Halogen Lights

lol, cold brewski and one lamp first on list!. I wired my shop with 10 guage wire and all the circuits are on 20 breaker amps so I should be ok. One of the reasons Im doing the 9 lights verses the single quartz is cause I can cover a lot bigger space. Im building a lot of adjustment into my tree so I can really get the best use out of the lights. I decided to build my own tree so when I am not using it as a light post, I can attach it to another tree just like it with two 8 foot rails and have a rack to hang pieces from when I spray. Multi Purpose type thing. Thanks for your help.
 
You have plenty of room for amperage growth. The 10 gauge copper wire is good for up to 30 amps per the NEC code. For 20 amps you only need 12 gauge so you have plenty of room to increase capacity if needed by changing the breaker and maybe the receptacles. Of course your local codes can override this.
 
Thanks, if I have any questions about lighting or electrical, I will be looking you up again! Great information for everyone to have available with your responses. I did make an error, my circuit wiring is 12 guage, not 10. So that being the case, am I pushing it using 9 250 watt bulbs on a 20 amp breaker? I actually thought about using three 150 watt lamps in the center becasue they are lined up straight and the lights on both sides of that are an angles. Im thinking the 250 watt angled on both sides of the 150 watt would give more even distribution of the heat.
 
With the formula P=E x I where P=power (watts), E = voltage, I = current. If you know two values then you can calculate the third. Voltage (E) can be rounded to 120v. P can be calculated as 9x250 watts = 2,250 watts. You then put the two values into the equation to find current (I): (P) 2250 = (E)120 x ? (I) would now be: I = P / V which is 2250/ 120 which equals 18.75 amps.
Using NEC guidelines to determine what size wire to run, it is recommended to use 80% of the expected rated continuous amperage capacity as a starting point. Calculating 80% of 20 amps would equal 16 amps for a continuous sustained load but being your usage is considered intermittent, you are safe with 20 amps.
 
I feel like I been thru a crash college course and like Bernie says, it was FREE. Thanks Mike!
 
Outlaw, I'm interested in your light tree design. I like the idea of the center 3 being 150W as there would be pointed straight at the panel. The 250W bulbs at 45 degrees sound nice too.
Can you post a picture of your tree design? Also, how much do 9 sockets and 9 bulbs cost?

Danford1
 
I did a test on my theory. The middle socket aimed straight does well, but as soon as you angle one of the bulbs it starts losing heat fast on the outside of the angle. Im thinking I need to seperate the lights on a parellel bar so the all hit the sheet metal straight. You can buy the bulbs at Lowes for under $8.00 each. 24' of 1/8" x 1 3/4 tubing is $60.00 and will make two trees (possible three, depending on how high you want the lights). Castors are $7and change for each castor tree (4 per tree). Will make a very nice heavy stand unlike the ones you get with the prefab China Lites. My design, those big light bulbs stick out there just waiting to be bumped and broken. I am going to get an estimate on having a piece of sheet metal bent that would make a shroud behind the lights and protect the bulbs. Each socket setup is around $10 dollars per light. If you are interested in a picture of my design, I will send you one after I get it made. They will be very well made but expensive to run. Three lights on a socket saves money but I think it would be more effective with no angles in the light source to metal source, just my opinion. I was originally going to use my light trees to support horrizontal beams for a paint rack (small parts). But then I realized I could not use my heat lamps and paint rack at the same time. Another hurdle I ran into was finding a socket that was rated for more than 150 Watts. Finding sockets for 250 Watts was next to impossible. I did find some and they would not work for my project. I measured the wire and both sockets have 16 guage AWG. One is porclin (150) and the other is plastic (250). The only other difference is the 150 watt has a gasket and the 250 does not. An electrician told me to use the 150 watt, but to remove the gasket (weather seal). I tried that and nothing got above 98 degrees on the socket base. The base of the bulb did get very hot though and I think it would have melted the seal (gasket).
 
MikeS;n81788 said:
With the formula P=E x I where P=power (watts), E = voltage, I = current. If you know two values then you can calculate the third. Voltage (E) can be rounded to 120v. P can be calculated as 9x250 watts = 2,250 watts. You then put the two values into the equation to find current (I): (P) 2250 = (E)120 x ? (I) would now be: I = P / V which is 2250/ 120 which equals 18.75 amps.
Using NEC guidelines to determine what size wire to run, it is recommended to use 80% of the expected rated continuous amperage capacity as a starting point. Calculating 80% of 20 amps would equal 16 amps for a continuous sustained load but being your usage is considered intermittent, you are safe with 20 amps.
Click to expand...

Hey Mike, if a socket is rated for 150 and it has the same wire leads (16AWG) as a 250, and the 150 is porclin and the 250 is plastic, what else do I need to look for to figure out the difference in rating? I thought it was the wire but both the same. I was told it was the use of a 250 in a 150 is because of the gasket.
 
