Recessed Lights

Any comments on which type of recessed lights to use re line voltage or reducted voltage, type of bulb, etc.?

Thanks.

Dave

Reply to
Dave Combs
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How can anyone answer that without knowing the application?

Reply to
trader4

Good point!

Kitchen (in soffits) and adjoining "great room" (in vaulted ceiling). My questions could be restated as follows:

Is there an advantage to reduced voltage lights vs. line voltage lights?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of halogen lights vs. incandescent lights?

Reply to
Dave Combs

If using halogen lamps, reduced voltage bulbs are more common and are far more easily obtained. I have halogens in recessed cans over my sink and range and I thought I was being clever to install line-voltage lamps but now I've discovered that replacements have to be special ordered and cost 50% more than their 12V equivalents.

Halogen lights _ARE_ incandescent lights meaning simply that the source of the illumination is an electrically heated filament. The halogen variety features a high-temperature glass or quartz envelope more-or-less equidistant from the filament and a filling of an inert gas and a halogen such as iodine. These allow the filament to operate at higher temperatures for a longer time. The upshot of all this is that these lamps put out a "whiter" light than regular old-style incandescent bulbs which are more yellow-red. Many people prefer the bright white light from a halogen above kitchen work surfaces because the color rendition is more true to outdoor daylight.

Reply to
John McGaw

To which I would only add that working directly under line voltage halogens can be HOT.

Reply to
Ranieri

I believe low voltage lights allow wire to run in places not normally allowable like exposed on the underside of a cabinet. I think low voltage lights are less efficient as well. But because of the low voltage there are more styling possibilities.

Reply to
dnoyeB

To which I would add that they are cooler for the same wattage and lamp type. But often put more light in one place than similar standard lamps, so feel hotter. Light when it is absorbed by a material (paint, food, skin) turns to heat.

Generally speaking: Low Voltage lamps allow for finer optical control and smaller fixtures. As lighting designer I like that a lot.

Halogen, as mentioned, gives a whiter light and is more energy effiecient. But comes in slightly different lamps that can get folks confused. Much like screw-in fluorescents. Similar is not identical!

Reply to
RickR

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