Can you use normal bulbs in halogen light fittings?

foreversummer

Hi

I have a whole range of halogen spot bulbs in my new house!

One has gone out in my bathroom. It is halogen and is screw in. However I have been unable to find a replacement. It is the same in size, shape and fitting as the standard R80 spotlight bulb (non halogen) and I have been told that it will be OK to use a standard bulb but that I should use a higher wattage to compensate for the loss of light.

It seems a bit odd to me, but there again I have no experience of halogen bulbs.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Foreversummer

missile

no problem.

foreversummer

Thank you missile.

I will give it a go.

Foreversummer

mr.b_11

NOOOOOOO!

The Halogen Diachronic reflector will reflect the heat downwards and prevent possible overheating of the connecting cables at the top.

Was it someone in the DIY sheds that told you that?

foreversummer

Hi Mr B

I was told this initially by a large online light bulb retailer. Also when I went to buy the non-halogen bulb at shall we say, a very large DIY store, they said that it would be OK also.

The bulb is now in the light socket and all seems to be fine.

However, your comments do concern me of course. Can you explain a little better. You seem to be suggesting that I should not use a non-halogen bulb but also that the "The halogen Diachronic reflector will reflect the heat downwards and prevent overheating . . .".

Foreversummer

Jonesya

mr.b wrote: »

NOOOOOOO!

The Halogen Diachronic reflector will reflect the heat downwards and prevent possible overheating of the connecting cables at the top.

Was it someone in the DIY sheds that told you that?

Are you sure?

I thought it was the other way around - the dichroic reflector only reflected the light downward and allowed the heat to pass through the back of the bulb.

Besides wouldn't a silver reflector reflect both the IR and visible light downward and away from cabling?

foreversummer

Any electricians out there that can put us right on this one?

Am I safe with the non-halogen bulb in a fitting that takes halogen bulbs? Or is it going to overheat? I thought that halogen produced the most heat not normal bulbs.

Foreversummer

floyd

I asked my fella (who is an electrical engineer) and he said that using non-halogen bulbs could potentially cause a fire as they could pull more current than a halogen bulb causing the wires the heat up.