Choosing a desk lamp

[Plexter]

Hi folks,

I'm on the look for a new desk lamp and over the years I've realized the importance of having quality illumination and since navigating through google's clutter...I mean results, will likely take me to a good place (a lot of people don't give much of a though about their lamps and the results aim to help most people after all) I'm curious to see what the community has to say on the topic.

I've seen Dave's video discussing his lab lightning but at this stage of time, I can't alter the ceiling to include fluorescent tubes but I am willing to consider bolder ideas than simply getting a lamp with a desk clip. A colleague once told me he got a fluorescent tube in his uni days which he mounted on a drawer (not an option for me currently).

There are plenty of fluorescent desk lamps, coming in all shapes and sizes - tubes, circular, conical, different materials, different power etc. An option is to get a fluorescent lamp with a magnifying glass and hit two birds with one stone, but I wonder if that's the best option lightning-wise.

What would you guys suggest?

Thanks!

edit: Sorry guys, it's now that I see there're two search boxes for the forum. I couldn't get anything at first

[n45048]

Well it all comes down to what you're trying to light and your specific taste.

When I'm working at the computer, I like to have a dim, ambient light. I currently use a floor-standing lamp next to my desk with a lampshade which projects most of the light down towards the floor and up towards the roof. I find the reflecting light off the roof gives a nice light overall. It uses a standard bayonet type globe so I use a 40 watt halogen.

I hate nothing more than fluoro lighting; it's horrible.

[ajb]

I second the indirect lighting suggestion.  A couple of 26W CFLs aimed at the ceiling did nicely in my last home lab, and I used a couple of desk lamps from Ikea (decent quality, and only $9) with 20W CFLs for task lighting.  My current setup has a pair of 9.5W CREE bulbs in a ceiling fixture which works okay, but not nearly as nice and even as what I had before.

[NiHaoMike]

Every once in a while, Home Depot sells cheap but good LED bulbs on special. A few months ago, I got a few 8W LED bulbs for $4 each.

[RobertoLG]

Every once in a while, Home Depot sells cheap but good LED bulbs on special. A few months ago, I got a few 8W LED bulbs for $4 each.

yep, these 8w ones are good, but be sure to get the white ones, not warm light

[miguelvp]

I have a metal halogen desk mounted lamp with an articulated arm. I had it for at least 15 years and never had to replace the halogen bulb.

The actual lamp is square shape with a straight halogen bulb. The base next to the mounting clamp has a grounded outlet.
The lamp has a rocking switch with off in the center, low setting to the left and high setting to the right.

Only downside is that it heats up the room so in summer I don't use the high setting for too long, just for the amount of time I need.

I've seen similar ones with halogen lights and a magnifier lens. But not sure how good they are.

I  think I got mine from office depot or similar chain store, but I can't find it on google so it might be discontinued. Maybe because they last that long and no one is replacing them

[xwarp]

Get one of these, (you can find them much cheaper), and thank me later:

http://catalog.lightingspecialties.com/viewitems/electrix/electrix-led-machine-light?s=g.base&gclid=CN67mdqt5MACFQiDfgod8QwACA

[vindoline]

I bought one of these for my office last year:
http://www.amazon.com/Koncept-AR5000-C-MBK-FLR-Z-Bar-Floor-Metallic/dp/B00JDYOX0M/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1410866790&sr=1-4
It's pricy, but a fantastic lamp. I would highly recommend it.

[eneuro]

http://www.amazon.com/Koncept-AR5000-C-MBK-FLR-Z-Bar-Floor-Metallic/dp/B00JDYOX0M/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1410866790&sr=1-4
It's pricy, but a fantastic lamp.

This price is probably hidden shipment costs 
I do not like in this lamp for example this additional power adaptor which will lay somewhere on the floor .
At this price above 100$ I'd expect have it embended somewhere inside bottom case or in this vertical pipe and have only plug to wall socket 230VAC.

BTW: While it costs 300$ and it is easy to source nice 15mmx15mm pipes in the price below 1$/meter and it might require not more than 2 hours to complete build of such thing,  I think that saveing or earning more than 100$/h is not so bad payout, so it is better Do It Yourself after working hours and forget about this one

There is something else-while I had light sensor connected to scope started to analyze light bulb and other new EU recomended electronic energy saving replacements and its power output of course has 100Hz frequency components and in the case of old light bulb which means when we move something in this light we have stroboscope effects and I do not care that some people say that in theory human eye can not react with more than 25 fps and it is fine-I prefer constant output continous power while it is what humans saw within the whole time of its evolution-Sun light or fire light.
So, it could be interesting to make measurements similar to those I've made using common light sensor and forget about all these light sources which output 100Hz or other stroboscope efects lighting  which I hate   

We get 100Hz lighting pulses while in the case of 50Hz there is 2*50Hz pure resitance power component in light bulb output

p(t) ~ (1-cos(2*50Hz*t)/2

and it is easy visible using even slow LDR light sensor  and microphone xscope soft and nice fits into theory
I was supprised for the first time I saw this while expected 50Hz, but of course quick look into power equations leads to easy explanation why we have 100Hz stroboscope light bulb oscilations.

