I just installed a new vanity light fixture (Home Depot “Hampton Bay” brand) in my bathroom. The replacement was the same size as the old fixture. The new fixture is 4-light incandescent wall-mounted, and rated for 4 100 watt bulbs. I used 4 75 watt bulbs. After it was installed and turned-on for about 20 minutes, I noticed a faint “hot electrical” smell. The light fixture and surrounding wall was very hot to touch (not too hot to touch, but pretty darned hot). I shut of the breaker and removed the fixture – the wires were not hot. The light bulbs smelled the hottest, and several light bulb sockets were slightly discolored.
Any thoughts? Should I just use lower wattage bulbs, or should I replace the entire fixture? I expect a light fixture to be warm, but this was well beyond what I’d consider reasonable.
Thanks.
Rob
Replies
Hmmm. You say it is rated at 4-100w bulbs. A little unusual, but not all that rare. Usually 60w, 75w for higher end fixtures, is the common limit. Please double check the label on the unit. Don't go by what is printed, usually in very small letters, on the sockets. I doubt you made a mistake but you wouldn't be the first if you did.
If it smell hot it likely is. Look for loose rivets or connections. Either way take it back. Fixtures should not cause a detectable smell.
just to be sure you might want to sniff the box with the fixture down and sniff around. A bad connection in any electrical box feeding the vanity area might be seeing a larger load than it has in the past. I have seen updated fixtures, ones that draw more current than what they are replacing, reveal marginal connections and wiring connected to it. This can occur a considerable distance from the fixture.