LAMPS
RESOURCES

LAMPS & LIGHTING – A GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

B – Lamps & Lighting Dictionary:
Ballast to Bulb and much more

 

Part of the fixture that blocks light to prevent glare and control brightness. Baffles may be integral blades, plates or grooves or an accessory. Baffles are often painted black to absorb light.

 

Ballast

Electrical or electronic component required for fluorescent (and HID) lamps. Ballasts provide enough voltage to start the lamp and then limit the current for continuing operation.

 

Banker Lamp

A desk or table lamp, usually in a traditional style, that has a rectangular cased glass or metal shade. So-called because they were common fixtures in banks in the first half of the 20th century.

 

The end of the lamp that inserts into a lamp socket. The end or ends of a lamp that makes electrical and mounting connections.

 

Bath or vanity lighting refers to fixtures used to light the mirror in a bathroom. A bath strip is a long fixture that mounts along the top or sides of the mirror. Also see “bathbar lighting.”

 

These fixtures supply task lighting, while supplementing the general lighting provided by ceiling fixtures. Similar to lighting in theatre dressing rooms, these softly glowing lights are most often arranged in a row / bar fashion to provide excellent lighting for shaving and grooming.

 

Clear glass, often with a high lead content, with edges that are cut on an angle to add depth and glitter.

 

Move the airflow in a ceiling or desktop fan. Blades are made of plywood, laminated woods or plastic.

 

Irons that hold a ceiling fan’s blades.

 

Angle of the blade iron or blade holder on a ceiling fan. Fans with a higher degree of blade pitch will move more air.

 

Hand blown glass is created by artisans who blow air into a molten balloon of glass. The artisan’s skill determines the shape and texture of the finished piece.

 

The saucer at the base of a candle originally designed to catch the molten wax drippings of the candle. Used on chandeliers, sconces, etc.

 

Lights mounted on short, heavy piers or posts. They are used mostly for larger residences and campus settings.

 

Glass elements held together by metal strips, typically brass or copper; includes Leaded Glass, which has a heavier look.

 

An alloy of zinc and copper, brass forms and polishes easily. Solid brass means the fixture is made entirely of brass, rather than a brass-plated material.

 

Harder than brass, bronze is used for its durability, especially in high-grade outdoor lighting.

 

Satin or lightly textured finish, usually on metal, produced by brushing with a wire wheel or buffing with a fine abrasive.

 

Built-in lighting generally refers to lighting equipment mounted into coves and cornices, behind valences, or integrated into furniture and bookcases.