What are they?
The halogen light bulb or lamp is a type of incandescent lamp which uses a halogen gas in order to increase both light output and rated life. They are known for moderately high efficiency, quality of light, and high rated life compared to regular incandescent lamps.
Click here to get more.
Where did they come from?
The early history of the halogen lamp parallels that of the incandescent. The usage of chlorine to prevent blackening of the lamp was patented in . In , General Electric patented a commercially viable halogen lamp using iodine as the halogen gas.
How do they work?
A halogen lamp functions identically to an incandescent lamp, with one notable exception: The halogen cycle.
In a typical incandescent lamp, tungsten slowly evaporates from the burning filament. This causes blackening of the lamp, which decreases light output and reduces life.
Goto Carri to know more.
Halogen lamps are largely able to eliminate this problem because the halogen gas reacts chemically with the evaporated tungsten to prevent it from affixing to the glass. Some tungsten is returned to the filament, which also serves to increase the rated life of the lamp. Because the temperature required for this reaction is higher than a typical incandescent bulb, halogen lamps must generally be manufactured using quartz.
Where are they used?
Halogen lamps are used in a variety of applications, both commercial and residential. Halogen lamps are used in automotive headlamps, under-cabinet lighting, and work lights. In addition, halogen reflectors like MR and PAR lamps are often preferred for directed lighting such as spotlights and floodlights. They are also increasingly being used as a more efficient alternative to incandescent reflectors. There are not many situations in which halogen lamps cannot be used, but one potential downside is the heat generated by halogen lamps, particularly in areas where HVAC costs are a concern.
The company is the world’s best halogen fog lamp supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Other Helpful Resources
Have you shopped for light bulbs lately? Wow, talk about overload! Even small grocery stores have a lot of options. We want to save energy, but who wants to sacrifice good light quality, endure flickering or a light that has to 'warm up' to its full brightness?
We did a little research for you, and put together some handy info. And now that LED bulbs are getting less expensive to buy, they make a lot of sense for many applications but not for everything. Here's what we think!
Do you prefer warm light or cool white? We prefer the warm, soft glow of traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs but feel guilty about how much energy they consume. We look for information on the packaging of any light bulb that's around K for a warm, inviting light similar to incandescent light.
Bright white lights are from -K and full daylight is -K. Avoid any bulb in the 'cooler' range for your nightstand, as it might keep you awake! Many LED and CFLs are in this range, so read the packaging. This information might be on the front or the back.
Does the light stay on for a long time when it is on? Some bulbs, such as many CFLs (compact fluorescent lights), burn out quickly when they get turned on and off frequently. For closets, bathrooms and lamps that aren't on for longer than a few minutes at a time, choose LEDs.
Is heat an issue? You might not want a hot bulb in a lamp in a child's room or at the top of a closet, where shelves stacked high could cause a fire. Choose an LED since they don't emit much heat which is part of their charm and makes them more efficient. Halogen bulbs are very hot, followed by incandescent bulbs and CFLs.
Do you want to dim the light? Some CFLs and LEDs are marked 'dimmable' but you might need to install a special dimmer or even buy a special fixture for the purpose. Otherwise you might get an annoying high-pitched buzzing or ringing sound. For now, choose incandescent or halogen bulbs if you want dimmable light.
For a while, CFLs sure seemed to be 'the thing.' Why wouldn't you use them? CFLs are more efficient than incandescents. But the negatives include emitting almost as much heat as incandescents, and sometimes a cold light quality, flickering and a very dim light when you turn them on. Plus, in many cities you can't put CFLs in the trash because they contain hazardous mercury.
Sure seems like a lot of benefits to LED bulbs. When would you NOT want to use them? The technology of LED is improving by leaps and bounds, but there still isn't a good looking LED bulb we would use in an open chandelier or in any fixture or lamp where you can see the light bulb itself. We would bite the energy bullet for appearances in this situation, and buy an attractive specialty incandescent or halogen bulb.
Can you still buy incandescent light bulbs? Yes! For a long time you should be able to find incandescent bulbs for chandeliers and appliances. Some of these may be in higher wattages, up to 60. We've 'cheated' with the smaller appliance bulbs in certain places, particularly on nightstand lamps where we want a dimmable, warm glow that won't keep us awake. If you have a lamp shade designed to clamp onto the bulb, you're out of luck however.
For more reading about the benefits of LEDs, visit these articles on
Energy.gov and the
Eartheasy website. Let us know what you think!
Tags: