[supercat]

I've never had a problem with a CF bulb in an enclosed fixture, provided that the bulb fit. They don't always fit, but they run so much cooler than incandescent that I can't see a tight enclosure being a problem.

The issue is that while compact fluorescents generate much less heat than incandescents, many of them are less tolerant of heat. On a hot day (40C), heating a fixture to 70C will only require a fifth as much power as heating it to 190C (374F). Although a well-designed compact fluorescent fixture shouldn't dissipate that much heat, some inferior units might.

[this_ol_patriot]

The issue is that while compact fluorescents generate much less heat than incandescents, many of them are less tolerant of heat. On a hot day (40C), heating a fixture to 70C will only require a fifth as much power as heating it to 190C (374F). Although a well-designed compact fluorescent fixture shouldn't dissipate that much heat, some inferior units might.

So is the issue damage to to the light or to the fixture and surrounds? I saw this warning on a package of CF bulbs that I wanted to use in my bathroom IC rated light-vent fans but it's enclosed and according to the package that's a no-no. Yet I use an outdoor CF type which is the CF bulb in a weatherproof plastic housing in my outside coach lamp with no problems. I said screw it and bought a 60 watt incandescent.