FAQs
Is your online ordering system secure?
What is the difference between IC and non-IC recessed lighting fixtures?
Is voltage important?
Is it more energy efficient to leave a lamp on or to turn it off?
Why does an incandescent bulb darken over the life of the lamp?
How does a light bulb actually work?
What are the benefits of dimming an incandescent lamp?
Does an MR16 Halogen lamp provide much UV?
What is a Halogen bulb?
What is the difference between line voltage and low voltage?
Why do fluorescent lamps need a ballast?
Is your online ordering system secure?
Yes, We have 128 bit encryption (SSL). If you prefer to order by phone our
toll free
number is: 1-866-667-5611
What is the difference between IC and non-IC recessed lighting fixtures?
IC fixtures can be directly buried in insulation and in direct
contact with combustible building materials, such as wood joists & flooring
members.
Non-IC must maintain at least 3" from insulation on all sides, and none on
top so as
to entrap heat, with a minimum of 1/2" from combustible material
(such as wood joists and flooring members).
Is voltage important?
Yes. For best operation, it is very important that the designated voltage
marked on
your bulb corresponds to the circuit voltage on your electric line or
outlet.
Thus, a 120-volt bulb should be used on a 120-volt current.
Any substantial difference from this will cause wide variation in the life
and
efficiency of the bulb.
Is it more energy efficient to leave a lamp on or to turn it off?
Since there is no surge involved in the starting of any residential bulb,
the
answer is if you are not using them, turn them off.
HID (high intensity discharge) lamps (unusual inside houses) and
fluorescent lamps have different operating needs. If you have a fluorescent
lamp,
the general rule is turn the lamp off unless you are going to need it again
within
fifteen minutes. Frequent cycling, turning on and off for short periods of
time such
as in a closet application, can reduce the life of a fluorescent lamp.
Why does an incandescent bulb darken over the life of the lamp?
During use, tungsten from the filament evaporates
into the gas inside the light bulb. When the tungsten comes in contact with
a cool surface
it will condense. Often, with incandescent products, the tungsten condenses
on the bulb
wall, eventually accumulating, and causing darkening of
the bulb.
Halogen light bulbs eliminate the bulb darkening because halogen light bulbs
have a
special gas inside their bulb containing halogens. The halogen gas
facilitates the
"halogen regenerative cycle" which means that the halogens carry the
evaporated tungsten
back to the filament instead of allowing it to deposit on the bulb wall.
How does a light bulb actually work?
Basically, an incandescent Bulb is a simple device - just a tungsten wire
sealed in a
glass tube. The electric current passing through the wire heats it to
incandescence,
and the wire produces light. Suppose you took a dark piece of metal. If you
heat it in
a furnace, it becomes hot and radiates heat, but at first shows no visible
effects.
As temperature is increased, it turns a dull red, therefore emitting not
only heat, but
also some light. As the temperature is increased further, it turns to a
cherry red,
then yellow, and at temperatures of about 4600 F, it radiates a bright,
nearly
'white-hot' light. For the incandescent lamp, energy is supplied
electrically to make
up for the energy, which is radiated as heat and light.
What are the benefits of dimming an incandescent lamp?
Using a dimming switch on an incandescent light bulb will not only reduce
the energy
consumption of the lamp, but also it will extend the life of the lamp. A 10%
reduction
in voltage (12 volts) in a lamp designed for 120 volt operation will extend
the life
almost 400%. However, light output is reduced by 1/3. For example, if you
use a 100-watt
standard household incandescent dimmed by 10%, you'll save 10% energy,
extend the life of
the lamp, but the light bulb would have about the equivalent light output as
a 60-watt bulb.
Does an MR16 Halogen lamp provide much UV?
Tungsten filament lamps, such as Halogen and Incandescent provide minimal
UV.
GE's ConstantColor® MR16 lamps are made using special quartz, which has
properties that
enable it to filter out nearly all of the UV portion of the spectrum.
What is a Halogen bulb?
Halogen is a type of incandescent lamp. It has a tungsten filament just like
a regular
incandescent that you may use in your home, however the bulb is filled with
halogen gas.
When an incandescent lamp (one which produces light by heating a tungsten
filament)
operates, tungsten from the filament is evaporated into the gas of the bulb
and deposited
on the glass wall. The bulb "burns out" when enough tungsten has evaporated
from the
filament so that electricity can no longer be conducted across it. The
halogen gas in a
halogen lamp carries the evaporated tungsten particles back to the filament
and re-deposits
them. This gives the lamp a longer life than regular A-line incandescent
lamps and
provides for a cleaner bulb wall for light to shine through.
What is the difference between line voltage and low voltage?
Line voltage in the United States is 120 volts. It is the voltage that is
supplied to your
home or office. Low voltage is less than the supplied voltage. Some lamps,
like
GE's ConstantColor® Precise™ MR16 lamps, run on low voltage. Getting low
voltage to lamps
requires that the supplied electricity (at 120 V) passes through a
transformer to reduce
it prior to operating the lamp.
Why do fluorescent lamps need a ballast?
Ballasts are used to regulate the current in the lamp. Current needs to be
regulated in
order to supply the right amount of power needed to make the arc, and thus
the light,
in a fluorescent lamp. Fortunately, the current is lower than that needed
for a typical
incandescent. This is the reason why the fluorescent lamps can provide the
same light
output for less energy than typical incandescents.
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