Halogen Lighting
Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp that has a longer life than conventional incandescent light bulbs. They are used in very specialized applications and are generally not used for task and space lighting. Halogen lamps are best suited for lighting areas where a direct focus of light is required such as spot lighting or highlighting paintings and photos on walls. The light output ranges from 15 to 25 lumens per watt, compared to a standard incandescent of 10 to 20 lumens per watt, making them only marginally more efficient.A common installation for halogens is on tracks, which allows for flexibility in both lamp orientations as well as for the number of lamps being utilized. Tubular halogen lamps should not be changed with bare hands as natural skin oils will damage the quartz when the lamp heats up. As well, halogens operate at a very high temperature so ensure the lamp has cooled down before removing it to prevent personal injury.
Another common use is in torchiere fixtures, a pole-mounted unit with a single halogen lamp directed upwards, commonly referred to as indirect lighting. These fixtures can be inexpensive to purchase, but costly to operate as they normally come with installed lamps of up-to-500 watts. Users of torchieres lamps need to ensure they are located in low traffic areas because they can be top heavy and subject to falling over easily.
As well, the upward facing open shade bowl design can attract foreign objects, which could be a safety concern. A safe and energy efficient solution is compact fluorescents that some torchiere fixtures now come equipped with. Like halogen torchieres, compact fluorescent torchieres come in a variety of styles including dimmable or three-level lighting, but use approximately 70 per cent less energy and last five times longer.
