Halogen Lights Dangerous?

[W. Watson]

I told my wife I was going to buy a halogen desk lamp, and she protested that they
are dangerous. I asked her why, and she didn't really know. Maybe something she read.
I also mentioned that I already have one on my desk. Too small for this desk, that's
why I want another one. BTW, what's the story on power consumption and illumination?
Better, worse than incadescent lights?
--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

 

[Randy Day]

I told my wife I was going to buy a halogen desk lamp, and she protested
that they are dangerous. I asked her why, and she didn't really know.

IIRC they run much hotter than incandescents;
the only danger is if the lamp gets knocked over
and the element contacts something flammable, or
if little fingers poke though the protective
cage...

 

[Don Bruder]

I told my wife I was going to buy a halogen desk lamp, and she protested that
they
are dangerous. I asked her why, and she didn't really know. Maybe something
she read.
I also mentioned that I already have one on my desk. Too small for this desk,
that's
why I want another one. BTW, what's the story on power consumption and
illumination?
Better, worse than incadescent lights?

Halogens *ARE* incandescents. The main difference is the operating
temperature - Halogens run MUCH hotter than a "regular" bulb. They're
also usually much "tougher" - in that they're harder to break - than a
standard incandescent, which makes knocking them over somewhat more
dangerous than a regular bulb - regular bulb is likely to pop on impact,
which will cause it to go out in a blaze of glory, PROBABLY (but by no
means certainly) without starting a fire. A halogen, with its tougher
bulb and higher operating temperature, is likely to survive being tipped
over without breaking, and continue to work, with the result that it
could start a fire where an "normal" lamp would have just done a "pop -
fzzzt! Game over" thing.

Certain halogen fixtures (notably, the "torchiere" style) are a problem,
as the "open end" is up, which allows flammable "stuff" (dust, hairs,
paper scraps, and whatnot) to collect on and around the bulb, leading to
a fire hazard even without it being tipped over. Fixtures like a desk
lamp, where the open end is (usually) pointed down, don't have this
problem - they don't act as a "funnel" to concentrate and dump flammable
stuff on/around the bulb.

Otherwise, halogens are no more or less dangerous than a regular
incandescent - both have the potential to burn your house down around
your ears, but with reasonable precautions, pretty much identical for
both types, neither is likely to do so.

 

[Gareth]

I told my wife I was going to buy a halogen desk lamp, and she protested
that they are dangerous. I asked her why, and she didn't really know.
Maybe something she read. I also mentioned that I already have one on my
desk. Too small for this desk, that's why I want another one. BTW,
what's the story on power consumption and illumination? Better, worse
than incadescent lights?

Halogen lamps give off UV radiation, and UV can cause skin cancer. I
seem to remember there was small scare about this a few years ago. I
expect that is what your wife is thinking of.

There is some more information here:

http://www.promolux.com/english/mr16.html

Gareth
--

 

[W. Watson]

Halogens *ARE* incandescents. The main difference is the operating
temperature - Halogens run MUCH hotter than a "regular" bulb. They're
also usually much "tougher" - in that they're harder to break - than a
standard incandescent, which makes knocking them over somewhat more
dangerous than a regular bulb - regular bulb is likely to pop on impact,
which will cause it to go out in a blaze of glory, PROBABLY (but by no
means certainly) without starting a fire. A halogen, with its tougher
bulb and higher operating temperature, is likely to survive being tipped
over without breaking, and continue to work, with the result that it
could start a fire where an "normal" lamp would have just done a "pop -
fzzzt! Game over" thing.

Certain halogen fixtures (notably, the "torchiere" style) are a problem,
as the "open end" is up, which allows flammable "stuff" (dust, hairs,
paper scraps, and whatnot) to collect on and around the bulb, leading to
a fire hazard even without it being tipped over. Fixtures like a desk
lamp, where the open end is (usually) pointed down, don't have this
problem - they don't act as a "funnel" to concentrate and dump flammable
stuff on/around the bulb.

Otherwise, halogens are no more or less dangerous than a regular
incandescent - both have the potential to burn your house down around
your ears, but with reasonable precautions, pretty much identical for
both types, neither is likely to do so.

Thanks. I'm planning on buying a popular type. Can't recall the brand. I see about 20
models of them at our local Staples store. Tripod? Something like that. I have a
small halogen lamp on my desk, and I just looked to see who made it. China. No other
clue. Looks just like one at Staples, but even that may not be the Tripod. Well, when
my wife gets into the picture, there's no telling what line of reasoning she'll come
up with. Then there's the instance of me wanting to put a padlock on an outdoor
power panel ...

--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

 

[Jim Douglas]

Skip the halogen, they are dangerous if you have a kid around, they love to
touch everything on the desk, check out the "natural" light lamps, they are
more $$ but looked great in my side-by-side comparison to the halogen.

 

[john jardine]

Halogen lamps give off UV radiation, and UV can cause skin cancer. I
seem to remember there was small scare about this a few years ago. I
expect that is what your wife is thinking of.

