Improving Candelabra Light

I got a candelabra, 60W MAX wall fixture with a large rectangle shade. I have it above my bed as a reading light. However it is not bright enough for me and the bulb base makes a shade under the fixture where I need light.

Instead of using a standard 60W max candelabra bulb, I want to use an A12 (candelabra) to A26 (standard bulb) adapter and then a Y shaped splitter to two LED bulbs: 2x6.5W (13W in total) or 2x9W (18W in total). That will give me brightness, eliminate shade under and keep the fixture cool, way below 60W max.

Is it going to work? Is it acceptable?

 

They are a little expensive but you can buy 12 watt (85 to 100 watt) C-base LED bulbs.
If you go LED be sure to buy 2700K bulbs, this is a color rating and is close to incandescent.

 

Just one piece of advice.... 2700k is a little bit on the yellow side for reading. I'd think you'd want something nearer 3500k.



(you could change the fixture too)

 

Thanks, I want to keep the fixture and try avoiding re-wire. The fixture is wired for 60W max (thin wires). Does it matter if bulbs are incandescent or LED, as long as wattage is 60W MAX? LED is lower wattage so the thin wires should be OK for 2, 9W bulbs, right? Will the two additional adapters, candelabra to standard and to the splitter affect safety?

 

Doesn't matter what type if your referring to actual watts used not light output equivalent.

 

Thanks. I want to learn and be safe. What is the a difference between watts used and light output? How to estimate it or measure? Is a typical fixture wiring designed for 60W max incandescent good for 13W or 18W LED with 2 adapters used? (I am talking just about the light fixture; I have a good wire up to the light box in the wall).

 

Light output is how bright it is. Actual watts is the amount of current it uses. For example a LED bulb may be advertised as bright as a 60 watt incandescent bulb but its actual watts used is only seven.

 

Light output is measured in Lumens, sometimes you'll see it measured in foot-candles.
Wattage is the power consumption, LED is about six times more efficient than incandescent.

Degrees Kelvin is a measurement of the color of light measured in degrees Kelvin, ºK.
Kelvin heated steel until it was bright white and called this 10,000 ºK
As it cooled, it turned light blue, he called this 7,000 ºK
Deeper blue is 5,000 ºK
The warmer colors are in the 3,000 ºK range
2,700 ºK is more yellow and is as close to incandescent soft white as you'll find.
The irritating bright blue head lights you see on cars are 7,000 ºK. You'll see this color rating on the bulb or on the box it comes in.

ºK is also used in digital photography and videography, including the graphics industry.
In photography it's also referred to as white balance.

Another measurement of LED bulbs is CRI or Color Rendering Index. This is the ability of the bulb to reproduce the entire spectrum of light. In general, a bulb with a CRI of 90 or above is a good quality.

Note: In the Electrical trade, bulbs are known as lamps. Lamp is the correct term but almost everyone, except electricians, call them bulbs.

 

The adapters might still be needed as stand-offs to position the bulb (lamp) so the light is not shadowed by other parts of the fixture.

 

Thank you, guys, that was helpful.

My take on it is that switching to LED will take less current, less watts and the 60W max wiring in the fixture should be safe (even safer) with LED. I'll try a candelabra to standard socket adapter (E12 to E26) first and just a single LED light (probably 9W will do). Then, if I still need to address a shadow, I'll try a Y splitter. I don't think, that the adapters will increase the resistance/current/wattage too much.

Another question, I heard that LED light may be harmful to eyes and will damage eyes retina in a long run, especially the bright blue light (just in case, I'll stay with a warmer 2700K one). Any advice on that?

 

Just don't stare directly at the LEDs.

I prefer the higher color temperatures, especially for reading, somewhere in the 5000[SUP]o[/SUP] K range is best for me.

Have you tried a "corn" light, sometimes called a "cob" light? (I just call them corn cob lights.) This is a cylindrical or tubular assembly with a multitude of LEDs. I find they give a much better dispersion of light than do the A style of LED lamp. I have a 12 watt model in my bedside lamp that originally took a 60 watt incandescent. Since the "bulb" is totally hidden by the shade the appearance of the lamp has not changed. I get mine from China via eBay at pretty reasonable prices.

 

I'm relatively new to LEDs but so far I have only bought 5000°K and I love the light being cast. That said, I am definitely skewed toward natural spectrum lighting over 'warm' lighting.

As to your plan, do you physically have room under the shade for all this extra material?