What LED Wattage Can I Use in Old Light Fixtures?

Coach asks,

There's a tag on my light fixture saying to not use larger then a 75-watt lightbulb. However, the fixture is probably ten years old, and therefore made before LED bulbs were available. Is it safe to use a LED bulb rated equivalent to 100 watts? The amperage draw and heat generated with a 100-watt LED is less than a 75-watt incandescent.

Our Answer

LEDs are fantastic, but the transition from incandescent to LED lightbulbs makes yours a common – and logical – question.
Fixture manufacturers never envisioned, in their wildest dreams, a time when volt wattage wouldn’t be equivalent to the heat generated!
I would think it’s safe to use an LED bulb rated equivalent to 100 watts, but to be absolutely sure, check with the bulb manufacturer. Some LED bulbs also generate heat. A 100 watt LED volt only uses 25 watts of power, but figuring out the incandescent-to-LED conversion and safety guidelines isn't necessarily so simple