If a light fixture is rated for a maximum 75 watts with an incandescent bulb, does that mean I am limited to a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL) with the equivalent light output to a 75-watt incandescent? Or, can I use a CFL that is the equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent as long as it uses less than 75 watts of power?

The short answer is yes, any bulb that does not exceed the fixture rating can be used.

The longer explanation... The watt rating on the fixture is a description of how much electricity the internal wiring of the fixture can accept safely. A watt is a measure of power consumption. As long as you do not exceed the recommended wattage for a particular fixture, you can use any CFL wattage up to the limit. For example, if a light fixture is rated for 75 watts of power, you can use any light bulb with a rated wattage of 75 or less. While you could use a 75-watt equivalent CFL, if you want more light in this fixture, then you could use a 100-watt equivalent CFL. Most 100-watt equivalent CFLs use between 23 and 30 watts of power, much less than the 75-watt rating of the fixture. That's the great thing about ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs you get more light for less power!

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