Hating my new ceiling fans! Lights too dim!

15 years ago

Our new home was just recently completed. The lighting consultant (sales lady) helped me choose all the light fixtures. We have 3 upstairs ceiling fans that I can not stand! They only allow for three (3) 40W candelabra bulbs. She talked me into the frosted globe that masks the bulbs, but I think that diffuses the lights even more. The rooms are fairly large bedrooms, and I have a hard time seeing at night in this dim lighting. (I'm only 34 years old, so it's not my eye sight!) The electrical outlets were not wired for lamps to turn on with the wall switch. This is Texas and ceiling fans in the bedroom is very standard for your only overhead light source.

When the lighting company came for another service call, I asked their rep about a different light kit. He said that pretty much all the ceiling fans only allow for 120 - 140W due to new environmental laws. Is this for real?

Can I fudge and put it larger bulbs? The fixture says 40w max.

I'm seriously considering taking them down and putting put up chandeliers. Then we would have to buy floor fans.

Featured Answer

Granite_Man

15 years ago

We switched out all of our incandescent fan bulbs for these. $2.90 per bulb for 800 lumens seems fair to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: 13W Candelabra - 800 Lumens

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Comments (6)

DavidR
15 years ago
The usual 40 watt candelabra base incandescent produces around 450 lumens. You can get 13 or 14 watt compact fluorescents with candelabra bases and outputs in the 600-825 lumen range, which would increase your light by 33% to 83%. The only concern would be whether they'd fit into your fixture's globe.

http://1000bulbs.com/product/7653/FC13-4T213C.html

http://www.greenelectricalsupply.com/14-watt-candelabra-base-cfl-warm-white-3000k.aspx

As always, no endorsement is intended; these links are strictly for your information.

Here is a link that might be useful: TCP candelabra base 13 watt CF
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rthomas210
13 years ago
This worked...I normally do not post to forums but I had to do this one. This forum saved my brain. My ceiling fan lights were super dim. I couldn't figure it out until I read this forum. My ceiling fan has a on/off push button on the wall plate. After reading someone's remote on/off buttton acted as a dimmer I decided to try my wall plate on/off button and IT WORKED!! IT WORKED!!... I was elated. Now I can see again....
hdihawaii
11 years ago
Thank you so much for your post. I was having problems with the ceiling fan lights becoming dimmer over time. Was gonna change bulbs out when I come accross your post. Pressed remote for lights and held down until light intensity increased. Wow. Max intensity is very bright ( 3 candle bulbs 40 W.)
Krystal Conklin
10 years ago
Okay. I had to comment. .. after months of irritation. .. different bulbs etc. We thought we were going to lose our minds over this dim lighting in our living room. Sure enough. .. hold the button down and it gets so bright! Guess that is what we get for not reading the manual. You all saved our sanity! Thanks for the comments!
parker25mv
10 years ago
Hahaha, stupid consumers! It may look "pretty" at the store, but how is that lamp actually going to function when it comes to what it was actually designed to do—putting out light ??

Fixtures that use candelabra bulbs are not the best option if you want bright white light. Lower wattage incandescent bulbs tend to give off duller more orange-colored light than higher wattage bulbs. And the LED candelabra bulbs can be expensive if you want the ones that put out more light.