Halogen lamps have the highest quality color rendering. By the principle of action and structure, they are similar to incandescent lamps, but they also have some differences. The spiral of heat-resistant tungsten is sealed in a glass flask filled with an inert gas. The bulb of a halogen lamp is made of quartz glass having a high melting point. This allows you to make the size of the flask smaller and increase the internal pressure. This makes it possible to increase the temperature of the spiral and leads to greater light output and longer service life.
All halogen lamps are divided into two main groups: low-voltage (up to 24 V) and mains voltage (220 V). In addition, they come in various forms: linear, with an external bulb, directional light, capsule (finger-shaped).
To illuminate the premises using halogen lamps with an external bulb and directional light bulbs. Lamps having an external glass bulb may look like a conventional incandescent lamp, but are usually made smaller, which is why they are used in miniature chandeliers and sconces. Such halogen lamps have standard Edison caps and can replace incandescent lamps in conventional lighting fixtures. The outer bulb can be made of transparent, milky or dull
glass, may have a decorative appearance (hexagon, candle-shaped, etc.).
For spot lighting, halogen lamps with reflectors, which are also called directional lamps, are used. They are produced in several sizes with different angles of radiation. The most common is an aluminum reflector, which removes most of the light and heat forward, creating a directional stream of light. There are also interference reflectors that remove heat not forward, as in aluminum reflectors, but backward, lamps with an IRC reflector that reflect heat back onto the spiral, increasing the temperature of the spiral and reducing energy consumption.
Halogen lamps must be connected through special transformers (electronic or electromagnetic), which provide the necessary operating voltage for them (6V, 12V, 24V).
Directional lamps (with reflectors) can also be low voltage or mains voltage, but the socles are double-pin. Mains voltage lamps are only available with G10 and G9 sockets. This is done so that it is impossible to confuse them with low voltage. This type of lighting is also called recessed halogen lighting. They are often used to organize backlighting. Due to the narrow direction of the light flux , they can be used to achieve interesting effects. For the same purposes, use miniature capsule (finger) lamps. They also have only two-pin socles and can be used in general lighting fixtures.
The advantage of halogen lamps is their high light output, and the disadvantage is too white light and the presence of ultraviolet radiation (although there are lamps that screen this type of rays). Due to the presence of ultraviolet rays, objects painted with unstable paints can fade faster.