LED MR16s: A Green Light for Display Lighting

By BulbAmerica Editor

MR16s are among the most popular bulbs for medium to low intensity directional lighting. From retail lighting applications, to art galleries, and to your very own kitchen, MR16s are a popular choice for giving whatever you are displaying the attention it deserves. Like nearly every other type of light bulb, LEDs are being integrated into traditional incandescent bulbs, in this case MR16s, in order to give you a more environmentally friendly lighting option. Today, LED MR16s are available in every color temperature from extremely warm to extremely cool to give you the flexibility that comes with traditional halogen MR16s. There is no doubt that by using LED MR16s you are saving considerably with regard to energy draw. Halogen MR16s draw anywhere from under 10w to more than 300w, compared to the 1.7w to 6w range of LED MR16s. But one seriously considering LED MR16s should understand that though LEDs are powerful, they do not typically match the output of halogen MR16s. This is not to say that you should not use LED MR16s, but rather you should be strategic in your use of them. This is also not to say that all LED MR16s are incapable of matching halogen MR16 output, rather one should be mindful that sometimes light output is not equivalent across bulb types. LED MR16s offered in the bases typical of incandescent MR16s including G9.5, GU10, GU5.3 2-pin, GX5.3 2-pin, and screw in bases for LED JDR MR16s. LED MR16s therefore offer the same fixture flexibility that you currently have with halogen MR16s.

There are two unique advantages of LED MR16s over traditional halogens. Some LED MR16s come in colored versions, allowing you add a colorful dimension to your displaying. Colored MR16s, such as Platinum's RGB color changing MR16s, are ideal in retail applications where you want to draw special attention to certain products. Furthermore, LED MR16s produce close to no heat unlike halogen MRs which get extremely hot. This means that your LED MR16s can be placed closer to whatever it is you are illuminating in order to get the most out of your light source and a more concentrated, focused beam.

Make BulbAmerica your one stop shop for MR16s. Not only do we have LED MR16s and halogen MR16s, but we also have MR11s, MR13s, MR14s, JDR MR16s, and more. As usual, write us on our blog or our Facebook page, or call us at 1-877-622-0897 with any questions or comments you have.

By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | bulb, halogen, jdr, led, lights, mr16 | 0 comments | Read more

The MR16 BAB: A Lighting Industry Favorite

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) codes stipulate and coordinate standards for products across manufacturers in both the United States and abroad. ANSI codes are particularly prevalent in the lighting industry. Lamps that have a certain ANSI code will usually have identical specifications and construction. Some of the most popular types of bulbs are ANSI coded bulbs. The MR16 light bulb family has numerous ANSI coded bulbs including the ESX, BAB, EXT , and many others. These ANSI coded MR16s will have a specified wattage and beam angle depending on the ANSI code. The MR16 BAB is a particularly popular MR16. It has a 20w energy and a 36˚ beam angle. MR16s light beam is distinguished by a highly directional, sharp beamed spot, making it ideal for display. MR16 BABs come with different bases, including GU5.3 bi-pin, GU10, and GY8.

The MR16 BAB is produced by many light bulb manufacturers including Osram, GE, Philips, Platinum, Silver, Sunlite, and Ushio. The MR16 BAB is typically glass covered to help keep the light beam cool in addition to protecting people from burning themselves on the bulb which can get extremely hot due to the single-ended halogen filament capsule providing the light to the reflector. Though the MR16 BAB is standardized the type of reflector, meaning how many facets and what shape they are, varies. Ushio’s ‘Reflekto’ reflector, for example, features a number of hexagonal facets while other bulbs use rectangular facets.

The ANSI codes are an assurance for the lighting industry and its customers that products are constant. The MR16 BAB is an example of this system at work. Still interested in the MR16 BAB and other MR16 products? Check us out!

