busyIf it's an older one, make sure it's not a Tensor "LT609N" or "LT609P"; 100,000 of those were recalled in 1996.
If your fixture is 250 watts or higher, Get a 100-watt bulb to replace the existing one.
If your torchiere lamp doesn't have a guard on it (it looks kind of like a catcher's mask), you can get them for free by calling (800) 985-2220.
Or, there's a better option available: buy a compact fluorescent torchiere lamp.
Many people have purchased halogen torchieres because they are inexpensive to buy. But because they use lots of electricity, they are expensive to operate. A single halogen torchiere used 8 hours a day can cost $70 in a electricity each year. And halogen torchieres are a fire hazard. According to the Alliance to Save Energy (www.ase.org), "The heat produced by these lamps is extreme-reaching 1,000 degrees F, hot enough to fry an egg on top of the fixture. Curtains and scraps of paper can be easily ignited by the heat these lamps produce. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has cited these cheap lamps as the cause of 189 fires and 11 deaths since 1992." So, choose a different sort of lighting. A compact fluorescent torchiere will serve the same purpose but will be safer and much kinder to the environment and to your pocketbook.excerpted from: Eight Easy Things You Can Do to Save Energy and Money at Home.
Some more links and resources:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the halogen lamp industry are cooperatively recalling about 40 million of the lamps for in-home consumer repair. Protective measures are being taken because these lamps have contributed to nearly 200 fires and 11 deaths since 1992.
CPSC Issues Warning on Tubular Halogen Bulbs
CPSC and Industry Announce Corrective Action to Improve Safety of Halogen Torchiere Floor Lamps
Many college campuses ban halogen torchiere lamps.
Underwriters Labs on Halogen Torchiere Lamps
This story is awesome because it contains the term "swing-arm goniophotometer"
Lots of links from Brown
Authorities in New York State Urge Consumers to Avoid Buying Halogen Torchiere Lamps
An exerpt from the DOE's Energy Savers booklet (available in PDF form)
The Berkeley Lamp
Interesting lighting resource: The Lighting Design Lab
Color picture of measured heat output ( as much energy as a typical refrigerator! ) http://energyoutlet.com/res/lighting/torchieres/
Anyway, these CFL lamps pay for themselves in a year:
Good Earth Lighting has a nice one for $49, looks just like the ordinary ones, or shop around...
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Triple Entendre
