Originally Posted by
Jim Robinson
I haven't seen any air tight lights except in showers, even in our new construction. Or, are they air tight without a lens cover?
The recessed housing itself is 'air tight', meaning the air loss up through them from the conditioned space to the unconditioned space above them is very limited.
They shouldn't even make Non-IC, in my opinion.
Why?
What about in condos with a drywall ceiling, a ceiling space (plenum or not) then a concrete slab above? No need for air tight recessed lights there.
What about those used in the first floor of two story homes?
What about those used in home with Icynene sprayed on the underside of the roof sheathing?
There are many uses for non-IC recessed lights - wherever there is no insulation.
Also, wherever there is no insulation, you don't need (in most cases) air-tight type recessed lights either.
Different note, what do you think about using fluorescent bulbs in a Non-IC can that has insulation packed around it. I can't see the fluorescent bulbs making enough heat to be an issue. Probably not code, but in reality what would happen?
First and foremost, those lights are rated for specific ranges of incandescent lamps, not those compact fluorescent lamps - technically, the compact fluorescent lamps are not allowed to be used in those recessed lights (that makes the use of the recessed light 'not in accordance with their listing and labeling', a code violation - technically).
Secondly, the compact fluorescent lamps I installed in our recessed lamps specifically say not to install or use them in recessed lights with lens on them - they get too hot. That goes for the two in our hallway which have lens on them and those compact fluorescent lamps in them.
Those lamps still do produce a lot of heat.
While we at at it ... if you have a recessed incandescent light in a clothes closet (which is not allowed within specific locations) over the shelf area, would it now be okay to replace the incandescent lamp with one of those compact fluorescent lamps?
No. Being as those lamps use the same screw in type base, there is nothing to prohibit the fluorescent lamp from being replaced with an incandescent lamp when the fluorescent lamp goes out.
Somewhere I just read that Australia will be phasing out all incandescent lamps in the next couple of years.
I've also heard and read the same thing about incandescent lamps in the US.
GE is working on technology which will, supposedly, make incandescents obsolete, and the replacement technology will be reasonably enough priced to allow that to become a reality.