All about spotlights

Lighting devices are one of the most important inventions, because today they are used wherever people are - from large cities to modest villages. A convenient device was quickly invented for various purposes that require a different type of lighting, so today there is a very wide range of various lamps on the market. In this article, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with such a type of lighting device as a searchlight: consider its characteristics, types and applications.

The first person to describe the concept of a searchlight was Leonardo da Vinci - he created a blueprint for the device in the Atlantic Ocean manuscript. The word "spotlight" comes from the Latin word projectus, which translates as "thrown forward." Such a translation accurately conveys the whole essence of the device's operation, because a spotlight is a special type of lighting device that redistributes light from one or more lamps located inside the body, and creates a directed concentrated light flux. Light is concentrated in a similar way using an optical system - mirrored or mirror-lens.

The light part of the floodlight structure consists of several elements: a light source, a reflector and a lens. The light source is a lamp providing non-directional or wide-angle illumination. The task of the reflector and lenses is to collect light by creating a light flux in a specific direction. A reflector is a special mirror that comes in two types: parabolic, for a device without lenses, and hyperbolic, for a design with lenses. For the searchlight, no ordinary lenses are used, because with them the apparatus will turn out to be too bulky, instead of them compact Fresnel lenses with a stepped surface are used.

Depending on the purpose, the floodlights have a different design and power. We propose to consider several types of lighting devices according to the method of their application.

• Manual... A mini version of a spotlight that looks like a regular flashlight, but with a more powerful and strictly directed light or diffused at a strictly defined angle. It can be underwater, mining, or tactical gear. Railroad workers use a spotlight to send light signals over long distances, for this they use red, yellow and green filters.

• Street... A wall mounted spotlight is commonly used outdoors to illuminate garages, signage or points of interest. Such products are always equipped with protection against moisture and dirt.

• Track... A track lighting system is a series of spotlights attached to a special busbar. It is used for accent lighting of interior elements - it can be a chandelier in a museum aimed at an exhibit, a device for illuminating a stage in a theater, or a spot lamp in a cafe that illuminates only a table or bar.

• Arc... Arc lamps create a powerful stream of light, which is why they are often used in large floodlights. It is this type of lamp that is installed in one of the largest floodlights in the world, the beam of which will be visible even from a distance of 50-60 km.

• Autonomous... Such a mechanism does not need additional power, because it is equipped with a solar battery. A stand-alone floodlight is usually used to illuminate streets or areas of private houses.

Spotlights differ in the type of light source. The floodlight can be halogen, metal halide, fluorescent, mercury, sodium and LED.

The most common are LED lamp, however, for all types of devices there is a special purpose.

Let's take a closer look at each type of spotlight.

The halogen floodlight works on the basis of lamps equipped with a tungsten filament and a buffer gas. Such searchlight lamps are undemanding to the conditions of power supply - they work equally well with both direct and alternating current. "Halogen" practically does not flicker, perfectly reproduces color and can last much longer than a classic incandescent lamp.

A halogen floodlight is a quartz glass vessel containing an inert gas and iodine halogens.... The inert atmosphere provided by the gas significantly reduces the rate of combustion of the thread, so the product can withstand a lot of stress and creates a strong beam of light. In floodlights, a linear type of halogen is most often installed, equipped with a double-sided R7s base. The round reflector design uses a more compact type of G halogen lamp.

Halogen bulbs have a higher efficiency than incandescent bulbs - the former has 22 lm / watt, while the latter has only 15 lm / watt. On average, halogens work 1.5 times longer than classic bulbs. Most of these lighting fixtures require a transformer to work, but there are also models that can be connected to a standard 220 V.

The operation of a metal halide (MGL) light apparatus is based on gas-discharge luminous elements containing mercury and halogens. The light element itself consists of halides of various metals, enclosed under high pressure in a double glass bulb. The gaseous substance inside the device starts to glow after being activated by a discharge current. However, the structure does not require any conductors or filaments to operate. Most often, the base of the MGL searchlight lamp is screw, such as E27 or E40, but sometimes models with a pin base are produced, which are intended for use in a theater or studio.

Metal halide projectors have excellent color reproduction, are capable of working for about 20,000 hours, and their efficiency averages 85 lm / watt. The design always contains a choke that protects against power surges and regulates the start of the lighting device. A distinctive feature of MGLs is that they do not need to be heated - they are able to work correctly even at extremely low temperatures, therefore they are often used in northern latitudes.

The sodium light source is designed in the same way as a metal halide lamp, but it is equipped with additional active elements. The inner flask of the structure contains sodium salts, which, when the current is applied, begin to evaporate and emit a powerful luminous flux of red and yellow spectra. The efficiency of such structures is also rather big - it averages 130 lm / watt.

Many gardeners use sodium lamps to grow plants because their light output is ideal for photosynthesis.

