Choosing Lamps

Your next decision is which type of lamps to purchase. The three main types of household lamps are standard incandescent, tungsten-halogen incandescent, and fluorescent. With standard incandescent lamps, a small percentage of the electricity used actually produces light. Tungsten-halogen lamps are somewhat more energy-efficient, and fluorescent lamps are much more energy-efficient.

The following sections describe various types of lamps available for your home and how best to use them.

Incandescent Lamps

Standard Incandescent Bulbs

The standard incandescent bulb is the original and most common type of bulb used in the home. Incandescent bulbs have a low initial cost, are compact and produce a warm colour tone. However, they are not very energy-efficient, as only five to eight percent of the energy that goes into the fixture produces light, while the rest is dissipated as heat.

Long-Life or Extended-Life Incandescent Bulb

Long-life or extended life incandescent bulbs have a longer rated lifetime (in hours) than regular bulbs. However, they produce up to 30 percent less light while using the same amount of energy. Bulbs with a higher than normal voltage rating are also available (typically 130 V instead of the standard 120 V). These bulbs, which are intended for use where the electrical supply voltage fluctuates, such as in some rural areas, are less efficient than standard incandescents.

Reduced-Wattage Incandescent Bulbs

Reduced-wattage incandescent bulbs, often called energy-saver bulbs, are a slightly more energy-efficient version of the regular incandescent bulb. They save energy primarily by producing slightly less light at a lower wattage. They are not nearly as efficient as the compact fluorescent lamps described later, but are compatible with dimmers, work well outdoors, can be used in any light fixture that takes a regular incandescent bulb, and cost less to buy than fluorescents.

An incandescent bulb is often cheaper to buy, but costs more to operate than a compact fluorescent lamp

Tungsten-Halogen Incandescent Lamps

A tungsten-halogen lamp is an incandescent lamp with gases from the halogen family sealed inside the bulb. It has similar light output to a regular incandescent bulb while using up to 40 percent less power. Although tungsten-halogen lamps are more expensive to buy, they last two to four times longer than conventional incandescents.

Tungsten-halogen lighting provides excellent colour rendering and gives off a whiter light than conventional incandescent bulbs. Tungsten-halogen lamps can be used indoors and outdoors and are suitable for gardens and marking pathways. These lamps can be dimmed, although they should occasionally be used at full power to keep the bulb from darkening.

Tungsten-halogen technology is available in several lamp types. The standard bulb is similar in size and shape to a conventional incandescent. In some wattages, these bulbs can save about 15 percent of the energy used by a conventional incandescent. Other tungsten-halogen bulbs can produce more light than a standard incandescent with the same wattage.

Tungston-halogen lamps are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

A Word of Caution

Tungsten-halogen lamps operate at very high temperatures and should not be used in fixtures that have paper– or cellulose-lined sockets. For greater safety, opt for a better quality socket made from porcelain or high temperature plastic materials. Also, choose a better quality, medium-base tungsten-halogen lamp intended for domestic use that has a glass outer envelope to enclose the tungsten-halogen capsule inside. The envelope will contain hot glass particles should the lamp rupture. Finally, check the maximum lamp wattage and type rating of the fixture to determine if it is suitable for tungsten-halogen lamps.

Parabolic Aluminized Reflector Lamps

Parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) lamps, typically used as spotlights or floodlights inside or outside homes, are also available with halogen technology to operate at 120 volts. A standard 150-W incandescent spotlight can be replaced with a lower wattage halogen lamp, reducing electricity consumption by up to 40 percent. Smaller halogen PAR lamps are available for use with transformers to operate at 12 volts. These low-voltage halogen lamps are small, lightweight and provide precise control of the light beam, which makes them useful for aiming light at specific areas. (These lamps are often used in track lighting to create pools of light in a room, such as above a dining table.) Low-voltage halogen lamps are similar in efficiency to other halogen PAR lamps.

PAR lamp

Tubular Tungsten-Halogen Bulbs

Tubular tungsten-halogen bulbs are commonly used in “torchiere” floor lamps, which reflect light off of the ceiling, providing more diffused and suitable general lighting. However, these lamps consume significant amounts of energy (typically drawing 300 to 600-W) and become very hot (a 300-W tubular tungsten-halogen bulb reaches a temperature of about 260 ^oC compared to about 60 ^oC for a compact fluorescent bulb). This heat can be a serious fire hazard if drapes, clothing or other flammable materials come in contact with the lamp. Purchasing a torchiere with a cooler, more efficient light source, such as a compact fluores-cent lamp, reduces the risk of fire and saves significant amounts of energy.

Torchiere floor lamps with a tubular tungsten-halogen bulb operate at very high temperatures and can pose a fire hazard if used improperly.

Safety Alert:

Because tubular tungsten-halogen lamps operate at a high temperature and at a high internal gas pressure, a protective shield, screening technique or both must be used to protect people and surroundings. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) requires that these lamps be shielded to prevent fires should a lamp explode. As well, torchieres must pass a heat test to confirm that they have been designed to prevent igniting materials (e.g., by using a shield or thermal cut-out). Tungsten-halogens should not be shone directly on surfaces, as they can burn human skin, delicate fabrics and other sensitive materials.

Halogen Infrared Reflecting Lamps

Tungsten-halogen lamps can be made more efficient with the use of a coating that reflects infrared radiation back onto the lamp filament. A 150-W PAR lamp can be replaced with a 60-W halogen infrared reflecting (HIR) lamp, with nearly equivalent light output. Similarly, a 300-W halogen lamp used in a torchiere fixture can be replaced with a 225-W HIR lamp, improving safety and providing modest energy savings.

HIR technology is not yet available for standard incandescent bulbs, although it is under development by research organizations and industry.

A word of caution: When replacing HIR lamps installed on individual and track fixtures, it is best, for safety reasons and to avoid premature lamp failure, to turn the circuit off before unscrewing a lamp.

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