Lighting FAQs
Q: Why do they say not to touch the bulbs with your bare fingers?
A: Touching the bulbs with your bare fingers may cause premature failure of the bulb. Oils in your skin can cause hot spots on the glass envelope that will result in considerably shortening its life, and may even cause the bulb to burst. Salts in your sweat can also cause problems. This is true of other electronic items such as watch batteries and computer contacts.
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Q: What's a touch switch? Don't all switches require touch?
A: A touch switch allows any piece of metal to become a touch sensitive switch. A knob or a hinge can be wired so that when it is touched, the lights attached to that transformer will be activated.
The touch switch allows up to three transformers to be turned on and adjusted to any of three levels of brightness (25%, 50% and 100%). The transformer comes with a touch switch attached that can handle up to 60 watts and has 5 power settings.
Another option is the micro mini switch that activates the lights whenever the door or drawer that the switch is located behind is opened.
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Q: What is soft start circuitry and how long will the bulb last?
A: Soft start circuitry is a feature of the Häfele transformers which starts the bulbs slowly, extending the life of the bulbs. When the bulb is cold, the sudden jolt of full power to the filament can cause a decrease in bulb life, so even though the delay of the soft start is only a few milliseconds, it's enough to extend the useful life of the bulb.
Halogen bulb life is 2000 hours on average. Xenon bulb life is an average of 10,000 hours.
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Q: Does the transformer run even when the lights are turned off?
A: No, Häfele transformers are very energy efficient in that they will turn themselves off when they detect that the lights have been switched off. A lot of transformers on the market continue to operate at 5-10 watts all the time, even when the lights are off.
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Q: When the lights are working, will the TV and radio reception be effected? Does the transformer hum?
A: Häfele transformers feature Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) protection. Only in the case of the transformer being plugged directly into the same circuit as the TV or radio is there even a possibility of any interference from the transformer. If this does happen, it will only be on the low band stations (TV 2, 3 or 88FM etc.). RFI protection is the most advanced in the industry, but there is no way to eliminate the low band bleed-over except to plug the transformer into another circuit. As for humming, the transformer emits no audible noise and has a sound rating of A+.
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Q: What's wrong if all the lights attached to a transformer go out at once?
A: First, check the plug at the wall outlet. Plug a radio or light into the outlet to check the circuit. If that checks out, the next thing to know is that all of Hafele's transformers feature Electronic Short Circuit Protection. If one of the fixtures develops a short, the transformer will detect this and shut down the entire system.
Here's a tip: Try unplugging the fixtures from the mounting block, one at a time. This should help you determine the fixture with the short. Upon correction of the problem, the transformer will restart.
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Q: Why is there a minimum and maximum wattage recommended? Why can't I run a single 10-watt fixture on any transformer?
A: All of our transformers require a minimum of 20-watts. This means that you can't run a single 10-watt fixture with one of our transformers. You get a very low strobe effect that is very annoying and potentially harmful to the fixture and transformer.
As for the maximum of 60-watts, this is the maximum set forth in the class 2 requirements, so that's what our transformers were designed to handle. If this maximum is exceeded, the bulbs will burn low and the self-regenerating feature of the bulbs will not work properly causing shorter bulb life and reduced light output. If this voltage range is not met, the warranty is void.
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Q: What are the odds of getting a bad transformer?
A: All of our transformers (100%) are tested prior to being boxed at the factory. Our failure rate is fewer than 12 per 10,000 sold.
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Q: On transformers, what is meant by Primary and Secondary cords?
A: The Primary cord is the wire that plugs into the 110-volt outlet in the wall. The Secondary cord is the low voltage wire that runs from the transformer to the fixture or mounting block. Some of our transformers plug directly into the wall, with the transformer box hanging on the wall.
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Q: Can the amp plugs be moved further up the wire and the wire be shortened?
A: No, the amp pugs are installed at the factory with special tools, which would be required to move the plug. Any excess wire can be simply coiled up and set aside in a inconspicuous place on the top or back of the cabinet. It is not recommended to cut the plug off and wire lights to power sources. Low voltage requires solid connections to prevent "arcing". The design of amp plugs and pins prevents arcing.
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Q: How are the puck lights wired to the transformers?
