Question: Using Halogen Lights for Bedroom Reading...

[sween1911]

My wife has always wanted a reading light by the bed. I want to put up lights for her birthday (in 2 days... yes I'm a guy)

Bear in mind...
1) we have no headboard. Nothing at all.
2) I don't want hard wired, I want plug in stuff.

Now, I bought 2 cool lights from Lowe's, the little spotlight kind with inline switches that you screw to the wall. They are 20w halogen lights though. Pretty good to read by, but I'm having second thoughts with the heat those things give off. Wondering if these are okay, or are totally NOT the right thing for this application.

I'm wondering if they're not more hazard than they're worth in the bedroom. I figure I'll mount them to the wall maybe 3-feet above and slightly over the edge of the bed.

A few things I'm trying to figure out...
if I swap out the bulbs for 10W bulbs, would that lessen the heat and hazard to an acceptable level for use as a bedside reading light? (I have a 5-year old who is just like her old man and gets into everything!) Or should I return them and try to find something else? Anybody dealt with these kinds of lights have any problems with them with regard to getting too hot to have close to people? I dunno if I'm paranoid or what, just kicking the idea around. Anybody have any other ideas about what to use? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Neondiod]

Hello!

I had a 20W 12V halogen spotligt as a reading light at bed but I think it was more than enough for the task with too strong light and warming my head. I still have the housing but changed the MR16 reflector bulb to a 10 W halogen bulb without reflector (my housing acts a bit as a wide beam reflector) and is happy with that.

BR //

 

[markus_i]

Replacing 20W with 10W won't change that much in terms of heat - you (or your kid) can still burn your fingers when touching the light while it's on (or changing a very recently burnt out bulb)[1]. That said, there are lots of those lights (or lights with similar bulbs) used as desk lights - as long as you keep something like a foot distance to the light, it won't be a problem. If you go any closer, prepare for the smell of burnt hair telling you that now you're too close (BTDT).

Regarding hazard: what kind of hazard are you thinking about? The low-wattage bulbs are usually 12V, so there's probably more risk from the power supply (wall wart transformer?) catching fire than from the bulb.

If you really want to decrease heat, look for LED replacements for these halo bulbs (can't see whether they're MR11 or MR16) using a single high power LED and large glass lens in front (something like these for MR11: http://www.led-tech.de/de/LED-Spots...er-Cree-XR-E-LED-Spot-12V-LT-1396_96_105.html ). While you're at it, replace the (probably classical copper transformer) power supply with a smaller (matching the LED's power requirements) switch-mode power suply with low standby current. The LED spots mentioned above are still bright enough to read in bed, but don't give as much stray light (which can be good or bad, depending on whether you don't want to change the bulb orientation when you turn around while reading or you want to minimize disturbing your non-reading partner). Only disadvantage is that my power supply - LED combination creates FM radio interference. I'll have to tack on some ferrites some day.

Bye
Markus

[1]Mind, your daughter _will_ burn her fingers, probably more than once. Your only decision is whether this will happen while you're close (i.e. you see it coming and let it happen anyway) or while she's on her own. My parents opted for the first approach, and I still have the photograph somewhere around, sitting between spilled matches and just starting to cry...

 

[sween1911]

Thanks for the feedback. There's no transformer, at least not that I can see. It plugs right in.

I think I'll keep these and see what sort of bulb options I can change out.

 

[sween1911]

The lights were a big hit last night. I just hung them on finishing nails for the big reveal, I still have to anchor them and route the cords nicely, maybe with some plastic track stuff just so they're not swinging all over the place.

They're MR16's, so there are a few lower wattage or LED options I can look into. Thanks for all the info!

 

[sween1911]

Checking back around on this, I recently bought an MR16 LED module for my wife's side of the bed (she uses hers more and it burnt out) and it works perfectly. It was like 15 bucks, but uses a LOT less energy, doesn't get nearly as hot, and has a nice white diffused beam for reading or whatever.