Halogen lamp. Halogen lamps for the home: disadvantages, reviews, photos What are halogen lighting lamps

High prices for electricity lead to people trying to save money on such a resource by purchasing a variety of energy-saving light bulbs and appliances. When choosing a lamp for home use, you need to pay attention not only to its efficiency, but also to its long service life, as well as other criteria and characteristics.

Halogen lamps for the home are very popular among consumers, as they have a long service life, provide excellent illumination of the room, and are also available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

What it is?

Halogen lamps are similar to conventional incandescent lamps. To make an incandescent body, tungsten wire is used, which is twisted into a spiral. The light bulb itself is a glass flask, in the middle of which an incandescent body is placed and a special gas is pumped in. Bromine or iodine vapor is used as such a gas.

They prevent tungsten, which evaporates during the heating process, from settling on the walls of the light bulb. Thanks to the use of such gases, the service life of a halogen lamp increases compared to other lighting devices. The flask itself is made from a special material - quartz, which can easily withstand high temperature changes. Due to the heat resistance of the quartz flask, its dimensions can be very small compared to other light bulbs.

Thanks to the addition of bromine or iodine, it was possible to almost completely eliminate the process of darkening the bulb, which over time affected the quality of the light flow, making it weaker and dimmer.

Operating principle and properties

Despite the similarity between halogen and conventional incandescent light bulbs, their operating principles are significantly different. When using a halogen light bulb, when the filament becomes very hot, volatile tungsten compounds are released. Thanks to the filled bromine or iodine, which reacts with tungsten atoms, the latter elements are not able to settle on the walls of the flask.

A similar process also has a reverse reaction: When such compounds are in the vicinity of a filament, they begin to disintegrate into their component parts. It turns out that tungsten atoms released from the disintegrated compound return to the heated tungsten helix or settle nearby. The recovered tungsten atoms extend the life of not only the filament, but also the light bulb itself.

Halogen lamps have a very good color temperature; the color spectrum emanating from them conveys warmer tones than other lighting devices.

The distinctive features of such light bulbs include:

• The ability to create a variety of lighting options in rooms - from a beam of light that will be narrowly directed in one direction, to creating a diffused light flux that will be very wide and will remove the slightest hint of shadow.
• The luminous flux will not dim after a certain time, even if such a light bulb remains constantly on.
• The lighting is brighter, although the power may be the same. For example, a regular 60-watt incandescent lamp will be comparable in power to a 40-watt halogen lamp.
• Its small size allows it to be used as spot lighting on suspended ceilings, even creating original lighting compositions.
• The energy-saving effect is created due to high brightness and improved color rendering.

An undeniable advantage also includes long service life. In order for the selected device to serve you as long as possible, you need to choose the right type of light bulb, correlating its characteristics with your needs.

Classification and technical characteristics

Despite the fact that halogen lamps are slightly inferior in efficiency to fluorescent lamps, they are widely popular because they do not require special modifications. They are used with a dimmer and a backlit switch both to create lighting in apartments and to illuminate non-residential premises. Using special lenses, many drivers also install halogens in car headlights.

Depending on the design features and methods of use, halogen lamps are divided into several types.

Linear lamp

This is the oldest type of such products. It is made in the form of a small-sized pipe made of quartz. It has two terminals, which are located on both sides. The filament is held in place due to the presence of special fasteners. Bases (R7s) are also placed on both sides of this lamp. In addition, it is quite modest in size. This product is characterized high power, which it consumes, so it should not be used as a household lighting fixture.

Lamps are installed mainly for floodlighting.

There are also modern variations of the linear halogen lamp - a flood lamp. It is characterized by high impact resistance. Such modifications can be used for domestic purposes as a source of indoor or outdoor lighting. Please note that most linear bulb models must be positioned in horizontal planes to prevent capacitors from protruding. Even a small angle of inclination can lead to damage to this device, significantly reducing its service life.

With external bulb

This device operates on mains voltage. Its appearance is very similar to the usual incandescent lamp. The purpose of their production was to replace conventional incandescent light bulbs. They will not require special lamps or a specific connection method. Bulbs with external bulb can be connected directly to the household electrical network, without the use of a transformer. Such products are characterized by the usual standardized base E27 and E14.

If we take into account that the service life of tungsten lamps depends on the voltage value, as well as how stable it is supplied, then when installing new lighting it is better to connect halogen products through a specialized device - a block for protecting halogen lamps. Such a regulator will allow you to create a smooth start, acting as a filter, it will protect the lighting device from unstable voltage operation.

