# Pot light heat and extended use??



## Apple101 (Jan 22, 2006)

Hi everyone! Ok here’s the situation. My downstairs computer room is going to be renovated, and a question has come up weather or not to use a pot light as a task light to light my work area, or is it just better to use a simple desk lamp? Can pot lights be used for an extended period of time? Is heat an issue??

This is what it would look like...


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

I find them uncomfortable due to the heat, but maybe they're available with CFL bulbs. I find that desklights seem like a good idea, but only get used if the room's lighting isn't done well. Grab a cheap $10-$20 clip on desk light if you see a use for it, but concentrate on room lighting.


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## Apple101 (Jan 22, 2006)

Beej said:


> I find them uncomfortable due to the heat, but maybe they're available with CFL bulbs. I find that desklights seem like a good idea, but only get used if the room's lighting isn't done well. Grab a cheap $10-$20 clip on desk light if you see a use for it, but concentrate on room lighting.


Well I am not 100% sure if you can use CFL bulbs with dimmer light switches. The main lighting I believe is going to be either florescent lighting or halogens. It is more then likely going to be fluorescent.


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

I find that pot gives off very little light or heat, and tends ot have a short burning life.








What?


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

Apple101 said:


> Well I am not 100% sure if you can use CFL bulbs with dimmer light switches. The main lighting I believe is going to be either florescent lighting or halogens. It is more then likely going to be fluorescent.


Good point. Then the pot lights should just be for show.


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

On subject, there are some CFLs that can be used with dimmers, but you need ot buy the right ones. They are hard to find and expensive. A replacement switch is a couple of bucks and 5 minutes to install. That's what we did with the pot lights in our basement.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

RevMatt said:


> I find that pot gives off very little light or heat, and tends ot have a short burning life.
> ....
> What?


Beer's not enough for you?


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

Beer is, as you know, the answer to all questions.


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## Apple101 (Jan 22, 2006)

Beej said:


> Good point. Then the pot lights should just be for show.


True. Well if I go with the GE Indoor Floodlight it would be a 60 or 65W. From what I was told these types of lights are great for highlighting areas such as fireplaces, living rooms, paintings/works of art, etc. In this case the work of art would be my iMac   



RevMatt said:


> On subject, there are some CFLs that can be used with dimmers, but you need ot buy the right ones. They are hard to find and expensive. A replacement switch is a couple of bucks and 5 minutes to install. That's what we did with the pot lights in our basement.


Hey that does sound like a superb idea its energy efficient, and produces little heat. Just a quick question rev how is the lighting?? How much light does the CFL produce?



Beej said:


> Beer's not enough for you?


:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: 


RevMatt said:


> Beer is, as you know, the answer to all questions.


:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

Apple101 said:


> Hey that does sound like a superb idea its energy efficient, and produces little heat. Just a quick question rev how is the lighting?? How much light does the CFL produce?


CFLs come in the equivalent of everything up to 150W. Maybe more, but that is the highest I have seen. Oh, and they come in floodlight-ish design, too, if that's what you want. They are a slightly different colour, though, so I find you don't need quite as much. For a single accent light, though, you can get a 100W equivalent (23W, maybe?) and you should be just fine.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

Apple101 said:


> Can pot lights be used for an extended period of time? Is heat an issue??


We have these in our entertainment room and they overheat and turn off and on frequently. Could be our landlord doesn't have a clue however...


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## Apple101 (Jan 22, 2006)

RevMatt said:


> CFLs come in the equivalent of everything up to 150W. Maybe more, but that is the highest I have seen. Oh, and they come in floodlight-ish design, too, if that's what you want. They are a slightly different colour, though, so I find you don't need quite as much. For a single accent light, though, you can get a 100W equivalent (23W, maybe?) and you should be just fine.



Sounds good rev!! I think my dad n I will take a trip over to Home Depot and Home Hardware to see what we can find. 



martman said:


> We have these in our entertainment room and they overheat and turn off and on frequently. Could be our landlord doesn't have a clue however...


lol well by the sounds of it your landlord is not following the ratings set by the manufacturer of the pot light. For example he is more then likely using a 120W rather then a 60 or 40. That will indefinitely cause problems, and if the ones that he installed are junk then you run the risk of serious problems such as fire, etc.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

We have 60 w bulbs in place but there is a thermostat built in the keeps going off. I'm sure he never installed these lights correctly. We also have these in our kitchen and one of our bathrooms and all of them do this to some degree or other.


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## Apple101 (Jan 22, 2006)

martman said:


> We have 60 w bulbs in place but there is a thermostat built in the keeps going off. I'm sure he never installed these lights correctly. We also have these in our kitchen and one of our bathrooms and all of them do this to some degree or other.


Yikes!!  Well I would definitely get on the landlords case about that! lol


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