What type of lighting is safest for a high-heat application?
Question by Kelsey:
What type of lighting is safest for a high-heat application?
Trying to install accent lighting under a fireplace mantle, which obviously gets hot when there’s a fire. Halogen bulbs are a no-no – killed the bulbs after 2 hours the first time the fireplace was on. Will LED bulbs be safe in this application? If so, should I purchase a pre-integrated puck, or a fixture for MR16 or Gu10 lights? And which of those two options would be safer. MR16 means the transformer would be elsewhere, but it’d end up inside the wall or directly behind the plasma TV, so I’m not sure that’s any better – Gu10s would have the transformer right at the light, but can they handle the light?
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Answer by andygroch
That is quite a challenge. I believe that most any light you put there is going to have an issue with all the heat from the fireplace. Mr16′s and GU10′s come in line voltage so there would be no transformer needed. Probably the best option would be a small track section with a fixture that would handle a PAR16 type bulb. These bulbs are availible in a capsylite, which is almost all ceramic except for the base and are designed to withstand a lot of heat. That would be about the best option I could think of for your aplication without making some sort of heat shield. Even if you did that you are containing the heat that the fixture would put out which is not a good thing. I hope that helps you. Check with your local quality lighting showroom for any further assistance. That’s what we are here for.
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