The outer bulb can match the size and shape of a conventional incandescent light bulb. In the middle there will be a linear or tiny halogen light bulb. The outer shell is used to protect the quartz flask from unnecessary touches and contamination.

There are some variants of similar products, which will have different external flasks. They can be:

• milky color;
• made of transparent glass;
• matted or tinted;
• made of glass that absorbs almost completely ultraviolet rays.

Since the inner flask is tiny in size, this means that the outer shell can also have miniature parameters. Therefore, such capsule lamps can be used in tiny luminaires while maintaining sufficient illumination. They can also come in hex or candle shapes to replace conventional light bulbs in decorative lighting fixtures.

With light reflector

This is one of the most popular types of halogen light bulbs, the demand for which is constantly increasing, as they are used as spotlights, as well as to create lighting in the room as a whole. Thanks to the accurate transmission of light, such products do not have a detrimental effect on the eyes and do not tire them. Such reflective lighting is used in children's rooms so that the child can draw, read and do his favorite things for a long time without straining his eyesight.

A reflector halogen lamp consists of a small bulb located in the central part of a special reflective element - a reflector. Thanks to this device, the light flow produced by the lamp is redistributed and focused into space. Reflectors are made from a variety of materials, but the most popular are aluminum reflectors, since they allow heat to be transferred forward, thereby protecting the surrounding surface from overheating.

This low-voltage capsule bulb can be easily used in open-type luminaires. Lamps with a light reflector can become a real decoration for the ceiling, creating a semblance of a starry sky or other optical illusions, depending on your imagination and the chosen style for arranging the room.

Infrared

They are an economical option for halogen bulbs, as they reflect infrared radiation. In such a product, the bulb has a special coating that does not allow the transmission of infrared rays, but allows them to be reflected back, returning them and halogen vapor back to the filament. In this regard, the power of such a light source increases.

How to connect and replace?

Ask to check the halogen bulb before purchasing. Such a check will save you from unnecessary actions, for example, if after installing or replacing a similar product, the light does not appear, then you will know that the problem is not in the lamp itself, but in the wiring or incorrect connection.

When installing and replacing light bulbs, follow these simple rules:

• Do not touch light bulbs with bare hands. There is sebum on the hands, and even the slightest drop of it on such a device can greatly reduce the useful life.
• It is better to install and replace such products while wearing cotton gloves. Some manufacturers add such gloves to the set of lamps or lamps. If these gloves are not at hand, take a dry, clean cloth.
• If you touch the light bulb with your hand, be sure to degrease it. To do this, wipe the product with alcohol. Wait for it to dry completely, this will take some time (about half an hour). If you do not wait until it dries and start replacing halogen bulbs, the remaining alcohol may ignite during heating.
• Make sure to purchase a transformer to which you can connect a dimmer. These components will protect halogen lamps from excessive voltage surges and protect devices from short circuits.

• Place the transformer no closer than 30 centimeters from the light bulbs to prevent overheating of the devices.
• Installing a special soft-start device will also help extend the life of such products. In addition to everything else, you will get a beautiful and eye-pleasing increase in lighting brightness.
• When reworking or replacing a burnt-out light bulb, do not try to touch it immediately; it will be very hot and may burn you.
• If you are installing a halogen light bulb in a suspended ceiling, then take care to create excellent ventilation. Since during operation such light bulbs emit a large amount of heat and in the absence of ventilation they will quickly deteriorate and burn out.

After replacing a halogen light bulb, it must be disposed of. Such products are safe, their halogen content is negligible, so they can be thrown into the bin with other household waste.

Just do not throw such products into containers for glass recycling, since the structure of their glass is different from that from which the bottles are made.

Where are they used?

Halogen lamps are widely used both for indoor and outdoor lighting:

• If such a product is large in size, then it is used as floodlights to illuminate streets or the territory of a country house.
• Spotlights can fit perfectly into any interior, no matter what style it is made in. Such spot lighting can emphasize or delimit individual zones or transitions of space. For this purpose, capsule models or models with a reflector are used.
• Such light bulbs can be installed on suspended ceilings, built into aluminum or plasterboard structures, it all depends on design ideas and ideas.
• Ceiling lamps can imitate the starry sky, creating a romantic mood or putting you in a positive mood. Using dimmers, you can adjust the lighting, creating an intimate atmosphere in the bedroom.