A: The fixtures have a lead (wire) that is 300-3000mm long, depending on the fixture, at the end of which is a small plug called an amp plug. The amp plug snaps into, and clips in place in either a mounting block, which is attached to a transformer, or directly into the amp socket in the transformer. That's it!
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Q: The catalog features details on drilling for the fixtures, but no real mounting instructions. Are mounting instructions available?
A: Mounting instructions are included with each fixture and should be followed carefully. For example, a 10-watt fixture may install and fit differently than a 20-watt fixture of the same style.
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Q: Does halogen effect colors?
A: Halogen light is very similar to natural sunlight. Halogens color temperature (2900 degrees Kelvin to 3100 degrees Kelvin) makes its color purity at 12volts superior to standard 120-volt household lamps. Said simply, colors are seen as they really are!
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Q: How does a Halogen light work? Is it fluorescent?
A: Let's get the second part of the question out of the way first: No, Halogen and Xenon lights are not fluorescent. They are both incandescent bulbs (they have a filament).
Halogen lamps (bulbs) function according to a cycle in which halogen gas continuously "cleans" heat-vaporized tungsten from the wall of the lamp and redeposits it back on the filament. Because of this cyclical cleaning action, quartz halogen lamps can perform at 97% of their original output at the end of the bulb life, while incandescent bulbs darkened by tungsten deposits are reduced to 60% of their original output.
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Q: Heat can cause plastics to break down as can UV rays. What is done to prevent problems within the fixture caused by heat and UV rays?
A: Our fixtures are made of plastic, which is an integral part of the construction of each light. With the small size of these fixtures, it was important that many features be built into the design to allow the heat to dissipate. Halogen will cause plastic to turn brown over a period of time, however the Häfele system has solved this problem with the addition of a special finish.
White and black fixtures are lacquered. Most companies who provide halogen do not lacquer the covers (where the heat and UV rays are at their greatest) thus the white will turn brown and brittle over time. This is one of the causes of snap-on covers falling off on some fixtures sold elsewhere.
Additionally, our Gold and Chrome fixtures are fully electroplated (covered in a thin layer of metal) assuring the long life of the finish. Some companies who electroplate (particularly Asian companies) do a poor job, as the plating will peel. Häfele fixtures feature high quality electroplating which will not peel.
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Q: Is it true that halogen lights emit UV radiation?
A: The first thing we need to understand is that the amount of UV-B rays that are emitted from a halogen bulb is slight, however, it is true that they do emit UV-B rays.
When Häfele developed its halogen line, this issue was addressed and the system we offer has several advantages over other solutions. First, all of our halogen fixtures are fitted with a special lens, which covers the bulb. This lens filters over 99% of the UV-B rays.
One other benefit of the lens is that in the event of a bulb bursting (which can happen if the bulbs were handled with bare hands) the lens will contain the broken glass. Lastly, the lens covers on the Häfele fixtures are a twist-on, twist-off design which will stay firmly in place, unlike others that are push fit and tend to loosen over time due to deterioration caused by exposure to UV rays.
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Q: Why does Häfele say that their Halogen and Xenon light fixtures are only for use with their transformers? Isn't it really just because they want you to buy their transformers?
A: The reasons we require our fixtures be used with our transformers is simply because that is the only way that the lights can be used legally. Our lighting system is just that, a SYSTEM, which was designed, tested and CSA/UL listed for use as a system only. Any combination of other products or installation may cause difficulties with lighting inspectors and invalidates warranties.
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Q: Can our lights be installed by anyone?
A: Some Halogen and Xenon light fixtures were designed to be installed by a professional electrician only. These systems are classified as Class 1 systems. With Class 1 lighting the installation must pass an inspection to verify that a licensed electrician did the installation and that the installation meets the local code.
Most of our lighting systems were designed and approved for Class 2 use. Class 2 systems can be installed by anyone and use plug type connectors. With Class 2 no “hard wiring” is required or permitted. Our Class 2 fixtures can be used in any combination adding up to a maximum of 60 watts per 110-volt (common household current) transformer. The biggest advantage our lighting systems offer is that they can be successfully installed by anyone as long as the instructions are followed.
One more important note: As these are low voltage lights designed for use in furniture and cabinetry, all wiring must be kept within the cabinetry, on the top, back or other surface. At no time should the wiring be run through walls such as drywall. That application would require a class 1 system and a licensed electrician
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