Halogen downlights are very classy, space efficient, good ambiance and many more reasons why people use them. On the down side, it is a ticking time bomb that may explode anytime, it is a fire hazard that may cause your life or your property. NSW has provided a warning that “halogen downlights create a lot of heat and if they are not correctly insulated, installed and maintained they can cause a fire“.
Some facts about halogen lamps are:
- Visible light spectrum: 380-800 nm
- Color Temperature: >3000 K
- Inert Gases: Krypton, Argon, Nitrogen with a halogen (Iodine or Bromine)
- Bulb Temperature: >250oC
Halogen lamps temperature are very high that it is beyond the kindling point temperature of most residential construction materials such as wood and insulation. ICANZ said that “downlights need not present a fire hazard if insulation and down-lights are installed correctly“.
In addition to all these tips in, avoiding the use of halogen downlight is the best solution. If ever, as a property owner who is actually inclined of using downlights but want to avoid the risk, an alternative solution which is energy efficient and does not pose as a fire risk is the LED downlight.
Some features of a LEd downlights are:
- Direct replacement to halogen downlights
- Energy efficient (only 3 watts)
- Low Voltage (only 12V)
- Color Temperature: 3000K
- Lifespan: 30,000 hours (30X Halogen)
- Lumens: 180Lm
- Dimmable
If you are still using halogen downlights, it is now the time to assess the possibility of replacing them with LED downlights.