• As a replacement for conventional incandescent lamps, halogen models can be installed in chandeliers and other ceiling lamps.
• Due to the fact that the lighting created by halogen bulbs does not have a negative effect on vision and does not tire the eyes, they are often installed in floor lamps or bedside lamps. A directed beam of light will allow you to read an entertaining book or magazine while lying in bed or sitting comfortably in your favorite soft chair.
• Halogen bulbs are no less popular among motorists, as they provide excellent illumination of the road at night or in conditions of poor visibility.

Comparison with LED: pros and cons

Despite the great popularity of halogen light bulbs, some consumers prefer to opt for LED analogues instead of a halogen lamp. Wondering what is the best light bulb to use for your home? Let's try to compare two products based on key characteristics:

• If we analyze electricity consumption, halogen light bulbs consume more than diode light bulbs. But compared to conventional incandescent light bulbs, halogen lamps are a more economical and cost-effective option.
• Both models are distinguished by high light transmission; the difference lies in the fact that the LED backlight is capable of emitting light that differs in color temperature. That is, for example, the white light of diode light bulbs can be different, ranging from warm to cold shades.
• LEDs are considered the brightest types of light bulbs; while consuming less electrical energy, they produce more power. The disadvantages of halogen lamps also include their heating during operation; diode lamps heat up to a lesser extent.

• There are differences in the service life of similar products. Halogens shine and burn out after 2.5 thousand hours of continuous operation; for LED models this figure is higher and amounts to 100 thousand hours of continuous illumination.
• Despite all the above characteristics, halogen light bulbs have a significant advantage over their diode counterparts - their cost. Not everyone will be able to allocate a significant amount from the family budget to purchase one light bulb, not to mention if it is necessary to replace spotlights throughout the apartment or house. The result will be a huge and impressive amount. Unlike diodes, everyone can afford halogens without causing serious damage to the family budget.
• The disadvantages of diode lamps also include the inability to create a uniform distribution of light flux. They are characterized by a generally directional flow, which in some cases can cause "spotting".

Operating principle

An electric current passing through a filament body (usually a tungsten coil) heats it to a high temperature. When heated, the filament body begins to glow. However, due to the high operating temperature, tungsten atoms evaporate from the surface of the filament (tungsten filament) and deposit (condense) on the cooler surfaces of the bulb, limiting the life of the lamp.

In a halogen lamp, the iodine surrounding the filament (together with residual oxygen) enters into a chemical combination with evaporated tungsten atoms, preventing the latter from depositing on the bulb. This process is reversible - at high temperatures near the filament, the compound breaks down into its constituent substances. Tungsten atoms are released in this way either on the helix itself or near it. As a result, tungsten atoms return to the filament body, which makes it possible to increase the operating temperature of the filament (to produce brighter light), extend the life of the lamp, and also reduce the size compared to conventional incandescent lamps of the same power.

Halogen lamps work equally well on alternating and direct current. When using soft start, the service life can be increased to 8000-12,000 hours.

Advantages and disadvantages

The addition of halogens prevents the deposition of tungsten on the glass, provided the glass temperature is above 250 °C. Due to the absence of blackening of the bulb, halogen lamps can be made very compact. The small volume of the flask allows, on the one hand, to use a higher operating pressure (which again leads to a decrease in the rate of evaporation of the filament) and, on the other hand, without a significant increase in cost, to fill the flask with heavy inert gases, which leads to a reduction in energy losses due to thermal conductivity. All this extends the life of halogen lamps and increases their efficiency.

Color rendition

Halogen lamps have very good color rendering (Ra 99-100), since their continuous spectrum is close to the spectrum of an absolutely black body with a temperature of 2800-3000K. Their light emphasizes warm tones, but to a lesser extent than the light of conventional incandescent lamps.

Application

Although halogen lamps do not achieve the efficiency of fluorescent lamps and especially LED lamps, their advantage is that they can be used without any modifications as a direct replacement for conventional incandescent lamps, for example, with dimmers and backlit switches (“with a light”). ).

Halogen lamps are also actively used in car headlights due to their increased light output, durability, resistance to voltage fluctuations, and small bulb sizes.

Powerful halogen lighting lamp ~230V 150W L=118mm

Halogen lamps with a low incandescent body temperature are sources of infrared radiation and are used as heating elements, for example in electric stoves, microwave ovens (grill), soldering irons (soldering thermoplastics with IR radiation).

