Hi All
I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

Cheers
j^n

In article ,
The Night Tripper wrote:
But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

There's a big difference in car headlight bulbs of the same wattage by
maker - so I'd guess it's down to design and manufacture.

--
*Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
The Night Tripper writes:
Hi All
I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

There are a number of potential factors...

Halogens can be manufactured to be either more efficient
than conventional filament lamps by burning very slightly
hotter, or to have longer life. Nearly all the consumer
grade halogens are manufactured to have longer life (with
same efficiency as conventional filament lamps), because
it turns out domestic consumers won't pay the extra for a
halogen lamp if it only lasts same length of time as a
conventional filament lamp -- they never consider efficiency
at point of sale (well, anyone who does is unlikely to be
buying a halogen in the first place).

The frosting does lose light.

Different manufacturer's are likely to vary. (I once had
some very bad halogens sold under the Ring brand, which
behaved as though they just had a vacuum in them.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

The Night Tripper wrote:
Hi All
I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

Cheers
j^n

Neither. The brighter bulbs will have shorter lives.
Explained he
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Lamp_Life


NT

Hi All
Thanks for the comments. I can appreciate the trade-off between light
output and efficiency; but the GE ones are rated at 2500 hours I think,
putting them towards the longer-lasting end; I guess I was expecting the
cheapo ones supplied not to be 'super long life'!

Anyway, interesting comments, thanks

J^n

On 1 Feb, 13:53, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
In article ,
* * * * The Night Tripper writes:



Hi All
* * * * I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

There are a number of potential factors...

Halogens can be manufactured to be either more efficient
than conventional filament lamps by burning very slightly
hotter, or to have longer life. Nearly all the consumer
grade halogens are manufactured to have longer life (with
same efficiency as conventional filament lamps), because
it turns out domestic consumers won't pay the extra for a
halogen lamp if it only lasts same length of time as a
conventional filament lamp -- they never consider efficiency
at point of sale

(well, anyone who does is unlikely to be
buying a halogen in the first place).


What would you suggest the informed consumer would buy instead?

Adam


The frosting does lose light.

Different manufacturer's are likely to vary. (I once had
some very bad halogens sold under the Ring brand, which
behaved as though they just had a vacuum in them.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 1 Feb, 14:33, wrote:
The Night Tripper wrote:
Hi All
* * * * I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

* * * * Cheers
* * * * j^n

Neither. The brighter bulbs will have shorter lives.
Explained hehttp://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Lamp_Life

NT

Short life high intensity halogen lamps are more usually found in
things like projectors and aircraft landing lights, lifetimes of 25
hours or less are not uncommon.

In less specialised markets lifespan, MTBF, of 2 500 hours is common,
these will be considerably more efficient than a non halogen incan and
longer life lamps typically 4Khrs, lower colour temp typically, still
a deal more efficient than non halogen incan.

Some low cost Asian lamps are OK, got to watch out for line voltage
230V lamps destined for euro market that really don`t like our mainly
240V + mains.

A lot are not very good at all, there are reasons why the big 3 lamp
makers, stay the big 3, Philips, GE and Osram and its not all to do
with sharp marketing.

Good quality branded lamps can be worth the extra, theres quite a lot
of development has gone into that hot wire in a bottle.

With exposed halogen capsules in current vogue in multi lamp ceiling
fittings , quality branded lamps are certainly worth the premium for
output and safety .

As Mr Elmer Fridrich says halogen still is "the most beautiful light
quality of anything on the market"

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2...ventor_el.html

Adam

Adam Aglionby wrote:
On 1 Feb, 14:33, wrote:
The Night Tripper wrote:
Hi All
* * * * I recently fitted a pair of new light fittings - ceiling things with
3x G9 halogen bulbs in each fitting. Each bulb has an opal glass surround.
The fittings were supplied with (frosted) 40W halogen G9 bulbs.

I'd guesstimated that the resultant brightness would be greater than that of
the old fittings they replaced, but was a little disappointed with the
result. However one of the bulbs as supplied was faulty, so I bought a
replacement pack; 2x 40W clear G9 from B&Q (yes, I know, but it was a
Friday night...).

The 'B&Q' bulb (mfd. by GE) was significantly brighter than those supplied,
to the extent that I bought a couple more packs and replaced the lot. I'm
now happy with the resultant brightness.

But I'm wondering; is the increased brightness because the GE bulbs are
clear, and the originals were frosted, or is it because the originals are
cheapo no-name ones made in China and with a possibly dubious wattage or
efficiency? I'm interested to learn if there's such a difference...

* * * * Cheers
* * * * j^n

Neither. The brighter bulbs will have shorter lives.
Explained hehttp://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Lamp_Life

NT

Short life high intensity halogen lamps are more usually found in
things like projectors and aircraft landing lights, lifetimes of 25
hours or less are not uncommon.

In less specialised markets lifespan, MTBF, of 2 500 hours is common,
these will be considerably more efficient than a non halogen incan and
longer life lamps typically 4Khrs, lower colour temp typically, still
a deal more efficient than non halogen incan.

Some low cost Asian lamps are OK, got to watch out for line voltage
230V lamps destined for euro market that really don`t like our mainly
240V + mains.

A lot are not very good at all, there are reasons why the big 3 lamp
makers, stay the big 3, Philips, GE and Osram and its not all to do
with sharp marketing.

Good quality branded lamps can be worth the extra, theres quite a lot
of development has gone into that hot wire in a bottle.

With exposed halogen capsules in current vogue in multi lamp ceiling
fittings , quality branded lamps are certainly worth the premium for
output and safety .

As Mr Elmer Fridrich says halogen still is "the most beautiful light
quality of anything on the market"

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2...entor_el..html

Adam

halogens typically last 1500 hrs to 4500 hrs, the latter are
inevitably much dimmer. I doubt the OP would be putting 25 hr lamps
into domestic light fittings - though who knows.


NT

In article
,
Adam Aglionby wrote:
As Mr Elmer Fridrich says halogen still is "the most beautiful light
quality of anything on the market"

Indeed. And of course the lamps in the fittings themselves can look good
to - unlike CFLs.

--
*Why isn't there mouse-flavoured cat food?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article
,
Adam Aglionby wrote:
As Mr Elmer Fridrich says halogen still is "the most beautiful light
quality of anything on the market"

Indeed. And of course the lamps in the fittings themselves can look good
to - unlike CFLs.

Definitely true.

Halogen spectrum is almost late afternoon in color temperature..and broad.

And they heat the house too!