If you're looking for brighter more energy-saving bulbs to replace your incandescent bulbs LEDs are a good solution. However, not all LED bulbs are enclosed fixture rated. Why? LED bulbs need proper ventilation. If an LED can’t dissipate the heat away from the chips effectively enough, the performance and lifetime of the bulb will be affected. So let’s see what constitutes an enclosed fixture, what types of bulbs are enclosed fixture rated and what are currently some of the best bulbs on the market!

What is an Enclosed Fixture?

Enclosed fixtures are any fixtures that are fully sealed, they can be pendants, lampshades, semi flush ceiling lights etc. Enclosed fixtures can be found usually in damper areas or where the light inside needs to be protected. The bathroom and on the exterior of the home being the two most common. However, semi flush lights do make decorative lights in the kitchen or living room. Recessed ceiling lights are the most frequent form of fully sealed lights inside the home. However, they’re not exactly like an LED bulb. Fully enclosed rated LED bulbs are far less common. If there’s little to no air ventilation within the lighting fixture, this counts as an enclosed fixture and will require enclosed fixture rated bulbs.

Why Cant All LED Bulbs Go in Enclosed Fixtures?

The circuitry of LED bulbs is sensitive to heat. Although LED bulbs run at lower temperatures than traditional lights, they’re more sensitive to heat build ups. A substantial buildup of heat can result in their life shortening or burning out quickly. Traditional bulbs actually use restrictors to prevent them from overheating and LEDs don’t have these. In order to have an LED fit into an enclosed fixture they will need to be enclosed fixture rated.

How Can LED Bulbs Be Enclosed Fixture Rated?

Most full enclosed rated LED bulbs will adapt similar technology to their incandescent predecessors. In the form of resistors. The resistor in LED bulbs for protecting them against a heat build up would be their temperature adaptable chips. As the temperature increases surrounding the bulb and chips, the internal thermostat inside the bulb will detect the build up of heat and reduce the lumens output of the bulb. The reduced output of the bulb will reduce the temperature enough to help prolong the life of the light. Will the drop in lumens affect you? The drop in lumens is usually around 10% so this is a negligible difference in light. A 10% drop in lumens would not be noticeable to the naked eye.

What Are The Best Enclosed Rated Bulbs?

SGLEDs 8W bulbs are some of the best enclosed rated bulbs you can get. They can be used on the exterior of your home or indoors in enclosed fixtures. Can enclosed fixture rated bulbs be used in open fixtures? Of course, enclosed fixture rated bulbs only adapt to their environment, so if there are no rapid increases in temperature the bulb will work as any regular LED bulb. These bulbs can be used indoors or outside and illuminate wide areas of your home. They’re unique in with their technologically and design and will benefit your home for years to come!

If you're looking to enhance the exterior for your home or the inside, follow the link here to take a look at SGLEDS 8W enclosed rated bulbs:

https://amzn.to/3ho02PD