Typically, this type of lighting device is made with a screw base, but pin models are also available on the market.There is a variety of sodium lamps with the most reliable transmission of daylight - for this result, the glass bulb is painted white. If the device is used at temperatures below -35 ° C, the light intensity is greatly reduced. The sodium-based product does not tolerate sudden changes in electricity, therefore it is always used in conjunction with a choke. The average operating time of spotlights with a sodium lamp is from 13,000 to 15,000 hours, after the end of the life the light of the lamp begins to lose its brightness.

Such projectors are significantly different from any other lighting devices, because they emit infrared light invisible to humans in the range of 800 nanometers. Usually a device with IR light is used in conjunction with surveillance cameras - such a system allows you to record night video. Infrared light reflects off objects around the camera in a limited range, then the camera captures the reflected rays and transmits them in black and white. The surroundings beyond the reach of the IR illuminator remain dark in the picture. The light source in infrared light devices is gas-discharge (DRL) or LED lamps, which emit a certain spectrum of light.

Lighting fixtures with an LED light source have become very widespread over the past 20 years due to their compactness, low cost and high efficiency. Their efficiency levels range from 60 to 140 lm / watt. To create LED floodlights, two types of LED lamps are used: COB and SMD.

Let's take a closer look at each type of light bulb.

• PSB - the mechanism is a set of crystals filled with phosphor. The device emits a uniform beam of light, but tends to get very hot. To prevent overheating, a spotlight needs a large radiator with a good cooling system.

• SMD - neat matrices, equipped with a set of bulbs with the same wattage. Due to the distance between the lighting elements, the device has good heat dissipation and does not overheat.

Availability, efficiency and a large power range allow LED floodlights to be used in a wide variety of areas of life. For example, a beam lamp is used to illuminate architectural landmarks outside, a laser lamp is used as car headlights, an explosion-proof lamp is used in objects with a high explosion hazard, for example, in a mine, a metallurgical plant or an oil enterprise.

A floodlight is a common lighting device used not only for practical purposes, but also for decoration of premises. Devices differ from each other in the shape of the housing, the type of construction or color. And also the type of lighting differs, for example, it can be an ordinary white beam of light, a luminous flux of a certain color or a multi-colored luminous pattern. A white light beam is commonly used for practical purposes, and multi-colored lights such as blue, red, green, or yellow are often used to illuminate architectural landmarks.

The shape, size and type of device are also different, for example, swimming pools usually use a round type of floodlights that do not distract attention. For illumination of adjoining areas, signboards and attractions, products with a square or rectangular body, attached to a special bracket, are used. Indoors, decorative lamps with directional light are usually used, for example, in the loft style.

Spotlight lighting is used in a wide variety of areas of life - both for lighting a large area and for small areas. Let's take a closer look at the list of the most popular examples of the use of lighting devices.

• For home... Ceiling spotlights are purchased in an apartment or house for directional illumination of interior elements, for example, in the kitchen above the dining table. And also popular are street spotlights that people purchase for installation in the country to illuminate the local area.

• For the garage. Outdoor lighting devices with a motion sensor are very convenient when you need to put the car in the garage at night.

• For sightseeing. Architectural values, monuments and other historical objects are often highlighted with multi-colored illumination. If it is necessary to illuminate a building, front street projectors are mounted on its walls, and monuments are illuminated with devices built into the sidewalk.

• For construction... Industrial lighting devices are very powerful - they illuminate the construction site so that builders can work comfortably at any time of the day. As a rule, these are floor-standing or built-in devices in construction equipment.

• For the theater. Proper lighting is a very important part of the performance, which is why lamps in the theater are installed almost everywhere - on the ceiling, on the floor at the edge of the stage, and in the hall with light directed at the stage.

• For reservoirs. Special waterproof floodlights are used to illuminate various artificial reservoirs, for example, for a pool, fountain or spa.

• For plants. Very often, sodium and LED light devices are used to illuminate trees, cultivated and ornamental plants, because such light exactly imitates the sunlight required for photosynthesis.

The main selection criterion is the purpose of the light fixture. The best choice for indoor lighting — this is a small low voltage spotlight... To illuminate the courtyard or entrance, an apparatus with a power of 100 to 150 W is sufficient. Large and powerful floodlights from 500 to 1000 W are used to illuminate large areas - stadiums, construction sites or airports.

It is better to give preference to devices with additional functions, for example, with a remote control, a motion sensor or an autonomous battery - this will greatly facilitate the operation process.

Each type of lighting fixture is different in the type of attachment, for example, they are suspended, attached to a bracket or floor-standing. We propose to consider a way to connect a street floodlight.

• Choose a flat surface for your spotlight - ceiling, wall or pole.

• Remove the bracket from the body by unscrewing 2 bolts and attach it to the desired location.

• Determine the angle of rotation for proper lighting and attach the spotlight to the bracket.

• Remove the cover from the terminal compartment to connect the cable.

• Attach the cable to the mains and check the power supply.

• Close and secure the cover.