Execution

Lamp size MR16

Halogen lamps can be manufactured in compact sizes MR16, MR11, with socket GU 5.3, G4, GY 6.35 (12 volts) or G9, GU10 (220 or 110 volts), and with Edison socket E14 or E27 (220 volts). or 110 volts), linear with R7 base of various lengths (L=78 mm, L=118 mm, etc.). The lamp bulb can be transparent, frosted, and also have a reflector and/or diffuser.

Lamps of standard sizes MR are intended for installation in vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles), and also, when connected via a transformer, can be used for stationary lighting (“spot lighting”, compact lamps) from a household network.

GU lamps are used for stationary lighting in a similar way to MR lamps, unlike the latter, without requiring a transformer. It is easy to determine what type of lamp (MR or GU) is installed in a given lamp or light “point” without removing the lamp by observing how the brightness of the lamp changes when turned on and off: the GU lamp lights up and goes out almost instantly, while the MR lamp changes more smoothly , possessing a certain inertia (about 1/2 second).

Lamps with E14 (minion) or E27 (standard) socket are designed to replace conventional incandescent lamps. They are equipped with an additional external bulb (in shape and size similar to the bulb of conventional incandescent lamps), which protects the internal quartz bulb from contamination, accidental touches and contact with fusible materials.

Features of operation

Halogen lamps are very sensitive to grease contamination, so their internal bulbs should not be touched even with cleanly washed hands. Due to the high temperature of the flask, any surface contaminants (for example, fingerprints) quickly burn out during operation, leaving black marks. This leads to local increases in the temperature of the flask, which can cause its destruction (therefore, due to the high temperature, the flasks are made of quartz glass). When installing them, you should hold the lamp bulb through a clean cloth (or with clean gloves), and if you accidentally touch it, carefully wipe the bulb with a cloth that does not leave fibers (for example, microfiber) with alcohol.

Since the bulb of a halogen lamp heats up to fire-hazardous temperatures, it should be mounted in such a way as to completely exclude in the future any possibility of its contact with any nearby objects and materials, and especially the human body.

When using a halogen lamp with a dimmer, it is necessary to turn on the lamp at full power from time to time to evaporate the tungsten iodide deposits that have accumulated on the inside of the bulb.

IRC halogen lamps

A new direction in the development of lamps is the so-called. IRC-halogen lamps (the abbreviation IRC stands for “infrared coating”). A special coating is applied to the bulbs of such lamps, which allows visible light to pass through, but retains infrared (thermal) radiation and reflects it back to the spiral. Due to this, heat loss is reduced and, as a result, the efficiency of the lamp increases. According to OSRAM, energy consumption is reduced by 45% and the lifetime is doubled (compared to a conventional halogen lamp).

Notes

Halogen lamps have the highest quality color rendering. In addition, halogen lamps are characterized by high brightness and directional radiation. Of course, they can only conditionally be called energy-saving, however, compared to incandescent lamps, they have several times greater luminous efficiency and doubled service life.

There are many different halogen lamps. In this article we will get acquainted with their main types and features.

All halogen lamps conditionally divided into two large groups: low voltage lamps (low voltage) - up to 24 V and mains voltage lamps - 220 V. In addition, halogen lamps differ in design and purpose.

1. Linear halogen lamps

This is the oldest type of halogen lamps, which were created back in the 60s of the last century. The lamps are a quartz tube with leads on both sides. The filament is supported in the lamp using special wire brackets.

The lamps, despite their small size, have a very decent power - 1 - 20 kW. Such lamps are not used indoors due to their very high brightness and high power consumption. Their main area of ​​application is floodlighting. There are modern linear halogen flood lamps, which are used not only in outdoor but also in indoor lighting. These lamps are characterized by increased impact resistance.

Linear halogen lamp

Lamps are available in standard lengths. The most popular are halogen linear lamps with a length of 78 and 118 mm. Most linear halogen lamps require horizontal placement in space. Modern linear halogen lamps are produced as double-ended lamps with an R7s base (located on both sides of the lamp).

2. Halogen lamps with external bulb

These are mains voltage halogen lamps. They are designed to be a direct replacement for incandescent lamps. Lamps with an external glass bulb are available with standard (Edison socket). Such lamps do not require special lamps.

