Brief description

Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent. Although with halogens, the filament is run much hotter than a standard incandescent – so they provide more light. Halogen lamps for household use are available in two voltages - twelve volt versions which require a transformer and mains voltage.

Advantages

Because halogen spot lights are manufactured with a built-in reflector, they are able to produce a relatively narrow beam of light, making them ideal for lighting a work surface or targeting objects such as works of art and reading. The reflectors come in a range of different beam angles.

Where colour rendition is critical, the higher temperature means the light is less yellow – and more 'white' and therefore halogen spotlights often give better results since they produce light over the full colour range.

IRC halogen spotlights are 30% more efficient than standard halogen spot lights and have a long life of 5000 hours – two and a half times the lifespan of standard halogen spot lights.

Disadvantages

Halogen spotlights are not ideal for general background room lighting. Because they produce a narrow beam of light, it takes lots of downlights in the ceiling to evenly light the space. This means that any energy savings in the lamp are likely to be eaten up by the large number of lamps required. And because the light is projected on to the floor rather than around the room, the space may feel smaller because the walls and ceilings can be left in the dark.

Spotlights on their own produce high levels of contrast and throw shadows that are often seen as scalloping on the walls. In most applications this can be unwanted but in some rooms it can create great dramatic affects.

Recessed down lights – including halogen spotlights – should not be used in a ceiling where this is likely to compromise the insulation of the home as any energy savings you may achieve are likely to be lost through higher heating costs.