Kitchen Ideas Faqs

I have 2 recess lights in my kitchen,120w reflector flood lights. What option is there to save energy?

Can I use those CFL energy star light bulbs that are built in the frame of the light bulb? i have dimmer also.

Public Comments

1. Yes they make CFL flood lamps. However if your lights are controlled by a dimmer switch you need specific CLF lamps that have a dimmable ballast. http://www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us/consumer/marathon/display.php?mode=2 http://www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us/consumer/marathon/display.php?mode=3
2. Turn them off.
3. Put in smaller watt reflector bulbs. Other types of bulbs may over heat the fixture.
4. USA Energy for lighting is measured in watts, and that is what the electric company bills you for - how many watts you use. The wattage listed on lamps (light bulbs) is NOT their light output - it is the amount of heat produced (which equals energy used) by the lamps. So, a 120 watt lamp uses 120 watts of energy. Your electric utility bills you for thousands of watts used per hour (kwh). The only way to save energy in lighting is to reduce the wattage used. Period. You can replace the 120 watt lamps with 90 or 75 watt, or use only one light fixture versus both. You can install CFL lamps, but since they are fluorescent, they will not work with a regular dimmer, and you would have to install a switch in place of the dimmer. I replaced my 60 watt incandescent lamps with 13 watt CFLs, with hardly any difference in light output.
5. CFL bulbs are the way to go. You can get the same light from a CFL at a third of the wattage. They don't produce as much heat and give better light. Just don't try to dim them on a dimmer unless you install the proper electrical components for CFL's.
6. use the screw on fluorescent light bulbs if you don"t have a dimmer switch.