Can LED Bulbs Be Used in Vintage Ceiling Fans?

Nowadays there’s so many people talking on the news about going green. People say that you should recycle more, consume less and use more energy efficient appliances in your home. However, it’s hard to go green without spending a lot of money. Even if you want to go green, you can’t just replace your old washer and dryer and buy solar panels right away.

Something easy that can be done is to replace your old CFL light bulbs with new LED light bulbs. However, your house is old and you have a vintage ceiling fan so you’re wondering will a LED light bulb work in my ceiling fan? In this article, we will discuss how to determine if LED light bulbs are compatible with your vintage ceiling fan.

What are the differences between LED and CFL?

LED:

• more efficient
• uses 6-8 watts of electricity
• saves more energy
• lifespan of 50,000 hours
• expensive
• more durable
• smaller
• doesn’t heat up

CFL:

• less efficient
• uses 13-15 watts of electricity
• lifespan of 8,000 hours
• cheaper
• easy to break
• larger
• gets hot quickly

What are the specs of your ceiling fan?

The first thing you should check on your vintage ceiling fan is if the specs are compatible. Each ceiling fan should have a minimum load specs on it which will tell you if the LED bulb has enough watts. When purchasing LED bulbs you should check the specs of your ceiling fan first to prevent multiple trips to the hardware store.

Sometimes CFL bulbs or incandescent light bulbs could be your only option if the minimum load specs of the LED bulbs aren’t enough. If you put light bulbs that don’t at least have the minimum, besides the ceiling fan not working, you’re risking the fuse going out or a small explosion.

Are you looking to dim your lights?

In places that get really hot in the summer, it’s really tempting to have the ceiling fan on while you’re in the bedroom or living room. It’s also really tempting to have a ceiling fan that can also have the light dimmed so it’s not too bright.

Having a ceiling fan connected to a switch that can dim the lights is very dangerous because it overloads the system quickly. However, if your ceiling fan is already connected this way, you won’t be able to used LED light bulbs. The LED light bulbs are meant to be bright so CFL light bulbs are better if you’re looking to dim the lights.

Where is the ceiling fan located?

You can use LED light bulbs in both outdoor and indoor ceiling fans assuming the specs are compatible. LED light bulbs stay cool and generate a lot less heat so in an outdoor setting, the ceiling fan won’t be as hot. This helps to attract less bugs and keeps the ceiling fan from overheating in the summer heat. Also if the ceiling fan is indoors, less heat will help keep the room cooler. LED light bulbs are very bright so in both an indoor and outdoor setting, you’ll have the same amount of light for less money spent on electricity.

Summary

LED light bulbs can be used in vintage ceiling fans. However, it’s important to check the minimum load specs on your ceiling fan to make sure LED light bulbs are compatible. If you’re unsure take pictures and write down any information about your ceiling fan and take it to the hardware store to make sure it won’t overload.