Light bulbs and lampshades

Gingernutty

I've been online and bought an energy saving lightbulb that's 55W.

Yeah. I know.

It's equivalent to about 200W and it's one of those daylight equivalent bulbs.

It's fab. Bright, clear and I can confidently sew under it knowing I've got the right colour thread.

It's not quite the level where I have to brace myself before flicking the switch, but it's fabby.

It's also the size of a small melon.

The trouble I'm having now is finding a lampshade.

Every lampshade I find has the same instruction - that it's for 60W maximum or 42W energy saving equivalent.

Is it a safety thing or an aesthetic thing?

Is the instruction something to do with the heat generated by the different types of light bulbs or something about the generated light fading the lampshade?

Or what?

Can I safely use such a lampshade or do I have a curly melon sized light bulb on view?

Norman_Castle

that it's for 60W maximum or 42W energy saving equivalent.

Presumably the 42 watt energy saver would be a halogen. Not cfl.
Its likely the heat is the problem. Personally I would try it and see how hot the shade gets.

Gingernutty

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Presumably the 42 watt energy saver would be a halogen. Not cfl.
Its likely the heat is the problem. Personally I would try it and see how hot the shade gets.

I understand that - however, being the paranoid sort, I wouldn't be able to turn my back on the thing while it was on.

I was kinda, sorta, hoping that someone would know.

Maybe I'll have to switch to the 30W (150W equivalent) bulb. :think: