I love to keep the lights on in the curio cabinet, but I worry that the intense lighting will cause the paint to fade on our HLs. Does anyone have long-term experience with halogen lighting that would support or refute my concern? Does anyone share this concern and limit lights-on time? Thanks.

-Art[photophobic]

Yes, Art, I too share your concern over the effects intense light has on these artistic beauties. I've always tended to turn the dimmer switch down a notch or two when illuminating the collection, just to reduce any possible adverse effects; however, I really don't know if the halogens cause any harm or not. Anyone out there know for sure?

Art, your assignment for Tuesday is a 250 word summary on the harmful effects of focused halogen lighting on 20th C. painted lighthouse models.

By the way, the greatest information resource in the entire history of keeper or friend is at your fingertips in the form of a little browser button labeled 'Search'. Forgive my chiding :-)

Here's some tips to help you get started:

UV is carnage

Halogen is part UV

Rgds,
Debby Boone

[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 12-05-98).]

C'mon, Tim, I wouldn't expect any less of you! In fact, I'd be very disappointed had you not chided. 8-) [new glasses]



Quite right. But you overlook three things:

(1) This would deprive the rest of the Forum readership of a chance to again experience your insight, wit and charm.

(2) The knowledge divulged herewith would not be preserved for posterity. And

(3) Why do it yourself when you know Tim is on the beat? Laziness is a virtue. (Just kidding. No intent to abuse a resource here!)

Seriously, thanks for the links. How do you limit your display lighting? Or do you keep all of your HLs in their boxes?

8-)

-Art[Photuris pennsylvanicus, larval stage]

BTW, Got any nice red HLs you can lend me until next Tuesday?

[This message has been edited by Art (edited 12-06-98).]

I would say there is a very good possibility that any type of light at any intensity level could have an adverse affect on HLs. Yet again, the beauty of the pieces is far more pleasing to the eye when they are out of the box. You certainly can't enjoy them if you don't display them.
I display the pieces in different locations and rotate them often. I change their position approximately once a week. By doing this, I feel I can combat the harmful affects of UV rays.
I never display any of my HLs in direct sunlight. Sometimes this can be tricky because of the everchanging position of the sun throughout the twelve months of the year. I keep a watchful eye for strong sunlight shining through the windows on to my display cases. When the sun is strong, the curtains are drawn.

UV radiation comes not just from the sun, but the sky as well. If, from the position of your Harbour Lights display, you can see blue sky, (assuming it isn't cloudy and it's daytime), then your display is receiving UV radiation, although not as much as if the sun were shining directly on it.

One of the effects of exposure could be the 'flaking paint' dealt with in another thread here.

Different paints, inks, etc. will fade at different rates. Some products such as Cibrchrome photographic prints are much less susceptible to fading than, say, regular color photographic prints. Paint can be formulated to be less - susceptible, but it's still going to fade.

And as noted earlier, reddish colors tend to fade first, blueish ones last.

Here's an idea. Get out a color 4x6" snapshot that includes a range of colors in it - red, blue, green. Cut three strips of dark colored construction paper about 1.25" wide by 4" high. Use the strips to each cover up one-fifth of the photograph, leaving one-fourth exposed. Prop the photo upright in your curio. Each Sunday for the next four Sundays, remove a strip. At the end of four weeks, one of the segments will have had four weeks of exposure, the next 3, the next 2, the next 1 week and the final will not have had any exposure.

Again, photographic dyes will probably fade faster than paints. But you will be able to tell just how much difference a months worth of sitting in your curio can make.

If you're concerned about the Halogen bulb (I am), then make two test photos and lay one of them directly under the top of curio lamp and place the other at the bottom of the cabinet - both facing up towards the Halogen bulb. See if there is a significant difference.

The one article Tim referenced seems to indicate that Halogen bulbs have the most UV directly in the beam, less around the fringes. If you've got three pictures the same, you might place one directly under the beam, one 8" to one side but on the top shelf, and a third on the bottom shelf.

Please report back what you find. I'll do this test too and scan the final pictures and compare it with an unexposed photo.

Tom Edison

Is there a decent alternative to halogen lights? Every thing I've looked at either did not put out enough light, or the fixture was too big. Any suggestions?

Thanks Bob & John.

John, the experiment will need to wait until after the holidays. Just too busy now (mostly trying to keep up with Tim, LOL!) Meanwhile, I feel secure with the lights off. The curio is on the southern wall of a north-facing room. The windows opposite the curio have curtains and are shaded by low, dense (but deciduous) trees, so not much sky can be seen from the curio's vantage. Pretty much an ideal situation if seeing the HLs within is a criterion. Thanks again for the input.

-Art

And Art - don't forget that Maglight with the Halogen bulb. You'll need to get a UV filter so you can use it 10 minutes each weekend to inspect your HL's in the dark.

John

Thanks for your question Art. And thank you Forum Members for sharing your expertise.

Now how about storage of HL's in a garage in the Northeast? Any positive(it's OK) or negative(No Way!!) experiences from the heat and cold?

I would think that HL and it's dealers, store the product in regular storage facilites? --not a climate controlled environment. The HL's would be packed in original packaging.

JOHN?
Tim?
Art?

Any input?

still a burning question...

anyone using halogen lighting experienced problems?

T3RP

I have overhead halogen in two of my display cases and I've experienced no problems at all.

All my display cases have Halogen lighting except one and I've not experienced a problem except on paint chipping off early pieces(St George's Reef) and that is normal I'm told.

Rich