Do CFLs Quickly Burn Out in Recessed Lights?
Some fluorescent ballasts are unreliable in ambient temperatures much over 120F (50C). This is sometimes a problem in enclosed or recessed ceiling fixtures if heat in the fixture builds up. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Lighting Research Center publishes a newsletter, Lighting Answers. An article on high-wattage compact fluorescent lamps (HW-CFLs) showed the temperature increased from an average of about 25C (77F) to 4060C (100140F) in enclosed aluminum reflectors and prismatic refractors. The temperature rise in open reflectors/refractors was much smaller. These high-wattage CFLs were rated at 55105 watts.