[NiHaoMike]

The switching ballast fluorescents as well as (reasonable quality) LED bulbs don't have that issue. Also, flicker above 75Hz or so is of no problem in general applications - in fact, some good LED backlit monitors like those supporting Nvidia Lightboost pulse the backlight at 120Hz to reduce motion blur. (The complaints of old linear fluorescents flickering are likely caused by aging bulbs giving different output depending on polarity, thus adding the all too annoying 50/60Hz flicker.)

[eneuro]

The switching ballast fluorescents as well as (reasonable quality) LED bulbs don't have that issue. Also, flicker above 75Hz or so is of no problem in general applications

No special applications needed-try to move faster your hand in such stroboscope light and what you see- a few hands at the same time 
Probably only by teardown or output light sensing of one of those LED bulbs one can see what is emited and what frequencies, while such kind of information is not included on its specs I guess.

BTW: Is it possible to power up 230VAC LED bulb using rectified mains and caps so we can have around 325VDCmax  on its input depending on of used capacity and its rated power? 
However, its teardown before such test might be better, while we could predict if it explode or only make short circuit and fire main home fuse like some of those new electronic powersaveing bulbs, which finished his life by.. makeing complete dark at home with spectacular noise like close hitting lighting 

[Plexter]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I stopped on the IKEA lamps with 20W CFL bulbs. They do the job well considering their price range. The flexible arm isn't very flexible but it seems like an easy fix with a rotary tool.

[EasyPeasyLemonSqueezy]

I picked up one of these and it works quite well for a precision light. The light beam is very narrow but bright so its only really good to light up something your working on. The shaft bends very well and is quite long, I have it on a shelf about a foot from the tabletop and i can still bend it all the way down to the tabletop.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055IVM1I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Quality and lifetime might be questionable but its only 20$.

[KJDS]

I've got some clip versions of these

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/search/?query=jansjo

Easy to move along the shelf to light the area most in need. I've also got a couple of illuminated magnifiers.

[TMM]

I've got two 11W PLS CFLs and am thinking about adding a third.


One thing to note is that the ballasts emit a bit of EMI. On occasion that has been an issue for me, especially with breadboarded circuits. LED ballasts aren't going to be friendly in that respect either.

[GreyWoolfe]

The best option is good overhead strip lighting if possible. If you don't want to install proper wiring in your ceiling you can always get plug-in ones.

+1 I have 6 T8 daylight deluxe bulbs over the central 4 feet of my bench.  The 2 feet to either side of the lights are still covered nicely.  My fixtures are hanging from chains to a height just above my own so I don't bump my head.  The 4 bulb fixture has a pass through outlet on it which allows me to plug in my second fixture without using 2 wall outlets as outlets are a bit of a premium in my office.  I pretty much have all the light I could wish for, especially when I turn on the 2nd 2 bulb fixture.

[eneuro]

I've got two 11W PLS CFLs and am thinking about adding a third.

Sitting in dark room with only desk full of light probably not too good for longer time

Additional few light sources to highlight parts when needed, but good room light is the most important, I think.

[max666]

Sitting in dark room with only desk full of light probably not too good for longer time

Additional few light sources to highlight parts when needed, but good room light is the most important, I think.

Why do you think it's not good?
I'm quite happy sitting at my desk with only a desk lamp on, but I would like to know if I’m doing something wrong.

[Dave Turner]

In the short term, say an hour or two per day, nothing is wrong - but for a long term working environment you risk eye problems.

[max666]

Is there actual evidence for getting eye problems from bad lighting?
I'm very sceptical if this is just another common misconception told by mothers all around the globe.
Better start up the old search engine and see if I can find something myself. 

[TMM]

I've got two 11W PLS CFLs and am thinking about adding a third.

Sitting in dark room with only desk full of light probably not too good for longer time

Additional few light sources to highlight parts when needed, but good room light is the most important, I think.

It's not really dark, it's a 3x3meter room with two 35W halogen downlights, they just don't throw a lot of light onto the walls. On the opposite side of the room i have some halogens to light up the wall behind my computer monitors which helps reduce fatigue enormously 

[vikasbly44]

These days we all spend hours on a computer whether for working or leisure. If you want to stay focused you'll need the right kind of home office lighting. it should be...
1.Easy on the eyes
Study lighting tips....
Place the lamp at the opposite side of your dominant hand to reduce shadows when writing or reading.
Angle your computer screen away from the natural light by day and from the light beam of the desk lamp at night. This way you avoid the reflection off the computer screen into your eyes.