Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving holiday. Great forum!!! I've learnt so much just lurking around here. :)

Today I have a problem to share. Hope you folks can help. This past week we had a new chandelier installed in our two story family room. Nice chandelier, but we missed the fact that it is rated for nine 15W Max Type B bulbs while ordering. :)

So the problem is that this lamp is not throwing out enough light for the room. Each 15W bulb seems so "less bright" to me. Our foyer lamp throws out more light with its three 40watt bulbs right now.

All bulbs (family room and foyer) are the same brand (GE clear) type B's. family has the clear 15W ones, foyer has the clear 40W ones.

So short of taking down and returning the chandelier, trying to see what else we can do here. Can we put 40W incandescent candelabra bulbs in our new nine bulb chandelier, or do we need to get another one with the higher rating?

Just for the sake of knowledge, can someone here also explain what the rating on each socket really means in a general layman sense? If I overload each socket, does that mean the wiring is going to burn down? or that the switch may trip?

Thanks so much,

Cathy