Halogen Light Bulbs - As Clear As Day

If you are looking for light bulbs with a better energy efficiency than standard incandescent light bulbs then halogen light bulbs may well be the answer. They provide more light output for energy input and can be found in ofiices, homes and vehicles. Halogen lamps were originally developed to combat the problem of the short lifespan of standard bulbs. Halogen lamps are, therefore, well known for their efficiency and durability.

You may hear halogen lamps referred to as tungsten halogen bulbs because of the interaction of tungsten and halogen that produces the light. How does a halogen lamp work you may ask. A clear capsule is filled with a gas such as iodine (a halogen gas) and a tungsten element is sealed inside the capsule with the gas. One of the magical things with a tungsten halogen lamp is that the parts of the tungsten element that evaporate when light is given off are deposited at the hotspots within the capsule which help to prolong the life of the lamp. This means that halogen lamps can be allowed to operate at a higher temperature than incandescent lamps which means they can give a greater brightness and are, therefore, more efficient.

During this chemical reaction the capsule that encloses the bulb becomes extremely hot. This means that conventional glass cannot be used as the manufacturing material for the bulb capsule. Instead fused quartz is generally used as the bulb capsule. There is a useful side effect of using fused quartz and that is that it becomes a source of UV-B light. This in turn leads to halogen lamps being used in some scientific applications as a source of UV-B light. In residential applications additives are put in with the fused quartz to reduce the emission of the UV-B light.

Another thing that has improved the efficiency of halogen bulbs is the addition of a coating that is multi-layered. This allows the full spectrum of visible light to be emitted but reflects infrared light back towards the filament. This means that less energy is required to produce the same light output thus leading to greater efficiency.

Halogen lamps are most prevalent in automotive and domestic applications where a bright, directional light is required. One commonly used halogen bulb is the JDR-100, it is well know for it's long life and cost-effectiveness and is often found in homes and offices. Another popular form of halogen lighting is the Halogen floor lamp from Torchiere This lamp comes supplied with a metal stand and usually have an open bowl top that provides reflected, indirect light. They are very popular with the student fraternity but care must be taken as they have been know to topple over and cause fires if not used in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.

Another well known manufacturer of halogen lamps is Philips. They produce many halogen bulbs known as the bipin variety which are commonly used in under cabinet or task lighting. The varieties MR11 and MR16 are used widely in track lighting and also in many retail lighting applications.
All in all halogen lamps provide an excellent alternative to incandescent bulbs.