Photo: black-afro / Flickr

There are many ways to light up a room or an area, but the problem is finding a light bulb that is affordable, long lasting and doesn’t use too much energy. The reflector lamp is the best bargain when considering all three of these factors. A very common light bulb, it is most often used in track lightning and in commercial and residential construction, where the socket and bulb is mounted into the ceiling in a low cost lighting scenario.

Different bulbs for different uses

Reflector lamps are a form of incandescent lightning, and are used to spread or direct light into any designated area, mainly used for spotlighting, floodlighting and downlighting. There are two kinds of reflector lamps: parabolic aluminised and ellipsoidal.

When outdoor floodlighting is needed, parabolic aluminised reflector lamps are used, while ellipsoidal reflector lamps are more used for directing light a short distance in front of it. Ellipsoidal lamps are a lot more energy efficient as a lot less power is used when directing their light a short distance. Shaped like cones, the inside of these bulb is lined with a coating of aluminium along their interior, which is used to reflect the light to the front of the bulb.

The third type of reflector lamp is the LED reflector lamp, which does not make use of the aluminium lining, instead using the optics of the LED to control the width and angle of the beam.

Lamps that live long and save energy

Reflective lamps are known for saving energy as well as longevity, as the bulb’s filament is surrounded by a capsule of halogen gas, which increases the life of the filament. Various fixtures and dimmers can adjust the brightness of the lamps, and the heat emitted from the lamps can be significant, so care must be taken when handling them. However, they remain versatile and well suited to many different functions, especially household and garden areas where low to medium intensity lighting is needed.

Tags: lighting