Inside the glass bulb there is a miniature or linear halogen lamp with a voltage of 220 V. The outer bulb of such lamps protects the internal quartz bulb of the halogen lamp from contamination and accidental touches. In shape and size it is similar to the bulb of ordinary incandescent lamps.

Halogen lamp with external bulb

Halogen lamps of this type come in different shapes and with different types of bulbs - transparent, milky and frosted. There are lamps with glass that absorbs ultraviolet radiation. Compared to conventional incandescent lamps, mains voltage halogen lamps produce light with a higher color temperature (2900 - 3000 K) and have better color rendering.

Most halogen lamps of this type are more compact in design than incandescent lamps, making them suitable for use in small miniature lamps. Decorative mains voltage halogen lamps are produced (candle-shaped, hexagonal), which can be used instead of decorative incandescent lamps.

Halogen lamp with external bulb OSRAM

Halogen lamps with an external glass bulb are connected to the mains supply without a transformer. Since the service life of halogen lamps very much depends on the parameters of the supply voltage, it is very advisable to connect mains voltage halogen lamps through a special device - halogen lamp protection unit. This protection unit ensures smooth starting of halogen lamps without a current surge at the moment of starting and protects the lamps in case of voltage deviation.

3. Halogen lamps with reflector (halogen directional lamps).

Such lamps are available in standard sizes - MR8, MR11 and MR16. The most popular standard size of halogen lamps is MR16 (bulb diameter 50 mm). Halogen lamps with reflectors are characterized by different emission angles.

The lamp consists of a miniature bulb with a special reflector (reflector). Reflectors redistribute the light flux of the lamp in space. The halogen lamp itself is located in the center of the reflector. There are many types of reflectors. Most common halogen lamps with aluminum reflectors.

Since halogen lamps are a modern version of incandescent lamps, they generate a large amount of heat when operating. Lamps with aluminum reflectors direct heat forward. For cases where this is unacceptable, there are halogen lamps with interference reflectors(special translucent coating), in which heat is transferred back.

Halogen lamp with aluminum reflector

Halogen lamps are available with a coating that reflects infrared radiation ( IRC halogen lamps). Lamps of the latter type are considered the most economical, since the bulb of such a lamp, with the help of a special coating, does not transmit infrared radiation from the filament body, but reflects it back onto the spiral. As a result, the temperature of the coil increases. At the same time, heat loss is reduced, electricity consumption is reduced and the service life is doubled compared to conventional halogen lamps.

There are halogen lamps without protective glass, with protective transparent glass, a glass cap and lamps with protective colored glass. Lamps without protective glass and glass cap must be used in closed luminaires. The glass of most modern halogen lamps does not transmit ultraviolet radiation.

Halogen lamps with a lamp reflector are usually used when organizing spot directional lighting. Usually they are built into suspended and suspended ceilings, and by correctly calculating the number of lamps, they can be used not only for illumination purposes, but also for organizing general lighting.

The sockets of halogen lamps with reflectors have two-pin connectors: GY4, GZ4, GU4, GX5.3, GU5.3, GY6.35 - for low-voltage halogen lamps (6, 12 or 24 V). The number after the letters indicates the distance between the pins in millimeters.

Such lamps provide high electrical safety. They must be connected through a special electronic or electromagnetic transformer. For halogen lamps they are used much more often.

Mains voltage halogen lamps of standard size MR16 are available with two-pin sockets - G9 and G10. This is done so that they cannot be accidentally confused with low-voltage halogen lamps.

4. Capsule (finger) halogen lamps

Such lamps are very miniature in size and represent a small capsule with leads. They are produced with transverse and longitudinal filament bodies. Such lamps can be used in open luminaires without protective glass. They are mainly used for lamps built into furniture and ceilings, and for decorative lighting. There are models of general lighting fixtures with capsule halogen lamps.

Capsule halogen lamp

Possible types of sockets for capsule lamps: G4, G 5.3, GY6.35. Mains voltage halogen capsule lamps usually have a G9 base (9 mm pin spacing). They are used for decorative lighting, and sometimes in lamps for general lighting.

This article describes only the main types of halogen lamps. Of course, manufacturers of light sources do not stand still and every year they improve the halogen lamps they produce, as well as create new varieties of them, which is confirmed by the constant updating of their range in catalogs. If you have come across unusual types of halogen lamps, please share your impressions of using them in the comments. I look forward to your comments!

Thrifty and sensible owners of houses and apartments increasingly began to abandon traditional incandescent lamps and purchase, for example, halogen lamps, which consume less electricity. Of course, such devices also have disadvantages. Their operating principle can be considered in more detail.

