The Different Types Of Low Voltage Indoor Lighting
Low voltage lighting is a term used to classify lighting technology that minimises power consumption, whilst maximising energy efficiency.
There are three main types of low voltage lighting, these are fluorescent bulbs, halogen lights and LED bulbs.
Each of these can be compared to standard incandescent bulbs in terms of the technology they use and the benefits that they offer.
However, their main difference comes from from their ability to use less energy which is why they are categorised as energy efficient bulbs rather than just standard lighting equipment.
Below, we will look at each of the different types of energy saving bulbs and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each.
So lets start with the most commonly used type of energy saving light, the fluorescent tube.
Low Voltage Fluorescent Tube
Fluorescent tubes differ from other forms of low voltage lighting as they employ a gaseous mixture of argon and mercury as a means of creating light.
As electricity passes from one end of the tube to the other, it excites mercury atoms which causes them to emit ultraviolet photons.
When these photons hit the phosphorous coating inside the tube, visible light is created.
Fluorescent tubes are extremely energy efficient, cool to the touch and have a very long lifespan.
These features make them ideal lights to have for locations where long term or permanent lighting is required such as in hallways of student dormitories or office buildings.
Due to their cool operating temperature, full spectrum fluorescent tubes can be very effectively used for growing plants or for providing light for fish or reptiles in aquariums.
However, their larger size in comparison to regular shaped light bulbs may pose design limitations on how and where the tubes are used. As a result, most fluorescent tubes tend to be used on ceilings with a large open space, which is why they are commonly found in hallways.
There are smaller energy efficient fluorescent tubes available, although these tend not to be suitable for providing general lighting to large areas due to the limited amount of light that they emit.
In terms of safety, fluorescent tubes are considered to be very safe due to their low power requirements and their cool operating temperature.
There is concern however, that the mercury found within the tube may pose a severe health hazard if the fluorescent tube is accidentally broken.
Because mercury is extremely toxic, there are also environmental concerns regarding the safe disposal of fluorescent tube lighting.
Energy Saving Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL)
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are becoming an increasingly popular low voltage indoor lighting alternative to the standard incandescent bulb.
They employ a similar technology to the fluorescent tube, using a gaseous mixture of argon and mercury to create light. However, despite this similarity, they have on average half the lifespan of the larger fluorescent tube.
In addition, due to the nature of the technology, the lifespan of compact energy saving fluorescent bulbs can be further reduced if they are switched on and off within a short period of time.
As this is more likely to occur with domestic users who may enter and leave a room within a short period of time, the lifespan of compact energy saving light bulbs is usually far less than the quoted lifespan you see advertised when buying the bulb.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs however, do still provide an extremely cost effective low voltage indoor lighting solution.
When they are used to replace incandescent light bulbs for example, the homeowner can expect to see a noticeable decrease in their electricity bill.
These electricity savings are possible due to the increased energy efficiency of fluorescent lamp technology. As a result, a homeowner can achieve the same level of illumination with a 15 watt fluorescent bulb as they could do with a 60 watt incandescent bulb.
Like the fluorescent tube, compact fluorescent bulbs take time to “warm up” before they achieve maximum brightness. And the light may sometimes appear to flicker.
Newer bulb designs have helped to greatly reduce both of these issues, although they do tend to be more expensive than the regular compact fluorescent bulbs.
As this low voltage light contains mercury, there are again environmental concerns regarding its safe disposal. There is also the possibility of contamination within the home should the bulb accidentally break.
CFL bulbs are available in both bayonet cap and Edison screw fittings.
Tungsten-Halogen Lights
Tungsten-Halogen lights are another popular form of low voltage indoor lighting, and work in a similar way to incandescent bulbs.
However, unlike the incandescent bulb, tungsten-halogen lights have a much thicker and more robust filament. This allows the filament to run at a hotter temperature and provides less resistance to the passing electrical current.
The result is that halogen lights last longer and can produce more light whilst using less energy in the process.
Due to their versatility and energy efficiency, tungsten-halogen lights are an extremely attractive low voltage indoor lighting solution for home designers and tend to be used most often in ceiling fixtures as downlights or in display cabinets due to their small bulb size.
Also, because they are capable of producing many lumen’s of light, halogen lights can also be very effectively used outdoors to illuminate large outdoor areas. For example, you will commonly find halogen lighting in outdoor security spotlights or motion activated lighting equipment.
Another advantage halogen bulbs have over fluorescent lamps is that they are not affected by rapid on-off cycling. As a result, halogen bulbs can be switched on and off rapidly without severely affecting the lifespan of the bulb.
However, whilst halogen lights may be more energy efficient than regular incandescent bulbs, they are still far less energy efficient than the low power fluorescent or LED lights and they do not have as long a lifespan as essentially they are still based on the old incandescent bulb technology.
Halogen lights also tend to produce a lot of heat if left on for a long period of time, which can subsequently limit their usage around heat sensitive objects such as plants or animal life.
As a result of these limitations, halogen lights will eventually be superseded by LED lights. But for the time being, the relatively high cost of LED lights means that halogen bulbs are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Note: Halogen lights operate at 12 volts and so they require a lighting transformer in order to down-step the mains voltage.
Low Power LED Home Lighting
Light Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs are one of the most exciting recent developments in lighting technology.
They are extremely energy efficient, and are the longest lasting bulbs of all the low voltage indoor lighting options. Depending on the type of LED light, they may last up to 3 times as long as fluorescent tubes.
Apart from their extremely low energy usage and long life, LED lights provide many other advantages that make them a very attractive indoor lighting solution.
LED lights are cool to touch, light up immediately, are small in size, and their lifespan is not reduced by switching them on and off rapidly. These features make them ideal replacements for indoor halogen bulbs.
LEDs also gradually fade in brightness as they come to the end of their lifespan, rather than going out abruptly like incandescent bulbs.
Furthermore, LED lights are “solid state” which means that there is no filament or tube to break thereby making them extremely robust. In addition to this, they do not contain any mercury which makes their disposal environmentally friendly.
Because LED light bulbs are relatively new to the domestic market, they are currently the most expensive of all low voltage indoor lighting.
However, over time LED bulbs will become cheaper, improve in quality and will likely become the predominant form of lighting that people use in their home. They truly are the light bulb of the future!
