Specialty and Architectural Lighting — Incandescent

"I just replaced that bulb. It's already burnt out? The previous one lasted two years!" Yes, we've all had that feeling, as a light bulb we screwed into a socket a few months ago unexpectedly burns out. The usual response is a little annoyance, paranoia about the fixture or electrical wiring, and resignation to putting in a new bulb. If it's used in a special application like for a car or indicator light, this might...

Learn the difference between halogen and incandescent light bulbs. While halogen bulbs basically are incandescent, see how they've improved on the old incandescent light source, resulting in more efficiency.

Have you ever wondered why some light bulbs are coated while others are clear? The majority of light bulbs that are sold in the market nowadays, rather than being completely clear like the original Edison bulbs, have different coatings. Clear bulbs are often used in situations where abrupt and extreme light is needed. To achieve this effect, this setup allows us to directly see the illuminated tungsten filament of an incandescent or halogen bulb. These...

It is often assumed that incandescent and halogen light bulbs are completely different technologies. In fact, halogen is just a hybrid incandescent. Both types of light bulbs use a tungsten filament. Both burn out when the filament breaks. Both use line and low voltage the same way. Also, both incandescent and halogen bulbs can be dimmed. But here is the interesting twist: the more a halogen bulb is dimmed, the more it becomes an incandescent...

With the phase-out of the 60 watt incandescent light bulb, finding these classic bulbs will get more and more difficult over time. Even now, just a few months after the ban came into effect in January 2014, home improvement stores are doing everything they can to shift consumers into alternative, more energy-efficient light sources. The big box stores are pushing LED bulbs, and hard. The reason? LED is getting all the media hype and is...

Lighting manufacturers are pushing back against widespread rumors that the federal government is banning incandescent light bulbs. Talk show hosts and some members of Congress are calling for the repeal of a 2008 law signed by President Bush that sets tougher standards for light bulbs beginning in 2012. They claim consumers would be forced to use less popular compact fluorescent bulbs for their general lighting needs. But bulb manufacturers say that claim is false. The...