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05/27/07
What costs more to operate. Lamps or Ceiling Fan Lights?
Filed under: General, Ceiling Fan Efficiency
Posted by: @ 3:59 pm

Question: Which saves more energy? Lamps or Ceiling fan lights? (You know what I mean about ceiling fan lights, if you don’t, ask. Not sure what to call them) All of a sudden I gotten very energy conscience. After I take my shower, I turn off the bathroom light right away, and I’m always ‘cleaning’ up after those people who leave the lights on. Just curious, really. I have the ceiling fan lights that I use often, but they make my room so warm. I’ve moved my lamps around (I have 2 little ones that take 60w bulbs) and find that my room stays much cooler and I have enough light to see or do what I want to (normally only use 1).

This post was awarded #1 Answer at Yahoo! Answers.

The amount of energy that your ceiling fan lights use compared to your lamps is simply a matter of what light bulbs you have in your fan (and how many) compared to the light bulbs in your lamps. Since you say that you have 2 lamps with 60 watt bulbs, I would assume that you have 4 lights on your fan. So if you have 60 watt bulbs in your fan, you will be using 2 times the energy as your lamps. If the bulbs in your fan are more than 60 watts, then you are using even more.

In any case, if you switch the bulbs in your fan to 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs, you will be using less than half the power as your 2 60 watt lamps, this is if you prefer to use the fan light because it is overhead. Otherwise, put the 13 watt fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and you will save the most.

Even better, put 13 watt fluorescent bulbs throughout the house for the most energy savings with your lighting.

Finally, there are now a few ceiling fans on the market that are Energy Star rated, so the motors are more efficient, and if they have a built-in light, it will be fluorescent. So you may want to consider replacing your energy consuming ceiling fan with an Energy Star model.

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