1

I have this Ikea Floor Uplight lamp and I want to replace the current CFL light bulb with an LED light bulb. I'm thinking of using a Philips 433235 60 Watt Equivalent SlimStyle A19 LED Light Bulb (Daylight, Dimmable).

I use this lamp next to a desk which is about 3 ft to the left and 3 ft below the light bulb. Will the lamp still illuminate the desk as well as (or better than) the 60 Watt Equivalent CFL light bulb?

I've been reading that LED light bulbs light in one direction as opposed to CFLs which radiate light in all directions. However, the Phillips LED light bulb I'm considering claims that it radiates light in all directions. Has anyone had any experience with those types of LED light bulbs that claim omnidirectional lighting?

EDIT: Fixed typo "radiates life in all directions"

1 Answer 1

1

Here's a photo of the bulb in question:

enter image description here

I have that same bulb and when used in a shade that hides the bulb itself, it does radiate similarly to an incandescent. The bulb has an array of small LED's around the edge that light up the thicker ridge of plastic, it essentially looks like a bright tube of evenly lit light, so the light radiates in all directions. However, the thinner plastic in the middle isn't lit. Since the entire ring is lit starting from the bottom of the bulb and the ring is wider than the base, some light is radiated downwards, but like a traditional bulb, more of the light ends up going upwards since the base blocks some of the downward lighting pattern.

This unusual shape can be visible in a lamp with a translucent shade or in a fixture where the bulb is exposed. In a lamp with a traditional paper (or paper-like) shade that is nearly opaque, this type of bulb has a very even light distribution.

Here's the light at a low dim level, showing the LED's around the ring:

enter image description here

But when the light is at full power, they all blend together and project light evenly, lighting up the entire "tube".

I tried these bulbs in a bathroom fixture, but discovered that the translucent shade on the fixture was transparent enough that the bulb shape was quite visible, so I replaced them with more traditional looking LED bulbs.

Since the floor lamp you're using has the bulb above eye level, as long as the shade is sufficiently frosted to prevent the bulb shape from showing through, it should work well.

enter image description here

2
  • By "frosted" do you mean how opaque the shade is? Also, I tried to upvote your answer but I need more reputation Oct 24, 2015 at 21:31
  • Right, I was referring to the opacity of the frosted glass of the light shade.
    – Johnny
    Oct 25, 2015 at 3:16

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.