

We classify a light bulb by the technology it uses to produce artificial light. Halogen light bulbs have tungsten filaments housed in a quartz capsule and filled with iodine and bromine gases. Just like with incandescent light bulbs, the electrical current enters the socket and travels up to the tungsten filament, heating up the filament to incandescence. Halogen is a type of lighting technology that is essentially an enhanced version of incandescent. Let's briefly define halogen light before we jump in. Understanding how the light bulb produces artificial light helps us (and you) pick out the right bulb for the right application.Understanding how the light bulb produces artificial light helps us (and you) to troubleshoot when scenarios go haywire.Įxample: Did you know that some halogen and HID lamps look nearly identical? Knowing the differences in technology will help you quickly identify that you have a halogen lamp in a HID socket.Let’s answer those questions and dive into the pros and cons of halogen technology.īut, before we begin, you may be thinking, “So, why do I need to know about technology and how does this knowledge benefit me?” I want to throw out a few advantages of understanding the technology before taking a deeper dive into the technology itself. How do halogen lamps emit artificial light? Where should you use halogen lamps? Where does halogen fit into the lighting industry? Or perhaps you have heard them referred to as the lamps that have a bulb within bulb – similar to a dream within a dream, huh?
Halogen bulbs full#
Halogen bulbs can be dimmed, but occasionally they should be operated at full light output to retain long life.You may have heard about the light bulbs that are too hot to handle.In addition, the bulbs produce ultraviolet radiation that may be harmful if light is not first absorbed or filtered by a glass shield. Halogen bi-pin and J bulbs can burst, and therefore, should be used in a fully enclosed fixture to provide shielding.Keep combustible materials away from the bulb and avoid touching while in use. The bulbs must be protected by a glass cover in the fixture to prevent potential damage from bulb rupture.
Halogen bulbs crack#
do not touch J-type bulbs with bare hands because high temperatures may crack the quartz bulb if it has been etched with oils from hands and fingers. Because of their high operating temperatures and unique bases, thermal control and socket design within the fixture are important.

They may be double or single ended and are available in a variety of lengths and wattage. Tube-shaped halogen bulbs (J-type) are made of quartz glass to withstand high operating temperatures. Most halogen bulbs use about one-quarter less energy than the standard incandescent, but recently some halogen lamps have entered the market that use half the energy of standard incandescents. Halogen infrared (IR) bulbs also have a reflective coating to redirect infrared energy back onto the filament to save energy.

Halogen bulbs have an inner capsule that contains halogen gas, which extends bulb life. Halogen screw base bulbs fit into the same medium-based sockets as common incandescent bulbs. Halogen bi-pin bulbs only fit into fixtures designed exclusively for their use. Some halogen bulbs have a pin base (bi-pin). Restrict their use to applications where short hours of use are expected, or where there are no other alternatives. However, halogen bulbs offer significantly lower efficacy and shorter life than fluorescent and LED bulbs. Due to the addition of halogen gas and in some products a coating that reflects infrared energy, halogen incandescent bulbs are somewhat more efficacious (the amount of light produced per unit of input power) than common incandescent bulbs.
