G9 halogen bulbs are halogen bulbs that feature a specific type of base. The G9 base is a two-loop system that is not designed for use in the average Edison screw socket. Although G9 halogen bulbs feature an uncommon base type, they still can be used in many applications.
All G9 bulbs feature two looped prongs instead of screw bases or straight pins like those offered on other halogen bulbs such as G8 halogen bulbs. Most G9 halogen bulbs are available with either a clear or frosted finish. Halogen bulbs with G9 bases are designed to operate under 120-130 volts of electricity.
Halogen light bulbs can be used in many practical applications. A G9 halogen bulb system is ideal for desk pendant lighting and accent lighting. G9 halogen bulbs also are often used in desk lamps and under-cabinet lighting.
All halogen bulbs feature a tungsten filament and a fill gas that contains traces of iodine or another halogen. Tungsten filaments within halogen bulbs last longer than they do in incandescent bulbs because of the “halogen cycle.” When tungsten evaporates from the heat within a halogen bulb, the halogen causes the evaporated tungsten to redeposit atop the filament, thus completing the halogen cycle. Halogen bulbs must reach external temperatures of at least 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121.1 degrees Celsius) for the halogen cycle to take place.
It is because of the halogen cycle that the average halogen bulb lasts several times longer than an incandescent bulb. Although halogen bulbs usually burn hotter than incandescent bulbs, they are more efficient. G9 halogen bulbs are designed to last for 2,000-6,000 hours.
These bulbs are available in a wide wattage rage. Higher wattage equates to higher initial lumen outputs. The average 20-watt G9 halogen bulb provides a 170 initial lumen output. Forty-watt G9 halogen bulbs offer about a 600 initial lumen output, and 60-watt G9 halogen bulbs provide an 830 initial lumen output. A 75-watt G9 bulb is capable of producing about a 1,400 initial lumen output.
Consumers should avoid contacting halogen bulbs directly with their bare skin. Halogen bulbs operate at temperatures that reach extremely high temperatures, so they can quickly and easily burn the skin. Also, the oils on skin can penetrate the semi-permeable glass of these bulbs and compromise the effectiveness of the bulb. Any grease or oils transferred to the surface of a G9 halogen bulb can be removed with alcohol that has been slightly diluted in water.
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browncoat
Post 3 |
I know that halogen bulbs are sometimes used in aquarium setups. Including G9 bulbs, I think. You have to make sure to get the kind of bulbs which are suited for your particular kind of aquarium though, as a normal halogen isn't powerful enough for a reef aquarium. If you are growing fresh water plants, generally it will be alright, but for a reef you'd need, at a minimum, to get Very High Output bulbs. That's because the light needs to be able to penetrate the water deeply enough for the corals to use it for photosynthesis. And you might also need to mix in a few blue bulbs, as the halogens tend towards the red end of the light spectrum. Lighting for reef aquariums seems to be quite complicated. I've been studying it for a while, trying to decide what to get and the amount of options is quite intimidating.
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umbra21
Post 2 |
@KoiwiGal - They might not be used in our standard light sockets, but halogens are used for quite a few other things. The lights on your car for example. In fact when they were first installed in cars, they were so bright that they would cause accidents. That's why they came up with a way of shielding them, so they weren't so very bright they were blinding oncoming drivers. They also get used as flood lights for sports fields and things like that, although LED lights are starting to become more popular, since they last longer and they aren't so dangerously hot. I think they might be more efficient with energy as well. |
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KoiwiGal
Post 1 |
The coolest thing about halogen bulbs is that they were originally invented for the wingtips of airplanes. They aren't very efficient, but they are very bright and were used in 707s as navigation lights. They were invented to combat the fact that previous kinds of bulbs would quickly darken, because they would get a film coating the inside of the bulb. Halogen bulbs don't get the film, but they need to be very hot in order to work, which is one reason they were never very popular as a general kind of bulb. |
