Clip Lamp & Wattage Question

Picked up a couple clip lamps at Home Depot. Lamps say Maximum Recommended Bulb Wattage is 150. Also have a couple Y Splitters for each Lamp which say 660W Max on the splitters.

Does this mean I can only use 2 20 Watt CFL's (75W "Equivalent) Bulbs" on each Clip Lamp? Or can I still go up higher? Just trying to be on the safe side.

Thanks for any help in advance!

most likely you are using the same "clip lamps" i am using. I bought the lights that came with their own "reflector", removed the reflector, added 1 splitter, then added a splitter to each extra sockets, and am using 4 bulbs per original plug. The ratings are mostly for heat concerns, since you are using CFL you can double that without much worry. I am currently using 4 of said "clip lamps" with 4 bulbs from each (in various setups) and my electric rate rose on 10USD for a month with 16 various wattage bulbs (26 like you mentioned, as well as a few 43 watters, and a couple 13 waters for the tight spaces.

rollandtoke said:

most likely you are using the same "clip lamps" i am using. I bought the lights that came with their own "reflector", removed the reflector, added 1 splitter, then added a splitter to each extra sockets, and am using 4 bulbs per original plug. The ratings are mostly for heat concerns, since you are using CFL you can double that without much worry. I am currently using 4 of said "clip lamps" with 4 bulbs from each (in various setups) and my electric rate rose on 10USD for a month.

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Yeah sounds like the same ones. Ok cool was wondering if I could go higher without any worries. Thanks.

May just take them back and get a couple of the clamp lights from the pet store. Says its rated for 250 Watts and made from ceramic vs plastic. These wattage rating are gettin the best of me. Lol.

Should I take the reflectors off these clamp lights?

http://www.petco.com/product/9469/Flukers-Clamp-Lamps.aspx

So I took the clip lamps back and got 2 that have porcelain sockets and can hold 300 Watts each just for safety....

Im using 2 100 Watt CFL's on each lamp while plants just sprouted. Plan on having 4 lights total on each lamp in a week or 2. In the meatime should I leave on, or take off the 10" aluminum reflectors? Will it make any difference with CFL's? Heat, reflection, etc?

The wattage rating is based on heat and what the unit can handle before melting. CFLs put out less heat watt for watt and as you know a lower watt CFL will put out more light than an incandescent. If you're unit is rated at lets say 52watts max it is safe to use two 26watt CFLs even though that equivalent light output is 200 watt.

Got it. Thanks.