Conventional lighting refers to any form of lighting used in the context of an indoor or outdoor setting that utilises incandescent filament bulbs, halogen bulbs and fluorescent tubes.
The term stands for conventional or conventionalized, meaning “in accordance with established practice or procedure”. The use of this term has its origins in the early 19th century when it was used to describe a system of electrical distribution based on Edison's inventions.
What are the Differences Between Conventional and LED Lighting?
Halogen lights are made of a tungsten filament, a glass bulb and a halogen gas. They are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs and they have a longer lifespan than the incandescent variety. Halogens also use less electricity compared to incandescents, but they are still more expensive than their counterparts. Compared with LEDs both bulbs' lifetime is less than LED bulbs and nowadays prices are also nearly the same with LED bulbs too. So using LED bulbs considering the used power will be wise.
The main difference between conventional lighting options and LEDs is that these types of bulbs can be used in any type of application (including outdoor) without having to worry about them becoming obsolete due to their energy efficiency levels or lifespan when used indoors or outdoors in exterior fixtures like flood lights or streetlights. LEDs are the best option for now(2023).
What are the Types of Conventional Lighting?
There are three types of conventional lighting: compact fluorescent non-integrated lamps (CFLs), halogen lamps, and HID (high-intensity discharge) bulbs.
Compact Fluorescent Non-Integrated lamps
CFLs contain mercury vapour as well as phosphors to produce light. The mercury vapour causes the electrodes in the bulb to glow, producing visible light. This glow is what makes them appear white when turned on at night or in low light conditions. Non-integrated CFLs require a ballast to operate. Typically, this ballast is permanently installed in the light fitting and helps the lamp last longer than an integrated lamp.
HID Lamps
High-intensity discharge lamps or HIDs belong to the family of gas–discharge arc lamps which create light when an electrical discharge between two electrodes through a plasma or ionized gas. These lamps are widely known for their high efficiency and a long life. These lamps require a ballast in order to generate and regulate the initial surge of electricity needed to start them.
Halogen lamps
Halogen tungsten incandescent lamps produce a bright white light by using gas instead of liquid mercury like CFLs do; however, they consume much more energy than other types because they use high voltage electricity instead of low voltage electricity like CFLs do with their low voltage ballasts which means that these lights can only be used during daylight hours because they will burn out very quickly if left on all night long without being switched off every 60 minutes when not being used anymore.
How to Wire in Downlighters from a Conventional Light?
Wiring in downlights from a conventional light requires a basic knowledge of electrical wiring and should only be attempted by someone with experience in electrical work. Here are the general steps to follow:
- Turn off the power supply to the light circuit at the main circuit breaker or fuse box.
- Remove the existing light fixture and disconnect the wiring. You should have three wires: the live wire (brown), the neutral wire (blue), and the earth wire (green and yellow).
- Install a junction box where the original light was located. Connect the incoming live wire to the live wire from the light switch using a connector block.
- Run a new cable from the junction box to the location of the first downlighter. Connect the live wire to the live terminal on the downlighter and connect the neutral wire to the neutral terminal. Connect the earth wire to the earth terminal.
- Repeat the process for the remaining downlighters, connecting each one in parallel to the junction box. The live wire from the junction box should be connected to each downlighter's live terminal.
- Once all downlighters are connected, switch the power back on and test the new installation to ensure it is working correctly.
It is important to ensure that all wiring is done correctly and that all connections are secure. If you are not confident in your ability to carry out this work, it is advisable to seek the help of a qualified electrician.
Nowadays most downlights and track lights do not use conventional lights anymore, integrated LED downlights or GU10 LED bulb downlights has been replaced or took place of conventional lights. TEKLED offers you a wide variety of integrated or non-integrated LED downlights and track lights. Besides that you may want to check our floodlights and high bay lights which come with 5y warranty and high-lumen efficacy.
