Are you curious if the ceiling fan light kits are interchangeable and universal? Let’s find out the answer to this question in this post.
Ceiling fans have been serving people for years and years and there are no signs of going out of fashion. Due to the rise in temperature around the globe and AC not affordable for lifestyle, ceiling fans will become more popular. And when you go through the variety of different styles and designs you will find the ideal unit for your place. Every year the brands are coming up with new designs and tempt us to change our fan for a newer, energy efficient unit, or at least replace the light kits to a different style to add beauty to the interiors. But can we change the light kits for another lighting fixture? Is it possible? Let’s see…
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Are Ceiling Fan Light Kits Interchangeable?
The answer to this question is yes as well as no. The market is replete with fans and unique light kits and they are in different sizes and types and all of them will not be compatible with your existing fan, that is why you need to consider finding a compatible light kit for this purpose.
Many manufacturers make matching light kits for a series of their fans. In order to find out that which light kit will fit in your fan, you need to match the model/series number.
To get better understanding of our point of view, watch this video:
Do you own a Hunter ceiling fan or Casablanca model? Is it a small unit or large unit? Does it come with a housing cap with a centre hole? Are you getting where we are going with this? You need to ensure that you do not have to return the lighting fixture again and again unless you find the compatible one.
How To Find a Compatible Light Kit For Your Fan.
So how do we find the right light kit for our model? First of all, you need to find the make and model of the ceiling fan. if it is a Casablanca or Hunter fan then we need to go through the variety of light kits that are made by the manufacturers of these brands as they will be the right choice for our fan. The light kits are available on our website as well or the brands are also selling them. Further, you can also purchase them from distributors like Home Depot. Other manufacturers may also offer their own variety of light kits. It is imperative to check the model numbers of the unit and light as some companies offer matching numbers in the codes in order to check the compatibility.
If you are not familiar with the make of the unit or you want to change the style, then you may have to examine the current light kit on the unit to ensure that you get the same light kit with similar sort of housing. A lot of light kits come with a circular base with a few screws that fit in from the outside of the fan holding the light kit in place. Check the screw positions as well as the diameter of the base and locate the same units.
If your ceiling fan is without a light kit and want to add a lighting fixture to ensure the fan contain a housing unit under the fan. it may be hidden under a decorative bowl and you can remove it and replace it with a light kit.
There are slight chances that you find the type of light kit that is compatible with your fan and they claim that they have “universal” light kits but they are not truly universal. Some light kits manufacturers may claim they offer universal light kits but they can be universal for their own range of fans. Further, they can act as a universal for units that come with 6” diameter base unit.
If you are not familiar with the make or model of the fan, or if you don’t know whether it is compatible with a light kit or not, it is the best idea to purchase a new complete fan and light kit, this will allow you to select the overall look and design at the same time.
Additional Points to Consider
After reaching the light kit of our choice that is compatible with the fan, there are some additional points to consider before making a purchase. For example, do the electrical requirements of the lighting fixture suit the capacity of the ceiling fan? Also, you need to check you have the appropriate voltage supply. If you have purchased a new unit and it may be under warranty and it will be wise to check the conditions to ensure you do not invalidate the warranty.
Does the light kit have sufficient bulbs to fulfill your light requirements and will it shower enough light to illuminate the space? The launch of highly energy efficient LED light bulbs in the last few years can cause uncertainty because people still think about 40 – 60 watts bulbs. Newly made LED bulbs are very energy efficient now they only use 4 – 6 watts and produce the same amount of light like the old ones. The measurement which is used to measure the amount of light is in lumens. If you want to replace your old bulb that uses 40 watts, you should consider 400 – 450 lumens bulbs. Further, you can choose bulbs around 800 lumens to get brighter illumination in your room.
In addition, there is another thing that can confuse the consumers that is, the color of the light. We can also select the color of the light produced by these LED bulbs. This color is measured in degrees Kelvin and ranges from orangey warm glow color to the harsh bright white color. In short, the higher the number, the brighter the light (white). The white is a warm color that gets preference for its decorative, ambient light, it is also considered for specific tasks including lamp reading or to brighten an area such as workbench.
You need to consider this point if your ceiling fan is in a damp environment or outside. The lighting fixtures are present in three ratings such as wet, dry and damp. Wet rated units can be installed outdoors, in locations like decking, patios, roof gardens and so on. Dry rated fans are for indoors only and should not be exposed to moisture so can be installed in bedrooms and living rooms. Damp rated are suitable for more moisture so they can be useful for covered porches, bathrooms and patios not exposed to direct rain.
The last thing to consider is the style of your ceiling fan, the look you are looking for and try to find a suitable lighting kit. It would be a bad idea to install a vintage, retro style light kit onto an ultra modern design unit. Select a light kit that will match your fan and the décor of your room.
Final Words
So, nothing is ever easy like most things in your life right? Unless you are extremely lucky. But it is not a hard nut to crack as it might sound – going through a little effort before making a purchase can make a difference and also the process easier for you.
Shopping on the web can be a challenging task because it is difficult to find the information including whether the light kit will fit your ceiling fan or not. The images cannot be trusted because they usually do not give the details of the positions. Your task is to read all the information provided for the kit and also read the reviews, other users often review about it such as how it fitted and also tells about the companies of fans. It can help you to ensure whether the light kit will fit your fan or not. Additionally, you can also track the helpline or phone number of the store to get the professional advice.
You can also save a plenty of time if you take the photo or two, or the measurement of your fans light fitting unit to show it to your local home improvement market, to ensure that you get the appropriate kit. There is a great chance that the store employee offers you the right kit or help you to get one.
You should give preference to the new light kit rather than the old one, the new ones are energy efficient that can shower more light for less energy and also help you to improve your room’s décor as well.
