In our project, we have installed a number of Edison base, screw-in CFL bulb, permanent fixtures. I was under the impression that since screw-in CFLs are, by definition, self-ballasted, that the wattage of the entire luminaire is included in the bulb. I listed the bulbs as self-ballasted in the ASHRAE compliance sheet, but we have received a comment from our reviewer saying that we still haven't included the wattage of the entire luminaire. Is it possible that there is additional ballast in the system despite the fact that we are using self-ballasted bulbs? Or am I missing something else?
Thanks in advance!
Zachary Goodnough
32 thumbs up
July 23, 2012 - 2:40 am
Commenting on my own question here, but I figured out the answer. We need to use the maximum rated wattage of the fixture for all screw-in bulbs.
Dane Sanders
PrincipalClanton Associates
68 thumbs up
July 23, 2012 - 6:24 pm
You are correct that you must use the maximum rated wattage when using an Edison screw base with self ballasted CFL lamps, since someone could screw in a standard 60W incandescent A-Lamp. To take better advantage of the real energy use of the CFL, use pin-based lamps. Some pin based CFL lamps use a universal ballast that will operate 26W-32W-42W lamps. To use a 26W lamp only and account for this in LEED, specify that the luminaire be labeled for 26W Maximum.