Interior lighting covers a very large segment of the lighting retrofit opportunities so I would like to continue with this topic and discuss lamp replacements. Lamp replacements are usually the easiest retrofit to perform and consist of removing existing incandescent, halogen and non-ballasted lamps with screw in CFL lamps, LED lamps and energy savings non-ballasted CFL lamps.
Compact Fluorescent lamps (CFLs) come in a variety of sizes, shapes and lamp colors to meet the needs of most incandescent replacements. The easiest way to size a replacement CFL is to divide the existing incandescent lamp wattage by four and find the CFL with the matching wattage. For example, a 100 watt incandescent would require a 25 watt CFL to provide the same lighting levels. There are a few problems that can occur when installing CFL lamps in existing fixtures. First, the physical size of a CFL is different that the incandescent lamp and may not fit due to length or the width of the base of the lamp. Second, if the lamp is on a dimming circuit then a CFL specifically made for dimming must be installed and compatibility with the existing dimmer verified. If the lamp does not dim or dim smoothly then it may be a dimmer compatibility issue. Finally, not all manufacturers rate the lamps the same and so the lumen output must also be compared to specify a replacement lamp that provides the same light level.
LED lamps have finally reached a price point and performance level that can make it a viable alternative to CFL lamps for incandescent replacements. Buyers beware, not all LED lamps are created equal and you can no longer compare the wattage of the lamp to find an equal replacement. To clear up some of the confusion with LED lamp selection the U.S. Department of Energy has developed the “LED Lighting Facts Label” that is included on the exterior package of all LED lamps provided by manufacturers that are committed to testing their products to industry standards and publishing the performance results. (http://www.lightingfacts.com/).
An often overlooked lighting retrofit opportunity is the non-ballasted 4-pin CFL lamp that is typically found in recessed down lights, decorative pendent fixtures and wall sconces and uses a plug-in pin base that is not compatible with screw in lamps. Until recently existing Lamp wattages ranging from 14-42 watts per lamp were the most efficient options available. Manufacturers have now introduced hi-lumen/ reduced wattage replacement lamps that can replace the existing lamps without any modification to the existing fixture, no loss in light output and an energy savings of 4-9 watts per lamp, depending on lamp size. The lamp base is specific to the original lamps wattage therefore, careful consideration must be taken to ensure that it fits.