These types of bulbs have a narrow beam angle usually between 20-40 degrees as they are designed to be directional. The shape of the bulb and internal reflector determine that.
The 16 AWG wire would be the same because the wire used has a high heat sheathing and it also will not see more than the average 2 amps (on a 250 w bulb) because one bulb is the only load running in it. As for using a 250 w bulb in a 150 w rated fixture, I would not recommend that myself in case a fire does happen and a fire inspector (for insurance claims) can point to a higher wattage bulb being used. An insurance company would be all too happy to use that as a means not to pay out. Usually one difference between the two fixture versions would be size, with the 250w typically being larger and maybe more vent holes in the base area. I do remember seeing 300w fixtures in Home Depot.
 
I understand perfectly. I could not recommend anyone using a 250 watt bulb in a fixture rated for 150 either. Its an avoidable risk. Now that I have said that, I looked long and hard for a socket rated for 250. The only thing I can find rated for 250 is the hen house heaters with a huge shroud around them. The smaller the shroud, the lower wattage goes. 100 watt heat lamps have tiny shrounds behind them and the 300 watt heat lamps have huge shrouds behind them. Wiring and socket all appear to be identical from what I could see. The hen house heaters are mounted with a cheesy clamp what will not stay secure, especially when mounted on the same pole with multiple other lights. They are just asking to be bumped and fall to the floor, taking several more with them on the journey. The 250 watt rated sockets I did find had not good way to be attached to a square tubing, or at least I have not figured that out yet. Jury still out. I was hoping to find a 250 volt socket that would mount to a piece of square tubing and allow some adjustment for the direction of the light. The adjustment part really narrows the options.
 
Thank you Outlaw. Yes I would like to see a picture of your completed unit.
Thanks

Danford1
 
I will let you know when I get it all figured out, pictures, costs, and how I overcome all the little hurdles.
 
Mike, is there a difference in the red and clear infared heat lamp bulbs regarding performance when using to heat sheet metal or keeps sheet metal temps up to 70 with SPI Epoxy? Does anyone make a halogen quartz lamp that resembles the infared heat lamps?
 
www.jefferspet.com is advertising a halogen infared heat lamp that takes halogen type bulbs. Item NEAB I have a question into them to see if its a halogen quartz. It says halogen infared, not halogen quartz. They are going to check and get back to me.
 
Halogen and halogen-quarts are the same type of bulb and it's just the terminology used when advertising. The word 'Infrared' describes the color spectrum the bulb is designed to emit its light energy and is typically 700 nm (red spectrum) and above. That's the part of the color spectrum where the heat you feel comes from.
The differences between the two screw in type R40 infrared bulbs (clear vs. red) you see at places like Home Depot would only be the visual light spectrum due to the way the glass is colored otherwise they both are emitting a good part of their energy in the infrared spectrum. I have both types and they perform the same with the clear having much more brightness.
 
Thanks Mike, one more question. Would it be a good option to pick up some halogen work light fixtures at Lowes (they sell single lights with bulbs for $9) and mount them to my tree and then swap out the bulbs for quarts halogen? Im wondering if they would be easier to mount to my light tree and be cheaper to run than the infared heat lamps.
 
Oh bummer, I just went back and looked at your posts, looks like you are recommending the spot heat lamps over the halogen work lights, Them halogen work lights would work nice on a tree and give me both up/down and sideways adjustment really simple. I guess the clamp on fixtures for flood lights would too, just not as secure.
 
I think the problem there may be finding a T3 bulb dedicated to Infrared only output. It's an interesting idea but I haven't see it done. When you think of it any bulb that gets hot is putting out infrared energy, it's just a matter of how much. IR bulbs are designed so that most of its spectrum is in the IR range so there is little light seen in the visible spectrum other than an orange glow. What really sets an dedicated IR lamp apart from others is the spectrum of the bulb (short, med and long wavelengths) and the hood design to direct the energy to the work area. As for voltage some are direct to 120v while other more expensive units may have a controller circuit. Did I forget to mention money? :)
 
LOL, no kidding on the $ part of it. The test I did yesterday was using an infared heat lamp. It was labled just that, heat lamp. Its shaped like a flood light and screws in a screw type socket just like a standard light bulb. It had no reflector or housing behind it. Im going to find a reflector to put behind it and do a comparrison test with that and the hologen work light with the T3. The guy I talked to at one of the light bulb distributrers said they are getting out of the T3 halogen bulb marketing and moving towards LED.
 
I only use LED lighting now (except IR lamps to force dry) and it's soooo much more energy efficient and I use them inside the spray booth because they run so cool.
I have my share of burn marks from hot halogen lamp housings.
 
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