bathroom heat lamp

[deepthreat]

Would like to install a bath heat lamp in a recessed housing. What considerations should be made when choosing the recessed can for the lamp. It will use a 250 watt lamp. Most recessed cans seem to be good for only 100 watts or less. Any suggestions?

 

[peter d]

Yes, they make a special heat lamp rated recessed fixture, at least they did the last time I looked in a Halo catalog.

 

[iwire]

You can not place a heat lamp in a standard recessed fixture.

You need a heat lamp housing like this

http://www.infraredheaters.com/bathheat.htm

 

[480sparky]

Look to see if it is IC (insulation-contact) rated if there's going to be insulation on top of it.

 

[mdshunk]

You can not place a heat lamp in a standard recessed fixture.

You need a heat lamp housing like this

http://www.infraredheaters.com/bathheat.htm

I want to agree, but now you got me thinking. I know some of the cans I use will take up to a 150W R50 lamp. I'm pretty sure they make 125W R40 heat lamps. Granted, most people will want to use the 250's or the 375's more than likely so that puts you into buying a NuTone type heat lamp. I always called these "chicken brooder lamps" to try to discourage customers from installing them. I don't have a good reason for it, but I just think they're dumb. Puts me in mind of a cheesy hotel bathroom.

 

[deepthreat]

MD, I know what you're saying about the whole cheesy hotel thing, now you've got me having second thoughts. The reason I am asking the question and that got me considering the installation myself is a guy I know had a recessed fixture in his bathroom and simply took out the old incandescent and replaced it with a heat lamp bulb, says it works great and feels good right after a shower. I would have thought he would have had an issue with the thermal cutout, he said no, it's worked fine for years. I always figured you would need a special housing but didn't know what kind. I wonder if it's all much ado about nothing or is ignorance so blissful it can ignore the laws of physics.

 

[iwire]

I want to agree, but now you got me thinking. I know some of the cans I use will take up to a 150W R50 lamp.

The thing I notice that is common to heat light housings (beyond the cheese factor) is they all have the lamp flush or proud of the trim, there must be a good reason for that. Like melted trims etc.