High hats are recessed lights—often called can lights—that are flush with the finished ceiling (the fixture itself is up inside the joists). High hats are terrific for illuminating large areas, where you need lots of light, such as kitchens, offices, and basements.
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Are high hats the same as recessed lighting?
High hat lights are recessed downlights. That is, small direct lighting units positioned within a ceiling or cabinet so that their light shines vertically downward. High hat lights may also be called recessed can lights. They come in many sizes, 6” being the most popular.
Why are they called high hat lights?
“High hat lights “is another name for high bay lights which are used to illuminate areas with ceilings 15 ft above the ground. The lights provide illumination over large spaces such as warehouses, gymnasiums, and commercial buildings.
What is a top hat light fixture?
City Theatrical Standard Top Hats serve two functions in entertainment lighting: To control light spill, or to reduce the viewing angle to the lens. Sometimes poor fixture optics or poorly maintained lenses can cause light to be directed into the audience or onto scenery, and top hats can help control that.
What is the difference between can lights and recessed lights?
Recessed lights, also known as can lights, are described as metal light housings installed in the ceiling for a sleek look that gives you back your ceiling. Their diameter generally varies from 3” to 6.”
What is better than recessed lighting?
Luckily, there is now a better alternative to recessed can lights. What many people are now using in their homes instead of recessed can lights is a light fixture called a disc light. The disc light is a very thin LED light, typically about an inch tall, that is mounted to the surface of the ceiling.
What are the lights that are flush with the ceiling called?
Recessed light fixtures — sometimes called recessed can lights or downlights — are flush with the ceiling, making them great for rooms with low ceilings. A downlight has three main components: the housing, the trim and the type of bulb or lamp.
Can I use regular bulbs in recessed lighting?
What Kind of Light Bulb Do You Want to Use? A recessed fixture with a medium screw base lamp holder can take an incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, or LED light bulb. There are also fixtures available with special lamp holders, or sockets, that can only take certain light bulbs, usually fluorescent or halogen.
Recessed lights, often called can lights, push up into the ceiling, with only the lens and trim ring exposed. Recessed lights do recess, in the verb sense, and are invaluable in low-ceiling environments such as basements. Recessed lights are hidden lights that many homeowners can afford and even install by themselves.
Do recessed lights need a transformer?
Types of Recessed Light Fixtures
They do not use a transformer, ballast, or driver, which makes them inexpensive and the most trouble-free. Low Voltage (12V or 24V) – Most often used for accent lighting. Their compact lamps allow for a wide variety of adjustable trim options. 12V is the most common.
How long do recessed LED lights last?
50,000 hours
Many LED lights are rated to last 50,000 hours or more. That translates into roughly 5 and a half years, if you had the lights running 24 hours a day. That’s 22 years if the lights are used an average of 6 hours per day or 45 years at 3 hours per day.
What kind of bulbs go in recessed lights?
The four light bulb types used in residential recessed lighting are incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent (CFL), and light emitting diode (LED).
How many lights can I have on one circuit?
There is no limit to the number of lights on a circuit. The load of the fixtures is what determines how many lights a circuit can accommodate. A conventional 15A circuit can have up to 1400W of lighting loads connected to it. A 1400 Watts lighting load can accommodate one 1400W fixture or fourteen 100W fixtures.
Are recessed lights a fire hazard?
IC rated fixtures are designed to be installed in areas where they will be in direct contact with insulation. This is important as non-IC rated recessed lighting in contact with insulation creates a fire hazard.
What does recessed lighting look like?
Recessed lights, also known as downlights or can lights, are a type of lighting fixture installed into the ceiling or wall. They are designed to sit flush with the surface for a sleek and polished finish. The housing and electrical wiring components are hidden, and the bulb appears to glow from within the opening.
What does it cost to have recessed lighting installed?
Recessed lighting installation costs $125 to $300 per light, including $75 to $200 for labor and $50 to $100 for the can light fixture itself. Prices depend on the bulb, trim, and housing type selected, the ceiling style and material, and the amount of wiring required for the installation.
Can you have too many recessed lights?
It often seems that installing recessed lights is a cure all, but they cannot properly wash light upon walls and all dark corners, which would bounce reflective light into the room. In fact, using too many recessed light may leave areas of your room dark and may even cost you more on your electric bill.
What can I replace my recessed lighting with?
In fact, most remodeling recessed lighting uses LED bulbs because of the ease of installation, as well as the energy efficiency. LED bulbs last much longer than other kinds of light bulbs. You won’t have to change them as often once you make the switch. An LED bulb can stay lit for as long as 50,000 hours.
What are the three common types of light fixtures?
Wall-mounted fixture. Traditional recessed fixtures and / or LED downlights. Track light.
What are the three common forms of architectural lighting?
There are three basic types of architectural lighting—cove, soffit, and valance.
What is soft white vs warm white?
Soft white (2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin) is warm and yellow, the typical color range you get from incandescent bulbs. This light gives a warm and cozy feeling and is often best for living rooms, dens and bedrooms. Warm white (3,000 to 4,000 Kelvin) is more yellowish-white.