Halogen lights are an efficient way to provide light in a room. They are twice as bright as regular incandescent bulbs and use less energy to operate. But wiring them can be tricky. Here are some tips for ensuring safe operation and long lifespan:
1. Wire the transformer with wires (phase and zero) straight from the box, without twisting. This will prevent contact problems between the transformer and the lamps in your circuit.
2. If you have several groups of halogen lamps, then connect them in parallel with the same connection method as with regular incandescents: run phase wire to the switch and zero wire straight from the junction box to the transformer.
3. Install the transformer in a convenient place: it is better to put it in a metal box, rather than in the false ceiling. This way, if there is any contact loss between the transformer and the lamps in your circuit, you can still find the junction box and fix it.
4. Make sure that the power is off before wiring a halogen fixture.
Halogens are very hot, so you should not touch them or handle them with bare hands. Also, do not let them get close to flammable materials or drapes.
5. Halogens should be installed in a special lamp box: this will help to protect the bulb from damage and oxidation.
A specialized lamp box is designed to withstand high temperatures and ensure safe operation of the lamp. It can be made of various materials, but the most common are plastic and aluminum.
6. If you want to use a halogen bulb in a track or other fixture, it will need a transformer. Some of these are included in the fixture, but others will need to be purchased separately.
7. If you have a low voltage fixture or recessed lighting, you will need to use a step-down transformer to run the halogens on low voltage. This can be difficult, but it is possible with a little planning and practice.
8. You can dim halogens with a dimmer to give the impression of a warm glow or make them redder. This is not always the best choice, but it can be done if you have a 12V power supply and you use the right CCT dimmer.
9. Do not try to wire halogens in series with LED bulbs: this can lead to flickering, which is not a good thing for human safety and will cause the lighting to fail completely.
10. If you have a small space that is difficult to heat, you should consider using LED lights instead of halogens. The latter are more costly and can catch fire easily under certain circumstances.
If you have a large space that is easy to heat, you can also use a halogen lamp in a fixture with a reflector. The reflector can be made of aluminum or glass, and it redistributes the light in space to create a more even color. This is more energy-efficient than using a conventional lamp with a reflector, which only concentrates the heat.