There is some more information here:

http://www.promolux.com/english/mr16.html

Gareth
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To reply to me directly:

Replace privacy.net with: totalise DOT co DOT uk and replace me with
gareth.harris

Yes. That's what I remember. Also noticed about 3 years ago the
manufacturers starting to covering the fitments with a particular glass.
What's annoying is that the UV aspect would have been fully known before the
original bulbs were marketed.
regards
john.

 

[W. Watson]

Yes. That's what I remember. Also noticed about 3 years ago the
manufacturers starting to covering the fitments with a particular glass.
What's annoying is that the UV aspect would have been fully known before the
original bulbs were marketed.
regards
john.

The UV story is interesting, but I have some difficulty believing they are so
harmful. I forget the name of the company that is a large mfger of them, but Staples
has about 20 of their models at their stores. I would think they would have safety
warnings on them if what is said is true.

I'm sitting here with a small one shining down on my desk--not a me. In fact, I have
a bag of about 100 UV detecting beads that I just put under the light. I see no glow
like I would if I exposed them to sun light. Perhaps the glass shield on the light is
effective in blocking the UV. That's generally the case with window panes. They stop
the sun's UV. I think fire and burns are a higher risk.

--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

 

[Don Kelly]

However, keep your fingers off the halogen bulb- even when it is cold. Oils
on your fingers can lead to hotter spots and failure.

 

[krw]

The UV story is interesting, but I have some difficulty believing they are so
harmful. I forget the name of the company that is a large mfger of them, but Staples
has about 20 of their models at their stores. I would think they would have safety
warnings on them if what is said is true.

These days they have glass UV filters over the bulb. I have a few of
the "Staples specials" with the boom and geared counter-weights in the
bedroom and my office. I put in halogen track lights in the computer
room, halogen torchieres in the family and living rooms, a couple of
halogen worklights around the house, and halogen floods in the back
yard and kitchen. I like halogens quite a lot. ;-)

I'm sitting here with a small one shining down on my desk--not a me. In fact, I have
a bag of about 100 UV detecting beads that I just put under the light. I see no glow
like I would if I exposed them to sun light. Perhaps the glass shield on the light is
effective in blocking the UV. That's generally the case with window panes. They stop
the sun's UV. I think fire and burns are a higher risk.

That's exactly what the glass is there for. Even my torchieres, which
are pointed towards the ceiling, have a glass filters over them.

 

[Don Kelly]

These days they have glass UV filters over the bulb. I have a few of
the "Staples specials" with the boom and geared counter-weights in the
bedroom and my office. I put in halogen track lights in the computer
room, halogen torchieres in the family and living rooms, a couple of
halogen worklights around the house, and halogen floods in the back
yard and kitchen. I like halogens quite a lot. ;-)


That's exactly what the glass is there for. Even my torchieres, which
are pointed towards the ceiling, have a glass filters over them.

 

[Don Klipstein]

Halogen lamps give off UV radiation, and UV can cause skin cancer. I
seem to remember there was small scare about this a few years ago. I
expect that is what your wife is thinking of.

This concern is mostly minor, and although lesser it's not quite zero
with non-halogen incandescents. Usually, being outdoors in daylight
conditions (even with sky overcast by clouds) is worse for carcinogenic UV
exposure than being indoors and being irradiated byv most halogen lighting
fixtures being used as directed.

- Don Klipstein ([email protected])

 

[W. Watson]

before the


are so


but Staples


have safety


fact, I have


see no glow


the light is


panes. They stop


-------
Possibly the torchieres have glass for the same reason that old beds had
canopies. In both cases it is to keep the crap off. (Mousecrap in the case
of the bed or dust in case of the bulb- in either case improves the life of
what or who is underneath).

Well, I bought a good sized desk lamp at Staples and am happily using it. They do get
hot though. Having them within the reach of you children probably isn't good. Mine
has a long arm bent at 90 degres. The angle is adjustable. If the pivot slipped, it
would easily slide down to the papers on my desk. However, there's a veritcal pole
extending down from the lamp. Ostensibly it's there to adjust the lamp's head, but it
also seem to be a safety feature in case the pivot slips.

Interestingly, after all my wife's protesting, she decided to use the smaller one I
no longer use!

--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

 

[W. Watson]

before the


are so


but Staples


have safety


fact, I have


see no glow


the light is


panes. They stop


-------
Possibly the torchieres have glass for the same reason that old beds had
canopies. In both cases it is to keep the crap off. (Mousecrap in the case
of the bed or dust in case of the bulb- in either case improves the life of
what or who is underneath).

-Well, I bought a good sized desk lamp at Staples and am happily using it.
-They do get
-hot though. Having them within the reach of you children probably isn't
-good. Mine
-has a long arm bent at 90 degres. The angle is adjustable. If the pivot
-slipped, it
-would easily slide down to the papers on my desk. However, there's a
-veritcal pole
-extending down from the lamp. Ostensibly it's there to adjust the lamp's
-head, but it
-also seem to be a safety feature in case the pivot slips.

-Interestingly, after all my wife's protesting, she decided to use the
-smaller one I
-no longer use!


Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet
--
"Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high ..." -- G. Gershwin

Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>