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Installing Lighting Fixtures

Incandescent
Artificial lighting is the primary illumination we use to perform tasks. Lighting also provides ambient, or general, lighting and decorative, or accent, lighting. The quantity and quality of light produced will depend on the type of light-bulb you use. Incandescent, fluorescent, and high-intensity discharge bulbs (including mercury-vapor lamps) provide the three major sources of artificial light. A standard incandescent light-bulb produces light when electricity is passed through a thin wire, or visible light called incandescence. Incandescent light-bulbs come in a variety of shapes and styles to match fixtures that are freestanding, wall or ceiling mounted, or assembly of lamp, fixture, housing, and attached electrical wires.

If a luminaire isn’t working, you will usually see signs of a faulty plug, switch, or cord. A defective plug normally has visible damage, such as cracks in the plug housing or loose, broken, or bent prongs. Abad switch may feel loose when you turn it on and off, or the bulb may flicker when the switch is jiggled. Damaged cord will often look frayed or worn. Sometimes a broken wire within the cord causes problems. You can check for this, but don’t do so if the cord seems frayed or if any bare wire is exposed. Cords in this condition should always be replaced.