Halogen Track Lighting

Halogen track lighting is a great way to get light into your kitchen area. Halogen bulbs put out a lot of light for their size, most are low voltage, but are still available in line voltage. The difference between line and low voltage when purchased in a system is the low voltage track comes with a transformer and the line voltage system does not. There are other differences too, but the transformer is the major one.

Low voltage halogen tracks are 12 volts, this is where the transformer comes into play. The transformer has to step the voltage down from 120v to 12v, for this reason never use a low voltage fixture on a line voltage track. But don't worry the bulb socket types are different so it is not possible to install one in the other.

Halogen lights are very powerful, therefore their wattage's can be lowered to save energy, and ultimately money. Halogen track lights rarely go over 20 watts. The light emitted from halogen lights is also a warmer color, not like fluorescent that tends to have a whiter light. Warmer lighting tends to be easier on the eyes and the colors in the room are not affected as much as they are with fluorescent.

Halogen track systems are very contemporary. They come in cable tracks, suspended rail tracks, and the traditional boxed track configurations. The cable track lighting system uses suspended low voltage cables to mount the fixtures to. 

Suspended rail tracks are also low voltage and have fixed wires that are permanently mounted to a track system, the wires are actually attached to a stiff rod to simulate a cable track system. The traditional boxed system comes in both line and low voltages and looks like a traditional track.

Halogen bulbs get very hot, so be sure to keep them away from curtains or other combustibles. Consult the installation guide for the proper clearances to combustibles.

For a glimpse of how to replace a suspended rail track light check out this page on how to install suspended-rail halogen track-lights. It will give you the basics of how to replace an existing fixture with a suspended rail track system.

Halogen lighting is affordable. The cost of the bulbs and the tracks, or cables, is inexpensive when compared to LED track lighting, which can cost quite a bit more. Actually LED track lighting can cost up to 5 times the amount of halogen. Why? The bulbs and fixtures, the bulbs for LED can cost up to $60 where a halogen costs as little as a couple bucks.

Overall halogen is affordable, stylish, and easy to install.(depending on the style of course). Serious consideration should be given to halogen track systems as they are well worth the investment, in my opinion.