Ceiling fans are versatile pieces of equipment that combine a fan’s luxury with a light’s convenience. Most ceiling fans have brightness settings and fan speed settings controlled by either a wall plate or pull strings. But what should you do if the lights are too dim?
Ceiling fan lights can dim over time as the bulb begins to burn out. If there are multiple bulbs in one casing, then a single bulb may need to be replaced. Dim lights can also result from incorrect bulb wattage, faulty wiring, an overloaded circuit, or a wattage limiter.
It looks like there are a few reasons why the light may be so dim. This article will explore what could cause dim ceiling fan lights and how to correct them.
The Fan’s Brightness Setting
The first thing you can do is check your new fan’s brightness setting. Many fan remotes don’t have a specific button for the fan’s brightness, so check out the fan’s instruction manual. A combination of buttons or a physical switch on the fan itself may raise and lower the brightness.
The switch your fan is connected to may have an automatic dimming wiring template. By this, I mean one switch might be dim and the next may be bright.
Inefficient Light Bulbs
It doesn’t mean a bulb will be brighter if it uses more energy. Instead, some bulbs produce more heat than light when the power is consumed. A good example would be incandescent or CLF bulbs. If your ceiling fan has inefficient light bulbs, switch them out for LEDs and see if the brightness increases.
Incompatible Light Bulbs
Inside the bulb sockets on the fan will be recommended bulb wattages. You can also find this information in the instruction manual. If you install a bulb with too low a wattage, the bulb will burn out quickly and won’t produce much light. If you install a bulb with too high a wattage, it can pose a fire risk and damage the fan’s circuitry.
Most bulbs with too high a wattage won’t fit properly into the socket. Don’t try to force a bulb in if you’re unsure. Different types of bulbs use different wattages, and there are conversion charts to help you choose the best bulb for your fan. For example, a 25-Watt incandescent bulb may fit the same fan as a 24-Watt LED bulb.
Wattage Limiter
Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, all ceiling fans manufactured after 2005 require wattage limiters. These limiters are installed directly into the fan and help regulate the energy a household uses. For example, if the power usage of a ceiling fan goes over a certain amount, the limiter will cut all power to the fan.
This is to help prevent fires, overloaded wires, and irresponsible energy usage. The downside is that the wattage limiter may dim the lights to keep the fan’s energy levels low.
The only solution for this problem is to remove the wattage limiter. While it isn’t illegal, it does make the fan non-compliant and will void any warranties on the fan. Electricians will remove wattage limiters if they agree the device is unnecessary.
Overloaded Circuit
An overloaded circuit happens more frequently in older houses than in newer or if the wiring is particularly old. This isn’t a circuit within the ceiling fan but in your house’s breaker box. Most ceiling fans don’t draw that much power and don’t require a dedicated circuit, but if your circuits have been wired disproportionately, the breaker may trip.
For example, in my first apartment, I couldn’t have my ceiling fan running while trying to use a toaster on the same circuit. Neither of these appliances takes a lot of energy, so I couldn’t understand what was happening. I didn’t solve the problem until I realized that an outlet on the other end of the apartment attached to an air conditioner was on the same circuit! Who knew!
If the load on a breaker is exceptionally high, the overall spread of electricity will be thinner, meaning you’ll have dimmer lights. You can solve this problem by learning which outlets lead to which breaker and then redistributing the energy needs across different breakers.
Faulty/Loose Wiring
If you’re still experiencing the signs of an overloaded circuit but have taken the necessary steps to redistribute power needs, you may have faulty wiring. The lousy wiring could be within the fan or your walls and should be checked by a professional.
Frayed wires don’t transmit electricity as efficiently as fully intact wires and can lead to lights flickering, popping, or an eventual house fire or electrocution. You can look out for a few signs if you’re worried about faulty wiring.
Types of Light Bulbs
The bulb type in your fan may be why the lights are dim. Some bulbs are more or less efficient than others regardless of the wattage or energy output. Others take longer to heat up and cool down. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
Incandescent
Incandescent bulbs last around 1,000 hours and have a higher average wattage than fluorescent or LED bulbs. When electricity runs through a wire inside the bulb, it heats up and begins to glow. These are great bulbs for heat lamps but not for actual lighting.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent bulbs last around 9,000 hours. These bulbs use gases to create light and will take longer to produce the same lumens as incandescent or LED bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are filled with mercury gas and can be a potential hazard when broken.
LED
LED bulbs last around 50,000 hours and have the lowest average wattage compared to incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Light is generated when electricity runs through a diode. These are the quickest bulbs to brighten and do not produce much heat.
Summary
There are various reasons why your ceiling fan lights may be too dim. Start by checking the fan’s brightness settings, then compare if the installed light bulbs are appropriate for the fan. After that, check the circuitry and wiring before deciding to remove the wattage limiter (especially if the fan is under a factory warranty).
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