How do halogen lamps work?

Energy-saving for home - G9 and other models - are similar in their operating principle to traditional incandescent models. An ordinary light bulb has a fairly large bulb made of frosted or clear glass. Its container is filled with a gas mixture, usually nitrogen, argon, or both of these components. In the center there is a tungsten filament through which an electric current passes and heats it up to 2500 °C, which creates a glow. All “white” metals, including tungsten, glow white when heated, but thanks to the bulb, the lighting can be made cold or warm.

The difference between a halogen lamp and an incandescent lamp

A standard incandescent lamp with normal consumption, which is from 12 hours a day, can work up to 1000 electric hours. Here the question may immediately arise: “Why is so much electricity spent on its operation?” This happens because power consumption goes into heat itself, which the lamp gives off twice as much, and not into light. Over time, due to the heat generated and high heat, the tungsten filament burns out and sometimes even explodes. And this is precisely the main difference between an incandescent lamp and a halogen lamp.

Metal halide lighting fixtures are also created using tungsten filaments, but they are housed in a much smaller quartz bulb. Plain glass, located at such a short distance from the threads, will begin to melt, but quartz, on the contrary, increases its resistance to high-degree temperatures.

The gas in an incandescent lamp and a halogen lamp is also different. For the second option, experts have developed a substance with tungsten evaporation, which produces gaseous halogen vapor. When combined with tungsten vapor, which does not settle on surfaces and disappears without a trace, the service life of the threads is significantly extended. Also, thanks to such a universal gas mixture, the temperature of the filaments decreases. When halogen is used, the filament similarly gives off its heat into space, but 1.5 times less than when using nitrogen or argon. This operation of the devices can significantly reduce electricity consumption.

Advantages of halogen lamps

Halogen-based lighting devices have a number of distinctive characteristics. The positive qualities include the following:

Excellent for use when increased eye attention is required. The bright light emitted reduces visual strain and does not overstrain the crystal.

Excellent for lighting systems associated with advertising purposes, for example, to attract potential buyers or clients. For white light is the best option. Using halogen spotlights, you can create pinpoint focus. Many have noted that when halogen lamps work, the colors of surfaces become more intense and saturated, and the colors become more vibrant.

Built-in halogen floodlights are considered the most suitable for yard illumination. Like their LED counterparts, they excellently withstand temperature changes and are resistant to external factors and precipitation. The main thing in this case is their complete sealing. Spotlights and halogen lamps for the home, photos of which you can carefully study before purchasing, are about 20% more economical than similar incandescent ones. Their distinctive feature is a very bright light that illuminates all corners of the open space.

Disadvantages of halogen lamps

Halogen lamps for the home also have disadvantages. The disadvantages of the devices are:

Bright white lighting is not to everyone's liking. It hits the eyes hard and is not appropriate everywhere. You don't see it often for the ceiling of a bedroom or children's room. If they are installed in these premises, then only at an angle and under the guidance of experienced electrical engineers, according to the strategy they have developed.

Although the outer shell of the lamps is very durable, it can still be damaged, and in this case gas that is dangerous to humans will escape. Its presence in small quantities is not particularly harmful, but if there is more than one halogen, it can cause dizziness and migraines.

Halogen lamps for the home, which have disadvantages just like any other device, are not recommended for installation in the bathroom. Here they will be under constant influence of evaporating moisture and may explode after a short period of operation.

Splinters, sockets and cartridges require special disposal. You can’t throw halogen lamps for your home into a bin either. There are also disadvantages here. The damaged device must be sent either to a universal chemical waste disposal container, if available, or transferred to a company specializing in such services.

Consumer Opinion

Before purchasing for your home, you need to study reviews about them first. Some consumers may initially be put off by the cost of this type of device, since their price is significantly higher than that of standard incandescent lamps. Nevertheless, they are very beneficial for the home. The disadvantages associated with high initial purchase costs pay off handsomely over time. From the reviews you can see that people are very satisfied with the durability of the devices and the savings in power consumption.

Installation feature

The installation of halogen lamps differs from the installation of traditional incandescent lamps in that they have a quartz coating, which is not recommended to be touched with hands, so as not to disturb its structure. If this happens, the device may not work or may explode. It is important to follow a clear sequence when installing such a plan of lighting fixtures.

