What Is Wrong with My Halogen Lighting?
You must have scoured the internet to know what’s wrong with your halogen bulbs. Halogen lighting is increasingly becoming popular because they seem to give better quality lighting. Some also prefer them because of their high efficiency. You own one, too, because of these exact reasons. However, you are now hitting some snags because of their malfunction.
Before deciding on a halogen lighting installation, it is important to know the pros and cons of these light bulbs. Halogen bulbs can be better than regular incandescent lights, but they also have their drawbacks. For instance, they emit more heat. Too much heat could be the reason why they break down. They also need shielding and have a shorter life span.
According to experts from Rush Electrical Service, early troubleshooting is part of caring for your halogen light bulbs. They also ensure that they are always ways to get around problems encountered with halogen lighting. In this article, you’ll know what the matter is with your light bulbs and learn solutions.
Incandescent vs. Halogen Lights
In actuality, halogen lights are similar to incandescent lights. The obvious distinction is that there’s more halogen used inside halogen bulbs.
Incandescent lights have argon gas. Some common light bulbs use methyl bromide, krypton or xenon, methylene chloride, or any mixture. Methyl bromide is present in ordinary halogen bulbs of 75 watts. Krypton consumes less energy and emits less heat, thus providing bright yellow light. Xenon is most commonly used in projector lamps and headlights.
What’s special about halogen bulbs is how halogen inside the bulbs prevents soot buildup. While incandescent bulbs have filaments, they only get hotter the longer they burn. So, there is more possibility of soot deposits. Halogen bulbs get hot, too, but a chemical reaction causes halogen to return to the filament and tungsten soot, allowing the filament to rejuvenate.
Aside from halogen bulbs allowing the slower destruction of filaments, there are more reasons why some people prefer their use. However, some of these positives have their corresponding negatives. Below are some pros and cons of halogen bulbs:
Pros:
- safer to handle
- easier for the eyes
- lasts longer
- better light quality
- can be dimmed
- fit for outside lighting
- do not darken over time
- compact in size
Cons:
- Can pose risks of fire when not positioned properly
- Can have strong glare when not focused appropriately
- Cannot be touched by hand when it needs changing
DOs and DON'Ts with Halogen Bulbs
There surely are many advantages to installing halogen bulbs. However, as a responsible user, you want to learn what you should and should not do with this type of lighting. Here are some DOs and DONTs with halogen bulbs.
DOs
- Position properly. Although a halogen bulb is much safer than any incandescent bulb, it can still cause concern. In fact, it caused several fire incidents in the 1990s.
Looking back, the Torchiere Lamp, a type of halogen floor lamp, became popular in the 1990s and contributed to several house fires. The lights could burn fast when people set them close to curtains. Since they did not have protective shields, they could emit too much heat that posed risks of fire.
One incident happened during a gathering at a house in the 1990s when a young child threw a teddy bear into the air, landing on a halogen lamp. The teddy bear immediately started to smoke and eventually fire. The kid was slightly shocked as they got rid of the teddy and removed the lamp from the house.
Halogen lights of the present day have metal grids and glass top shades to prevent this,
but they still get very hot.
- Focus correctly. You should position and focus on halogen bulbs correctly. The operating temperature of halogen light bulbs is extremely high, so they can hurt the eyes when not properly located and shaded.
You should never look directly at a halogen light bulb because of this, as well as the UV rays they emit. Lengthy exposure to these light bulbs can also cause retinal problems, poor vision, and other eye diseases. Make sure your halogen lamps have a lampshade on them if you have any!
DONTs
- Touch with bare hands. It’s recommended that you do not touch halogen bulbs with bare hands. The salts and oils from your skin will harm the bulb and cause the heat to concentrate if you touch it with your fingers.
The bulb’s lifespan may be drastically cut short. Most halogen capsule bulbs you purchase will be sealed in plastic inside the package for this reason.
Troubleshooting Your Halogen Lighting
You’re finally down to learning the problems in your halogen lighting. If you have trouble with your bulb malfunctions, we have listed the possible causes.
- Incorrect installation. One reason why your halogen bulb is not working properly is its assembly. If you notice that your bulb is swaying or unstable in its position. You might want to check its parts once more.
Solution: You can choose to dismantle the light bulb and go through its installation again. Make sure that the parts are secured in their places tightly fastened. Confirm that the lamp’s body is securely screwed to its base and to the wall you want it attached to.
- Unreliable electrical outlet. Sometimes, it’s due to an electrical problem that halogen bulbs do not work. Maybe it’s not getting the needed energy because there’s an error in the outlet’s wiring.
Solution: Check that you are plugging your halogen lighting into a reliable outlet that matches its voltage rating. If your hunch tells you there’s a wiring issue in the outlet, you can hire an electrician to do the needed repairs.
- Filament burnout. If your halogen light is malfunctioning, another obvious problem is the filament. Halogen lamps use tungsten filaments that can burn out over time. It is often the cause why halogen bulbs darken.
Solution: You would prefer to replace the bulb with a new one. Filaments normally burn out at a considerate rate and are irreparable.
- Shorts in the wiring. This cause might involve wiring in your whole house. If you see your halogen light bulb not working properly, you want to ensure that the environment and the connection of the lamp are good and favorable.
Solution: Ensure you provide a favorable condition for your halogen light bulbs. Avoid installing them in places with high levels of moisture. Make sure that its connections are secure concerning your house’s wiring.
Installing halogen lighting is indeed more advantageous than installing ordinary incandescent lights. However, halogen bulbs can also encounter problems from time to time due to certain causes, such as filament burnout, insufficient energy, or inconsistent or incorrect wiring.
There are always steps and ways to get around these. By following the solutions we enumerated above, you can ensure the efficient functioning of your halogen lights. Moreover, you must know what you should and should not do when planning to have your own halogen lighting. You must learn how to care for it for better performance.
We have more quality content to help you deal with halogen light problems. They will surely help you make the most of your halogen lighting. If you think you already need professional help with its issues, you can call Rush Electrical Service to hire expert assistance.
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