Heat lamp versus Flood lamp

Status
Not open for further replies.
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Okay so what does a 100 watt heat lamp do that a 100 watt flood would not be able to do-- I am talking heat not infrared stuff? Does it really put out more heat and if so how?
 
I have seen these ceramic babies that are infrared but if I just want heat-- for a well house situation- is this going to be better?

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Ceramic-Infrared-Emitter/dp/B001F9CV7K

410fVDyeJyL.jpg
 
If you are looking at the amount of watts consumed if they are the same, nothing. But how the device is optimized to be used as intended something else. Are you interested in heat or light? Each one produces both heat on light but the heat lamp is more efficient at producing heat with the color spectrum in mind such a infrared.
 
Thermal energy is measured in BTUs which is directly related to watts, so if each one draws 100W then at the end of the day they are both contributing the same amount of energy to an enclosed space.

The only difference would be how the infrared is directed. It looks to me like the ceramic lamp would radiate in all directions, whereas a PAR style lamp would focus more of the energy on the area in front of the lamp. I don't know if there's a significant enough difference to matter, but I would err with the PAR style.
 
I realize watts is watts but I noticed that a halogen bulb seems hotter to me than an incandescent of the same wattage. Look at xenon lights-- they are not as hot as halogen so that is where I am getting this thinking.
 
I would probably determine what I would want to heat - the air, or the stuff

Infrared will not heat the air, per se, but instead heats the stuff it shines on. The that stuff heats the air

A hot light bulb will heat the air, then the air will heat the stuff.

R-factor can come into play, draftiness, etc.

fwiw, I wired a restaurant last winter without any heat. Much of that time it was about 5-10 degrees inside the building. I used the walk-in cooler for my materials hut, and heated it with a 150watt work light (square, with tubular lamp)

That room was probably 90-95 degrees after being on all night with the door shut.

I'd imagine a well house won't be insulated quite that well, though.
 
big john said:
The only difference would be how the infrared is directed. It looks to me like the ceramic lamp would radiate in all directions, whereas a PAR style lamp would focus more of the energy on the area in front of the lamp..
Click to expand...

I'd be a little curious if a spot bulb might direct heat more narrowly like it does light, compared with flood bulb
 
James L said:
I'd be a little curious if a spot bulb might direct heat more narrowly like it does light, compared with flood bulb
Click to expand...
Absolutely. As long as the reflector surface is efficient for infrared.
What will not be focused will be the heat lost by conduction and convection from the sides if the bulb.
 
The big advantage (to me) of the heat lamp rather than the flood light is expected life. Most incandescent lamps have a life of around 1000 hours, while a heat lamp operating at lower temperatures should last a lot longer.

What I really would not discover is the lamp burned out, and no water came out of the tap.
 
James L said:
I would probably determine what I would want to heat - the air, or the stuff

Infrared will not heat the air, per se, but instead heats the stuff it shines on. The that stuff heats the air

A hot light bulb will heat the air, then the air will heat the stuff.

R-factor can come into play, draftiness, etc.

fwiw, I wired a restaurant last winter without any heat. Much of that time it was about 5-10 degrees inside the building. I used the walk-in cooler for my materials hut, and heated it with a 150watt work light (square, with tubular lamp)

That room was probably 90-95 degrees after being on all night with the door shut.

I'd imagine a well house won't be insulated quite that well, though.
Click to expand...

That's the key take-away here. We use infrared heaters in our shop. Work like a charm from 15 feet up. If you tried to heat the workspace using convection it would be much harder.
 
James L said:
I'd be a little curious if a spot bulb might direct heat more narrowly like it does light, compared with flood bulb
Click to expand...

I would bet it does but the idea is to get heat a bit more wide spread than a spot. The problem here is that the wire is only 14 awg and the pump is 120v and nameplate is 14 amps. Now this isn't a problem but she has a water conditioner- runs only at night, a flood light and a light bulb in the well house. I want to change the 120 feed to 240 v, since the pump can be wire 240 v, and then drop down to 120v with a trany.

The bulb thing got me thinking about what would be the best as a heat source. I told her she needs to insulate the building first. :)

Anyway thanks for the thoughts on this
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I would bet it does but the idea is to get heat a bit more wide spread than a spot. The problem here is that the wire is only 14 awg and the pump is 120v and nameplate is 14 amps. Now this isn't a problem but she has a water conditioner- runs only at night, a flood light and a light bulb in the well house....
Click to expand...
Is some heat tape and insulation on the pipes an option?
 
ActionDave said:
Is some heat tape and insulation on the pipes an option?
Click to expand...
There is i9nsulation on the pipe and heat tape may be an option. The problem is that there are pipes going to the well, holding tank , water softener system etc. It would take a lot of tape and I am afraid too much amperage. Right now we are doing a quick patch job for a month or so till we get out of the pipe freezing weather.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top