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Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to leibold

Premium Member

to leibold

[Green Tech] Re: LED Bulbs + Totally Enclosed Fixtures + Cold Winters

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Thanks for your thoughts.

I guess I have to wonder just how much ventilation they need. Looking at the fixtures closer they are not technically fully enclosed. They have two drain holes at the base. And the top, which is removable to change bulbs, does not have a seal. It is metal on metal which allows the slightest gap due to the faces not being machined.

I have these US made 3M LED bulbs already and want to use them versus buying more. I installed them, guess we'll see how they do.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

2 recommendations

robbin

Mod

If those lights have two small screws securing the top which you remove to replace the bulb, how about putting a washer or two on each under the top to provide the slightest air gap. Won't take much .

Led light
@mycingular.net

2 recommendations

Led light to Lurch77

Anon

to Lurch77
I've got two post lights that are constructed the same as your wall mounts. I've been running 60w CREEs every night for nearly two years with no problem.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to robbin

Premium Member

to robbin
These use a threaded center post, on a bracket, to hold the top on. I'd need to spin a nut onto that post, but it would be the same idea. I'll look into doing that.

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

1 edit

SoonerAl to Lurch77

MVM

to Lurch77
From the FWIW department...

I have two similar fixtures on both sides of my garage. In my case I have used 60 watt equivalent CFLs in them for 6 years with no problems. Since April I have been using 60 watt equivalent LEDs in them with no issues. Here in central Oklahoma the issue is heat over the summer months. It gets quite hot and stays that way over night but again no issues. I used/use Walmart branded non-dimmable CFL and LED bulbs.

Please note I do have dawn-2-dusk photocell controllers on all of my front outside carrage type fixtures so the lights are not on 24/7...
02778712 (banned)
join:2013-07-08
MA

02778712 (banned)

Member

said by SoonerAl:

Please note I do have dawn-2-dusk photocell controllers on all of my front outside carrage type fixtures so the lights are not on 24/7...

The lights the OP posted and that I have that look the same both have photocell controllers built into them.

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

SoonerAl

MVM

FWIW...Mine are add on photo cell controllers....again from Walmart...

tschmidt
MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
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tschmidt to Lurch77

MVM

to Lurch77
Since the fixtures have bulb in normal position, rather then inverted, and total heat will be much less then with an incandescent I doubt heat will be a problem. Besides any "air leaks" the glass provides a lot of surface area for radiation.

I'd say try one, and instrument the bulb to verify heat rise before it gets too cold.

/tom


pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE

1 recommendation

pende_tim to SoonerAl

Premium Member

to SoonerAl
Did you have to get any special type of dusk-dawn controllers as most I have seen say not to use with a CFL, if I understood the labeling.

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

SoonerAl

MVM

said by pende_tim:

Did you have to get any special type of dusk-dawn controllers as most I have seen say not to use with a CFL, if I understood the labeling.

The ones I have are made by Amertac model SLC6CNB made to use with CFLs.

Here is a similar model advertised for Incandescent/CFL/LEDs...

»tinyurl.com/CFLcontrol

I bought the ones I have at Walmart...

Jan Janowski
Premium Member
join:2000-06-18
Waynesville, NC

Jan Janowski to Lurch77

Premium Member

to Lurch77
Last year I put LED bulbs (800 Lumens) in motion detector lights (3) that look almost identical to yours... It's intermittent duty.... Time will tell, but I've never felt any warmth from the enclosure or glass....
lutful
... of ideas
Premium Member
join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON

lutful to Lurch77

Premium Member

to Lurch77
said by Lurch77:

Looking at the fixtures closer ...

One of my friends who is a physics buff ran thermal simulations on such fixture designs. He concluded that if the fixture is in the shade, you could have a 40W-equivalent LED bulb running continuously during the summer.

His simulation model was completely sealed with painted metal edges holding the glass pieces together and painted metal on top/bottom. Those surfaces still allow sufficient heat transfer to the ambient.

The warnings are for much smaller indoor fixtures.

P.S. Latest 60W-equivalent LED bulbs are as efficient and should be OK too.