.
But doing something like this has cons of its own. The halogen fixtures are primarily designed to be compatible with old-school halogen bulbs.
There is a prominent difference in the power rating of halogens and LEDs. So, using a halogen fixture for an LED bulb will shorten the lifespan of your LED bulb.
What about the Incandescent Fixtures? Are they still in Business?
Even when the market is loaded today with halogen and LED bulb options, there is a good demand for incandescent fixtures and bulbs. But why is that?
A major reason behind this spike in sales is the nostalgia and classic aesthetics associated with these bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs were the first bulbs introduced in the market on a commercial level. These bulbs have a very specific fixture that can be used to power up a halogen or a LED bulb. But doing so is not advised by any of the experts.
Watt Rating for Multiple Bulbs
For this comparative analysis, we will consider a 700+ lumens bulb for all the wattage comparisons. An incandescent bulb will have a 60 W rating for 700+ lumens.
The Halogens will have 42 W, the CFL will have 12 W, and the LED will have 10 W power ratings, respectively.
Think about this, and you put a 10 W LED bulb into a fixture that generates and stabilizes 42 W of power. What do you think will happen?
The bulb will certainly burn out under the immense additional power provided.
- Mixing LED with incandescent fixtures
As discussed earlier, an incandescent bulb fixture will be designed to produce a 60 W power rating. Putting a 10 W LED bulb in a 60 W fixture will be a total disaster. But it is quite surprising to know that even with such visible incompatibility, some LED bulbs will work.
Modern LED bulbs are also designed to withstand power fluctuations, even if the fluctuation is quite high. But this doesn’t mean that the LED bulb will work efficiently. The bulb may withstand the huge power difference for some time. But soon enough, the lifespan of the bulb will start to decrease.
- Mixing LED with Halogen FixturesÂ
If using LED bulbs with fixtures other than their own is a fixed condition, halogen fixtures are comparatively more suitable than the rest. Why? Well, the power rating of a halogen fixture is somewhere around 42 W. Still quite high than the required power rating for a LED bulb but somewhat less than the incandescent fixtures.
Halogen fixtures are also a better option based on the fact that these fixtures come in designs that are compatible with the majority of the LED bulb bases available in the market today.
Getting Special Fixtures for LED Bulbs
If you are looking for the ideal LED bulb fixtures, go with the ones designed specifically for LED bulbs. The issue became prominent when the world got into a transition state from halogen bulbs to LED bulbs.
The halogen fixtures weren’t compatible with the introduced LED bulb bases.
Today, the market is packed with special fixtures designed to hold and power up LED bulbs without affecting their lifespan.
Modern LED special fixtures also come up with features, including power management following the LED bulb placed within the fixture.
Finding the Right Fixture for LED Bulbs
So, at this point, only one thing will be on your mind. If I can’t use LED bulbs in any light fixture, where can I find the right fixture for LED bulbs?
The answer to this is pretty simple and right in front of you. Let’s just assume that you have bought LED bulbs from Phillips.
Where can you get an LED fixture compatible with the Philips LED bulbs? The answer is the same store from which you bought the Philips LED bulb. Manufacturers of LED bulbs also manufacture the fixtures that support their relative LED-based products.
Things to Consider
We believe you should know one last thing about selecting the right fixture for your LED bulbs.
If you don’t want to get an expert to advise on the topic from someone in your vicinity nearby, that’s okay. Just remember to check these few things, and you will be good to go.
- The fixture’s design determines the type of LED bulbs it can power up. The majority of modern-day fixtures can be compatible with most LED bulbs.
- The wattage rating is one of the factors that is most ignored while selecting the right fixture. The wattage rating is a parameter that determines how much power will be provided by the fixture to the bulb. Any fixture having more wattage rating than the bulb itself will affect the life span of the bulb in a negative way.
Final Note
Can you use LED bulbs in any light fixture? Well, we hope you know the answer to this question. And that too with thorough, detailed reasoning. Feel free to ask us any questions if you have doubts about something.