By Victor Lopez | 20 November, 2014 | bulb, cfl, fluorescent, halogen, lamps, led, lights, mr16 | 0 comments | Read more

New Labeling for Light Bulb Packaging in 2011

By mid-year 2011, the Federal Trade Commission will institute new packaging for light bulbs. The new packaging is modeled after the nutritional information t

ables found today on the back of food packaging. Light bulb packaging information will be divided among two panels. The front panel will feature information regarding energy cost and brightness while the back panel features the same information plus more technical information on color and toxic elements. The new light bulb packaging will clearly indicate light bulb brightness, energy cost, life hours, color temperature, wattage, and whether the bulb contains mercury or not. The Federal Trade commission is putting the new packaging in place to make light bulb purchasing a less confusing process, and to make the industry overall more consumer friendly. Traditional light bulb packaging has emphasized wattage. Wattage does not, however tell you anything about the color of the bulb, whether it contains toxic elements, or how many life hours the bulb has.

More importantly, the FTC’s revision of light bulb packaging will highlight the information most relevant to energy expenditure and factors concerning environmentally friendly light sources. The new packaging has producers of energy efficient light bulbs particularly excited because the new packaging will openly display the benefits of energy efficient bulbs. The long life and small energy draw of LEDs, for example, will be made clear to all consumers. The lighting costs feature will allow consumers to calculate how much money they will spend illuminating their homes. In general, the push to include more information on light bulb packaging is advantageous because it encourages consumers to further educate themselves about how light bulbs work, how they can work better, and what their options are.

Keep your eyes peeled for the new labels in the coming year and we’ll keep you posted!

By Victor Lopez | 20 November, 2014 | bulbs, fluorescent, halogen, incandescent, lamps, led, lights, outdoor | 0 comments | Read more

Dress Your Home or Office Up With Halogen Candelabra and Globe Light Bulbs

When it comes to decorative light bulbs you have many choices, not only between bulb types but also bulb shapes. By decorative light bulbs I mean bulbs that are fully exposed or partially exposed. Decorative bulbs typically fall within two general families: candelabra and globe shape light bulbs. Though the candelabra family of light bulbs include far more shapes than the globe, the globe shape is very common, especially in bathrooms and theatres. Among the most popular globe shape bulbs is the G25. The G25 is available in halogen and CFL types, allowing you to achieve two very different types of light. Halogen G25s are available in various wattages and come with different types of glass envelopes. Whether you choose a halogen G25 with a crystal or standard glass envelope, your bathroom, theatre, or wherever else you decide to use one will benefit from the bright, elegant light. CFL G25 shapes offer light in 2,700K and 3,000K versions and at a quarter of the wattage of halogen G25 bulbs. Furthermore, CFL G25s will not produce nearly as much heat as a halogen, making them the better choice where you need your space to remain cool. The one downside of CFL G25s is that they do not have the option of the more aesthetically appealing clear glass envelope.

Candelabra bulbs generally refer to a family of shapes including B10, B13, C7, C9, crystallite, flame and more.Candelabras are offered in numerous bulb types including CFLs, LEDs, halogens, and incandescent. As you may or may not know, candelabra bulbs are used in numerous applications from wall sconces, to chandeliers, to electric candelabras, and other applications. Incandescent and halogen candelabras produce similar types of light, though halogens typically last a bit longer. Incandescent and halogen candelabras are still the standard for chandeliers and sconces where an unconventional bulb-shape can be disruptive. Though this may be true, CFL and LED candelabrasfeature outstanding energy savings and produce close to no perceptible heat. Furthermore, Osram’s LED candelabrasfeature color changing which can really liven up any room.

Hopefully this guide to halogen decorative light bulbs has been informative and you now feel confident in choosing the right one for you. In addition to a wide selection of halogen candelabras and globes to choose from, BulbAmerica also has an extensive catalog of LEDs, stage lighting, CFL, medical lighting, MR16s, and automotive lighting products to choose from, so be sure to check them out. As usual, leave us a comment or question on our Facebook or blog, or give us a call at 1-877-622-0897.