Halogen lamps, which appeared relatively recently, have found the widest application in almost all areas of our lives. Compact, economical and durable, they are used for high-quality lighting of houses, streets, for decorative lighting, and are even found in car headlights. What are halogen or, as they are often called, halogen lamps? How are they different from regular incandescent light bulbs? Today we will find out, and at the same time learn how to use them correctly.

Principle of operation

Essentially, a halogen light source is the same as an incandescent light bulb. It has a filament body - a tungsten spiral sealed in a flask. The flask, in turn, is filled with an inert gas. Under the influence of electric current, the spiral heats up and begins to glow brightly.

But despite the apparent similarity, the halogen light source has several significant differences from the Ilyich light bulb you are used to. If you know how a regular incandescent light bulb works, and carefully looked at the figure above, then you yourself will notice these differences. First of all, the bulb of the halogen illuminator is made of quartz rather than ordinary glass. In addition, halogens - bromine or iodine - are added to the gas with which the flask is filled. What does it give:

1. Increased service life. This is one of the main features of a halogen light source. The spiral in an ordinary light bulb, having a high operating temperature, gradually evaporates and eventually burns out. In a halogen lamp, bromine or iodine vapor added to the flask captures the evaporated tungsten atoms and returns them back to the spiral. This seemingly “trifle” increased the service life of the device to 4,000 hours (when using soft start systems to 8,000–12,000 hours).
2. Increased light output. The addition of halogens not only increased the service life, but also made it possible to heat the coil to a higher temperature. Thanks to this, the light output of a halogen light bulb doubled compared to a conventional incandescent lamp and amounted to 15-22 lm/W.
3. Improved color rendering. Thanks to the increased body temperature of the filament, the halogen lamp has extremely accurate color rendering and a continuous emission spectrum that corresponds to ordinary sunlight. In halogen light, all colors of objects look natural, and the eyes are not tired.
4. Compactness. The use of quartz glass, which can withstand high temperatures, made it possible to make the devices very compact. This is not only convenient to operate, but also requires less consumption of inert gas and halogens, which somewhat reduces the cost of production. The small size of the flask allows it to easily withstand high pressure, and as you know, the higher the pressure in the flask, the slower the tungsten evaporates from the spiral. Due to this, the service life of the device increases.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in repair and maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

The high temperature of the flask is not just a side effect, but a necessity. If the temperature is below 250 degrees, then the halogens will not be able to collect the tungsten molecules deposited on it from the glass. That is, a halogen lamp will turn into a regular incandescent light bulb .

Like regular incandescent light bulbs, halogen light bulbs can operate on either alternating or direct current. As for dimming, it is possible, but undesirable, since decreasing the brightness reduces the temperature of the filament body and the bulb. This impairs or completely stops the work of halogens in restoring the tungsten filament.

Differences between halogen lamps

Depending on the purpose, halogen light sources may vary:

• by design;
• on the base;
• by supply voltage.

Design and type

Today, the industry produces halogen lamps of various sizes and shapes. Capsule devices have the form of a compact capsule flask, which in addition can be equipped with a reflector. Typically, such lamps are used on vehicles and in lighting technology (cinema and photography, projectors, etc.), but can also be used for spot lighting of residential premises or landscape design.

Capsule halogen lamps with and without their own light reflector

Linear devices have a highly elongated bulb and resemble a miniature tubular fluorescent lamp. The contacts for connecting power to such light sources are located at the edges of the bulb. The main areas of application of linear lamps are theatrical, lighting, search floodlights and decorative lighting floodlights. Such devices are used for film and photography.

Linear halogen lamp and spotlights using it

Because the halogen lamp gets very hot, it is a strong source of infrared radiation. IRC lamps, which appeared relatively recently, do not have this drawback. The special coating of the flask allows visible light to pass through, but reflects IR radiation, which is returned to the flask. This solution has several advantages. Firstly, the IRC device does not heat up nearby objects very much. Secondly, and this is most important, due to the reduction in heat consumption, the lamp is approximately 45% more economical than its conventional halogen counterpart and has twice the service life.

IRC lamps are available in various sizes, and at first glance they may look like regular lamps. You can distinguish them from simple halogens by the IRC marking.

Infrared lamps, unlike IRC, act exactly the opposite. A special coating allows infrared radiation to pass through but blocks visible light. Such devices are much more effective than conventional and even ceramic heating elements. They do not require time to warm up - they enter operating mode immediately after switching on and cool down just as quickly.