By Victor Lopez | 12 November, 2014 | bulbs, candelabra, cfl, g25, globe, halogen, led, lights | 0 comments | Read more

HPL Lamps: A BrightLighting Option for TV and Film Production

High performance lighting (HPL) light bulbs have been one of the most important technological innovations to hit halogen lighting. They were first developed in the 1990s by ETC, in tandem with the development of the Source Four ellipsoidal reflector lamp for the stage lighting and TV/movie production industries and continue to be used in them regularly. HPL lamps are called ‘Source Four’ because they feature four compact tungsten filaments. More recently, long-life HPLs have been developed. Long life HPLs have a longer life hour rating than normal halogen bulb and older HPLs, being able to last up to 1,500 to 2,000 hours as compared to the 200 to 400 hour rating of standard HPLs.

Among the most common HPL bulb is the HPL 575w lamp, or the HPL575. The HPL 575 has a lumen output range of roughly 12,000lm to 17,000lm, giving it a solid luminous efficacy rating. An important consideration in using, or deciding to use a long life HPL versus a regular HPL is that long life HPLs have a reduced color temperature compared to regular HPLs. Long life HPLs typically have a color temperature of 3,050˚K versus the high 3,250˚K color temperature of regular HPLs. One limitation of halogen bulbs is their inefficiency through their production of large amounts of heat. High amounts of heat also place stress on the bulb and likely contribute to bulb failure. HPLs feature a metal or ceramic heat sink base which reduces much of the heat produced by the bulb.

HPL 575 lamps are one of the go-to bulbs in film and TV production today. They are most often found inside ETC Source Four ellipsoidal fixture, as they were engineered to work them specifically. Regardless of this fact, HPLs continue to be extremely popular and produce a tremendous amount of light while maintaining excellent color rendering. If you are currently looking for a bulb for your film and production needs, look no further than HPLs.

By Victor Lopez | 12 November, 2014 | bulbs, halogen, hpl lamps, lights | 0 comments | Read more

Halogen Bulbs: Burning Bright and White for All Your Needs

Halogen bulbs have long been popular in the home, for outdoor flood lights, automobile headlights, airfields, and many other applications. They are used as alternatives to normal incandescent because they are longer lasting and burn brighter. In a normal incandescent bulb, the filament heats up and produces light as a byproduct of the heating process. As the filament heats up, however, it degrades as its atoms are released into the glass envelope. Halogen bulbs solve this problem. When halogen gas is placed inside the glass envelope, it replenishes the degraded filament. This occurs due to a special property of the halogen gasses. As the halogen gas heats up, it replenishes the filament by depositing the filament’s lost atoms on its surface, thus making the filament’s and the bulb’s life longer lasting through what is called a halogen cycle.

Halogen bulbs are available in a vast range of wattages, from about 5w to 20,000w. Halogens have a correspondingly wide range of lumen output. Halogens come in nearly every socket type available, making them useful in nearly all types of fixtures. The versatility of halogen bulbs is matched by their excellent light quality. Typically, halogen bulbs have a CRI score of 100, meaning their color quality is near identical to that of natural sunlight. Generalizing about halogens is difficult because there are so many different types, brands, wattages, etc. The most common types of halogens out there include the A-line, the halogen PAR, and the bi-pin multifaceted reflector (MR) halogen. A-line halogens look like regular incandescent bulbs and can screw into any socket that an incandescent bulb can. The exterior envelope of the A-line is not actually the bulb; the halogen bulb is actually inside it to ensure protection full the bulb and a cooler bulb exterior. The halogen PAR is a standard PAR can bulb with a tungsten filament, but has its atmosphere filled with a halogen gas. The MR halogen is a small bulb with a concentrated beam perfect for down lighting and track lighting.

Although halogens are more efficient than normal incandescent bulbs, they are not nearly as efficient as CFLs or LEDs. Halogens waste a lot of energy generating heat, and thus get extremely hot and can pose a burn and fire risk.Halogens should always be used with caution and not placed in an area in which a child may touch them or where they could pose a risk of fire. Despite these risks, halogens are safe and effective lights provided they are used carefully. Halogens should be considered if you need bright, white light. We have tons of halogens, check them out today!